ROAD SAFETY AUDIT
The Middleborough Rotary





Route 18 (Bedford Street – south of the Rotary)
Route 18/28 (Bedford Street – north of the Rotary)
Route 44 (Harding Street – west of the Rotary)
Route 44 (East of the Rotary)
Route 28/ West Grove Street
Town of Middleborough, MA
February 17, 2016
Prepared For:
MassDOT
By:
Prepared By:
Stantec
15 Broad Street Suite 301
Boston, Massachusetts
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Table of Contents
Contents
Background ................................................................................................................. 1
Project Data ................................................................................................................. 2
Project Location and Description .............................................................................. 3
Audit Observations and Potential Safety Enhancements ....................................... 9
Potential Safety and Serviceability Enhancements ............................................... 17
Summary of Road Safety Audit ................................................................................ 22
List of Appendices
Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda
Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List
Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data
Appendix D. Additional Information
List of Figures
Figure 1: Project Area of Middleborough Rotary ................................................................... 7
Figure 2: Project Area Map of Middleborough Rotary and Connection to Interstate ..... 8
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
List of Tables
Table 1: Participating Audit Team Members .......................................................................... 2
Table 2: Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown ....................................................... 23
Table 3: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Rotary Wide ..................................... 23
Table 4: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Route 18/28 at
Middleborough Rotary ............................................................................................. 24
Table 5: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Route 44 East at
Middleborough Rotary ............................................................................................. 26
Table 6: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Route 18 at
Middleborough Rotary ............................................................................................. 27
Table 7: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Route 28 at
Middleborough Rotary ............................................................................................. 29
Table 8: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Route 44 West at
Middleborough Rotary ............................................................................................. 30
Table 9: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Middleborough Rotary .................. 31
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Background
The Federal Highway Administration defines a Road Safety Audit (RSA) as the formal
safety examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent,
multidisciplinary team. The purpose of an RSA is to identify potential safety issues and
possible opportunities for safety improvements considering all roadway users.
Stantec has been contracted by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation
(MassDOT) Highway Division’s District 5, in cooperation with the Town of Middleborough,
to provide consulting services to evaluate potential transportation improvements at the
Middleborough Rotary, located near Interstate I-495 at the western border of the town.
As shown on Figure 1, the five major roads that connect to the Middleborough Rotary
include:
 Route 18/28 Bedford St (located north of the rotary)
 Route 18/Bedford St (south of rotary)
 Route 44/Harding St (west of rotary)
 U.S. Route 44 (east of rotary)
 Route 28/West Grove Street (southeast of the rotary)
The project site is in an urban area containing a fair number of commercial and
industrial sites, including restaurants, vehicle repair shops, gas stations, research and
development facilities, and manufacturing and warehousing sites. Some of these uses
contain single driveways that are very close to the rotary, such as Friendly’s Restaurant,
which has two driveways that exit either directly into the west side of the Rotary or
approximately 100’ south of the Rotary.
The Middleborough Rotary is in close proximity to two I-495 Interchanges, one at Exit 6
with Route 44 and the other, 0.4 miles to the south at Exit 5 with Route 18. Such a
condition results in a high volume of vehicles traveling through this network to gain
access to/from these highway interchanges. These high traffic volumes impact the
roadway conditions of the Rotary, leaving this area susceptible to a high number of
crashes and significant congestion during the peak hours.
As part of the assessment process, Stantec investigated the crash reports, provided by
the Middleborough Police Department, for the most recent three years available from
January 2011 to December 2013, and developed crash diagrams to identify and depict
the crash location frequencies, the crash types, and the severity of each crash.
1
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Project Data
After the crash data was evaluated, Stantec conducted an on-site RSA with
participating parties (see Table 1 for the members of the Audit Team) at the
Middleborough Town Hall on November 12, 2015 at 10 Nickerson Ave in Middleborough,
MA. The Audit Team consisted of a multi-disciplined team of State Representative
Orrall, the Middleborough Town Manager and Town Planner, Public Works Director, Fire
Chief, town police, engineers and planners. The Audit Team was assembled at Town
Hall and the RSA was conducted in conjunction with input from MassDOT’s Safety
Management Unit. A contact list of the Audit Team members is provided in Appendix B.
The purpose of this meeting was to identity key issues and discusses potential short-term
and long-term improvements and solutions to transportation problems at the
Middleborough Rotary.
Table 1: Participating Audit Team Members
Audit Team Member
Agency/Affiliation
Keiko Orrall
State Representative
Jeanine Knowlton
Office of Representative Keiko Orrall
Ruth Geoffroy
Town of Middleborough, Planning Director
Christopher Peck
Town of Middleborough, Department of Public Works
Director
Robert Nunes
Town of Middleborough, Town Manager
Caroline LaCroix
Town of Middleborough, Assistant to the Town Manager
Lance Benjamino
Town of Middleborough, Fire Chief
Robert Ferreira
Town of Middleborough, Police Department
Gary McNaughton
Town Resident
John Mastera
MassDOT Highway Division
Kevin Chiang
MassDOT Highway Division
Thomas Rebello
MassDOT Highway Division District 5
Richard Oliveira
MassDOT Highway Division District 5
Josh Bartus
MassDOT Highway Division
Lisa Estrela-Pedro
SRPEDD
Paul Mission
SRPEDD
John J. Hayden
Stantec
Heather Ostertog
Stantec
David Perloff
Stantec
2
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Prior to the Audit, Stantec provided the participants with crash diagrams and maps of
the RSA study area. An existing conditions aerial photo (Figures 1 and 2) was also
provided to depict specific project focus areas as it related to the discussion.
Participants were encouraged to visit the Rotary prior to the Audit and were urged to
consider elements from MassDOT’s Safety Review Prompt List (also included in the
handout materials – provided as Attachment E in this document).
On the day of the Audit, a meeting was held at the Middleborough Town Hall to discuss
the audit process, review the distributed materials, and discuss the issues that the audit
team members had observed in individual pre-audit visits to the site, or from past
personal experiences and knowledge of the project area. Questions and concerns
about the project site were noted on a whiteboard at the head of the meeting room,
as well as initial ideas for short- and long-term improvements to the site.
