Document 13047460

ROAD SAFETY AUDIT

Route 28 (Broadway) at Water and Canal Streets

City of Lawrence

October 21, 2011

Prepared For:

MassDOT

Prepared By:

Merrimack Valley Planning Commission

Road Safety Audit—Route 28 (Broadway and S. Broadway) at Water and Canal Streets – Lawrence, MA

Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission

Table of Contents

Background .................................................................................................................................1

Project Data .................................................................................................................................2

Project Location Description .....................................................................................................3

Audit Observations and Potential Safety Enhancements......................................................13

Summary of Road Safety Audit...............................................................................................22

List of Figures

Figure 1. Site Locus Map (Source: USGS)........................................................................................... 4

Figure 2. Aerial Orthogonal Photo of Route 28 at Water Street (Source: Pictometry, 11/07) .............. 5

Figure 3. Existing Weekday Morning and Evening Peak Hour Traffic Volumes ................................. 8

List of Tables

Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members ....................................................................................... 2

Table 2. Traffic Volume Summary ...................................................................................................... 7

Table 3. Intersection Crash Summary (2007 – 2009)........................................................................... 9

Table 4. Intersection Operations Analysis Results – Existing Conditions ......................................... 11

Table 5. Intersection Operations Analysis Results – Recommended Mid-Term Improvements Alt. 12

Table 6. Potential Safety Enhancement Summary ............................................................................. 23

List of Appendices

Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List

Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data

Appendix D. Roadway Speed Data

Appendix E. Daily and Peak Period Traffic Count Data

Appendix F. Crash Rate Calculation

Appendix G. Intersection Operations Analysis Methodology and Results

Appendix H. Traffic Signal Plan from Construction Document

Appendix I. Road Safety Audit References



Background

A Road Safety Audit (RSA) as defined by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is “the formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team.” An RSA qualitatively estimates and reports on all safety issues and identifies opportunities for safety improvements for all roadway users. The

“conducting of RSAs at high-crash locations throughout the Commonwealth” is one of the many strategies noted in the state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan , which was developed in an effort to reduce the number of crash-related fatalities and incapacitating injuries on roadways within

Massachusetts.

The intersection of Route 28 (Broadway) at Canal and Water Streets in Lawrence has one of the highest frequency of crashes occurring at a non-interchange facility location within the

Merrimack Valley, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) statewide crash database from 2006-2008, which showed that there were 48 crashes at this signalized intersection. Because the intersection is within the top five percent of crash clusters in the Merrimack Valley region, it is eligible for the Highway Safety Improvement Program

(HSIP). MassDOT incorporated the RSA as a requirement for securing Federal funding (HSIP funds) for safety projects. For these reasons, this intersection was chosen as the site of an RSA by MassDOT and the Merrimack Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to help identify potential short-term and long-term safety improvements that could be made if HSIP funding is received. Additionally, a Community Development official from the City has recently cited the need to improve access to the downtown area from Riverside Drive and Water Street .

Page 1



Project Data

The Road Safety Audit was conducted on September 22, 2011 for the intersection of Route 28

(Broadway and South Broadway) at Water and Canal Streets in Lawrence. As shown in Table 1, the audit team was comprised of federal, state, regional, and local agencies and included professionals from emergency response, engineering, and planning.

Prior to this meeting, MVPC gathered, reviewed, and summarized the most recent pertinent available information, including: crash data, traffic volume data, and traffic speed data. In addition to the crash data summaries obtained from the MassDOT Statewide database/RMV,

MVPC also collected the actual crash reports, which show the narratives and crash diagrams, from the Lawrence police department.

With input and assistance from Lawrence officials, MVPC selected the RSA team and chose a location in South Lawrence that was close to the intersection to meet. At the pre-audit meeting,

MVPC discussed the process and goals for the RSA, provided handouts of all pertinent information, presented the existing traffic, speed, and crash data, and discussed any known related planned projects to the participants in order to provide an introduction to project. The team then began to provide comments on the safety issues, based on their knowledge of the intersection. MVPC recorded the comments.

Following the pre-audit meeting, the team conducted a site visit/audit, during which the previous specific safety issues and concerns were pointed out by the RSA team and MVPC. Additional safety issues were identified at the site and recorded by MVPC.

After the site visit, the RSA participants met in a post-audit meeting and the group discussed potential countermeasures that had been identified during the RSA and any new countermeasures that could be thought of during the meeting. The countermeasures, which were recorded by

MVPC, included short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term improvements.

Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members

Audit Team Member Agency/Affiliation

Dan McCarthy

Andrew Wall

Promise Otaluka

Bud Dorgan

Jack Bergeron

Eugene Scanlon

Lisa Schletzbaum

Tony Komornick

Jim Terlizzi

City of Lawrence Planning Department

City of Lawrence DPW, City Engineer

Federal Highway Administration, MA Division

Lawrence Fire Department


Lawrence Police Department

MassDOT



Page 2



Project Location and Description

MVPC conducted an inventory of the existing intersection geometry and traffic volumes in

September of 2011. Below is a detailed discussion of the intersection geometrics and traffic control features, a discussion of the daily and peak hour traffic volumes, a review of the crash data, and an analysis of the existing operations as well as the operations resulting from a recommended improvement alternative.

Geometrics

Route 28

Route 28 is a north/south state highway that traverses the entire eastern side of the state from the

New Hampshire state line, in Methuen, through Boston, and to the mid-Cape Cod, where it terminates at its intersection with Route 6 in Orleans. North of the state line, the highway continues on as New Hampshire State Route 28 and generally parallels Interstate Route 93 (I-93) to the west. Within Lawrence, Route 28 is routed along the City streets of Broadway and South

Broadway and changes in name from Broadway to South Broadway at its intersection with Canal and Water Streets. Route 28 links the City of Lawrence with Methuen, Route 213, and Salem,

New Hampshire to the north and to Interstate Route 495 (I-495) and Andover to the south.

Broadway and South Broadway are both under jurisdiction of the City of Lawrence, except for their bridge sections over the Spickett and Merrimack Rivers, the North and South Canals, and near the I-495 interchange to the south. Near its intersection with Water and Canal Streets, a length of only approximately 36 feet of South Broadway is owned by the City, or from the center of the intersection to the STOP bar. MassDOT owns the sections over the North Canal and

Merrimack River. Broadway and South Broadway are designated as being part of the National

Highway System (NHS) and are both functionally classified as being an urban principal arterial.

Both roads carry one travel lane in each direction, plus curbside parking lanes. However, at its signalized intersection with Canal and Water Streets, the curbside parking lane on Broadway drops off and the single travel lane expands to two through lanes. Since February of 2009,

MassDOT has been reconstructing the Route 28 bridge over the Merrimack River, just south of the intersection, as part of a betterment project (Project No. 604479). The bridge has remained open during this construction process. As of this writing, work on the bridge is 95 percent complete and should be 100 percent complete during the fall of 2011.

Water Street

Water Street is an east/west two lane urban minor arterial roadway, 0.9 miles in length, which parallels the Merrimack River along its north bank in Lawrence from Ames Street to the west

(where the roadway changes name from Riverside Drive to Water Street) to Broadway to the east. The arterials of Riverside Drive and Water Street connect the Route 110/113

Rotary/Interstate Route 93 interchange in Methuen with downtown Lawrence and the north/south principal arterial of Broadway (Route 28). The roadway also serves commercial/industrial uses just west of the Route 28 and collects traffic from neighborhoods

Page 3


Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission further west and to the north and delivers them to either of the two important north/south arterials of Route 28 and I-93.

Canal Street

Canal Street is also an east/west urban minor arterial roadway, 1.0 miles in length, which parallels the North Canal in Lawrence from Broadway and the western edge of downtown to

Marston Street and the eastern edge of downtown. The roadway is mostly a two-lane, two-way roadway, except for one-way eastbound traffic flow on a small section between Amesbury Street and Lawrence Street and one-lane, one-way westbound traffic flow on a section between Mill

Street and Lawrence Street. The roadway primarily provides access to the Lawrence District

Courthouse and businesses located along the North Canal.

Route 28 at Canal and Water Streets intersection

The intersection of Route 28 at Canal and Water Streets was improved with a new geometry and new traffic signal control equipment in 2006 as part of the third phase of a reconstruction project

(Project No. 603474) of Broadway (Route 28) in Lawrence and Methuen. Figure 1 presents the intersection’s location in relation to the regional and interstate highways within South Lawrence.

Figure 1. Site Locus Map (Source: USGS)

Page 4



Water Street and Canal Street intersect Broadway and South Broadway, both of which are signed as Route 28, from the west and east, respectively to form this four legged intersection under traffic signal control. Broadway has two 11-foot wide through/general purpose lanes on its approach to the intersection. There is one 22 foot wide unstriped departure lane, used as two receiving lanes, on South Broadway opposite the approach lanes. South Broadway has one 11 foot wide through lane on its approach and one 11-foot wide exclusive left-turn lane (which was at one time a left turn/through lane). A 75 feet long lane line separates the through lane from the left-turn lane. With a taper in the painted centerline, the intersection approaches on Canal and

Water Streets widen to one 11-foot wide exclusive left-turn lane and one 11-foot wide through/right-turn lane, as shown in Figure 2. There is approximately 100 feet of storage provided for the Canal Street left-turn lane and approximately 170 feet provided for the Water

Street left-turn lane. A section of the old Manchester and Lawrence (M&L) line railroad tracks runs at-grade across Water Street, approximately 50 feet west of Broadway, and across South

Broadway, approximately 230 feet south of Water and Canal Streets.

Figure 2. Aerial Orthogonal Photo of Route 28 at Water Street (Source: Pictometry, 11/07)

The active portion of this line now terminates just south of Haverhill Street, so it essentially acts as a spur from the Boston and Maine line to serve one industrial use to the north. Very

Page 5


Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission infrequent rail traffic uses this old M&L rail section. When a trip is made, flagmen do come off of the train to control vehicular traffic at the South Broadway and Water Street crossings.

Immediately west of the tracks on Water Street are a cross-buck sign, flashers, a gate, and also traffic lights supported on a mast arm assembly. The cross-buck sign and lights face only to the west for eastbound vehicular traffic. The traffic lights are located immediately west of the tracks and next to the lights a faded STOP bar is painted across the middle of the Water Street approach storage lanes. Cross-bucks are also painted on the pavement within the lanes, approximately 100 feet in advance of the railroad tracks.

The traffic flow at the intersection is controlled by a two- to four-phase fully actuated signal.

