ROAD SAFETY AUDIT Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road Town of Shrewsbury April 2015 Prepared For: MassDOT Prepared By: McMahon Associates 300 Myles Standish Blvd, Suite 201 Taunton, MA 02780 Road Safety Audit—Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Table of Contents Background ................................................................................................................................. 1 Project Data ................................................................................................................................. 1 Project Location and Description .............................................................................................. 2 Road Safety Audit Observations and Potential Improvements .............................................. 5 Recommendations ....................................................................................................................... 9 List of Appendices Appendix A. Appendix B. Appendix C. RSA Meeting Agenda RSA Audit Team Contact List Detailed Crash Data List of Figures Figure 1: Location Map ............................................................................................................................. 4 List of Tables Table 1. Table 2. Table 3. Participating Audit Team Members ....................................................................................... 2 Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown ....................................................................... 9 Potential Safety Enhancement Summary ............................................................................. 10 Road Safety Audit—Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Background The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) defines a Road Safety Audit (RSA) as the formal safety examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team. The purpose of an RSA is to identify potential safety issues and possible opportunities for safety improvements considering all roadway users. A key objective of the RSA is to identify both short-term and long-term safety improvements that can be made at the subject intersections. This RSA evaluates the intersection of Main Street, Old Mill Road, and Ireta Road in Shrewsbury, MA, as shown in Figure 1. A safety audit was scheduled for this intersection as part of the required MassDOT design process for this location, as part of a corridorwide redesign of Main Street. The proposed design project calls for improvements to the intersection, which include new signal equipment and mast arms, a Main Street westbound left-turn lane onto Old Mill Road, an additional sidewalk on the south side of Main Street, and roadway widening. The intersection of Main Street, Old Mill Road, and Ireta Road was identified as Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) high-crash intersection from 2010-2012. A key objective of the RSA is to identify both short-term and long-term safety improvements that can be made at the subject intersections. Project Data A Road Safety Audit was completed for the intersection of Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road in the Town of Shrewsbury on April 9, 2015. The agenda for the RSA meeting held at Shrewsbury Town Hall is provided in Appendix A of this report. As shown below in Table 1, the audit team consisted of a multidisciplinary team with representatives from state, regional and local agencies providing expertise in the engineering, planning, maintenance and emergency response fields. Contact information for the RSA attendees is provided in Appendix B of this report. Page 1 Road Safety Audit—Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members Audit Team Member Agency/Affiliation Kevin Krasnecky Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission Dan Daniska Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission Herman Peralta BETA Group William McGrath BETA Group Shawn Holland MassDOT John Mastera MassDOT Traffic Safety Unit William Ullom MassDOT Traffic Safety Unit Justin Slettehaugh MassDOT Traffic Safety Unit Lola Campbell MassDOT – District 3 Traffic Jeff Howland Shrewsbury – Engineering Matt Sarcione Shrewsbury - Planning Kristen Las Shrewsbury - Planning John Knipe Shrewsbury – Highway Kevin Anderson Shrewsbury – Police Jim Vuona Shrewsbury – Fire Phil Viveiros McMahon Associates Conor Murphy McMahon Associates Within the email invitation sent on March 18, 2015 to each participant in the RSA, background material was provided. This information included collision diagrams and crash data summaries. During the RSA meeting, these materials were reviewed as a group before the team discussed potential safety issues and solutions for the intersection. Project Location and Description Study Area Roadways As shown in Figure 1, Main Street is a two-lane roadway that runs in the east-west direction from Interstate 290 to the Shrewsbury-Northborough border. Main Street has a speed limit of 45 miles per hour in both directions at the intersection with Old Mill Road and Ireta Road. Main Street provides access to two high schools, Shrewsbury High School (west of the intersection) and St. John’s High School (east of the intersection). Main Street is classified as a rural major collector under Town of Shrewsbury jurisdiction. Within the vicinity of the study area intersection, Main