ROAD SAFETY AUDIT
Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street)
at Prospect Street
Town of Norwood
December 23, 2014
Prepared For:
Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Prepared By:
Toole Design Group
33 Broad Street, 4th Floor
Boston, MA 02109
Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Table of Contents
Background ................................................................................................................................. 1
Project Location Description ..................................................................................................... 2
Project Data ................................................................................................................................. 4
Audit Observations and Potential Enhancements ................................................................... 5
Summary of Road Safety Audit ............................................................................................... 12
List of Appendices
Appendix A.
Appendix B.
Appendix C.
Appendix D.
RSA Meeting Agenda
RSA Audit Team Contact List
Detailed Crash Data
Traffic Volumes
List of Figures
Figure 1.
Locus Map……………………………………………………………………………………3
List of Tables
Table 1.
Table 2.
Participating Audit Team Members ....................................................................................... 1
Potential Safety Enhancement Summary ............................................................................. 13
Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Background
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Highway Division Safety Section has
conducted a Road Safety Audit (RSA) for the intersection of Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street)
at Prospect Street in the Town of Norwood, Massachusetts in support of an ongoing design project. The
MassDOT design project (Proj. #606130) includes traffic signal installation and associated geometric
improvements with an estimated construction start date of Fall 2020. An RSA is required to be performed
during the design process for any MassDOT project that includes a high crash location. This intersection
was a 2009 Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) cluster. The goal of the RSA is to identify
safety issues and recommend potential enhancements to improve safety for all roadway users.
Additionally, the potential enhancements are categorized by timeframe and cost which allows the
responsible agencies to determine if they should make proposed implementations.
Toole Design Group (TDG) conducted an RSA on Tuesday, November 18, 2014. The audit was held at
the Norwood Civic Center in Downtown Norwood. Members of the audit team discussed safety issues,
conducted a site visit, and determined countermeasures to the infrastructure and operating conditions of
the subject intersection. The members of the audit team comprised of representatives from local, regional,
and state agencies ranging from emergency responders to transportation planners and engineers. The
members and their affiliations are provided in Table 1. Contact information for the audit team members is
provided in Appendix B.
Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members
Audit Team Member
Agency/Affiliation
Andrew Murphy
Paul Halkiotis
Town of Norwood Engineering Department
Town of Norwood Planning Department
Stephen Begley
Town of Norwood Police Officer
Paul Murphy
Town of Norwood Police Officer
Andrew Nagle
Central Transportation Planning Staff
Lisa Schletzbaum
MassDOT Highway Division Safety Section
Thomas Rebello
MassDOT District 5
Don Cooke
VHB
Tracie Lenhardt
VHB
Erin Thompson
VHB
Michelle Danila
Toole Design Group
Shannon Brown
Toole Design Group
Page 1
Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Project Location Description
The study area includes the intersection of Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street), Prospect Street,
Washington Street (referred to as Lower Washington Street) and Fulton Street, as shown in Figure 1.
Route 1A, (Upland Road/Washington Street) is a state-owned roadway classified by the MassDOT
Bureau of Transportation Planning and Development as an urban minor collector. Lower Washington
Street, Fulton Street, and Prospect Street are owned by the Town of Norwood. The intersection consists of
five legs including Route 1A (Upland Road) from the north, Lower Washington Street from the east,
Route 1A (Washington Street) from the south, Fulton Street from the southwest, and Prospect Street from
the west.
The intersection geometry is a mixture of traffic control devices and operates as a combination of
unsignalized intersections and a traffic circle with a grassed island in the middle. According to 2008
Weekday Peak Hour Traffic Volumes provided by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) (See Appendix D),
Upland Road carries 371 southbound vehicles during the morning peak hour and 1,294 southbound
vehicles during the evening peak hour. Washington Street experiences a volume of 949 northbound
vehicles during the morning peak hour and 511 northbound vehicles during the evening peak hour.
Upland Road southbound has a speed limit of 40 miles per hour approaching the intersection and provides
a single travel lane in each direction. Washington Street northbound has a speed limit of 40 miles per hour
approaching the intersection. Upland Road and Washington Street approaches are both free flowing
through the intersection. A new pavement overlay was installed on Route 1A in September of 2013.
Lower Washington Street westbound has a speed limit of 30 miles per hour and is stop-controlled at the
approach to Route 1A. Lower Washington Street contains one approach lane that widens at the
intersection to accommodate two vehicles side-by-side, however there are no lane lines striped at the
intersection. The Lower Washington Street approach includes an overhead bridge for the Massachusetts
Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) commuter rail tracks that reduces the sight distance of the
approach to Route 1A.