After the initial meeting, parties from the audit team assembled at the Rotary site for the
Audit Field Walk. This enabled participants a firsthand view of the layout, signage, and
topography at the Rotary. It also allowed the team to gain a better understanding of
the surrounding area and local business. From this perspective, more issues were raised
about the overall performance and service of the rotary and additional ideas for
possible improvements were discussed and noted.
Following the Audit Field Walk, the audit team returned to Town Hall to review the initial
concerns and to discuss information gathered during the site walk. At this post-Field
Walk meeting, the group discussed potential short-term and long-term improvements to
the Rotary and nearby I-495 interchanges.
Project Location and Description
The following section describes the land uses in the Rotary area including transportation
facilities and adjacent development. As described below, the five intersections that
comprise the Rotary includes Route 44 eastbound and westbound, Route 18/28
southbound, Route 18 northbound and Route 28 northwest bound.
Surrounding Area
The Middleborough Rotary is a high priority for transportation improvements in
Middleborough because it is located in an area where there are significant existing and
potential commercial land usages. Transportation and Rotary Improvements would
allow these commercial districts to be fully developed, creating a significant number of
jobs and expanded tax base. There are numerous commercial districts near the study
area. These include business parks that are comprised of business firms and engineering
laboratories, restaurants, and vehicle service centers, gas stations, and vacant lots in
business parks and the Town’s Commercial Development District adjacent to the Rotary
3
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
on Rt. 28. Such proximal commercial areas are a reason for the high priority for investing
in this network.
Furthermore, investing in this network is a priority for the region because of the nature of
the roadways that comprise the Rotary. Route 44, which runs from Route 3 in Plymouth
to I-495 in Taunton and is a major east/west thoroughfare that has an approximate
average daily traffic (ADT) of 28,000 vehicles per day (vpd). Route 28 is a major
north/south roadway that extends from the New Hampshire border in Methuen to Route
6 in Wareham. The ADT on Route 28 within the study area is approximately 16,000 vpd.
Route 18 is also a north/south roadway that begins at Route 53 in Weymouth and ends
in New Bedford. The approximate ADT on Route 18 south of the Rotary is 12,500 vpd.
Route 18 and 28 are combined as one roadway north of the Rotary.
Middleborough Rotary
The Middleborough Rotary is a five-legged Rotary and is the intersection of Route 44,
Route 18, Route 28 and Route 18 and 28. The diameter of the Rotary is approximately
400’ with a traveled way pavement width of approximately 35’. There are no pavement
markings inside the Rotary pavement designating number of lanes but a width and
diameter size of this size can accommodate high circulating speeds and multiple travel
lanes inside the Rotary itself.
Route 18 (Bedford Street, south of the Rotary) Middleborough, MA
Route 18 (Bedford Street) in Middleborough south of the Rotary is a state-owned urban
arterial which extends through the rotary in a north-south direction (see Figure 1). In the
RSA study area, Route 18 has a two lane cross-section (one lane in each direction) and
is undivided with a left-turn lane at Exit 5 at I-495 northbound ramps, 600 feet south of
the Rotary. The entrance roadway to the Ocean Spray Cranberry Company
Headquarters is located south of the Rotary and the Exit 5 ramps with I-495. During PM
peak hours, Ocean Spray hires a police detail to assist in worker’s vehicle leaving the
facility. Other land uses on Route 18 south of the Rotary include a driveway to Friendly’s
restaurant and a driveway to the Fireside Grille.
South of the rotary, Route 18 provides off/on ramps to travel onto I-495 in both the
northbound and southbound direction, respectively. In the southbound direction of
Route 18, an additional right-turn only lane provides exclusive access to I-495 south;
pavement markings for the right-turn direction are present.
Route 18/28 (Bedford Street, north of the Rotary) Middleborough, MA
North of the Rotary, Route 18 shares right-of-way with Route 28 and is a state-owned
urban arterial. Route 18/28 features access to several major commercial properties with
prominent driveways. The most substantial commercial area on Route 18/28 is the
Campanelli Business Park, on Leona Drive. Other major facilities with access from Route
4
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
18/28 include the Trader Joe’s Taunton Warehouse and Brookfield Engineering
Laboratories within Middleborough Park near I-495, Traveler’s Insurance, Persey’s
Restaurant and a Shell gas station.
There are no sidewalks on Route 18/28 however there are wide shoulders
(approximately 8 ft. in width) on both sides of the road.
Route 44/ Harding Street
Route 44/Harding Street is a major state-owned urban arterial and is part of the
National Highway System (NHS). The road runs in an east-west direction (see Figure 1).
Route 44 in the RSA study area has a two lane cross section (one lane in each direction)
and is undivided. The commercial areas on Route 44 west of the Rotary close to the Exit
6 ramps with I-495 include two hotels, a fork lift dealership, a gas station and a Dunkin
Donuts. In relation to this, there is significant queuing and congestion in the PM peak
hour approaching the rotary from the west with commuters backing up onto I-495
Southbound. There are no sidewalks located on either side of Route 44 in the RSA study
area, although there are wide shoulders on both sides to accommodate cyclists. There
are no commercial developments on Route 44 east of the Rotary and the roadway is
limited access in this section.
Route 44 EB Queuing in the PM Peak Hour
In relation to the Rotary, Route 44 represents a route that many commuters use to get
to I-495. On the east side of the rotary, Route 44 is a limited access highway which
provides access for many communities with high residence population; this includes the
towns of Plymouth, Kingston, and Carver. Because of the high demand on this section
of Route 44 and the inability for the Rotary to process these traffic volumes, there is
congestion and significant queuing in the morning peak hour approaching the
Middleborough Rotary from the east with commuters heading to I-495 and northwest
toward Route 24.
5
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Route 28/West Grove Street
Route 28 is also a state-owned arterial roadway that contains a two lane cross-section
and connects to the southeast corner of the rotary. It contains similar roadway features
as those of Route 18 and 44, with wide shoulders on both sides of the cross-section
approaching the rotary but no sidewalks.
The Route 28 approach to the Rotary features numerous commercial properties with
intersecting driveways to restaurants, gas stations, and auto repair shops.
In terms of traffic, Route 28 is another commonly-used route for commuters to get to
I-495. During the RSA, participants said that some residents living in the center of
Middleborough travel south on Route 28 to access I-495 at Exit 4 to avoid
Middleborough Rotary congestion. Construction of traffic signals was recently
completed at I-495 at Exit 4/Route 105, making Route 28 to Exit 4 to I-495 an attractive
alternative route when the Rotary is heavily congested.