During peak periods, the signal operates on an 80- to 130-second cycle, in which leading protected left-turn phases are granted to the South Broadway and Canal Street approaches, when called by dwelling left-turning traffic. The South Broadway left-turn protected phase is called every cycle and uses its maximum allotted green time of 15 seconds most every call during peak periods. During the weekday morning peak period, the Canal Street left-turn protected phase is only called on some occasions. Signal heads are suspended from supports on four mast arm assemblies (with 20 foot high masts and 25- to 30- foot long arms), located on all corners of the intersections. Additionally, one mast arm supports signal heads prior to the at-grade rail crossing on Water Street. The green indication comes up on these signal heads at the same time as the signal heads facing Water Street at the intersection. The change interval at these signal heads comes up four seconds prior to the signal heads at the intersection. Pedestrians can also activate an exclusive, dedicated pedestrian phase at the intersection (which follows the Route 28 traffic phase) by pushing a button on some of the assembly masts or one of two posts that support the pedestrian signal heads on the northeast corner. For three of the traffic phases of the traffic signal cycle, a change and clearance interval of 5 seconds is granted. For the interval between the Water/Canal Street phase and the South Broadway phase, a time of eight seconds is granted:

4 seconds yellow change and 4 seconds all-red clearance.

Portland cement concrete sidewalks exist along both sides of Route 28 and Canal and Water

Streets. Crosswalks, 7- to 8-feet in width, are striped with faded markings across the Broadway,

Water Street, and Canal Street legs of the intersection. The crossing distance is approximately

50 feet across Broadway and approximately 36 feet across both legs of Canal and Water Streets.

The concrete walks along all corners of the intersection are in good condition. The concrete walks on either side of South Broadway over the North Canal are in fair to poor condition.

Land use in the immediate vicinity of the intersection consists of two used car dealer lots on the northwest corner, a few commercial uses in an old mill building (One Broadway) on the northeast corner, and (the former) Lawton’s hot dog diner on the southeast corner. There is one driveway to the Santo Domingo used car lot, located on Broadway, 200 feet north of the intersection, and one driveway to the other used car lot, located on Water Street near the railroad tracks, approximately 80 feet west of the intersection. One driveway to the parking lot adjacent to the mill building at One Broadway (and also the building at 599 Canal Street) exists on Canal

Street, approximately 150 feet east of the intersection. There are no driveways or nearby offstreet parking for the diner, since it is situated on a small strip of land between Canal Street and the North Canal. Approximately eight on-street parking spaces exist along the south curb of

Canal Street near the restaurant.

Page 6



Traffic Volumes

Traffic volume data was gathered for the study in September of 2011 by means of turning movement and vehicle classification counts (TMCs) conducted at the Route 28 (Broadway) at

Canal and Water Streets intersection. The TMCs were conducted during the weekday morning commuter peak period (7:00 to 9:00 AM) and the weekday evening commuter peak period (4:00 to 6:00 PM). Additionally, automatic traffic recorders (ATRs) were placed on Broadway, Water

Street, and Canal Street over a period of two weekdays.

A review of the traffic count data indicates that traffic volumes increase on Route 28 and Canal and Water Streets throughout the day until the late afternoon and then gradually decrease thereafter. Peak turning volumes occur at the intersection between 7:30 and 8:30 in the morning and between 4:15 and 5:15 in the evening. Table 2 presents a summary of the counts.

Table 2. Traffic Volume Summary

Location

Average

Weekday

Daily

Traffic

Volume a

Peak

Hour

Peak Traffic

Hour Volume b

K-

Factor c

Directional

Distribution

Route 28 (Broadway), north of Canal Street

Route 28 (S. Broadway), south of Canal Street

Water Street, west of Route 28

17,800 Morning 1,172

Evening 1,288

NA Morning 1,747

Evening 1,784

14,600 Morning 1,029

Evening 1,103

6.6

7.2

NA

NA

7.0

7.5

55% southbound

51% northbound

57% southbound

53% southbound

56% eastbound

58% westbound

Canal Street, east of Route 28

9,700 Morning

Evening

704

767

7.3

7.9 a Average Weekday Daily Traffic (AWDT) volume in vehicles per day (vpd). NA = data not available. b

Peak hour traffic volume in vehicles per hour (vph). c K-Factor is the percent of daily traffic occurring during the peak hour; expressed as a percentage.

55% westbound

69% westbound

As shown in Table 2, Broadway (Route 28), north of Canal Street, carries approximately 17,800 vehicles per day (vpd). Water Street and Canal Street, near the intersection, carry approximately

14,600 vpd and 9,700 vpd, respectively.

During the weekday morning commuter peak hour, traffic flow predominates in the southbound direction on the Route 28 arterial, and traffic flow is heavier heading in the direction of Route 28 on Water and Canal Streets. During the weekday evening peak hour, traffic flow is somewhat evenly distributed by direction on Route 28. During this peak hour, traffic flows are heavier traveling away from Route 28 on Water Street, but still heavier flowing to Route 28 on Canal

Street. Figure 3 presents the weekday morning and evening peak hour turning movement counts.

Page 7



Weekday Morning Peak Hour

North Canal

Not to Scale

Weekday Evening Peak Hour

North Canal

Not to Scale

Figure 3. Existing Weekday Morning and Evening Peak Hour Traffic Volumes

Page 8



Crash History

Historical traffic crash data was obtained for the study intersection from MassDOT’s statewide crash database that was built with crash reports filed by police officers and vehicle operators between 2007 and 2009 and sent to the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). That data was supplemented with data from the actual crash reports during that same period that were obtained from the Lawrence Police Department. The data was reviewed over this three-year period to determine crash trends for the intersection. Table 3 presents a summary of the crash report data.

Table 3. Intersection Crash Summary (2007 – 2009)

Type b

CM RE SS HO Ped Un PD

Severity c

PI

Road Condition d

Light

Condition e

Time of

Crash

Un Dry Wet Ice Un Day Dusk Lit AM PM

# 24 18 12 1 2 2 41 11 7 37 17 3 2 44 2 13 29 30

% 41% 31% 20% 2% 3% 3% 69% 19% 12% 63% 29% 5% 3% 75% 3% 22% 49% 51% a

Source: MassDOT and the Lawrence Police Department. Un = Unknown in all sections. b

Crash Type: CM = cross movement; RE = rear-end; SS = sideswipe; HO = head on; Ped.= pedestrian or cyclist. c Severity of Crash: PD = Property Damage Only; PI = Personal Injury. d

Road Condition is the condition of the roadway surface. (Ice = snowy or icy road surface). e

Light Condition is the ambient light. Dusk = Times during dawn or dusk. Lit = Times of darkness with the roadway lit.

According to the review of the data, there were a total of fifty-nine crashes over the three-year period, or an average of approximately nineteen per year.

Even though there appears to be a high frequency of crashes occurring at this location, the number of crashes at the intersection should also be reviewed against traffic volumes using the intersection and then compared to the rate of crashes for other signalized intersections.

MassDOT reports that for the year 2010, the latest year available, there is a statewide average rate of 0.82 crashes per million entering vehicles (mev) for signalized intersections. The intersection of Route 28 (Broadway) at Canal and Water Streets has a crash rate of 1.83 crashes/mev, which is a rate that is more than double than that of the statewide average rate.

At least 63 percent of the crashes occurred on dry roads and approximately 75 percent of the crashes occurred during daylight hours.

Approximately eleven of the fifty-nine crashes (or only approximately 19 percent) involved personal injury. The limited turning space of this compact urban intersection, which is located at one corner of the downtown, combined with the low traffic speeds of the traffic entering the intersection are contributing factors to the low percentage of crashes involving personal injury.

The predominant types of collision occurring at the intersection were angle or cross-movement type collisions between two vehicles, accounting for 41 percent of all crashes. The angle types were followed by rear-end type collisions (18), a type typical for signalized intersections, and then side-swipe collisions (12). All three of these collision types accounted for 92 percent of the total crashes at the intersection.

Page 9



The greatest numbers of like collisions in one location are the six rear-end collisions on the

Water Street approach to the intersection. There are three rear-end collisions on the Broadway approach, only two on the South Broadway approach, and none on the Canal Street approach.

There were four angle type collisions between a vehicle turning left from South Broadway onto

Water Street and a through traveling vehicle from Broadway. All of the collisions occurred during the permissive portion of the protected/permissive phase for left-turning vehicles. One occurred at the end of the clearance interval for the protected portion of the phase and another occurred at the end of the permissive portion of the phase. There were only two angle type collisions in the opposite direction between vehicles turning left from Broadway onto Canal

Street and through traveling vehicles from South Broadway.

In the South Broadway departure lane that receives traffic from the two Broadway through lanes and merges them, there were four side swipe collisions. All collisions happened prior to the atgrade railroad crossing, and one involved a Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority

(MVRTA) bus.

There were five collisions between northbound traveling vehicles on South Broadway and traffic turning to and from a driveway located 150 feet south of the intersection; four from exiting vehicles and one from an entering vehicle. On the South Broadway approach to the intersection, the left-turning vehicles and the through vehicles stack side by side as if two lanes existed in the very wide lane that exists past the driveway. From the crash reports, it is known that two of the four of the vehicles exiting the driveway were turning right and one of the four was turning left and all were struck by moving vehicles in the inside lane that were obscured by stopped vehicles in the curb lane. The one vehicle turning left and entering the driveway was struck by a moving vehicle in the curbside lane that was obscured by stopped vehicles in the inside lane.

There were four northbound through traveling vehicles coming from South Broadway that collided at an angle with vehicles turning from Canal Street: two were left-turning vehicles, one was a through traveling vehicle, and one was a right-turning vehicle.

There was one collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian and one between a vehicle and a bicyclist. Both were crossing Water Street and both were transported to a hospital by EMS, according to the crash reports, although it is unclear whether they sustained any injuries.

There was one crash at the intersection that was a head on collision type, involving a vehicle crossing the centerline on Canal Street and striking a vehicle that was on its approach to the intersection.

Page 10



Operations Analysis

The operation of the signalized intersection of Route 28 (Broadway) at Canal and Water Streets was analyzed with the SYNHRO micro simulation computer model, which follows the methodology presented in the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB’s) latest Highway Capacity

Manual . A summary of the methodology can be found in the Appendix of this study.

Existing Conditions

Table 4 presents the results of the operations analysis results for the signalized intersection of

Route 28 (Broadway) at Canal and Water Streets. Operations analysis sheets are provided in the

Appendix of this study.