Prospect Street has a speed limit of 30 miles per hour with a single lane at the approach of the
intersection. The Prospect Street approach requires vehicles to travel to the right of the grassed median,
and is uncontrolled at the intersection with Route 1A. The Prospect Street approach provides a single lane
that widens at the intersection to approximately 60 feet. Fulton Street is a neighborhood street that has a
yield-controlled single lane approach to the intersection. Fulton Street vehicles must turn right onto
Prospect Street to access Route 1A. In addition, vehicles from Fulton Street traveling towards Prospect
Street must turn right onto Prospect Street, left onto Route 1A, and then left onto Prospect Street
westbound.
The intersection has marked existing crosswalks across the Prospect Street approaches parallel to Route
1A with a break in the center island. A crosswalk is also provided across the Fulton Street approach.
Existing sidewalks are provided along Route 1A on the western side along both sides of Prospect Street,
along both sides of Fulton Street, and on the eastern side of Route 1A south of the intersection. Several of
the existing curb ramps do not appear to meet ADA requirements, although some of them provide
detectable warning panels. The intersection has no marked bicycle facilities, although Route 1A provides
wide shoulders.
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Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Locus Map
Page 3
Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
A new residential development referred to as Upland Woods is under construction on Lot 4 of the former
Polaroid Corporation office campus on Upland Road about 800 feet north of the intersection. According
to the Comprehensive Permit Application, dated May 2, 2013, the development will create 262 new
housing units, generating an estimated 1,942 vehicle trips on weekdays. Northeast of the intersection a
mixed-use development called University Station is under construction adjacent to the Route 128 MBTA
Commuter Rail/Amtrak Station on University Avenue in Westwood. The development will consist of
500,000 square feet of retail use including a Wegman’s grocery store, up to 650 residential units, 350,000
square feet of office space and a 160-room hotel. This development is expected to generate
approximately 33,000 new vehicular trips. These two development projects are expected to increase the
number of vehicles traveling through the subject intersection.
Project Data
Audit team members received a meeting packet prior to the RSA including a meeting agenda (Appendix
A), intersection peak hour vehicular traffic volumes, and crash data. The crash data included collision
diagrams, graphical representation of the crash data, and associated tables and charts and are provided in
Appendix C. The audit members were asked to review the packet and visit the RSA study area prior to
the meeting. Safety issues were identified by the team at the beginning of the RSA, followed by a field
visit to the subject intersection. The audit team finished the meeting by determining appropriate
countermeasures for the safety issues discussed and observed.
This intersection was a 2009 Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) cluster with a total of
21twenty one crashes including zero fatalities, seven injury crash, and fourteen property damage only
crashes.
For the RSA, the crash data and collision diagrams, prepared by VHB, were based on crashes that were
reported by the Norwood Police Department and occurred between February 2010 and September 2014.
According to the data, approximately 25 crashes were reported at the intersection of Route 1A (Upland
Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street/Washington Street during the time period. Of the crashes
reported at the intersection, the majority were angle crashes (60% - 15 crashes). The remaining crashes
included rear-end crashes (28% - 7 crashes), two single vehicle crashes, and one head-on crash. The most
common cause for the crashes was “failure to yield right of way” (32% - 8 crashes). Crashes were most
common in the winter months of January (12% - 3 crashes), February (16% - 4 crashes), and March (16%
- 4 crashes). Twenty-nine of the vehicles involved in the 25 collisions experienced significant physical
damage. Forty percent of the crashes involved drivers between the ages of 15-29 years old.
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Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Audit Observations and Potential Enhancements
During the RSA, the audit team identified the safety issues and discussed potential safety enhancements
to address the issues. Several of the safety issues identified by the audit team were related to:
• Traffic Control;
• Intersection Geometry;
• Speed;
• Sight Distance; and
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations.
The following sections discuss in detail the safety issues and potential enhancements that were identified
during the RSA.
Safety Issue #1. Traffic Control
Observations:
The audit team noted that seven of the crashes at
the intersection included failure to yield right of
way as a contributing cause to the crash.
Anecdotal observations indicate that many drivers
are unsure of which approach has the right of way
when there are multiple vehicles that approach the
intersection at the same time. In addition, with the
wide pavement cross-section on Prospect Street,
vehicles have been observed traveling around the
one-way traffic circle in both directions.