Interstate 495
In Middleborough, I-495 is an interstate highway that provides travellers access to
destinations such as Boston, Providence, and Cape Cod. It also provides entry onto
other major Interstate highways and limited access roads such as I-90, I-93, I-95 and
Route 24. An impact that this highway has on this study area is its close proximity to the
Middleborough Rotary. There are two major exits (Exits 5 and 6) that are spaced at only
0.4 miles between each other. Furthermore, both of these exits are no more than
1,000 feet from the rotary. This creates short merge, diverge and weave distances for
vehicles using the highway and the ramps to either Exit 5 or Exit 6. Ideally, interchanges
should be located with a mile of spacing in between one another for better
performance of freeway operations.
6
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Figure 1: Project Area of Middleborough Rotary
7
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Figure 2: Project Area Map of Middleborough Rotary and Connection to Interstate 495
8
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Audit Observations and Potential Safety
Enhancements
Audit Team members were solicited for their observations during the Audit Meeting at
the Middleborough Town Hall and during the Audit Field Walk. The Audit Team
members offered the following observations at the Rotary and the roadways that
intersect the Rotary.
Rotary Wide Observations
The Middleborough Rotary is a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) High Crash
Location. Approximately 200 crashes were reported to the Middleborough Police
Department at this location between January 2011 and December 2013. The following
sections describe observations made at specific locations in the Rotary area however;
there are several issues that exist that are common throughout the Rotary area,
including the following:
Pavement Markings and Signs
•
Lane markings are either faded or missing, which can create confusion for
drivers when judging the width and number of lanes on each approach.
•
Existing signs are old or incorrect and can confuse drivers. Drivers who are
confused can become distracted and do not give their full attention to the
roadway or their surroundings. Also old signs can be faded and have lost their
reflectivity therefore being hard to see in the dark.
•
Pavement markings at the approach are faded at some locations, which
can lead to poor lane delineation. This can create confusion for drivers in
terms of understanding where they should be positioned when merging into
the rotary. Also, faded pavement markings that have lost their reflectivity are
unhelpful to drivers in dark and stormy conditions.
Speed
•
Aggressive driving due to frustration with slow traffic speeds along with
varying levels of aggression in queue leads to multiple collisions at all legs of
the Rotary.
•
Incorrect driver behavior such as lack of use of directional signals limits the
gaps that drivers can use to enter the Rotary because drivers waiting to enter
the Rotary are unaware if a vehicle already in the Rotary is going to stay in
9
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
the Rotary or exit the Rotary. If a vehicle waiting to enter the Rotary perceives
that a vehicle already in the Rotary is going to exit the Rotary just before the
approach and starts to enter the Rotary a collision could occur if that vehicle
already in the Rotary does not exist as expected.
Multi-modal
•
No Pedestrian Accommodations on roadway sections nearby major
commercial areas. This is critical for safety as workers currently have no
designated walking area when strolling outside of their offices. There are also
no crosswalks across the approaches to any of the legs of the Rotary. The
placement of crosswalks across the approaches of the legs into and out of
the Rotary alerts motorists that pedestrian may be present and the crosswalk
provides an environment for the pedestrian to cross the street.
•
No Bike Accommodations on roadway sections nearby major commercial
areas. This is critical for safety as workers currently have no designated
cycling paths outside of their offices. This can cause a safety issues because
vehicle drivers are not expecting them to be in the traveled way and may
make maneuvers that could be harmful to cyclists in the shoulder or making
turns at driveways and intersections without looking to see if a cyclist is
present. .
Roadway Geometry
•
The roadway geometry at all Rotary approaches contributes to many rear-end
crashes. As reported by the Middleborough Police Department, many crashes
occur in the Rotary area because drivers are focused on vehicles in the Rotary
rather than the vehicle in front of them. A driver that is second in queue to enter
the Rotary may be looking over his shoulder at the traffic in the Rotary, see a gap
and begin to accelerate before looking to see if the vehicle in front of them has
gone.
•
Although the merge area at the approaches into the Rotary were intended to
operate as a one-lane segment, motorists often treat this merge as two lanes as
they will bypass other vehicles whom they believe are waiting too long to enter
the Rotary. Vehicles that attempt to bypass other vehicles or merge two at a
time can create safety hazards such as side swipe crashes, distracted driving,
and unexpected merging with vehicles already in the Rotary.
•
The roadway geometry of legs of the Rotary are not properly aligned to the
Rotary. The poor deflection that correlates to the poor alignment can promote
higher speeds. It also requires the driver to look left over his/her shoulder to view
oncoming traffic, leading to more rear-end crashes as described in the text of
the first bullet in this Roadway Geometry section.
10
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Intersection Control
•
There are blinking yellow lights that may not send a clear message to the driver
in terms of how to treat the entrance to the rotary at four of the five approach
legs to the Rotary. These signals are a safety concern because they are
confusing to drivers who many do not understand what they mean. They may
give motorists a false impression of priority to enter the Rotary.
Route 18/28 Southbound (North of the Rotary)
According to crash data, 85% of the crashes at this location were rear-end crashes. The
highest percentage of these crashes, 19%, occurred from 3-4 pm. The fact that the
majority of crashes were rear-end crashes and that the majority of all crashes occurred
during a PM peak hour, where traffic on Route 18/28 southbound is known to queue
extensively, suggests that the cause of the majority of crashes could be, in part, due to
queuing at the intersection of Route 18/28 and the Middleborough Rotary. The
following provides the observations of the RSA participants at the Route 18/28
approach to the Rotary.
Multi-Modal
•
Sidewalks are not provided on either side of the Route 18/28 southbound,
especially near areas occupied by businesses and commercial
development. This forces any pedestrians in the area to walk in the traveled
way which is unsafe because there is no separation between the pedestrian
from vehicle traffic or debris in the roadway.
Intersection Control
•
There are outdated blinking yellow lights that may not send a clear message to
the driver in terms of how to treat the entrance to the rotary at four of the five
approach legs to the Rotary. These signals
are a safety concern because they are
confusing to drivers who many do not
understand what they mean. They may give
motorists a false impression of priority to enter
the Rotary.