Street is approximately 37 feet wide with an 11.5-foot through lane in each direction, a 12-foot right turn lane on the eastbound approach, and one-foot shoulders on each side of the road. There is an existing bituminous concrete sidewalk on the west side of the intersection that travels along the north side of Main Street and turns up the west side of Ireta Road. There are no bicycle facilities present on Main Street. Old Mill Road is a two-lane road classified as a rural major collector under Town of Shrewsbury jurisdiction that runs generally in a north-south direction through Shrewsbury. Old Mill Road has a single travel lane in each direction with a varying width. Old Mill Road terminates at Main Street where the northbound approach has two dedicated turn lanes, one left turn lane and one right turn lane, that are each 11 feet wide. There are no sidewalks or shoulders present on Old Mill Road. Page 2 Road Safety Audit—Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Ireta Road is a local road under Town of Shrewsbury jurisdiction that generally runs in a north-south direction through the northwest area of Shrewsbury. Ireta Road is a two-lane roadway with a width of 29 feet at its intersection with Main Street. There is a sidewalk running alongside the west side of the street. Study Area Intersections The intersection of Main Street, Old Mill Road, and Ireta Road is a four-legged signalized intersection where Old Mill Road and Ireta Road are offset from each other by approximately 70 feet. The eastbound approach consists of a shared through-left lane and a dedicated right turn lane. The northbound approach consists of a dedicated left turn lane and a dedicated right turn lane. The southbound and westbound approaches each consist of a single multi-use lane. Three traffic signal heads are mounted on a span wire that stretches from the southeast to the northeast corner of the intersection, two signal heads are mounted onto each span wire pole, and three signal heads are located on two signal poles on the west side of the intersection. Directly across from the northbound approach is a driveway opening providing access to 251 Main Street. Directly across from the southbound approach is a driveway opening providing access to 248 Main Street, which sometimes acts as a fifth leg at the intersection. There are no pedestrian crosswalks or signals at the intersection. Crash Data Crash data was received for the five years between 2010 and 2014. Based on this data, there were a total of 36 crashes reported at the intersection of Main Street, Old Mill Road, and Ireta Road. Of the crashes that occurred, 22 (58%) were rear-end collisions, including 10 crashes in the eastbound direction and seven crashes in the westbound direction on Main Street. Additionally, there were 10 angle collisions, two sideswipe crashes, two single vehicle crashes, and one head-on crash reported at the intersection. Of the 36 reported crashes, eight resulted in personal injury; no fatalities were reported at the intersection. Detailed crash diagrams are provided in Appendix C. Page 3 Road Safety Audit—Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Road Safety Audit Observations and Potential Improvements During the RSA meeting, a brief introduction of the RSA process and a summary of the study area and crash information were presented to the audit participants. Following this brief presentation, the members of the audit team were asked to discuss the existing issues that may affect safety at the intersection of Main Street, Old Mill Road, and Ireta Road. Provided below is a list of the safety concerns that were identified during the RSA along with potential enhancements that address these concerns. Safety Issue #1: Traffic Control Observations: Traffic control at the intersection of Main Street, Old Mill Road, and Ireta Road is impacted by the traffic signal and existing signage at the intersection. During the RSA meeting, participants described the existing location of the traffic signal heads. The signal head on the eastbound approach that is aligned with the through-left lane includes a right-turn arrow meant for traffic in the right-turn only lane. This confuses approaching drivers in the through-left lane and creates the perception that they Traffic Signal Configuration on Main Street eastbound approach have a green light, which has led to several angle and rear end crashes. In addition, the right-turn arrow indications were observed to show a green arrow through the majority of each signal cycle (including left turns from Old Mill Road), only clearing when traffic was present on Ireta Road. While this allows a right-turn overlap to occur when traffic enters the intersection from Old Mill Road, the lack of consistent clearance indications for the right-turn green arrows also contributes to driver confusion. Several audit participants noted that there is no restriction on turning right on red at the Main Street eastbound approach, which may create conflicts when drivers also turn left out of Ireta Road at the same time. Some participants suggested that the clearance intervals at the intersection may not be timed correctly based on the width of the intersection. Many drivers that do stop before turning right on red are doing so beyond the stop line, while some do not stop for the red light all together. In addition, drivers queueing at the