Currently, the Lower Washington Street approach
Figure 2. Fulton Street approach to Prospect Street.
is stop-controlled and traffic approaching the
intersection from Fulton Street is yield-controlled.
The audit team noted that the lack of traffic control devices at the rest of the approaches may
contribute to the high number of angle crashes. Field observations showed that drivers waiting to turn
onto Route 1A tend to pull out into or across the intersection at high speeds due to limited gaps in the
high volumes of free-flowing traffic on Route 1A. In addition, the audit team noted that Route 1A is
wider than it appears and motorists may be underestimating the amount of time needed to cross or
turn onto the roadway. There were fifteen angle crashes at the intersection, which may be the result of
drivers entering the intersection in an unsafe manor causing a collision with vehicles already within
the intersection. Rear-end crashes were most common on Route 1A, which was noted by the audit
team to potentially be the result of drivers on Route 1A stopping short to avoid colliding with
vehicles entering the intersection. The audit team noted that Fulton Street adds complexity and
confusion to the intersection. It was also noted by an audit team member that the neighborhood
residents have complained that Fulton Street is being used as a cut through. The audit team discussed
that residents avoid the intersection due to the confusing in traffic control, wide undefined
combination of a traffic circle and intersection, and the minimal available gaps during peak periods.
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Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Potential Enhancements:
1. In the short-term, consider restricting Fulton Street to one-way flow in the southbound
direction to reduce conflicts within the intersection.
2. As a long term measure, consider reconfiguring the intersection with one of two alternatives:
a. Install a modern roundabout with adequate deflection on the intersection
approaches.
b. If a roundabout is determined to not be feasible, realign the Prospect Street
approach to intersect Route 1A opposite Lower Washington Street, realign
Fulton Street to intersect Prospect Street at a 90 degree angle, and install a traffic
signal at the reconfigured Route 1A/Prospect Street intersection.
3. If a signalized intersection is installed in the long-term, advanced dynamic ‘RED SIGNAL
AHEAD’ signs should be provided for the Lower Washington Street approaches if required
minimum sight distance cannot be achieved due to the MBTA bridge abutments.
4. As a short-term measure, install R1-1 ’STOP’ signs, ‘STOP’ pavement markings, and a
stopline on the Prospect Street approach to Route 1A and on the Fulton Street approach
Prospect Street.
5. In the short-term, install R5-1 ‘DO NOT ENTER’ signs at the one-way approach on Prospect
Street at Route 1A.
6. If Fulton Street remains two-way in the short-term, modify the approach to be stop-controlled
and include right turn lane use pavement markings and ‘RIGHT TURN ONLY’ signs to
reduce vehicles mistakenly taking a left onto Prospect Street.
Safety Issue #2. Intersection Geometry
Observations:
The audit team noted that heavy traffic on Route
1A causes vehicles to queue side-by-side on the
Lower Washington Street and Prospect Street
approaches due to the large intersection
approaches. As previously stated, the most
common crash type was angle crashes at this
intersection, which may be caused by the
impeded visibility due to multiple cars waiting
side-by-side to turn into the intersection. In
addition, due to the configuration of the
intersection, drivers accessing Prospect Street
from Lower Washington Street, must turn right
onto Route 1A and then take an immediate left
Figure 3. Prospect Street eastbound approach to Route
1A.
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Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
onto Prospect Street. Similarly, the audit team noted that making an illegal left turn from Fulton
Street directly onto Prospect Street is quicker than going around the center island. The current signage
and geometry does not properly guide users to the appropriate movement from Fulton Street to
Prospect Street. The width of Route 1A could potentially contribute to the number of angle and rearend crashes due to turning vehicles underestimating the amount of time needed to cross.
Team members noted during field observations that drivers make right turns at high speeds from
Upland Road onto Prospect Street due to the downgrade and wide turning radius at the approach. It
was noted that the slope on Route 1A becomes icy in the winter months which may have contributed
to some rear-end crashes that occurred at the Upland Road approach during this time.
Potential Enhancements:
1. In the short-term, install pavement markings and/or temporary curbing to narrow the
eastbound Prospect Street approach to two defined lanes on the southwest corner.
2. In the short-term, install pavement markings and/or temporary curbing to narrow the
westbound Lower Washington Street approach to a single travel lane.
3. In the short-term, install pavement markings and/or temporary curbing to reduce turning radii
and improve delineation for the Upland Road approach.
4. In the long-term, consider installing a modern roundabout or traffic signal as suggested under
Safety Issue #1 and Potential Enhancement #2.