Access Points and Traffic Generators
•
There are multiple driveways and streets
that exit onto Route 18/28 including
Traveler’s Insurance, Persy’s Place
restaurant, Clay Street, Commerce
Boulevard, a Shell Gas Station with a
Honey Dew Donuts and Leona Drive.
Blinking Yellow Light
11
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Leona Drive is where the back of the PM peak hour queue extends to and
sometimes past. This leads to safety issues as vehicles that enter and exit
these driveways can cause sudden interruptions in traffic flow during long
queues, which can lead to rear-end crashes.
•
The peak hour begins earlier and sometimes ends later than most other
typical PM peak hours because of the location of the Bridgewater
Massachusetts Correctional Institution (MCI – Bridgewater) and Bridgewater
State College. Both of these facilities are located north of the Middleborough
Rotary. Many workers and students leave these facilities at approximately
3:00pm and use Route 18/28 southbound to access I-495, Route 44 and other
locations to the south and east of the Rotary. The additional volume that
enters Route 18/28 from these facilities exacerbates the queues approaching
the Rotary from the north, which can lead to more driver frustration and
unsafe aggressive driving. Furthermore, extensive queuing can lead to more
rear-end collisions.
Parking
•
Some of the parking for Persy’s Place restaurant occurs in the MassDOT rightof-way (ROW) which may limit the sightlines of vehicles exiting the rotary
heading northbound on Route 18/28. Additionally, the sightlines of vehicles
exiting the Persy’s Place Driveway may also be limited by these parked
vehicles. This is a safety concern as limited sight distance may result in
crashes, as drivers may not have sufficient reaction time if their visibility is
limited.
Route 18 Northbound (South of the Rotary)
According to the crash data, 76% of the crashes that occurred at this location were
rear-end crashes. That, compounded with the fact that 24% of all crashes occurred
during the AM peak hour when queuing is observed on Route 18 northbound, suggests
that these crashes may be occcuring because of congestion and queuing. The
remaining 24% of crashes were side-swipe same-direction crashes which may be the
result of the double stacking that is occurring at the approach. The following provides
the observations of the RSA participants at the Route 18 northbound approach to the
Rotary.
Multi-Modal
• There is no crosswalk across
the approach to Route 18 northbound
for people that want to access the
Friendly’s Restaurant by foot. The lack
of a crosswalk here is a safety concern
Driveway to Friendly's Parking Lot
12
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
since the crosswalk alerts motorists that pedestrian may be present and
crossing the street. The crosswalk also serves as a guide to pedestrians for an
indication of where they should cross the traveled way.
Intersection Control
•
The existing yield sign is located at about 100 feet prior to where the
approach intersects the Rotary. If motorists stop where the yield sign is
currently placed they will lose sight distance that is needed to safely enter the
Rotary and to see traffic that is currently circulating in the Rotary.
Furthermore, with cars queuing so far back from the approach vehicles
circulating in the Rotary will have a more difficult time seeing vehicles about
to enter the approach to anticipate their movements.
Access Points and Traffic Generators
•
It has been observed through research of the crash reports as well as
anecdotally from participants of the Audit, that at the Friendly’s Restaurant
driveway, patrons exiting the parking lot into the Rotary or onto Route 18
south of the Rotary do not properly yield to vehicles in or exiting the Rotary.
This may be caused by tourist and visitor drivers’ unfamiliarity with the manner
in which a Rotary operates. Failure to properly yield right-of-way can lead to
angle collisions as seen on the crash diagrams located in the Appendix for
this location.
•
The northern driveway of the two Friendly’s driveways exits directly into the
Rotary. Vehicles using this exit can cause immediate conflicts with other
vehicles entering the rotary from Route 44 West since this approach is only 50
feet downstream of the driveway. Conflicts occur due to unexpected entry
by Friendly’s patrons into the Rotary as well as the disruption the driveway
causes to traffic flow.
•
The southern Friendly’s driveway is on Route 18 approximately 100’ south of
the Rotary. The driveway to the Fireside Grille is located 150’ south of this
second Friendly’s driveway. Drivers using these driveways can cause
unexpected disruptions with traffic that just exited the Rotary by slowing
down to turn while motorists behind them are speeding up to continue on
Route 18. This could lead to rear-end crashes.
•
The Ocean Spray Headquarters driveway is located immediately south of the
I-495 Exit 5 ramps. During the PM peak period, a police detail provided by
Ocean Spray stops traffic on Route 18, as necessary, to allow Ocean Spray
employees to exit onto Route 18. This condition can cause more queuing
and slower traffic flow, creating more frustration for drivers travelling on
Route 18.
13
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
•
Exit 5 to I-495 serves as an alternate route from I-495 southbound to avoid
congestion on Route 44 eastbound entering the Rotary and increases the
volume on Route 18 northbound. Turbulence from left and right turning
vehicles onto the I-495 ramps at Exit 5 at the unsignalized connections with
Route 18 can create delays and increase driver frustration.
Parking
•
Parking sometimes occurs on the abandoned gas station historic property site
adjacent to the approach of Route 18 Northbound and the Rotary. This
parking can obstruct sight distance. Obstructed sight distance can reduce
driver’s reaction time to yield to oncoming traffic. It can also cause sudden
interruptions in traffic as vehicles unexpectedly enter and exit this lot.
Roadway Geometry
•
Compounding the double stacking problem that was mentioned to occur at
all of the Rotary approaches, this approach has the additional challenge
that there are numerous tractor trailer trucks that use Route 18 from I-495.
These trucks require extra width at the approach to the Rotary due to their
large turning radii. Sideswipe crashes occur when smaller vehicles
aggressively try to pass these trucks on the right side.
Route 44/ Harding Street West of Rotary
As with the previous two approaches to the Rotary, the majority of crashes at the Route
44 eastbound approach to the Rotary were rear-end crashes. These were at a lower
percentage than the other two approaches, with only 57% being rear-end type. The
other types of crashes that occurred at this location include sideswipe (13%),
same-direction (17%), and angle and single-vehicle crashes at 13% for both types. The
majority of the crashes occurred during the peak hours, with 17% in the AM peak hour
and 26% in the PM peak hour. This suggests that crashes may be occurring as a result of
congestion and queuing. The single-vehicle crashes were all run-off-the-road type, two
of which involved the vehicle crashing with a fixed object on the side of the road. The
following provides the observations of the RSA participants at the Route 44 eastbound
approach to the Rotary.