Old Mill Road northbound approach have difficulty with sight distance at the intersection due to the stop line’s proximity to the intersection and the presence of vehicles in the adjacent lane blocking drivers from looking along Main Street. RSA members also pointed out that there is solar glare present during the morning travel hours on the eastbound and westbound approaches that affects drivers’ ability to see the traffic signals. Enhancements: • Add “No Turn on Red” signage at the Main Street eastbound approach to discourage drivers from turning down Old Mill Road when a red signal is present. • Evaluate the installation of an offset stop line for the Main Street eastbound right turn lane ahead of the through-left turn lane. Page 5 Road Safety Audit—Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL • • • • • • • • Increase enforcement at the intersection to prevent drivers from encroaching into the intersection. Evaluate the installation of “Don’t Block the Box” signage and pavement markings at the intersection to discourage drivers from encroaching into the intersection. Analyze existing clearance times and adjust to match the existing conditions. Evaluate the feasibility of displaying clearance intervals within the Main Street eastbound rightturn arrow signal indications (Green Arrow > Yellow Arrow > Red Arrow > Green Arrow) concurrent with through and left-turning traffic, to force right-turning drivers to slow down as they approach the intersection. Evaluate the removal and/or relocation of existing right-turn green arrow indications at the Main Street eastbound approach (overhead and post-mounted) to better align arrow indications with the right-turn lane. This enhancement should include an assessment of whether both arrow indications are needed. Evaluate the feasibility of converting the Main Street eastbound signal head located over the through-left lane into a 5-section “doghouse” signal to better align with the eastbound lanes Install diagrammatic signs to alert approaching drivers of the lane configuration at the intersection. Install back plates with reflective borders for overhead signals facing Main Street approaches. Safety Issue #2: Pedestrian Accommodations Observations: The intersection of Main Street, Old Mill Road, and Ireta Road does not currently have any crosswalks and is limited to a small asphalt sidewalk that travels along the north side of Main Street and the west side of Ireta Road. There are no bicycle facilities located in or around the intersection. During the RSA, it was noted that this intersection does see increased pedestrian and bicycle activity as the weather becomes nicer. Runners have various routes utilizing this intersection, and bicyclists will travel from the neighborhood surrounding Ireta Road towards the shops and neighborhoods located closer to Route 9 to the south. This intersection is also in the vicinity of St. John’s High School and Shrewsbury High School. Enhancements: • Evaluate the installation of crosswalks at the intersection. • Install pedestrian signals and push button actuation at the signalized intersection. • Construct sidewalks adjacent to the intersection Existing sidewalk looking west on Main Street to guide pedestrians to the traffic signal. • Install bicycle accommodations (bicycle safe shoulders, bicycle lanes, etc.) on Main Street and Old Mill Road. Page 6 Road Safety Audit—Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Safety Issue #3: Roadway Conditions Observations: Various existing conditions along the roadway at the intersection of Main Street, Old Mill Road, and Ireta Road impact the drivers traveling through this intersection. During the RSA meeting, it was noted that the catch basin on the radius of the Main Street eastbound right turn is significantly depressed into the ground, forcing drivers to take wider turns to avoid the catch basin. Some of these cars will encroach on the Old Mill Road northbound lane due to the wider turn. There is also a fence located parallel to Main Street in front of 251 Main Street that limits the sight distance looking east for drivers turning out of Ireta Road. While in the field, participants noticed a large area of ponding in front of the Main Street westbound right turn curb radius due to a recent rain storm. Ponding at northeast corner, as well as limited sight distance looking eastbound from Ireta Road Enhancements: • Readjust the catch basin on the radius of the Main Street eastbound right turn. • Redesign and regrade the intersection to eliminate ponding. • Relocate the fence in front of 251 Main Street away from the street to improve sight distance. Safety Issue #4: Traffic Operations Observations: The daily operation of the intersection of Main Street, Old Mill Road, and Ireta Road is impacted by traffic patterns of drivers and the design of the intersection. Various members of the RSA team noted that drivers traveling eastbound on Main Street will often cross into the right-turn only lane to make a through movement at the intersection to bypass a driver waiting to safely turn left onto Ireta Road. This movement increases the risk of crashes between drivers traveling eastbound on Main Street and northbound on Old Mill Road, as well as increases the risk of sideswipe crashes at the Main Street eastbound approach. The double yellow center line on either side of Main Street is not aligned