Safety Issue #3. Speed
Observations:
The audit team noted that drivers tend to speed through the intersection. As previously stated, this
road is on a downgrade at both approaches and can become icy during the winter months. A head-on
collision on Upland Road was caused by over-correcting/over-steering in rainy/icy weather. Team
members noted that the Prospect Street approach is also on a downgrade and residents have
complained about vehicles traveling at high speeds on this road. It was also noted that the intersection
is not heavily enforced by the police department. Team members noted during the field observations
that the speed limit on Washington Street in the northbound direction is missing a 40 MPH Speed
Limit sign near the intersection with Granite Street. Vehicles were observed operating at high rates of
speed when turning right onto Prospect Street from Route 1A.
Potential Enhancements:
1. As a short-term measure, install a 40 MPH speed limit sign on Washington Street near
Granite Street as per the special speed regulations for Route 1A due to the missing sign.
2. As a short-term measure, install dynamic speed feedback recorder signs near the intersection
to monitor vehicular speeds and encourage drivers to travel at the posted speed limit.
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Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
3. As a mid-term measure, install a deceleration right-turn lane on the Upland Road approach
for vehicles turning onto Prospect Street to reduce the speed prior to turning.
Safety Issue #4. Pavement Markings and Signage
Observations:
Audit team members noted that there is
no advanced warning signage regarding
the intersection or intersection control on
any of the intersection approaches. The
audit team noted that for the Prospect
Street and Lower Washington Street
approach the intersection has limited
visibility. After the recent repaving, a
double yellow center line was installed
within the intersection. During the field
visit, vehicles were observed crossing
the double yellow center line on Route
Figure 4. Double yellow center line on Route 1A within the study
1A to make left-turn onto Prospect
area intersection.
Street. As previously stated, team
members noted that there is confusion as
to how the intersection operates and the size of the intersection. The team members discussed the
potential of continuing edge line with a dashed line on Route 1A to assist drivers on Prospect Street
and Lower Washington Street realize the amount of distance needed to cross and turn onto Route 1A.
Team members noted during the field observations that bridge abutments did not have object marker
signs. No reported crashes were directly related to these observations.
Potential Enhancements:
1. In the short-term, remove the existing R1-2 ‘YIELD’ sign at the Fulton Street approach and
install a R1-1 ‘STOP’ sign to change the traffic control to be consistent throughout the
intersection.
2. As a short term measure, install W3-1 ‘STOP AHEAD’ signs on the Lower Washington
Street, Prospect Street, and Fulton Street approaches and installW2-1 ‘INTERSECTION
AHEAD’ signs on the Route 1A approaches.
3. In the short-term, remove or adjust the double yellow center line on Route 1A within the
intersection.
4. In the short-term, continue edge line with a dashed line on Route 1A to assist drivers on
Prospect Street and Lower Washington Street realize the amount of distance needed to cross
and turn onto Route 1A.
5. Install Type 3 object marker on MBTA bridge abutments.
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Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Safety Issue #5. Sight Distance
Observations:
Members of the audit team noted that the sight
distance was restricted when approaching the
intersection from Lower Washington Street due to
the MBTA commuter rail bridge. In addition,
when queued vehicles are waiting side-by-side,
they are restricting sight distance of approaching
vehicles on Route 1A. Observations determined
that when trees located on the northwest corner
and in the center island of the intersection have
full foliage they may be blocking signs and
Figure 5. Lower Washington Street approach to Route
1A including the MBTA commuter rail bridge.
restricting intersection sight distances.
Potential Enhancements:
1. In the short-term, relocate or trim trees to improve sight distance for intersection approaches
especially for the Lower Washington Street approach.
2. In the long-term, relocate or widen the MBTA commuter rail bridge.
3. In the short-term, consider installing striping and/or temporary curbing to reduce the width of
the Lower Washington Street approach and prevent side-by-side queueing.
Safety Issue #6. Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations
Observations:
Audit team members noted that the intersection
lacked adequate pedestrian and bicycle
accommodations. The audit team noted that
limited pedestrian and bicycle activity occurred at
the intersection; during the field visit, several
pedestrians were observed as well as a bicyclist.