14
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Speed
•
Speed may have been a factor in the run-off-the-road crashes. Long queues
to enter the Rotary and the speed limits on both I-495 (55 mph) and Route 44
(50 mph) westbound may be
resulting in motorists speeding up
as soon as they exit the Rotary
onto Route 44 westbound.
Multi-Modal
• There is no crosswalk
across the approach from Route
44 eastbound to the Rotary for
pedestrians that need access to
Friendly’s. As stated previously the
safety importance of the crosswalk
Faded Yield Line at Route 44 Approach
is two-fold; one to provide
pedestrians guidance on where
they should cross the traveled way and two to alert motorists that pedestrians
may be present and to be aware of them.
Intersection control
•
The intersections of Route 44 and Exit 6 ramps are under stop/yield control,
which may further contribute to the long queues, which can lead to rear-end
crashes that occur on Route 44 during the PM Peak hour.
Access Points and Traffic Generators
•
The northern of the two Friendly’s Restaurant parking lot driveways exits onto
Route 44, on the eastbound side of the Rotary. This creates a conflict with
drivers entering and exiting the driveway. This can be unsafe for eastbound
traffic as many vehicles that enter/exit this driveway can startle other drivers
traveling east on Route 44 who may be mainly focused on rotary traffic. This
can be hazardous for westbound traffic exiting the rotary, as drivers would
not immediately expect a vehicle to turn left through eastbound traffic from
this driveway.
•
Exit 6 is a congested interchange that queues in the PM peak hour while
Exit 5, which is a viable alternative to using Exit 6, appears to be underutilized.
The volumes on the Exit 6 off-ramps can intensify the queues on Route 44, as
more vehicles from the off-ramp will merge with many other vehicles
travelling eastbound towards the rotary.
15
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Route 44 Westbound (East of the Rotary)
Out of all of the approaches, the most crashes occurred at this location, with 108
reported crashes. The overwhelming majority of them, 90%, were rear-end crashes with
24% of all crashes occurring in either the AM or PM peak hour. The rear-end crashes
may be the result of the extensive queuing during the peak hours. During field
observations it was noted that the queue extended back approximately to 100 cars,
which is a distance of approximately 2,500 feet. The following provides the observations
of the RSA participants at the Route 44 westbound approach to the Rotary.
Pavement Markings and Signs
•
The yield sign is located too far back from approach. As discussed previously.
If motorists stop where the yield sign is currently placed they will lose sight
distance that is needed to safely enter the Rotary and to see traffic that is
currently circulating in the Rotary. Furthermore, with cars queuing so far back
from the approach vehicles circulating in the Rotary will have a more difficult
time seeing vehicles about to enter the approach to anticipate their
movements.
Route 28 North/Westbound
The majority of crashes that occur at the Route 28 northbound approach to the Rotary
are rear end crashes. This comprises 75% (27 of 36 crashes) of the crashes that occurred
at this location during the 2011 – 2013 period. Another common type of crash (20%) was
sideswipe crashes of vehicles traveling in the same direction. A high percentage of
crashes (30%) occurred during the PM peak period. This suggests two things that are
occurring at this location. The first is that there is a lot of queuing and delay that occurs
here, especially during the PM peak period, which was observed during field
reconnaissance. Secondly, this queuing may be the cause of the high incidence of
rear-end crashes. Additionally, the occurrence of sideswipe same-direction crashes
suggests that double-stacking of vehicles is occurring at the Route 28 approach to the
Rotary specifically; it is a potential result of frustrated drivers that must deal with other
aggressive drives that try to maneuver around them from beyond the single-lane
boundaries. The following provides the observations of the RSA participants at the
Route 44 westbound approach.
Access Points and Traffic Generators
•
The driveway to Dunkin Donuts is approximately 300 feet south of the
Route 28 northbound approach to the Rotary. Driver frustration occurs
because some vehicles on Route 28 will stop to allow traffic from this lot to
enter Route 28, slowing down traffic and increasing driver impatience
downstream of the driveway.
16
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Roadway Geometry
•
Driver frustration/impatience with long queues and delay create a situation in
which some vehicles will double-stack at the approach. Two vehicles
entering the Rotary at the same time is hazardous because the can sideswipe
each other and confuse and distract drivers already in the Rotary. It also
causes a disruption for those vehicles that want to exit at Route 44
eastbound.
Potential Safety and Serviceability
Enhancements
Throughout the RSA, Audit team members voiced ideas about potential transportation
improvements that may enhance the safety and serviceability within the RSA project
area. Improvements ranged from long term high-cost improvements to short term,
low-cost improvements that would offer solutions to the issues observed. The following
provides a summary of these recommended transportation improvements.
Rotary-Wide
Pavement Markings
•
Apply thermoplastic pavement markings to enhance visibility which could
reduce crashes in dark and/or stormy conditions.
•
Use pavement markings to improve geometry
•
If the Rotary were to be striped two lanes in a future interim case, pavement
markings and directional arrows could be used to guide motorist in, out and
around the Rotary.
Access Points and Traffic Generators
•
Construction of a grade-separated flyover of a major arterial will decrease
the amount of conflict points that currently occur between the rotary and the
intersecting approaches. This will also improve operations and safety
because less conflict points usually result in fewer crashes as the higher
volume of traffic that tends to occur on Route 44 will be relieved of driving
through the rotary.
•
Incorporate a single lane on rotary segment from Route 18/28 to Route 44 EB
to encourage safer merges and slower speeds.
17
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
•
Decrease the angle of deflection at where the approach intersects the
rotary; this can lead to safer merges as drivers have to slow down and do not
have to look too far over their shoulders to see oncoming rotary traffic.
•
Relocate yield signs so that locations for all yielding points are consistent for
all approaches around the rotary.
•
Remove "No Turn" signs and replace with "No Left" signs to provide more
clarification on direction.
•
Implement lane regulations for truck traffic through rotary to help prevent
further interference with other regular vehicles that also use the rotary.
•
Sign guidance to direct drivers safely through network will encourage safer
driving as drivers will operate will drive less apprehensively when knowing
where to go on the rotary.
•
Implement signs that encourage drivers to utilize directional signals such as
utilizing temporary variable message boards to remind motorists to use their
signals to indicate to other motorists their intention.