correctly, which creates confusion and the risk of a head-on collision for drivers Staggered double yellow center line through intersection traveling through the intersection on either Main Street approach. One RSA participant noted the wide lane width on the Main Street westbound approach, which has resulted in many cars trying to travel around left-turning vehicles in that lane. This may have Page 7 Road Safety Audit—Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL been a contributing factor to various rear-end crashes. Members of the RSA mentioned that the through movement between Old Mill Road and Ireta Road is confusing for drivers as they need to make two turns to go straight through the intersection. There are two driveways that have access to the intersection, located at 251 Main Street and 248 Main Street, that are not under signal control. These driveways potentially pose a hazard to drivers traveling through the intersection when vehicles attempt to enter or exit the driveways. It was noted that traffic congestion exists at this intersection during school arrival and dismissal periods, due to a high influx of students from both nearby high schools. It was also noted that this intersection does exhibit speeds higher than the posted speed limit. Enhancements: • Evaluate narrowing the width of the Main Street eastbound receiving lane on the far side of the intersection. • Develop a left turn lane on the Main Street westbound approach. • Install a dotted yellow extension line to connect the double yellow center lines through the intersection and help guide drivers through the intersection. • Evaluate the possibility of a left turn lane from Driveway at 248 Main Street onto Main Street Main Street eastbound to Ireta Road. • Place a speed trailer on Main Street to encourage drivers to slow down as they near the intersection. • Redesign lanes to be smaller and discourage higher speeds. • Increase enforcement to slow down vehicles approaching the intersection. • Reevaluate the split phasing to better accommodate through movements between Old Mill Road and Ireta Road. • Evaluate the addition of signal control for the driveways on Main Street. • Encourage parents and students from the nearby high school communities to increase carpool activity to reduce traffic volumes. • Educate students and parents from the nearby high school communities on safe driving practices. Page 8 Road Safety Audit—Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Recommendations After discussing the various safety deficiencies within the study area, participants discussed potential solutions. The audit participants were encouraged to consider both short and long-term improvements for each of the existing safety issues. Each improvement considered has been categorized as short-term, midterm, or long-term based on the definitions shown in Table 2. Additionally, a cost category has been assigned to each improvement based on the parameters set forth in Table 2. Table 2. Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown Time Frame Costs Short-Term <1 Year Low <$10,000 Mid-Term 1-3 Years Medium $10,001-$50,000 Long-Term >3 Years High >$50,000 Summary of Road Safety Audit A summary of the potential recommendations discussed by the RSA audit team are summarized in Table 3. The recommendations are summarized based on the potential safety payoff, time frame, approximate cost and responsible agency. The safety payoff is a subjective judgment of the potential effectiveness of the safety recommendations listed below. Page 9 Road Safety Audit— Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Table 3. Potential Safety Enhancement Summary Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Agency Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road Traffic Control Add “No Turn on Red” signage at the Main Street eastbound approach to discourage drivers from turning down Old Mill Road when a red signal is present Medium Short-Term Low Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Control Evaluate an offset stop line for the Main Street eastbound right turn lane ahead of the throughleft turn lane Medium Short-Term Low Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Control Increase enforcement at the intersection to prevent drivers from encroaching into the intersection Medium Short-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Control Evaluate the installation of “Don’t Block the Box” signage and pavement markings at the intersection Medium Short-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Control Analyze existing clearance times and adjust to match existing conditions Medium Mid-Term Low Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Control Evaluate feasibility of displaying clearance intervals within the Main Street eastbound rightturn arrow signal indications (Green Arrow > Yellow Arrow > Red Arrow > Green Arrow) concurrent with through and left-turning traffic Medium Short-Term Low Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Control Evaluate removal and/or relocation of existing right-turn green arrow indications at the Main Street eastbound approach (overhead and postmounted) to better align arrow indications with the right-turn lane. High Mid-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Control Evaluate the feasibility of converting the Main Street eastbound signal head located over the