As previously mentioned, the intersection has a
marked existing crosswalk across Prospect Street
with a break at the center island and a total
crossing length of over 200 feet as well as a
marked crosswalk across Fulton Street. The
Figure 6. Pedestrian using the crosswalk crossing the
previously mentioned enhancement to narrow the Prospect Street eastbound approach.
opening of the Prospect Street approach will also
decrease the length of the crosswalk and reduce the amount of exposure time for pedestrians to
increase pedestrian safety. There are no crosswalks provided at the termination of the sidewalk south
of the intersection on the east side of Route 1A. The intersection has no marked bicycle facilities
Page 9
Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
although Route 1A provides wide shoulders. No sidewalks or crosswalks are provided along Lower
Washington Street and under the MBTA commuter rail bridge. Audit team members noted that on the
northern side of Prospect Street, a utility pole was located in the middle of the sidewalk restricting the
clear area necessary for ADA compliancy. No reported crashes involved a pedestrian or bicyclist.
Potential Enhancements:
1. In the mid-term, consider installing a marked crosswalk with pavement markings, W11-2
pedestrian warning crossing signs, and R1-6 in-street pedestrian crossing sign on Route 1A
connecting the terminated sidewalk to the sidewalk on the western side of the roadway to
increase connectivity and alert drivers to yield to pedestrians. Due to the speeds on Route
1A, inclusion of enhanced safety features such as pedestrian warning beacons and/or crossing
islands should be considered if not included as part of a larger intersection reconfiguration.
2. In the mid-term, provide ADA-compliant ramps at all intersection approaches providing
crosswalks.
3. In the mid-term, provide bicycle facilities such as buffered bike lanes or separated bike lanes
on Route 1A.
4. In the long-term, evaluate the potential of installing sidewalks and paved shoulders under the
MBTA commuter rail bridge. If a sidewalk is added, providing a crosswalk on Lower
Washington Street should be considered.
5. In the long-term, relocate the utility pole to provide adequate clear space on the sidewalk on
Prospect Street.
6. If a roundabout is installed in the long-term, install bicycle ramps, crosswalks, and curb
ramps for all approaches.
7. If the intersection is signalized in the long-term, install pedestrian push buttons, indications,
and crosswalks for all intersection approaches.
Page 10
Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Safety Issue #7. Pavement Quality and Maintenance
Observations:
Audit team members noted that there is
poor pavement quality on Lower
Washington Street by the bridge and on
Fulton Street by Prospect Street. There
were seven crashes that occurred in wet
or icy conditions. The audit team noted
that a majority of the crashes occurred
after the pavement was recently
resurfaced. The increase in crashes
during rainy or snowy weather may be
due to drivers traveling at higher speeds
after the improved pavement quality.
Figure 7. Pavement quality on Prospect Street and Fulton Street.
Audit team members noted that there
are wetlands adjacent to Route 1A and
a river nearby which may contribute to standing water during heavy rainfall.
Potential Enhancements:
1. In the mid-term, add high friction surface to the pavement.
2. As a short-term measure, keep catch basins clean within the area to prevent flooding.
3. In the mid-term, consider drainage improvements at the bottom of the hill near the river.
Safety Issue #8. Young Drivers
Observations:
Audit members noted that approximately 800 students are dismissed from the nearby Universal
Technical Institute at 12:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, with the majority of students driving
single occupancy vehicles. In addition, there are nearby high schools where students may be utilizing
the intersection to travel to and from school. The high schools are dismissed mid-afternoon. As
previously stated, 40 percent of the crashes involved drivers aged 15-29 years old which is a higher
than typical.
Potential Enhancements:
1. In the short-term, conduct an educational campaign through social media to inform or remind
drivers how to drive carefully at this intersection.
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Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Safety Issue #9. Roadside Objects
Observations:
Audit members noted that the guard rail along Route 1A/Upland Road adjacent to the intersection
terminates with a buried end, known as a “Texas Twist”, which can cause rollover crashes. None of
the reported crashes involved a vehicle hitting a guard rail.
Potential Enhancements:
1. In the short-term, upgrade the existing guard rail to provide the appropriate guard rail end
treatment at the terminus.
Summary of Road Safety Audit
Table 2 lists each safety issue and the corresponding potential safety enhancements that were discussed at
the audit and within the previous section. The safety issues and potential safety enhancements are divided
by location. For each observed safety issue and potential safety enhancement, the table includes the safety
payoff, estimated time frame for completion, estimated construction cost, and responsible agency. Due to
the on-going project to improve the intersection operations and geometry, the Town and Designer should
be responsible for incorporating appropriate enhancements into the design project as suggested.
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 percent), medium (31 percent to 70 percent), and
high (>71 percent). The time frame is categorized as short-term (<1 year), mid-term (1 to 3 years), or
long-term (>3 years). The costs are categorized as low (<$10,000), medium ($10,001 to $50,000), or high
(>$50,001).