Table 4. Intersection Operations Analysis Results – Existing Conditions

Peak Hour Lane Movement/Total a

V/C b

AD c

LOS d

Queue e

Length f

Weekday Morning S. Broadway NB LT 0.67 24.7

S. Broadway NB TH/RT 0.77 29.5

Broadway SB LT/TH/RT 0.76 38.2

Water Street EB LT 0.14 22.8

Water Street EB TH/RT 0.89 47.0

Canal Street WB LT 0.60 25.8

Canal Street WB TH/RT 0.32 17.7

Intersection 0.80 33.8

Weekday Evening S. Broadway NB LT 0.73 25.9



Water Street EB LT 0.30 32.4

Water Street EB TH/RT 0.77 45.3




C

C

D

C

D

C

B

C

C

C

C

C

D

C

C

C

6.3

17.0

11.7

2.1

19.0

3.1

6.0

9.4

21.3

11.6

3.6

13.7

4.5

12.0

158

426

293

52

475

78

149

236

533

289

89

342

113

299 a

NB = Northbound; SB = Southbound; EB = Eastbound; WB = Westbound; LT = Left-Turn; TH = Through; RT = Right Turn. b

Volume to Capacity ratio. th c

Average Control Delay is in seconds per vehicle. d

Level of Service. e

95 percentile queue is in vehicles. f Length of queue is in feet; assumes 25 feet per vehicle.

As shown in Table 4, the critical movements at this signalized intersection operate overall well within capacity at level-of-service (LOS) C during both the weekday morning and evening commuter peak hours. Vehicles on the Water Street approach in the through/right turn lane operate at LOS D. This lane is approaching capacity, especially during the weekday morning peak hour. The 95 th percentile vehicle queues extend some 475 feet, or 19 vehicles during this

Page 11


Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission peak hour. This means that approximately twice during the peak hour, the queue will extend beyond Enbankment Street and come close to Bay State Road.

Recommended Improvements

Some of the safety enhancements recommended by the RSA team were analyzed for their impact to operations of the intersection. One mid-term recommendation alternative included striping the

Water Street approach for a left-turn/through lane and an exclusive right-turn lane. This improvement alternative also included a reduced change and clearance interval for the Water

Street phase of the signal cycle. Table 5 presents the results of the analysis for those improvements to the intersection.

Table 5. Intersection Operations Analysis Results – Recommended Mid-

Term Improvements Alt.

Peak Hour Lane Movement/Total a

V/C b

AD c

LOS d

Queue e

Length f

Weekday Morning S. Broadway NB LT 0.56 15.5



Water Street EB LT/TH 0.67 33.1

Water Street EB RT 0.23 33.4




Weekday Evening S. Broadway NB LT 0.68 20.2



Water Street EB LT/TH 0.70 35.0

Water Street EB RT 0.18 32.0




B

B

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

C

B

C

C

6.0

16.3

10.8

8.3

3.2

3.1

6.0

9.9

20.8

12.2

8.3

2.8

3.8

10.0

151

407

270

207

81

78

151

248

521

305

208

71

95

251 a NB = Northbound; SB = Southbound; EB = Eastbound; WB = Westbound; LT = Left-Turn; TH = Through; RT = Right Turn. b

Volume to Capacity ratio. th c

Average Control Delay is in seconds per vehicle. d

Level of Service. e

95 percentile queue is in vehicles. f

Length of queue is in feet; assumes 25 feet per vehicle.

As shown in Table 5, with the identified mid-term capacity improvements, there is some improvement to the overall operations of the intersection. It will still operate at LOS C during the peak hours, with a decrease in the overall average delay. However, the greatest impact will be to the Water Street approach operations. The 95 th percentile queue on this approach will shrink from 19 vehicles to 8 during the morning peak hour and from 14 to 8 during the evening peak hour.

Page 12



Audit Observations and Potential Safety

Enhancements

The RSA team identified safety issues at the pre-meeting and also out at the audit site. Potential safety enhancements were discussed out at the site and at the post audit meeting. Following is a summary of the identified safety issues and the potential safety enhancements.

• South Broadway Departure Lane Merge of Vehicles – Vehicles traveling from the two through lanes on the Broadway approach must cross the intersection and continue traveling side by side in one 22 foot wide (measured curb to centerline) lane on South Broadway.

The lane narrows to 19 feet as it rounds a curve just before an at-grade railroad crossing. The beginning of the curve is located approximately 180 feet south of the intersection and the rail line tracks cross the roadway approximately 230 feet south of the intersection. Vehicles attempt to merge into one lane before arriving at this curve and the rail crossing.

MVRTA and school buses must stop at this railroad crossing, whether a train is traveling or not. It has been reported by City officials that there are only two trains that make a trip on these tracks every year up to an industrial use. A lack of lane delineation and the presentation of a clear merge point may have been a contributing factor in the four side swipe collisions that occurred in that area.

To help facilitate the orderly merge of vehicles on the receiving side of the two through lanes, MassDOT should stripe a small section of South Broadway as two lanes: by setting a thermoplastic broken white lane line on South Broadway with an edge line offset approximately one foot from the curb. The lane line should be approximately 130 feet long and the edge line should taper from that point approximately 90 feet more around the curve to a final offset of 7 feet, just before the railroad tracks. A Merge Left (symbol) ( Manual on

Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) W4-2 sign) or a “LANE ENDS, MERGE LEFT”

Page 13



( MUTCD W9-2) sign should be posted on South Broadway in advance of the merge and facing southbound traffic.

• South Broadway Driveway Sight Distance For Turning Vehicles – Vehicles on the South

Broadway approach to the intersection stack in either an exclusive left-turn lane or a through lane that are both separated by a 75 foot long lane line between the two.

Despite the two lanes ending at this point, during times of congestion, the vehicles continue to stack side by side in one 23 foot wide lane, past a driveway that is located approximately

150 feet south of the intersection. This driveway serves an industrial use in the Pacific Paper Products building,

Kelly’s Furniture in an old mill building, and the City’s Pemberton

Park among other uses. City officials have also stated that this private driveway and roadway serves as a cutthrough to the Amesbury Street Bridge from South Broadway. Because of the side by side stacking on South Broadway, vehicles exiting the driveway or entering the driveway from the north must cross essentially two lanes of stacked vehicles. The operator of a vehicle in the nearest lane to the turning vehicle will sometimes stop and motion the turning vehicle to move, however, the stacked vehicle can sometimes obscure the sight line between the turning vehicle and a vehicle traveling in the farthest lane. For example, a vehicle turning left or right from the driveway sometimes cannot see past a large stopped vehicle in the curbside lane to vehicles still moving in the lane near the centerline. The moving vehicle also cannot see the turning vehicle. The reverse is also true: a vehicle turning left into the driveway sometimes cannot see past a large stopped vehicle in the inside lane near the centerline to a moving vehicle in the curbside lane.

In the short term, and at little cost, MassDOT should stripe a thermoplastic edge line that is offset approximately one foot from the curb. At the point where the lane line ends some 75 feet back from the STOP bar, the edge line should taper around the curve to an offset of approximately 9 feet near the railroad tracks. This edge line should guide the one lane of vehicles over the Merrimack River bridge to continue on as one lane past the driveway and then expand to two lanes on the approach to the intersection. If a centerline taper with diagonal cross-hatching helps with this, then it should be considered as well.

Also, in the short term, the City or MassDOT should perform a study of alternatives to managing vehicular (especially truck) access to and egress from the uses on this section of the island between the North Canal and the Merrimack River and bounded by South

Broadway to the west and Amesbury Street to the east. The study should provide an inventory of the amount of traffic that cuts through on the private roadway between

Amesbury Street and South Broadway. The alternatives should include an examination and

Page 14


Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission analysis of relocating the driveways and/or terminating the road in a dead-end to eliminate cut-through traffic. The study should also examine the restriction of turning movements at the existing or relocated driveways. For example, a right-turn arrow and “ONLY” legend could be striped on the existing South Broadway driveway to at least remove left-turning vehicles from the driveway. This could be done in the mid-term at little cost, if the study determines that it does not have an adverse impact to traffic flow. The City or State will need to work with the property owners to implement any recommendations of the study.

• Canal Street Approach Sight Distance to South Broadway – A 4 foot high cement bridge rail on the east side of the Route 28 bridge over the North Canal severely restricts the corner sight line between vehicles on the

Canal Street approach and vehicles traveling northbound on South

Broadway over the bridge. Between vehicles at the STOP bar on Canal

Street and vehicles traveling on South

Broadway towards the intersection, the corner sight line of the intersection sight triangle is measured as being only 90 feet and the sight distance on Route 28 for northbound through traffic is measured as being only 80 feet. To perform a right turn maneuver on red from the Canal

Street approach, many vehicle operators will pull their vehicles up over the STOP bar and into the crosswalk to gain an adequate sight line. However, some will perform the maneuver from the STOP bar where the insufficient measured sight distance exists. According to the American Association of

State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO), in its A Policy on Geometric Design of

Streets and Highways , there should be at least 290 feet of intersection sight distance in order for a vehicle traveling on a major road with a design speed of 30 miles per hour (mph) not to have to reduce its speed should a vehicle turn right on red from a minor road (or from a

STOP controlled approach). In this case, if a vehicle performs the right on red from the

STOP bar on Canal Street and accelerates to 30 miles per hour, a vehicle traveling northbound on South Broadway could potentially need to brake to slow down to accommodate the maneuver. AASHTO also states that a stopping sight distance of 200 feet is required for a vehicle traveling on a wet roadway with a level grade and a design speed of

30 mph. The stopping sight distance is the distance for a vehicle to come safely to a stop to avoid a collision with a stationary object in the road. This event is less likely since it involves a vehicle turning right on red from the Canal Street approach STOP bar and then stopping in the intersection due to something like a stall of the vehicle or to the driver’s indecision. According to AASHTO, neither the intersection sight distance nor the stopping sight distance criteria is met when vehicles turn right on red from the Canal Street approach

STOP bar. Despite the age of the Route 28 bridge over the North Canal, it is structurally sound according to MassDOT’s latest Bridge Inventory list. A plaque on the bridge rail

Page 15


Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission states that the bridge was constructed as a project of the Public Works Administration division of the Federal Works Agency and was completed in 1939.