through-left lane into a 5-section “doghouse” signal High Mid-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Control Install diagrammatic signs to alert approaching drivers of the lane configuration at the intersection Medium Short-Term Low Town of Shrewsbury Page 10 Road Safety Audit— Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Agency Traffic Control Install backplates with reflective borders for overhead signals facing Main Street approaches Medium Mid-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury Pedestrian Accommodations Evaluate the installation of crosswalks at the intersection Medium Long-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury/ Property Owners Pedestrian Accommodations Install pedestrian signals and push button actuation at the signalized intersection Medium Long-Term High Town of Shrewsbury Pedestrian Accommodations Construct sidewalks adjacent to the intersection to guide pedestrians to the traffic signal Medium Long-Term High Town of Shrewsbury/ Property Owners Pedestrian Accommodations Install bicycle accommodations (bicycle safe shoulders, bicycle lanes, etc.) on Main Street and Old Mill Road Medium Mid-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury Roadway Conditions Readjust the catch basin on the radius of the Main Street eastbound right turn Medium Short-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury Roadway Conditions Redesign and regrade the intersection to eliminate ponding Low Long-Term High Town of Shrewsbury Roadway Conditions Relocate the fence in front of 251 Main Street away from the street to improve sight distance High Short-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury/ Property Owners Traffic Operations Evaluate narrowing the width of the Main Street eastbound receiving lane on the far side of the intersection Low Mid-Term Low Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Operations Develop a left turn lane on the Main Street westbound approach Medium Mid-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Operations Install a dotted yellow extension line to connect the double yellow center line through the intersection Medium Short-Term Low Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Operations Evaluate the possibility of a left turn lane from Main Street eastbound to Ireta Road High Mid-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Operations Place a speed trailer on Main Street to encourage drivers to slow down as they near the intersection Low Short-Term Low Town of Shrewsbury Safety Issue Page 11 Road Safety Audit— Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Potential Safety Enhancement Safety Payoff Time Frame Cost Responsible Agency Traffic Operations Redesign lanes to be smaller and discourage higher speeds Medium Mid-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Operations Increase enforcement to slow down vehicles approaching the intersection Medium Short-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Operations Reevaluate the split phasing to better accommodate through movements between Old Mill Road and Ireta Road High Long-Term High Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Operations Evaluate the addition of signal control for the driveways on Main Street Medium Long-Term High Town of Shrewsbury Traffic Operations Encourage parents and students to increase carpool activity Low Long-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury/ High Schools Traffic Operations Educate students and parents on safe driving practices Low Long-Term Medium Town of Shrewsbury/ High Schools Safety Issue Page 12 Road Safety Audit— Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda Road Safety Audit— Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List Road Safety Audit— Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Participating Audit Team Members Date: April 9, 2015 Audit Team Members Location: Agency/ Affiliation Shrewsbury Town Hall, Shrewsbury, MA Email Address Phone Number Kevin Krasnecky CMRPC kkrasnecky@cmrpc.org 508-459-3314 Dan Daniska CMRPC ddaniska@cmrpc.org 508-459-3331 Herman Peralta BETA hperalta@beta-inc.com 401-333-2382 William McGrath BETA bmcgrath@beta-inc.com 401-333-2382 Shawn Holland MassDOT Shawn.holland@state.ma.us 857-368-9345 John Mastera MassDOT John.mastera@state.ma.us 857-368-9684 William Ullom MassDOT William.ullom@state.ma.us 857-368-9622 Justin Slettehaugh MassDOT Justin.slettehaugh@state.ma.us N/A Lola Campbell MassDOT – D3 Traffic Alolade.campbell@state.ma.us 508-929-3887 Jeff Howland Shrewsbury – Engineering jhowland@shrewsburyma.gov 508-841-8502 Matt Sarcione Shrewsbury Planning msarcione@shrewsburyma.gov 508-841-8502 Kristen Las Shrewsbury Planning klas@shrewsburyma.gov 508-841-8502 John Knipe Shrewsbury – Highway jknipe@shrewsburyma.gov 508-841-8513 Kevin Anderson Shrewsbury – Police kanderson@pd.ci.shrewsbury.ma.us 508-841-8469 Jim Vuona Shrewsbury – Fire jvuona@shrewsburyma.gov 508-841-8544 Phil Viveiros McMahon Associates pviveiros@mcmahonassocates.com 508-823-2245 Conor Murphy McMahon Associates cmurphy@mcmahonassociates.com 617-556-0020 Kevin Krasnecky CMRPC kkrasnecky@cmrpc.org 508-459-3314 Dan Daniska CMRPC ddaniska@cmrpc.org 508-459-3331 Road Safety Audit— Main Street at Old Mill Road/Ireta Road- Shrewsbury, MA Prepared by McMahon Associates, Inc. FINAL Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data