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Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Table 2. Potential Safety Enhancement Summary
Safety Issue
Traffic Control
Intersection
Geometry
Safety
Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible
Agency
Consider restricting Fulton Street to one-way flow in the
southbound direction to reduce conflicts within the intersection.
Low
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood
Consider reconfiguring the intersection to install a modern
roundabout or signalized intersection with the Fulton Street
approach realigned to intersect Prospect Street at a 90 degree
angle.
High
Long-term
High
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
If a signalized intersection is installed, advanced dynamic “RED
SIGNAL AHEAD” signs should be provided.
Medium
Long-term
Low
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
Install “STOP” signs, “STOP” pavement markings, and a stopline
on the Prospect Street approach to Route 1A and on the Fulton
Street approach to Prospect Street.
Medium
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood
Install “DO NOT ENTER” signs at the one-way approach on
Prospect Street at Route 1A.
Medium
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood
If Fulton Street remains two-way, modify the approach to be stopcontrolled with right turn lane use pavement markings and “RIGHT
TURN ONLY” signs.
Medium
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood
Install pavement markings and/or temporary curbing to narrow the
Prospect Street approach.
Medium
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood
In the short-term, install pavement markings and/or temporary
curbing to narrow the westbound Lower Washington Street
approach to a single travel lane.
Medium
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood
Install pavement markings and/or temporary curbing to reduce
turning radii and improve delineation for the Upland Road
approach.
Medium
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
High
Long-term
High
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
Safety Enhancement
Consider installing a modern roundabout or traffic signal as
suggested under Traffic Control enhancements.
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Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Safety Issue
Speed
Safety
Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible
Agency
Install a 40 miles per hour speed limit sign on Washington Street
near Granite Street.
Low
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
Install dynamic speed feedback recorder signs near the
intersection to enforce speeds.
Low
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood
Medium
Short-term
Medium
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
Remove the existing R1-2 ‘YIELD’ sign at the Fulton Street
approach and install R1-1 ‘STOP’ sign.
Low
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood
Install W3-1 ‘STOP AHEAD’ signs on the Lower Washington
Street, Prospect Street, and Fulton Street approaches and install
W2-1 ‘INTERSECTION AHEAD’ signs on Route 1A.
Low
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood
Remove or adjust the double yellow center line on Route 1A.
Low
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
Consider continuing the Route 1A edge line with a dashed line
through the intersection
Low
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
Install Type 3 object marker on MBTA bridge abutments
Low
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood/
MBTA
Relocate or trim trees to improve sight distance for intersection
approaches especially for the Lower Washington Street approach.
Low
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
Relocate or widen the MBTA commuter rail bridge.
Medium
Long-term
High
MBTA
Consider installing striping and/or temporary curbing to reduce the
width of the Lower Washington Street approach.
Medium
Short-term
Medium
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
Safety Enhancement
Install a deceleration right-turn lane on Upland Road vehicles
turning onto Prospect Street.
Pavement
Marking and
Signage
Sight Distance
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Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Safety Issue
Safety
Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible
Agency
Consider installing a marked crosswalk with warning signs on
Route 1A.
Low
Mid-term
Medium
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
Provide ADA-compliant ramps at all intersection approaches.
Low
Mid-term
Medium
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
Provide bicycle accommodations on Route 1A.
Low
Mid-term
Low
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
Low
Long-term
Medium
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
Relocate the utility pole on the sidewalk on Prospect Street.
Low
Long-term
Medium
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
If a roundabout is installed, install bicycle ramps, crosswalks, and
curb ramps for all approaches.
Low
Long-term
Medium
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
If the intersection is signalized, install pedestrian push buttons,
indications, and crosswalks for all intersection approaches.
Low
Long-term
Medium
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
Medium
Mid-term
Medium
MassDOT
Low
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
Medium
Long-term
Medium
Town of Norwood/
MassDOT
Safety Enhancement
Pedestrian and
Evaluate the potential to install sidewalks or paved shoulders
Bicycle
under the MBTA commuter rail bridge.
Accommodations
Add high friction surface to the pavement.
Pavement Quality Keep catch basins clean within the area to prevent flooding.
and Maintenance Consider drainage improvements at the bottom of the hill near the
river.
Young Drivers
Conduct an educational campaign through social media to inform
or remind drivers how to drive carefully at this intersection.
Low
Short-term
Low
Town of Norwood
Roadside Objects
Upgrade the existing guard rail to provide the appropriate guard
rail end treatment at the terminus.