In the short term, the City can do one safety enhancement at very little cost. To protect vehicles turning right from Canal Street from colliding with northbound through vehicles, it would be beneficial to prohibit vehicles from turning right on a red light indication. To do so, a “NO TURN ON RED” ( MUTCD R10-11) sign facing Canal Street should be strapped on the mast support that is part of the mast arm assembly located on the northwest corner of the intersection. Should the bridge over the North Canal be reconstructed at any time in the long-term, a bridge rail that can be seen through should be installed.

• Water Street Railroad Crossing STOP Bar and Red Light Ignored – There is a heavy volume of traffic turning right from Water Street onto South Broadway during the commuter peak periods. As shown in the weekday morning and evening peak hour turning movement count figure

(Figure 3), right-turning vehicles outnumber through traveling vehicles by a ratio of 2:1 on the Water Street approach during the commuter peak hours. Because right turns are allowed on red at the intersection, many rightturning vehicles in the through/right lane will ignore the STOP bar and red light indications at the railroad crossing and travel through and over the tracks to get to the intersection.

Vehicles in the adjacent left-turn lane duplicate the behavior observed in the through/right lane and also ignore the STOP bar and red light. They do so despite there being a “STOP HERE ON RED” sign and a “DO NOT

STOP ON TRACKS” sign supported on the mast post next to the STOP bar.

The City can in the short term and at little cost enhance safety on this approach by not allowing vehicles to turn right on red from Water Street at the intersection. Not allowing vehicles to turn right on red from Water Street will decrease the need for vehicle operators from wanting to move up in the through/right turn lane over the tracks and to the intersection when the approach is given a red light indication. To enable a right turn on red prohibition, a

“NO TURN ON RED” ( MUTCD R10-11) sign that faces Water Street should be strapped on the mast support that is part of the mast arm assembly located on the southeast corner of the intersection. This prohibition will need to be enforced by the Lawrence Police Department.

In the interim, an enforcement of the “STOP HERE ON RED” regulation that is currently posted before the train tracks should be enforced.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) owns the rail line that crosses

Water Street. At the RSA, City officials indicated that they are working with the MBTA, the freight operator (Pan Am rail), and the industrial use located north and west of the

Page 16


Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission intersection near Bradford Street to find another way to ship its freight so that the rail line may be abandoned. Currently, a freight train trip is made only twice a year to and from this industrial land use. Once the rail line is abandoned, the City hopes to lease it from the

MBTA in a long term agreement, so that it may be converted to a rail trail or have it possibly used to create some developable parcels. The abandonment of this rail line is expected to occur in the mid-term and when it does happen, equipment for the rail crossing may be removed. This includes the steel rail and pad, the crossing gates, the flashers, and the mast arm assembly supporting the signal heads. The associated pavement markings and signing should also be removed. However, even if the rail line is not abandoned, the City should still consider removing the signal equipment, gates, and flashers at the crossing, since these are redundant systems to the flagmen that control vehicular traffic when a freight train crosses

Water Street. Flagmen are also used at the at-grade crossings for this freight line rail spur across South Broadway and Essex Street, both of which do not have flashers, gates, or signal equipment.

The removal of the signal and STOP bar at the rail crossing will totally eliminate the issue of vehicle operators moving through over the railroad tracks on the red light, and the right-turn on red prohibition at the intersection can be lifted if it was put in place. With the removal of the STOP bar at the tracks, a STOP bar will need to be painted at the intersection at a minimum distance of 4 feet in advance of the crosswalk markings. The lane line should now extend back from this STOP bar and new left turn arrows and “ONLY” legends can be painted on the pavement in the inside lane, closer to the intersection.

• Water Street Approach Operator Confusion – It was observed during the RSA that some vehicle operators on the Water Street approach to the intersection appear to be confused, which may explain why some travel over the railroad tracks during the red light indication.

The operators of vehicles that sit at the railroad crossing STOP bar are directly below the signal heads and cannot see the indications. Also, the STOP bar and the railroad crossing pavement markings, which are located in advance of the crossing, are all extremely faded.

Visibility of the overhead signal heads at the railroad crossing can be enhanced if the STOP bar is moved back. The MUTCD recommends that a STOP line be placed a minimum distance of 40 feet back from signal heads. However, the line does not have to be moved back that far, since signal heads already exist at the intersection. The traffic signal and pavement marking plan from the construction documents for the intersection’s reconstruction called for the STOP bar to be placed 10 feet back from where it currently exists. The “STOP

HERE ON RED” sign that is currently supported on the vertical post of the mast arm assembly will also have to be moved back to a new post next to the STOP bar. The railroad crossing pavement markings should be restriped behind the location of the new STOP bar. In the mid-term, the abandonment of the railroad line by the MBTA will eliminate further need for the crossing equipment and the pavement markings and signs. The City should alternatively consider removing the crossing equipment even if the rail line remains in use, since there are very infrequent freight rail trips and the vehicular traffic is also controlled by flagmen. The flagmen are a redundant traffic control system to the flashers, gates, and signals at the rail crossing.

Page 17



• Water Street Approach Lane Capacity – The through/right turn lane on the Water Street approach to the intersection is nearing capacity during the weekday commuter peak hours according to analysis and can operate over capacity on some occasions according to observations. The operations analysis indicates that during the morning peak hour, the maximum queues typically extend some 475 feet, or 19 vehicles, which means it extends beyond Enbankment

Street and up to Bay State Road. City officials have stated that Water Street is an important gateway to the City and in fact the maximum queues on some mornings can extend all the way back to the Lawrence Boys and Girls club near Melrose Street. The long vehicle queues and long delays can try the patience of the operators in those vehicles. It was observed that on some occasions if the exclusive left-turn lane was open, some through traveling vehicles would leave the queue and travel through the left-turn lane to continue on through to Canal Street. The misuse of the left-turn lane can lead to side swipe collisions on the approach between vehicles in adjacent lanes on the approach and angle type collisions in the intersection between the through traveling vehicles from Water Street and the left-turning vehicles from Canal Street (with operators not expecting a through vehicle to come from the left-turn lane). The misuse of the lane could have been a contributing factor to the two reported side swipe collisions that happened on the Water Street approach.

The City should perform a study of the capacity effects of different lane configurations on the Water Street approach. A preliminary study and analysis (see Table 5) indicates that reconfiguring the Water Street approach to a narrow (10 foot wide) left turn/through lane and a 10 foot wide exclusive right turn lane and narrowing the Canal Street approach lanes to 10 feet will enhance capacity of the intersection tremendously. The maximum queues on this approach will shrink from 19 vehicles to 8 vehicles during the morning peak hour and from

14 vehicles to 8 vehicles during the evening peak hour. All lanes must be narrowed from their existing width to 10 feet on Water Street and Canal Street in order for this lane reconfiguration to work within the existing pavement limits. Yet even with the narrowing of the lanes, still some (approximately 4 feet) of the reconfigured inside lane on the Water

Street approach will remain opposite the exclusive left-turn lane on the Canal Street approach. This means that through traveling vehicles from Water Street will have to steer slightly to the right to continue on into the Canal Street departure lane. The City may be able to eliminate the lane alignment issue by a reconstruction of the Water Street approach with a widening of the road along the south side where the North Canal embankment permits.

• Pedestrian Crossing Signal Phase Not Called – It was noticed that many pedestrians traveling through the intersection do not call the exclusive pedestrian phase by pressing the push buttons, but instead cross the intersection roadways while vehicular traffic is moving.

Page 18



The peak period counts indicate that there were 44 pedestrians (including bicyclists) crossing during the weekday morning peak hour and 143 pedestrians crossing during the weekday evening peak hour. Despite this pedestrian activity, it was observed during the same weekday morning peak period (7:00 to 9:00 AM) and the weekday evening peak period (4:00 to 6:00 PM) in which those peak hours occurred, the pedestrian phase was called only three times during the morning peak period and four times during the evening period and only once did the pedestrians wait for the WALK indication to come up before crossing. Most pedestrians that do not call the pedestrian phase do wait for a gap in the traffic before proceeding to cross; however, some do walk without checking vehicular traffic or are distracted by conversation, phone use, or headphone use. The vehicle operators that often travel through the intersection seem to be aware of this and do yield to pedestrians, whether they are walking in a crosswalk or not. For the two collisions that involved pedestrians during the three year period (2007 to 2009), one involved a bicyclist, who was wearing headphones and who was crossing Water Street between rolling cars prior to the railroad tracks and the other involved a pedestrian who was crossing Water Street within the crosswalk, likely during a vehicle phase, and was struck by a left-turning vehicle from South

Broadway. The operator of a trailing left-turning vehicle did not see the pedestrian crossing due to the size of the left-turning vehicle in front of it and likewise the pedestrian did not see the trailing left-turning vehicle behind the first turning vehicle also due to its size. Both the pedestrian and the vehicle entered Water Street not expecting the other to be there.

The City can in the short-term enhance pedestrian safety by stressing the importance of calling the exclusive pedestrian phases at signalized intersections. At the intersection, the

City can do so by placing “PUSH BUTTON TO CROSS STREET, WAIT FOR WALK

SIGNAL” signs ( MUTCD R10-3a signs), which also have large symbols, on the posts with the pedestrian call buttons. Citywide, City officials can educate its younger citizens, perhaps through the Safe Routes to School program, as to the importance of the pedestrian phases.

• Pedestrian Crossing Locations – Extremely faded crosswalk markings at the intersection give no clear indication as to the crossing locations for pedestrians at the intersection. City officials at the

RSA indicated that the intersection’s crosswalks have likely not been restriped since the intersection was reconstructed and the thermoplastic striping was set some five years ago.

Because of this, some pedestrians are unaware that they are permitted to cross Water Street, Canal Street, and

Broadway, but not South Broadway.

The peak period turning movement counts indicate that 14 pedestrians crossed South Broadway during the weekday morning peak hour and 5 pedestrians crossed during the evening peak hour. Some new drivers through the intersection may be unaware that there are pedestrian crossings at the intersection as well.

Page 19



In the short term and at little cost, the City should paint or set new thermoplastic crosswalk markings across Water Street, Canal Street, and Broadway. Should pedestrians continue to cross South Broadway or at locations other than the crosswalks, then the City should consider posting “CROSS ONLY AT CROSSWALK” signs near those locatons. Since the existing crosswalk markings are so faded, the City should also consider restriping the crosswalks with a “ladder” style arrangement of longitudinal white lines rather than the existing transverse lines for increased visiblility to drivers on the intersection approaches.

This striping arrangement also decreases the likelihood of vehicles’ tires wearing the markings quicker.