•
Reconstruct as a roundabout which will promote slower speeds and prevent
double barreling, two vehicles side by side in a one lane approach, which
can ultimately result in safer merging movements.
•
Increase speed enforcement in the area.
Signs
Speed
Multi-modal
•
Construct new sidewalks along all major roads that approach the rotary
•
Apply visible crosswalk markings to ensure safe pedestrian guidance across
the rotary legs as well as informing motorists that pedestrians may be present.
•
Install bike lanes or some other indication such as signage to alert motorist
that bicycle traffic may be present and using travel lane.
18
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Route 18/28 (Bedford Street) North of the Rotary
Pavement Markings
•
Design the pavement markings to enhance visibility and to potentially
discourage double-stacking. This can be achieved by using thermoplastic
pavement markings, gore areas and using the markings to narrow the travel
lane for motorists.
Roadway Geometry
•
The reconfiguration of the Route 18/28 approach to Route 44 eastbound into
a single lane may lead to safer merges into the rotary.
•
Align the approach at a smaller angle, which will encourage drivers to travel
at slower speeds when approaching the rotary. This may also prevent drivers
from looking too far over their shoulders for oncoming rotary traffic, which
can decrease rear-end crashes.
Access Points
•
Construction of a grade-separated/flyover of Route 18/28 above the Rotary
will improve traffic operations as through traffic on Route 18 could by-pass
the Rotary and still gain access to major destinations (e.g. commercial areas,
I-495). With improved traffic operations there would be less queuing which
could result in few rear-end collisions. Also, a flyover would result in reduced
conflict points which also could reduce the number of crashes that occur.
Multimodal
•
Construct new sidewalks to improve pedestrian safety at locations nearby
existing business development parks.
•
Implement bike lanes on Route 18/28 to accommodate/improve cyclist
safety.
•
Install crosswalks across the approach into the Rotary and across the exit from
the Rotary to Route 18/28.
19
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Route 18 (Bedford Street) South at Rotary
Pavement Markings
•
Eliminate current pavement markings for yield lines; re-apply and relocate
yield lines closer to where rotary approach intersects with the rotary. Use
thermoplastic for longer life cycle and to improve visibility in dark and stormy
conditions.
Roadway Geometry
•
Apply geometric changes to the Route 18 approach to create a one-lane
approach only. This can be accomplished using “Road Diet” techniques to
narrow the approach of Route 18 gradually until it intersects the Rotary.
Signage
•
Relocate the “Yield” sign and pavement marking lines closer to the Rotary.
Multi-modal
•
Construct new sidewalks and cross walks to improve pedestrian safety at
locations near Friendly’s.
Access Points
•
Construction of a grade-separated/flyover of Route 18 will improve traffic
operations as through traffic on Route 18 could by-pass the Rotary and still
gain access to major destinations (e.g. restaurants, I-495).
•
Reduce the number of entrances to Friendly's to only one entrance and
move it further south on Route 18. This can decrease conflicts with other
drivers that are more focused on rotary traffic immediately upstream.
Route 44 Westbound (East of Rotary)
Pavement Markings
•
Re-apply and relocate yield lines closer to where roadway approach
intersects with the rotary.
•
Apply route number pavement markings on lane to ensure directional
guidance. This is especially important for this approach as there is a
significant volume of drivers who use this arterial to get to I-495 via Rotary
during the AM Peak hour.
Roadway Geometry
20
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
•
Apply geometric changes to the approach to create a one-lane approach
only. This can be accomplished by using “Road Diet” techniques to narrow
the approach of Route 44 at the Rotary.
Signs
•
Relocate the “Yield” sign up closer to where the roadway merges with the
Rotary.
•
Explore geometric modifications that can be made to the Dunkin’ Donuts
driveway and parking lot/drive-through circulation along with signing to
regulate turns in and out of the site.
Route 44 Eastbound (West of Rotary)
Pavement Markings
•
Apply new thermoplastic pavement markings to the yield lines to enhance
visibility for drivers and prevent short-term fading.
Intersection Control
•
Signalize Intersections of Exit 6 ramps and Route 44. Doing so may improve
safety at the intersection by reducing the number of collisions occurring at
this location due to drivers not knowing their right-of way priority or taking
small gaps to make turns. A signal would allow all movements protected time
to make these movements.
Multi-Modal
•
Construct new sidewalks and cross walks to improve pedestrian safety at
locations near Friendly’s.
Access Points
•
Construct a grade-separated flyover of Route 44 over the Rotary including
additional exit ramps providing direct access to I-495.
•
Redesign the Friendly's driveway entrance – relocate the entrance and exit
further south on Route 18, outside of the Rotary. This can decrease the
dangerous conflict points that can occur closer to the rotary. Or create a
right in/right-out only driveway to Route 44 eastbound.
Route 28 North at Rotary
Pavement Markings
21
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
•
Eliminate current pavement markings for yield lines; repaint and relocate
yield lines closer to where the roadway merges with the rotary. With this,
drivers can feel more confident about where to position themselves when as
they enter the rotary, which can ultimately lead to safer driving.
•
Narrow the approaches with striping to prevent double-stacking at the
entrance to rotary.
Multi-Modal
•
Construct new sidewalks and cross walks to improve pedestrian safety at
locations nearby the Dunkin Donuts to ensure safety for pedestrians who walk
from other commercial areas nearby.
Access Points and Traffic Generators
•
Make adjustments to Dunkin Donut’s driveway; relocate Drive-thru exit further
away from main driveway entrance to Route 28.
Signs
•
Relocate the “Yield” sign up closer to where the roadway merges with the
Rotary.
•
Explore Geometric Modifications to the properties driveway and
parking/driveway circulation along with signing to regulate turning
movements and priority rules related to the Dunkin’ Donuts driveway.
Summary of Road Safety Audit
A list of each safety issue and potential safety enhancement discussed during the audit
is included and listed below. For each safety issue, the enhancement is describes as is
its potential safety payoff, the estimated time frame for completion, the estimated
construction cost, and the responsible agency. If there are conceptual or design plans
in progress for this location, they are identified and the potential safety enhancements
that have been incorporated into the design is discussed. If there are issues with the
plans, as designed, this is noted as well.
Safety payoff estimates are subjective and may be based on the relative percent of
crashes that may be reduced by the enhancement based on known and documented
crash reduction factors, if available, an estimated crash reduction based on a stated
source is stated.