Low
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
Page 15
Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda
Road Safety Audit
Norwood
Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street)
at Prospect Street/Washington Street
Meeting Location: Norwood Civic Center
George Willett Room
165 Nahatan Street, Norwood MA
November 18, 2014
1 PM – 3 PM
Type of meeting:
High Crash Location – Road Safety Audit
Attendees:
Invited Participants to Comprise a Multidisciplinary Team
Please bring:
Thoughts and Enthusiasm!!
1:00 PM
Welcome and Introductions
1:15 PM
Review of Site Specific Material
 Crash and Volume Summaries
 Existing Geometries and Conditions
1:30 PM
Visit the Site
 Drive to the identified area
 As a group, identify areas for improvement
2:30 PM
Post Visit Discussion / Completion of RSA
 Discuss observations and finalize findings
 Discuss potential improvements and finalize recommendations
3:00 PM
Adjourn for the Day – but the RSA has not ended
Instructions for Participants:
 Before attending the RSA on November 18, 2014, participants are encouraged to
drive through the corridor 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.
Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List
Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Audit Team Members Agency/Affiliation
Email Address
Andrew Murphy
Town of Norwood Engineering Department
amurphy@norwoodma.gov
Paul Halkiotis
Town of Norwood Planning Department
phalkiotis@norwoodma.gov
Stephen Begley
Town of Norwood Police Officer
sbegley@norwoodma.gov
Paul Murphy
Town of Norwood Police Officer
pmurphy@norwoodma.gov
Andrew Nagle
Central Transportation Planning Staff
anagle@ctps.org
Lisa Schletzbaum
MassDOT Highway Division Safety Section
Lisa.schletzbaum@state.ma.us
Thomas Rebello
MassDOT District 5
Thomas.rebello@state.ma.us
Don Cooke
VHB
dcooke@vhb.com
Tracie Lenhardt
VHB
tlenhardt@vhb.com
Erin Thompson
VHB
ethompson@vhb.com
Michelle Danila
Toole Design Group
mdanila@tooledesign.com
Shannon Brown
Toole Design Group
sbrown@tooledesign.com
Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data
Crash Data Summary Chart
Route 1A at Prospect St, Norwood, MA
January 2010 ‐ August 2014
Crash Month
20%
16%
15%
16%
12%
10%
8%
8%
8%
8%
4%
5%
8%
8%
4%
0%
0%
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Crash Day of Week
30%
25%
24%
20%
20%
15%
12%
12%
12%
12%
8%
10%
5%
0%
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Crash Time of Day
25%
20%
20%
20%
20%
16%
15%
8%
10%
4%
4%
5%
0%
4%
4%
0%
0%
0%
6am‐
8am
8am‐
10am
10am‐
12pm
12pm‐
2pm
2pm‐
4pm
4pm‐
6pm
6pm‐
8pm
8pm‐
10pm
10pm‐
12am
12am‐
2am
2am‐
4am
4am‐
6am
Crash Manner of Collision
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
60%
28%
8%
Single
Rear‐End
Vehicle Crash
Angled
0%
0%
4%
0%
0%
Sideswipe,
same
direction
Sideswipe,
opposite
direction
Head on
Rear to Rear
Unknown
Page 1 of 2
Crash Data Summary Chart
Route 1A at Prospect St, Norwood, MA
January 2010 ‐ August 2014
Crash Light Condition
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
76%
20%
Daylight
4%
0%
0%
Dawn
Dusk
Dark ‐ lighted
Dark ‐
roadway roadway not
lighted
0%
0%
0%
Dark ‐
unknown
roadway
lighting
Other
Unknown
Crash Weather Condition
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
64%
16%
16%
4%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Crash Road Surface
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
72%
16%
12%
0%
Dry
Wet
Snow
0%
Ice
0%
Sand, mud, Water
dirt, oil, (standing,
gravel
moving)
0%
0%
0%
Slush
Other
Unk
0%
0%
80+
Unknown
Crash Driver Age
30%
25%
25%
20%