South Broadway Approach Left

Turn Sign Not Appropriate – It was observed during the RSA that there is an optional movement lane control sign with the words “LEFT LANE

FOR LEFT TURN” posted on the

South Broadway approach to the intersection. This sign exists because the inside lane once allowed both left turns and through movements.

However, the inside lane is now an exclusive left turn lane as indicated by two left-turn arrow and “ONLY” legend markings on the pavement.

With this change in lane use control, a mandatory movement control sign should be posted in its place. If the exclusive left turn lane markings stay, the existing sign on its post should be taken down and replaced with a “LEFT LANE MUST TURN LEFT” sign ( MUTCD R3-7 sign). Even though the intersection is on City property, the left turn lane sign is on a section of South Broadway that is owned by MassDOT. Therefore, MassDOT is the responsible agency to replace this sign.

• Canal Street Approach Left-Turning

Vehicles Need Signing For Yielding

During Permissive Portion of Signal

Phase – A protected/permissive signal phase is granted to the left-turning vehicles on the Canal Street approach when a vehicle sitting in the left turn lane calls it. However, signing reminding the operators of the leftturning vehicles to yield the right-of way to opposing through vehicles during the permissive portion of the phase is missing. The City should suspend on the mast arm next to the

Page 20


Prepared by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission signal head with the left-turn indications a sign that reads “LEFT TURN YIELD ON GREEN

O [BALL]” ( MUTCD R10-12).

Intersection Pavement Markings – It was noticed during the RSA that some pavement markings at the intersection are extremely faded. The STOP bars, lane lines, and the left arrows and “ONLY” legends in the left turn lanes on the

Water Street and Canal Street approaches are all extremely faded.

These intersection approaches have not been striped since the intersection was reconstructed and striped with thermoplastic markings approximately five years ago. The lack of clear lane delineation can lead to some confusion to new drivers through the intersection on these approaches whether there are two lanes or one. The lack of arrows and “ONLY” markings in the exclusive left-turn lane can lead to some confusion as to where to make left-turn and through movement maneuvers.

The City should, as soon as it can, restripe the Canal and Water Street approaches with STOP bars, lane lines, and left arrows and “ONLY” legends.

• The Water and Canal Street Signal Phase Change and Clearance Intervals are Too

Long – The Water and Canal Street signal phase change and clearance intervals were measured as being 8 seconds long, with 4 seconds of yellow time and 4 seconds of all red time. The traffic signal plan from the construction documents for the intersection’s reconstruction shows a yellow change interval of 4 seconds and an all red clearance interval of 1 second for the Canal Street signal phase and a yellow of 4 seconds and an all red of 3 seconds for the Water Street signal phase.

The City should reprogram the controller with appropriate change and clearance intervals for the Water and Canal Street signal phases as soon as possible. According to calculations from the Institute of Transportation Engineer’s Traffic Engineering Handbook , the change and clearance intervals for these phases can be shortened to 7 seconds: a 3.5 second yellow change interval and a 3.5 second red clearance interval. Should the STOP bar on Water

Street be moved up to the intersection, with removal of the rail crossing equipment and markings (with or without the abandonment of the rail line), the change and clearance interval can be further shortened to 6 seconds: a 3.5 second yellow change interval and a 2.5 second red clearance interval. The resulting operations of the intersection, from a change in the change and clearance interval to 7 seconds as well as a reconfigured Water Street is presented previously in Table 5.

Page 21



Summary of Road Safety Audit

All of the safety issues and their potential safety enhancements were discussed in the previous section. Table 6 provides a summary of the potential safety recommendations that were discussed by the audit team. The recommendations are categorized in order of safety payoff with their associated cost, time frame and responsible agency.

Safety payoff estimates are subjective and may be based on the relative percent of crashes that may be reduced by the enhancement; for example, low (<30%), medium (31% to 70%), and high

(>71%). The time frame is categorized as short-term (<1 year), mid-term (1 to 3 years), or longterm (>3 years). The costs are categorized as low (<$10,000), medium ($10,001 to $50,000), or high (>$50,001).

Page 22

Road Safety Audit— Route 28 (Broadway and S. Broadway) at Water and Canal Streets – Lawrence, MA


Table 6. Potential Safety Enhancement Summary

Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement

South Broadway departure lane merge of vehicles

Install Merge Ahead signs on South Broadway facing southbound traffic.

Paint or set thermoplastic striping for broken white lane lines on South Broadway and a tapered edge line beyond.

South Broadway driveway sight distance for turning vehicles

Stripe South Broadway approach with an edge line delineating a wide shoulder so that only one travel lane passes the driveway.

Perform a study of relocating the driveway and/or managing access to the island properties so that turning vehicles are restricted or eliminated from this location.

Stripe driveway for right turn only with arrow and

“ONLY” legend to eliminate exiting left turners.

Canal Street approach sight distance to South

Broadway

Water Street RR crossing

STOP bar and red light ignored

Water Street approach operator confusion

Install a “NO TURN ON RED” sign facing the Canal

Street approach so vehicles will not turn right on red while vehicles traveling from South Broadway have a green indication.

Install a “NO TURN ON RED” sign facing the Water

Street approach so vehicle operators will not want to move up over the tracks and to the intersection to turn right on red.

Remove the at-grade crossing equipment and markings with or without abandonment of rail line.

Move RR crossing STOP bar back for increased signal visibility at crossing or remove signal equipment at RR crossing and move STOP bar up to intersection.

Restripe faded railroad crossing markings.

Remove the at-grade crossing equipment and markings with or without abandonment of rail line.

Safety

Payoff

Medium

Medium

Time

Frame

Mid-Term

Mid-Term

Cost

Medium Short-Term Low



Low



Medium



Medium Mid-Term Medium

Responsible

Agency

MassDOT

MassDOT

MassDOT

Medium Short-Term Low MassDOT/City

Private

City

City

City

City

City

City

Page 23

Road Safety Audit— Route 28 (Broadway and S. Broadway) at Water and Canal Streets – Lawrence, MA


Safety Issue Potential Safety Enhancement

Water Street approach lane capacity

Study the capacity effect of different lane configurations on the Water Street approach.

Place large “PUSH BUTTON TO CROSS STREET,

WAIT FOR WALK SIGNAL” signs on posts supporting pedestrian push buttons.

Pedestrian crossing signal phase not called

Pedestrian crossing locations

Educate public as to the proper crossing method at signalized intersections.

Repaint or restripe the faded crosswalk markings.

Post “CROSS ONLY AT CROSSWALKS” signs.

South Broadway left turn sign not appropriate for existing lane configuration

Canal Street approach leftturning vehicles need signing for yielding during permissive portion of phase.

Replace with mandatory movement control sign:

“LEFT LANE MUST TURN LEFT”.

Place “LEFT TURN YIELD ON GREEN O [ball]” sign on mast arm next to left turn signal head.

Water and Canal Street signal phase change and clearance interval times too long

Revise change and clearance interval times to the amount required based on ITE.

Safety

Payoff

Time

Frame

Cost


Responsible

Agency

City

Medium

Medium

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

Mid-Term

Mid-Term

Short-Term Low

Short-Term Low

Short-Term

Short-Term

Short-Term

Low

Low

Low

Low

Low

City

City

City

City

MassDOT

City

City

Page 24

Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda

Road Safety Audit

LAWRENCE – Rt. 28 at Water & Canal/Rt. 114 at Andover

Meeting Location: St. Patrick’s Parish Hall

118 South Broadway, Lawrence, MA

Thursday, September 22, 2011

10:00 AM – 12:00 noon

Type of meeting:

Attendees:

Please bring:

10:00 AM

10:15 AM

10:45 AM

11:30 AM

12:00 noon

High Crash Location – Road Safety Audit

Invited Participants to Comprise a Multidisciplinary Team

Thoughts and Enthusiasm!!

Welcome and Introductions

Review of Site Specific Material

•

Crash, Speed & Volume Summaries– provided in advance

•

Existing Geometries and Conditions

Visit the Sites

•

Drive to the intersections

•

As a group, identify areas for improvement

Post Visit Discussion / Completion of RSA

•

Discuss observations and finalize findings

•

Discuss potential improvements and finalize recommendations

Adjourn for the Day – but the RSA has not ended

Instructions for Participants:

•

Before attending the RSA on the 22nd, participants are encouraged to drive through the intersection and complete/consider elements on the RSA Prompt List with a focus on safety.

•

All participants will be actively involved in the process throughout. Participants are encouraged to come with thoughts and ideas, but are reminded that the synergy that develops and respect for others’ opinions are key elements to the success of the overall RSA process.

•

After the RSA meeting, participants will be asked to comment and respond to the document materials to assure it is reflective of the RSA completed by the multidisciplinary team.

Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List

Date: Sept. 22, 2011

Participating Audit Team Members

Location: St. Patrick’s Parish Hall, 118 S. Broadway, Lawrence, MA

Audit Team Members Agency/Affiliation Email Address Phone Number

Dan McCarthy

Andrew Wall

Promise Otaluka

Eugene Scanlon

Bud Dorgan

Chief Jack Bergeron

Lisa Schletzbaum

Tony Komornick

Jim Terlizzi

Lawrence Planning

Lawrence Engineering dmccarthy@cityoflawrence.com (978) 620-3505 awall@cityoflawrence.com (978) 620-3090

FHWA – MA Division

Lawrence Police Dept. promise.otaluka@fhwa.dot.gov (617) 494-2528 escanlon@lawpd.com

(978) 794-5900 ext. 584

Lawrence Fire Department mdorgan@cityoflawrence.com (978) 620-3430


MassDOT

MVPC

MVPC jbergeron@cityoflawrence.com lisa.schletzbaum@state.ma.us akomornick@mvpc.org jterlizzi@mvpc.org

(978) 620-3400

(617) 973-7685

(978) 374-0519

(978) 374-0519

Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data

SUMMARY OF POLICE AND OPERATOR REPORT CRASH NARRATIVES

South Broadway Driveway to 468 Canal Street (Pemberton Park, Pacific Paper, & Kelly’s Furniture):

Angle/ (Left turn in with northbound through) (1/1):

705: Operator of vehicle turning into the driveway could not see the northbound through traveling vehicle in the curb lane that it collided with, due to a tractor trailer truck in the inside lane obscuring it.

Angle/ (Turn out with northbound through) (4/4):

704: Operator of vehicle in drive wanted to turn left and struck the rear of a northbound through vehicle in inside lane. Operator of vehicle turning out of drive acknowledged that she did not see the northbound traveling vehicle.