22
Road Safety Audit—Middleborough Rotary in Middleborough, MA
Prepared by Stantec
Table 2: Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown
Time Frame
Costs
Short-Term
<1 Year
Low
<$25,000
Mid-Term
1-3 Years
Medium
$25,000-$100,000
Long-Term
>3 Years
High
>$100,000
Major
>$5,000,000
23
Road Safety Audit— Middleborough Rotary
Prepared by Stantec
Table 3: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary –Rotary Wide
Safety Issue
Pavement
Markings
Access Points
Roadway
Geometry
Multi-modal
Potential Safety Enhancement
Safety Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Agency
Design new pavement markings to
enhance visibility and minimize
double-stacking.
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Make new pavement markings
thermoplastic to reduce potential fading
in the future and to enhance visibility.
Medium
Mid
Low
MassDOT
If the Rotary were to be striped two
lanes in a future interim case,
pavement markings and directional
arrows could be used to guide
motorist in, out and around the Rotary.
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Construction of a grade-separated flyover
of a major arterial.
High
Long
Major
MassDOT
Incorporate a single lane on rotary
segment from Route 18/28 to Route 44 EB.
High
Long
High
MassDOT
Decrease the angle of deflection at
where the approach intersects the rotary
High
Mid
High
MassDOT
Improve the alignment between the
roadway approaches and the rotary by
applying the right geometric angle to the
merge with the approach.
High
Mid
High
MassDOT
Construct new sidewalks to improve
pedestrian safety at locations nearby
commercial areas and business
development parks.
High
Long
High
MassDOT
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Install bike lanes or some other indication
such as signage to alert motorist that
bicycle traffic may be present and using
wide shoulders.
Page 24
Road Safety Audit— Middleborough Rotary
Prepared by Stantec
Table 3: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Rotary Wide (cont.)
Safety Issue
Multi-modal
Speed
Potential Safety Enhancement
Safety Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Agency
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
High
Long
High
MassDOT
Medium
Short
Medium
MassDOT and
Middleborough Police
Relocate yield signs so that locations for
all yielding points are consistent.
Low
Short
Low
MassDOT
Implement lane regulations for truck traffic
through rotary.
Low
Short
Low
MassDOT
Implement signs that encourage drivers to
utilize directional signals such as
temporary variable message boards.
Low
Short
Low
MassDOT
Low
Short
Low
MassDOT
Implement new crosswalk pavement
markings to enhance pedestrian
guidance across the roadway.
Reconstruct as a roundabout which will
promote slower speeds.
Increase speed enforcement in area.
Signs
Remove "No Turn" signs and replace with
"No Left" signs to provide more
clarification on direction.
Page 25
Road Safety Audit— Middleborough Rotary
Prepared by Stantec
Table 4: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Route 18/28 at Middleborough Rotary
Safety Issue
Potential Safety Enhancement
Safety Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Agency
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Pavement
Markings
Design the pavement markings to
enhance visibility and to potentially
discourage double-stacking.
Roadway
Geometry
Apply a single lane from Route 18/28 to
Route 44 EB.
High
Mid
Medium
MassDOT
Grade separated/flyover of Route 18
High
Long
Major
MassDOT
Construct new sidewalks to improve
pedestrian safety at locations nearby
existing business development parks.
High
Long
High
MassDOT
Implement bike lanes on Route 18/28
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Access Points
Multi-modal
Install crosswalks across the approach into
the Rotary and across the exit from the
Rotary to Route 18/28.
Page 26
Road Safety Audit— Middleborough Rotary
Prepared by Stantec
Table 5: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Route 44 Eastbound (West of Rotary)
Safety Issue
Potential Safety Enhancement
Safety Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Agency
Pavement
Markings
Apply new pavement markings to the
yield lines to enhance visibility.
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Intersection Control
Signalize Intersections of Exit 6 Ramps
and Route 44.
High
Long
High
MassDOT
Construct new sidewalks and crosswalks
to improve pedestrian safety at
locations nearby the Friendly’s
High
Long
High
MassDOT
Grade separated/flyover of Route 44.
High
Long
Major
MassDOT
High
Long
Medium
MassDOT
Multi-modal
Access Points and
Traffic Generators Redesign the Friendly's driveway
entrance – relocate the entrance and
exit away from the rotary and towards
Route 44 East downstream of rotary.
Page 27
Road Safety Audit— Middleborough Rotary
Prepared by Stantec
Table 6: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Route 18 at Middleborough Rotary
Safety Issue
Potential Safety Enhancement
Safety Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Agency
Pavement Markings
Eliminate current pavement
markings for yield lines; repaint
and relocate yield lines up
towards where roadway
merges with the rotary.
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Roadway Geometry
Apply geometric changes to
the Route 18 approach to
create a one-lane approach
only.
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Low
Short
Low
MassDOT
High
Long
High
MassDOT
Low
Short
Low
MassDOT
Low
Short
Low
MassDOT
Signs
Multi-modal
Access Points and Traffic
Generators
Relocate the “Yield” sign and
pavement marking lines closer
to the Rotary.
Construct new sidewalks and
crosswalks to improve
pedestrian safety at Friendly’s.
Re-apply and relocate yield
lines closer to where roadway
approach intersects with the
rotary.
If the Rotary were to be striped
two lanes in a future interim
case, pavement markings and
directional arrows could be
used to guide motorist in, out
and around the Rotary.
Page 28
Road Safety Audit— Middleborough Rotary
Prepared by Stantec
Table 7: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Route 28 at Middleborough Rotary
Safety Issue
Pavement Markings
Multi-modal
Potential Safety Enhancement
Safety Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Agency
Eliminate current pavement
markings for yield lines; repaint and
relocate yield lines up towards
where roadway merges with the
rotary.
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Narrow down the approaches to
prevent double-stacking at the
entrance to rotary.
Medium
Mid
Low
MassDOT
High
Long
High
MassDOT
Medium
Mid
Mid
MassDOT
Low
Short
Low
MassDOT
Medium
Mid
Medium
MassDOT
Construct new sidewalks and cross
walks to improve pedestrian safety
at locations nearby the Dunkin
Donuts .
Make adjustments to Dunkin
Access Points and Traffic
Donut’s driveway; relocate DriveGenerators
thru exit further away from main
driveway entrance to Route 28.