15%
15%
17%
15%
15%
10%
10%
5%
2%
0%
15‐20
21‐29
30‐39
40‐49
50‐59
60‐69
70‐79
Page 2 of 2
Crash Data Summary Table
Crash Date Crash Day
m/d/y
#
Time of Day
Manner of Collision
Type
Dry
Failed to yield right of way
47
29
8:17:00 Angled
Daylight
Clear
Dry
Other improper action
33
55
13:05:00 Angled
Daylight
Clear
Dry
Other improper action
56
59
7:47:00 Angled
Daylight
Clear
Dry
Glare
47
48
7:13:00 Rear‐end
Daylight
Clear
Dry
Other improper action
41
18
15:56:00 Angled
Daylight
Clear
Dry
Failed to yield right of way
32
19
7:55:00 Angled
Daylight
Clear
Dry
Failed to yield right of way; Visibility obstructed
28
27
18:15:00 Angled
Daylight
Clear
Dry
Other improper action
52
21
7:30:00 Rear‐end
Daylight
Rain
Wet
No improper driving
25
59
18:32:00 Angled
2
3/8/2010 Monday
3
3/18/2010 Thursday
4
4/28/2010 Wednesday
5
1/6/2011 Thursday
7
1/28/2011 Friday
8
6/7/2011 Tuesday
Ages
D2
D3
Cloudy
2/23/2010 Tuesday
1/17/2011 Monday
D1
Dark ‐ lighted roadway
1
6
Route 1A at Prospect St, Norwood MA
January 2010 ‐ August 2014
Weather Light Condition Condition Road Surface Driver Contributing Code
Type
Type
Type
Type
9
10/27/2011 Thursday
10
12/5/2011 Monday
8:21:00 Angled
Daylight
Clear
Dry
Other improper action
41
27
11
2/16/2012 Thursday
16:21:00 Angled
Daylight
Cloudy
Wet
Failed to yield right of way
31
22
12
3/24/2012 Saturday
17:25:00 Rear‐end
Daylight
Cloudy
Dry
Inattention
29
22
13
5/12/2012 Saturday
17:48:00 Angled
Daylight
Clear
Dry
Failed to yield right of way
57
57
14
10/5/2012 Friday
22:21:00 Rear‐end
Dark ‐ roadway not lighted
Clear
Dry
Inattention
68
32
15
3/14/2013 Thursday
19:21:00 Angled
Dark ‐ lighted roadway
Clear
Dry
Failed to yield right of way
43
20
16
4/21/2013 Sunday
8:17:00 Angled
Daylight
Clear
Dry
Other improper action
72
61
18:32:00 Angled
Daylight
Cloudy
Dry
Other improper action
32
59
17
7/1/2013 Monday
Comments
D4
Ran stop sign
Veh#2 (motorcycle)
48
34
Page 1 of 2
Crash Data Summary Table
#
18
Crash Date Crash Day
m/d/y
9/27/2013 Friday
Time of Day
Manner of Collision
Type
19:33:00 Angled
Route 1A at Prospect St, Norwood MA
January 2010 ‐ August 2014
Weather Light Condition Condition Road Surface Driver Contributing Code
Type
Type
Type
Type
Dark ‐ lighted roadway
Clear
D1
Ages
D2
D3
Dry
Made an improper turn
20
42
19
27
19
12/9/2013 Monday
9:24:00 Head on
Daylight
Rain
Ice
Failure to keep in proper lane; Over‐correcting/over‐
steering
20
2/18/2014 Tuesday
13:52:00 Rear‐end
Daylight
Snow
Ice
No improper driving
24
19
21
5/28/2014 Wednesday
7:50:00 Rear‐end
Daylight
Rain
Wet
Other improper action
66
26
22
6/9/2010 Wednesday
17:14:00 Rear‐end
Daylight
Rain
Wet
Inattention
37
66
23
2/8/2014 Saturday
Dark ‐ lighted roadway
Clear
Ice
No improper driving
21
24
8/7/2014 Thursday
Daylight
Clear
Dry
Failed to yield right of way
17
Dry
Operating vehicle in erratic, reckless, careless, negligent or aggressive manner
44
0:21:00 Single Vehicle Crash
17:26:00 Angled
Dark ‐ lighted roadway
25
9/14/2014 Sunday
2:49:00 Single Vehicle Crash
Clear
One of 25 Hit and Run
One of 25 charged with OUI.
Zero out of 25 involved non‐motorist (pedestrian, cyclist)
One out of 25 drivers unlicensed, unregistered/uninsured vehicle, and/or expired Inspection Sticker
Two out of 25 collisions resulted in personal injury
Twenty‐nine of the vehicles involved in 25 collisions were towed Summary based on Crash Reports obtained from the City.
60
Comments
D4
34
20
Page 2 of 2
Road Safety Audit—Route 1A (Upland Road/Washington Street) at Prospect Street
Norwood, Massachusetts
Prepared by Toole Design Group
Appendix D. Traffic Volumes