709: Operator of car turning from driveway collided with northbound through traveling vehicle.

823: The operator of a vehicle traveling northbound on South Broadway slowed down and stopped, yielding to an operator of a right turning vehicle from the driveway. Another South Broadway northbound through traveling vehicle went to the left of the stopped vehicle and struck the right turning vehicle. (Right turning vehicle was trying to get to inside lane?)

905: The operator of a right turning vehicle from the driveway went around (to the left of) a bus that was at the driveway and struck the rear side of a northbound through traveling vehicle stopped at a red light on the inside lane.

Vehicle queue in both lanes on the northbound approach of South Broadway extended to and beyond the driveway.

(Right turning vehicle operator accelerated hard to get around bus?).

South Broadway Receiving Lanes Merge:

Rear-Ends (1/1):

715: Rear vehicle operator was distracted and “put down head for a minute” before collision. (Icy roads)

Side-Swipes (3/4):

702: MVRTA bus in curb lane ran into car at merge. (Wet roads)

814: Car in curb lane advanced first through the intersection and then was on the left side when the other vehicle, which was in the left lane, ran into it on the right side . One car operator mistakenly thought that the other lane on

Broadway (southbound) approach was a turning lane.

822: Car side swiped the other where the road narrows, despite there being a police officer directing traffic at the intersection for “road site” work.

Water Street Approach:

Rear Ends (6/6):

805: Minor collision between three vehicles in heavy and slow traffic; passengers complained of injuries and reporting police officer labeled it as “Suspicious”.

807: Operator of rear vehicle was turning right onto South Broadway, however, hit the rear of the vehicle in front on the left side when it stopped.

808: Rear-end collision between three vehicles in heavy and slow traffic.

809: Operator of rear vehicle had his foot slip off the break, causing the collision.

904: Behind a three vehicle queue, one car was rear-ended by another car.

919: Operator of rear vehicle collided with ambulance in front, not realizing the ambulance was stopping.

Side swipes (1/3):

819: Curb lane vehicle, stopped at light, was struck on side by a vehicle traveling on inside lane (left-turn lane).

Pedestrian (1/1):

807: Operator of vehicle on inside lane (traveling 5 to 8 mph) hit bicyclist with right front bumper. The bicyclist was crossing Water Street in front of a curb lane vehicle, and upon collision with the inside lane vehicle was thrown into the rear of a curb lane vehicle in front of it. Striking motor vehicle operator claims that the bicyclist was not paying attention and wearing headphones. (Reporting officer stated that the bicyclist was at fault and “went into oncoming traffic, which had [the] right-of-way.”). All vehicles were approaching a red light at the railroad tracks.

Broadway (southbound) Approach:

Rear-end (backing) (1/1):

907: Operator of front vehicle stopped at light, and then backed up into rear vehicle (front vehicle travel too far?).

South Broadway (northbound) Approach:

Rear-end (2/2):

909: Two vehicles involved in the rear-end collision. Both appeared OK, but one was transported to the hospital.

912: There was a vehicle queue that extended beyond the Kelly’s furniture driveway. There were 6 vehicles in front of the front vehicle, and the light had just turned green. Operator of the rear vehicle (a truck) proceeded on the green; however, the whole queue hadn’t started moving and struck the rear of the vehicle in front.

Angle/ (Right turn onto Canal Street with northbound through) (1/1):

714: Operator of vehicle turning right onto Canal Street was traveling in inside lane on the approach and struck a northbound through vehicle traveling in the curb lane.

Angle/ (Left turn onto oncoming traffic) (1/1):

911: Operator of vehicle turning left had Multiple Sclerosis and no leg function, according to police report.

Broadway (northbound) Receiving:

Side swipes (1/1)

917: A garbage truck stopped at curb for 1 Broadway for a pickup and had its side step swiped by a passing vehicle.

Canal Street Approach:

Side swipe (1/1):

908: Westbound traveling vehicle side swiped a parked car on the curb.

Head on (1/1):

716: Operator of vehicle traveling eastbound went through the intersection and was struck by a vehicle coming the opposite way on Canal Street, which crossed the centerline.

Intersection crashes involving Left-Turning traffic and Route 28 through traffic:

Pedestrian/ (Northbound Left turn onto Water Street with Southbound Pedestrian) (1/1):

804: Operator of vehicle turning left states that he did not observe the pedestrian step out [off of the curb] after the vehicle in front of him turned left and he struck the pedestrian with the right front corner of his vehicle.

Angle/ (Northbound Left turn onto Water Street with Southbound Through) (4/4):

712: Operator of vehicle turning left proceeded on green (ball?) and southbound through traveling vehicle struck it on the front right bumper.

812: Vehicle was turning left onto Water Street and southbound through traveling vehicle struck it on the right side in the back.

818: Operator of vehicle turning left proceeded on green arrow and southbound through traveling vehicle struck it on the right rear quarter. Police report states that southbound through vehicle was stopped at red light and moved when it got a green light. (Left turning vehicle must have turned at the very end of the northbound left-turn protected phase (at the end of the yellow and all-red clearance intervals).)

910: 7:00 AM. Operator (aged 60) of vehicle turning left onto Water Street was waiting for a gap in southbound through traffic to turn, however, a school bus behind her began beeping once the signal turned to yellow; and she got nervous and turned left and collided with a southbound through traveling vehicle, striking it on the right rear quarter.

This spun the vehicle around, which caused it to strike a car waiting at a red light on the Canal Street approach.

Angle/ (Southbound Left turn onto Canal Street with Northbound Through) (2/3):

816: Operator of vehicle turning left proceeded on green (ball) (did not yield as appropriate) and collided with a northbound through traveling vehicle, also proceeding on a green (ball) indication.

918: Operator of vehicle turning left made a sharp and unexpected turn onto Canal Street and a northbound through traveling vehicle struck it.

Intersection crashes involving Canal Street Westbound Through and Turning traffic:

Angle/ (Southbound right turn onto Water Street with westbound through) (1/1):

902: Police report indicates that the operator of the right turning vehicle from Broadway onto Canal turned on red and “failed to use care” and hit the vehicle traveling westbound through on green.

Angle/ (Eastbound left turn onto Broadway with westbound through) (1/1):

802: Operator of the left turning vehicle onto Broadway collided with the vehicle traveling westbound through.

Angle/ (Northbound through with westbound through) (1/1):

806: Operator of the westbound through traveling vehicle on Canal Street was going on green and was struck by a northbound through traveling vehicle (whose operator was given a citation for running a red light).

Angle/ (Northbound through with westbound right-turning vehicle) (1/1):

803: A road race was on in the city and a police officer was directing traffic at the intersection. The operator of the westbound right turning vehicle stated that she got confused and thought it was safe to go, but struck a northbound through traveling vehicle.

Angle/ (Northbound through with westbound right-turning vehicle) (2/2):

815: The northbound through traveling vehicle (going 10 mph) was part of a funeral procession and was traveling with the hazard lights flashing. The operator claims that the light was green when his vehicle was struck by a leftturning vehicle from Canal Street.

817: A vehicle turning left from Canal St struck a northbound through vehicle and continued on (Hit and run).

MassHighway Crash Report for LAWRENCE in the year 2007

Crash Crash Crash

Number Total Total of Nonfatal Fatal Manner of Vehicle Action Vehicle Travel

Date Time Severity Vehicles Injuries Injuries Collision Prior to Crash Directions

Vehicle

Most Harmful Events Configuration

05-Mar 12:22 Non-fatal

2007 PM injury 2 4 0 Angle

V1: Collision with

V1: Turning right V1:Northbound motor vehicle in traffic

/ V2:Travelling / / V2: Collision with V1: Truck/trailer / straight ahead V2:Westbound motor vehicle in traffic V2:Not reported

Property damage

26-Mar 4:00 only (none

2007 AM injured)

Property damage

02-Apr 3:30 only (none

2007 PM injured)

Property damage

13-Apr 1:45 only (none

2007 PM injured)

24-Apr 2:30 Non-fatal

2007 PM injury

2

2

2

2

0

0

0

2

0 Angle

0 Angle

Road

Surface Ambient Weather At Roadway

Condition Light

Dry

V1:Not

V1: Travelling reported / straight ahead / V2:Not V1: Not reported / V2: V1: Passenger car

Not reported / V2:Passenger car Dry

V1: Collision with

V1: Travelling V1:Northbound motor vehicle in traffic straight ahead / / / V2: Collision with V1: Passenger car opposite direction V2:Southbound motor vehicle in traffic / V2:Passenger car Wet

V1: Collision with

V1: Turning left / V1:Southbound motor vehicle in traffic

V2:Travelling / / V2: Collision with V1: Passenger car straight ahead V2:Northbound motor vehicle in traffic / V2:Passenger car Dry

V1: Travelling V1:Not straight ahead / reported /

V2:Entering traffic lane

V2:Not reported

V1: Not reported / V2: V1: Passenger car

Not reported / V2:Not reported Dry

Condition Intersection

Daylight Clear

Daylight Clear

Daylight Cloudy

CANAL STREET

/ BROADWAY /

CANAL STREET

BROADWAY /

Daylight Cloudy CANAL STREET

Daylight Clear

BROADWAY /

CANAL STREET

Distance from

Nearest Roadway

Intersection

Distance from

Nearest

Landmark

599 CANAL

STREET

SOUTH BROADWAY

Rte 28 / BROADWAY

30 feet S from

Intersection

BROADWAY Rte 28 PACIFIC

N / WATER STREET MILL

ENTRANC

E TO

PEMBERT

ON PARK

27-Apr 1:45 Not

2007

16-May 7:55 Not

2007

26-Jun 6:45 Non-fatal

2007

19-Jul

2007

2007

PM

5:10

AM

29-Jul 1:10

PM injury 2

Unknown 3

Property damage

17-Oct 4:56 only (none

2007 PM injured) 2

20-Nov

2007

AM

AM

5:30

AM

Reported 2

Reported 2

Not

Reported 2

Not

Reported 2

Property damage

04-Dec 3:15 only (none

2007 PM injured) 2

0

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

V1:Northbound

V1: Backing / /

0 Rear-end V2:Backing

V1: Not reported / V2: V1: Passenger car

V2:Northbound Not reported / V2:Passenger car Wet

V1: Travelling straight ahead / V1:Southbound

0 Angle

V2:Travelling same direction

/ V1: Not reported / V2: V1: Passenger car

V2:Westbound Not reported / V2:Passenger car Dry

V1: Travelling straight ahead / V1:Northbound

V2:Entering traffic lane

/ V1: Not reported / V2: V1: Not reported /

V2:Westbound Not reported V2:Not reported Dry

0 Rear-end straight ahead /

V3:Travelling

V2:Southbound

/ motor vehicle in traffic

/ V3: Collision with

V1: Passenger car

/ V2:Passenger car

0 Rear-end straight ahead V3:Southbound motor vehicle in traffic / V3:Passenger car Dry

V1: Collision with

V1: Travelling V1:Southbound motor vehicle in traffic

0 Angle straight ahead / / / V2: Collision with V1: Passenger car

V2:Turning left V2:Westbound motor vehicle in traffic / V2:Passenger car Dry

V1: Passenger car

0 Not reporte

V1: Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) V1: Slowing or V1:Southbound stopped in traffic /