Relocate the “Yield” sign up closer
to where the roadway merges with
the Rotary.
Signs
Explore Geometric Modifications to
the Dunkin Donut’s driveway and
parking/drive-thru circulation along
with signing to regulate turning
movements and priority rules
related to the Dunkin’ Donuts
driveway.
Page 29
Road Safety Audit— Middleborough Rotary
Prepared by Stantec
Table 8: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Route 44 Westbound (East of Middleborough Rotary)
Safety Issue
Pavement Markings
Roadway Geometry
Signs
Potential Safety Enhancement
Safety Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Agency
Eliminate current pavement
markings for yield lines; repaint
and relocate yield lines up
towards where roadway
merges with the rotary.
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Apply route number pavement
markings on lanes.
Medium
Mid
Low
MassDOT
Apply geometric changes to
the approach to create a onelane approach only.
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Relocate the “Yield” sign up
towards where the yield lines
are.
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Page 30
Road Safety Audit— Middleborough Rotary
Prepared by Stantec
Table 9: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Middleborough Rotary
Safety Issue
Pavement
Markings
Access Points
and Traffic
Generators
Signs
Speed
Potential Safety Enhancement
Safety Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Agency
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Use paint to improve geometry.
High
Short
Low
MassDOT
Apply route number pavement
markings on lanes.
Medium
Mid
Low
MassDOT
High
Long
Major
MassDOT
Incorporate a single lane on rotary
segment from Route 18/28 to Route
44EB .
Medium
Mid
Medium
MassDOT
Relocate yield signs.
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Remove all one-way signs.
Medium
Short
Low
MassDOT
Implement lane regulations for truck
traffic through rotary.
High
Long
Medium
MassDOT
Sign guidance to direct drivers safely
thru network.
High
Mid
Low
MassDOT
I Implement signs that encourage
drivers to utilize directional signals
such as utilizing temporary variable
message boards to remind motorists
to use their signals to indicate to
other motorists their intention.
High
Short
Low
MassDOT
Turn into roundabout - promote
slower speeds and prevent double
barreling for safer merges.
High
Long
High
MassDOT
Reapply thermoplastic pavement
markings to enhance visibility and
wear-resistance.
Grade separated/flyover of Route 18.
Page 31
Road Safety Audit— Middleborough Rotary
Prepared by Stantec
Table 9: Potential Safety Enhancement Summary – Middleborough Rotary (cont.)
Safety Issue
Speed
Obstructions
Potential Safety Enhancement
Safety Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Agency
Increase speed enforcement in the
area.
Medium
Short
Medium
MassDOT
Remove all poles containing flashing
yellow lights as they can be a
distraction to drivers.
Medium
Short
Medium
MassDOT
Page 32
Appendix A - RSA Meeting
Agenda
Road Safety Audit
Middleborough Rotary at the intersection of Routes 44,
28 and 18.
Meeting Location: Middleborough Town Hall
10 Nickerson Avenue Middleborough, MA
Thursday November 12, 2015
8:30 AM – 12:00 noon
Type of meeting:
High Crash Location – Road Safety Audit
Attendees:
Invited Participants to Comprise a Multidisciplinary Team
Please bring:
Thoughts and Enthusiasm!!
8:30 AM
Welcome and Introductions
8:45 AM
Review of Site Specific Material
· Crash, Speed & Volume Summaries– provided in advance
· Existing Geometries and Conditions
9:45 AM
Visit the Site
· Drive to the Middleborough Rotary
· As a group, identify areas for improvement
11:00 AM
Post Visit Discussion / Completion of RSA
· Discuss observations and finalize findings
· Discuss potential improvements and finalize recommendations
12:00 noon
Adjourn for the Day – but the RSA has not ended
Instructions for Participants:
· Before attending the RSA on Thursday November 12, 2015, participants are
encouraged to drive through the locations 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:
November 12,
2015
Participating Audit Team Members
Location: Middleborough, MA
Audit Team Members
Agency/Affiliation
Email Address
Phone Number
Keiko Orrall
State Representative
Keiko.orall@mahouse.
617-722-2090
gov
Jeanine Knowlton
Office of
Representative Keiko
Orrall
Jeanine.knowlton@m
617-722-2090
ahouse.gov
Ruth Geoffroy
Town of
Middleborough,
Planning Director
Rgffry@middleboroug
508-946-2425
h.com
Christopher Peck
Town of
Middleborough,
Cpeck@middleborou
508-946-2841
Department of Public gh.com
Works Director
Robert Nunes
Town of
Rnunes@middleborou
Middleborough, Town
508-947-0928
gh.com
Manager
Caroline LaCroix
Town of
Middleborough,
Assistant to the Town
Manager
Clacroix@middleboro
508-947-0928
ugh.com
Lance Benjamino
Town of
Middleborough, Fire
Chief
LBenjamino@middleb
508-946-2461
orough.com
Robert Ferreira
Town of
Middleborough
Police Department
Robert.ferreira@mpd
mail.com
Gary McNaughton
Town Resident
Gmcnaughton@mcm
508-823-2245
ahonassociates.com
John Mastera
MassDOT Highway
Division
John.mastera@dot.st
ate.ma.us
Kevin Chiang
MassDOT Highway
Division
Kevin.chiang@dot.sta
857-368-9626
te.ma.us
Thomas Rebello
MassDOT Highway
Division District 5
Thomas.rebello@state
508-884-4247
.ma.us
Richard Oliveira
MassDOT Highway
Division District 5
Richard.oliveira@stat
e.ma.us
508-884-4258
Josh Bartus
MassDOT Highway
Division
Joshua.bartus@dot.st
ate.ma.us
857-368-9438
Lisa Estrela-Pedro
SRPEDD
Lestrela@srpedd.org
508-824-1367
Paul Mission
SRPEDD
Pmission@srpedd.org
508-824-1367
John J. Hayden
Stantec
Jhayden@fstinc.com
781-221-1198
Heather Ostertog
Stantec
Hostertog@fstinc.com
617-274-1307
David Perloff
Stantec
Dperloff@fstinc.com
617-697-0593
508-947-1212
857-368-9648
Appendix C - Detailed Crash
Data
Appendix D - Additional
Information
Appendix E - 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, 2nd edition. Austroads, 2000.
Road Safety Audits. ITE Technical Council Committee 4S-7. Institute of Transportation
Engineers, February 1995.