/ V2:Unknown V2:Southbound

V1: Not reported / V2:

Not reported with only four tires /

V2:Passenger car Wet

V1: Travelling straight ahead /

V2:Travelling

V1:Southbound

/

V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic

/ V2: Collision with

V1: Parked /

V2:Backing

V1:Northbound

/

V2:Northbound


Not reported

/ V2:Light truck(van, mini-van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Wet

0 Angle

V1: Turning right V1:Northbound

/ V2:Travelling / V1: Not reported / V2: V1: Passenger car straight ahead V2:Northbound Not reported / V2:Passenger car Snow

Daylight Cloudy

Daylight Clear

Daylight Clear

Daylight Rain

Daylight Clear

Daylight Clear

Dark roadwa y not lighted Rain

Daylight Snow

BROADWAY

Rte 28 / CANAL

STREET

BROADWAY /

CANAL STREET

WATER

STREET /

BROADWAY

BROADWAY

ST Rte 28 N /

WATER

STREET

SOUTH BROADWAY

Rte 28 / BROADWAY

SOUTH BROADWAY

Rte 28 / BROADWAY

SOUTH BROADWAY

Rte 28 / BROADWAY

BROADWAY Rte 28 /

SOUTH BROADWAY

10-Dec

2007

8:30

AM

Property damage only (none injured) 2 0 0 Rear-end

V1: Slowing or stopped in traffic V1:Southbound

/ V2:Travelling straight ahead

/

V2:Southbound


Not reported

V1: Passenger car

/ V2:Passenger car Ice Daylight

Sleet, hail

(freezing rain or drizzle)

20 feet S from

Intersection

BROADWAY Rte 28 /

WATER STREET Rte

28 S

MassDOT Crash Report for LAWRENCE for the year 2008

Crash

Date

Crash

Time

Crash

Severity

18-Jan

2008

2:00

AM

02-Mar

2008

11:10

AM

Not

Reported 2

Property damage only (none injured) 2

23-Apr

2008

25-Apr

2008

29-Apr

2008

22-May

2008

18-Jul

2008

09-Aug

2008

6:30

PM

5:32

PM

7:30

AM

1:00

PM

2:45

AM

Number of

Vehicles

T otal

Injuries

Total

Nonfatal Fatal

Injuries

Manner of

Collision

Vehicle Action

Prior to Crash

Unknown 1

12:40

PM



Non-fatal injury

Property damage only (none injured)

Property damage only (none

3

3 injured) 2

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

Vehicle Travel

Directions Most Harmful Events Vehicle Configuration

Road

Surface

Condition

Ambient

Light

Weather At Roadway

Condition Intersection

Distance from

Nearest

Roadway

Intersection

0

0 Angle

0

Not reported

Not reported

0 Rear-end

0 Angle

0 Rear-end

0 Rear-end

V1: Parked /

V2:Not reported


V2:Travelling straight ahead

V1: Turning left


V2:Travelling straight ahead /

V3:Not reported


V2:Travelling straight ahead stopped in traffic

/ V2:Slowing or stopped in traffic


V1: Slowing or stopped in traffic



0 direction

V1: Travelling

Sideswipe, straight ahead / same V2:Travelling straight ahead

V1:Not reported / V1: Not reported / V2:

V2:Not reported Not reported

V1: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V2:

V1:Not reported / Collision with motor

V2:Not reported vehicle in traffic

V1:Eastbound

V1:Eastbound /

V2:Eastbound /

V3:Not reported

V2:Not reported

V1:Eastbound /

V2:Eastbound /

V3:Eastbound

V1:Not reported /

V2:Not reported /

V3:Not reported

V1:Northbound /

V2:Northbound

V1: Collision with pedestrian


Not reported / V3: Not reported


V1:Not reported / Collision with motor vehicle in traffic


Not reported / V3: Not reported


Collision with motor vehicle in traffic / V3:

Collision with motor vehicle in traffic


Not reported

V1: Passenger car /

V2:Tractor/semi-trailer Ice

V1: Light truck(van, mini van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires /

V2:Passenger car

V1: Passenger car /

V2:Not reported

Dry

Dry

Dark roadway not lighted

Dark lighted

Clear roadway Clear

BROADWAY /

CANAL

STREET

Daylight ar

CANAL

Clear/Cle STREET /

BROADWAY

Not

Not

Reporte reported d

BROADWAY

ST / WINTER

STREET V1: Passenger car


V2:Light truck(van, mini van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires /

V3:Passenger car

Not reported

Dry

V1: Passenger car /

V2:Light truck(van, mini van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Wet

Daylight Clear

Daylight Rain

V1: Passenger car /


V3:Passenger car Dry



V3:Light truck(van, mini van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Dry

Daylight Clear

Daylight Clear

CANAL

STREET /

BROADWAY

WAT ER

STREET /

BROADWAY

Rte 28

WAT ER

STREET /

BROADWAY

WATER

STREET /

BROADWAY

BROADWAY

/ CANAL

STREET

21-Aug 12:00

2008 PM


03-Sep 10:14

2008 AM


13-Sep 7:50

2008 AM Unknown 2

0

0

0

Dark lighted roadway Clear

Dark lighted roadway Rain

Daylight Clear

BROADWAY /

CANAL

STREET

BROADWAY /

WAT ER

STREET

BROADWAY

Rte 28 /

WAT ER

STREET

26-Sep 12:10

2008 PM


30-Sep

2008

4:20

PM


08-Oct

2008

9:14

PM


27-Oct

2008

28-Oct

2008

6:00

PM

1:54

PM

26-Nov 1:15

2008 PM

Not

Reported 3



27-Nov 7:00

2008 PM

Non-fatal injury 2

0

0

0

0

0

0

4

0 Rear-end

0 Angle

0 Angle

0 Angle

0 Angle

V1: Parked /

V2:Turning right


V2:Not reported

V1: Travelling

0

Sideswipe, straight ahead / same direction

V2:Changing lanes





V1: Turning right /


V1:Not reported /

V2:Not reported

V1:Northbound /

V2:Not reported

V1:Southbound /

V2:Southbound

V1:Northbound /

V2:Westbound

V1:Southbound /

V2:Northbound

V1:Eastbound /

V2:Southbound


Not reported


Not reported


Not reported







0 Rear-end

V1: Not reported

/ V2:Not reported

V1:Southbound /

/ V3:Not reported V3:Not reported


V2:Not reported / Not reported / V3: Not reported

V1: Collision with motor

0 direction

V1: Travelling

Sideswipe, straight ahead / same V2:Travelling straight ahead

V1:Southbound /

V2:Southbound vehicle in traffic / V2:



0 Angle

V1: Turning right /

V2:Changing V1:Westbound / lanes

V1: Travelling

V2:Northbound vehicle in traffic / V2:



Single vehicle

0 crash straight ahead /


V1:Southbound /

V2:Southbound vehicle in traffic / V2:


V1: Passenger car /

V2:Passenger car


V2:Light truck(van, mini utility) with only four tires /

V2:Passenger car

Dry


V2:Not reported Wet


V2:Passenger car Dry van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires Wet

V1: Light truck(van, mini van, panel, pickup, sport

Dry




V2:Passenger car /


V1: Single-unit truck (2 axle, 6-tire) /

V2:Passenger car

V1: Passenger car /

Wet




Daylight Rain

CANAL

STREET /

BROADWAY

Daylight Cloudy

BROADWAY /

WAT ER

STREET

Dark lighted roadway ar

BROADWAY /

Clear/Cle CANAL

STREET

Dusk

Rain/Clo udy

SOUTH

BROADWAY

Rte 28 /

BROADWAY

Daylight ain

BROADWAY /

Cloudy/R CANAL

STREET

Daylight Clear


BROADWAY /

CANAL

STREET

SOUTH

BROADWAY

Rte 28 /

BROADWAY

MassDOT Crash Report for LAWRENCE for the year 2009

Crash Crash Crash

31-Jan 1:00

2009

03-Feb- 7:50

2009

21-Feb- 7:10 only (none

2009

11-Mar

2009

10-Apr 7:45

04

2009

06

May 7:00

2009 AM injured) 3

Property

10 damage

May 10:10 only (none

2009 PM injured) 2

05-Jul 12:00 Not

2009

PM

PM

PM

8:20

AM

PM

Property damage only (none injured)


2009 AM injured) 2

Property damage

May 12:48 only (none

PM

13-Jul 3:15 only (none

2009 AM injured) 2

21-Aug- 2:31

2009 PM

Non-fatal injury

Not

Reported 2

Property damage injured) injured)

Property damage

Non-fatal injury

07-Sep-8:40 Non-fatal

2009 PM injury

Property damage

Number Total Total of

2

2

2

2

2

15-Sep-7:20 only (none

2009 AM injured) 2

21-Nov3:30

2009 AM


Reported 5

Not

2

Reported 2

Property damage

10-Dec7:45 only (none

2009 AM injured) 2

Nonfatal Fatal

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Manner of Vehicle Action

Date T ime Severity Vehicles Injuries Injuries Collision Prior to Crash

Vehicle T ravel

Directions Most Harmful Events Vehicle Configuration

Road

Surface Ambient Weather At Roadway

Condition Light Condition Intersection

Distance Distance from Nearest from

Roadway Nearest

Intersection Landmark

Not

V1: Travelling V1:Northbound straight ahead / / V1: Not reported / V2: V1: Passenger car / reported V2:Turning left V2:Southbound Not reported

V1: Collision with

V2:Passenger car

V1: Passenger car /

Angle

Dry

V1: Turning right / V1:Not reported motor vehicle in traffic V2:Light truck(van, mini-

V2:Travelling / V2:Not / V2: Collision with van, panel, pickup, sport straight ahead reported motor vehicle in traffic utility) with only four tires Wet

Daylight Clear

BROADWAY Rte 28

/ NORTH CANAL ST

/ WAT ER STREET

Dark lighted Rain/Sno BROADWAY / roadway w WATER STREET

V1: Slowing or V1: Collision with V1: Light truck(van, mini-

Not stopped in traffic

/ V2:Slowing or motor vehicle in traffic van, panel, pickup, sport

V1:Eastbound / / V2: Collision with utility) with only four tires / reported stopped in traffic V2:Eastbound motor vehicle in traffic V2:Passenger car Dry


WATER STREET /

BROADWAY

Sideswip e, same direction


/ V2:T ravelling straight ahead

V1:Eastbound /

V2:Eastbound


/ V2: Collision with motor vehicle in traffic



V1: Light truck(van, mini

V1: Turning right / V1:Eastbound /


V2:Not reported V2:Eastbound / V2: Not reported van, panel, pickup, sport utility) with only four tires /

V2:Light truck(van, mini van, panel, pickup, sport

Angle

V1: Travelling V1: Collision with utility) with only four tires Dry

V1: Passenger car / straight ahead / V1:Northbound motor vehicle in traffic V2:Light truck(van, mini-

V2:Travelling / / V2: Collision with van, panel, pickup, sport

Rear-end straight ahead V2:Northbound motor vehicle in traffic utility) with only four tires Dry

Angle

V1: Turning left /

V2:Travelling straight ahead /

V3:Slowing or


V1:Not reported / V2: Collision with


V2:Light truck(van, mini van, panel, pickup, sport

/ V2:Not reported / motor vehicle in traffic

/ V3: Collision with utility) with only four tires /

V3:Light truck(van, mini van, panel, pickup, sport stopped in traffic V3:Eastbound motor vehicle in traffic utility) with only four tires Wet

V1: Travelling V1: Collision with V1: Light truck(van, mini-

Angle straight ahead / V1:Not reported motor vehicle in traffic van, panel, pickup, sport

V2:Travelling / V2:Not / V2: Collision with utility) with only four tires / straight ahead reported

V1:Not reported motor vehicle in traffic V2:Passenger car

/ V2:Not

V1: Parked /

V2:Not reported /

V3:Not reported /

V4:Not reported / reported /

V3:Not reported

/ V4:Not reported /

V1: Not reported / V2: V1: Passenger car /

Not reported / V3: Not reported / V4: Not reported / V5: Not

Unknown V5:Not reported V5:Not reported reported

V2:Not reported / V3:Not reported / V4:Not reported / V5:Not reported

Dry

Wet

Daylight Clear

Daylight Clear

Daylight Clear

Cloudy/R

Daylight ain


BROADWAY

BROADWAY Rte 28

S / WAT ER

ST REET

BROADWAY /

WATER STREET

Rte 28

25 WATER

STREET

1

BROADWAY

SOUTH

BROADWAY

Rte 28 / RAILROAD

BROADWAY TRACKS

Dark roadway not lighted Rain

V1: Parked / V1:Not reported

Not V2:Travelling / V2:Not reported straight ahead reported

V1: Not reported / V2: V1: Passenger car /

Not reported V2:Not reported Dry Daylight Clear

V1: Slowing or

Sideswip stopped in traffic V1:Northbound e, same / V2:T ravelling / V1: Not reported / V2: V1: Not reported / V2:Not direction straight ahead V2:Northbound Not reported reported Wet

Sideswip e, same V1: Unknown / direction V2:Unknown

Daylight Clear

V1: Collision with V1: Light truck(van, mini-

V1:Not reported motor vehicle in traffic van, panel, pickup, sport

/ V2:Not reported

/ V2: Collision with utility) with only four tires / Not motor vehicle in traffic V2:Passenger car reported Daylight Clear

V1: Travelling V1: Collision with

Sideswip straight ahead / V1:Northbound motor vehicle in traffic V1: Passenger car / e, same V2:Slowing or / / V2: Collision with V2:Single-unit truck (2 direction stopped in traffic V2:Northbound motor vehicle in traffic axle, 6-tire) Dry Daylight Clear

V1: Collision with V1: Passenger car /

V1: Travelling V1:Not reported motor vehicle in traffic V2:Light truck(van, mini straight ahead / / V2:Not / V2: Collision with van, panel, pickup, sport

Head-on V2:Turning left reported motor vehicle in traffic utility) with only four tires Dry

V1: Slowing or V1: Collision with stopped in traffic motor vehicle in traffic V1: Single-unit truck (2

/ V2:T ravelling V1:Eastbound / / V2: Collision with axle, 6-tire) /

Rear-end straight ahead V2:Eastbound motor vehicle in traffic V2:Passenger car Wet

Dusk

Clear/Cle BROADWAY / ar

Daylight Cloudy

BROADWAY Rte 28

/ CANAL ST REET

BROADWAY /

CANAL ST REET

CANAL ST REET

WATER STREET /

BROADWAY

WATER

STREET /

BROADWAY

WATER

STREET /

BROADWAY

Rte 28

1

BROADWAY

Appendix D. Roadway Speed Data

Appendix E. Daily and Peak Period Traffic

Count Data

Appendix F. Crash Rate Calculation

Appendix G. Intersection Operations

Analysis Methodology and Results

OPERATIONS ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY

Level of Service

A primary result of capacity analyses is the assignment of level of service to traffic facilities under various traffic flow conditions. Level of service is a qualitative measure describing operational conditions within a traffic stream and the perception of these conditions by motorists and/or passengers. A level of service definition provides an index to the quality of traffic flow in terms of such factors as speed, travel time, freedom to maneuver, traffic interruptions, comfort, convenience, and safety.

Six levels of service are defined for each type of facility. They are given letter designations from

A to F, with level-of-service (LOS) A representing the best operating conditions and LOS F representing the worst.

Since the level of service of a traffic facility is a function of the traffic flows placed upon it, such a facility may operate at a wide range of levels of service, depending on the time of day, day of week, or period of year.

Signalized Intersections

The six levels of service for signalized intersections may be described as follows:

• LOS A describes operations with very small delay; most vehicles do not stop at all.

• LOS B describes operations with relatively small delay; however, more vehicles stop than LOS A.

• LOS C describes operations with higher delays. Individual cycle failures may begin to appear in this level. The number of vehicles stopping is significant at this level, although many still pass through the intersection without stopping.

• LOS D describes operations with delay in the range where the influence of congestion becomes more noticeable. Many vehicles stop and individual cycle failures are noticeable.

• LOS E describes operations with high delay values. Individual cycle failures are frequent occurrences.

• LOS F describes operations with high delay values that often occur with oversaturation. Poor progression and long cycle lengths may also be major contributing causes to such delay levels.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation criteria used in the capacity analyses are described below.

Signalized Intersections

Levels of service for signalized intersections are calculated using the operational analysis methodology of the 2000 Highway Capacity Manual . The capacity analyses for these facilities measures the average delay to drivers from signal control. This method assesses the effect of signal type, timing, phasing, progression, vehicle mix, and geometrics on delay. Level-of service designations are based solely on the criterion of calculated control delay, also known as signal delay. Control delay includes the initial deceleration delay, queue move-up time, stopped delay, and final acceleration delay. Delay can also be a measure of driver discomfort, frustration, fuel consumption, and increased travel time. Table A-1 summarizes the relationship between level of service and delay. The tabulated delay criterion may be applied in assigning

LOS designations to individual lane groups, intersection approaches, or to entire intersections.

Table A-1

LEVEL-OF-SERVICE CRITERIA FOR

SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS

a

Level of

Service

Average Control Delay

(seconds per vehicle)

D

E

F

A

B

C

<=10

>10 and <=20

>20 and <=35

>35 and <=55

>55 and <=80

>80 a

Source: Highway Capacity Manual, HCM 2000;

Transportation Research Board; Washington, DC; 2000;

Exhibit 16-2, page 16-2.

Appendix H. Traffic Signal Plan from

Construction Document

Appendix I. Road Safety Audit References

Road Safety Audit References

Massachusetts Traffic Safety Toolbox , Massachusetts Highway Department, www.mhd.state.ma.us/safetytoolbox.

Road Safety Audits, A Synthesis of Highway Practice. NCHRP Synthesis 336. Transportation Research

Board, National Cooperative Highway Research Program, 2004.

Road Safety Audits . Institute of Transportation Engineers and U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal

Highway Administration, www.roadwaysafetyaudits.org.

FHWA Road Safety Audit Guidelines . U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway

Administration, 2006.

Road Safety Audit, 2 nd edition. Austroads, 2000.

Road Safety Audits . ITE Technical Council Committee 4S-7. Institute of Transportation Engineers,

February 1995.

Document 13047460

ROAD SAFETY AUDIT

Route 28 (Broadway) at Water and Canal Streets

City of Lawrence

October 21, 2011

Prepared For:

MassDOT

Prepared By:

Merrimack Valley Planning Commission

Table of Contents

List of Figures

List of Tables

List of Appendices

Background

Project Data

Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members

Project Location and Description

Geometrics

Route 28

Water Street

Canal Street

Route 28 at Canal and Water Streets intersection

Traffic Volumes

Table 2. Traffic Volume Summary

Crash History

Table 3. Intersection Crash Summary (2007 – 2009)

Operations Analysis

Existing Conditions

Table 4. Intersection Operations Analysis Results – Existing Conditions

Recommended Improvements

Table 5. Intersection Operations Analysis Results – Recommended Mid-

Term Improvements Alt.

Audit Observations and Potential Safety

Enhancements

Summary of Road Safety Audit

Table 6. Potential Safety Enhancement Summary

Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda

Road Safety Audit

LAWRENCE – Rt. 28 at Water & Canal/Rt. 114 at Andover

Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List

Participating Audit Team Members

Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data

Appendix D. Roadway Speed Data

Appendix E. Daily and Peak Period Traffic

Count Data

Appendix F. Crash Rate Calculation

Appendix G. Intersection Operations

Analysis Methodology and Results

OPERATIONS ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY

Level of Service

Signalized Intersections

Evaluation Criteria

Signalized Intersections

Table A-1

LEVEL-OF-SERVICE CRITERIA FOR

SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS

Appendix H. Traffic Signal Plan from

Construction Document

Appendix I. Road Safety Audit References

Road Safety Audit References

Related documents

Add this document to collection(s)

Add this document to saved

Suggest us how to improve StudyLib