ROAD SAFETY AUDIT
Morton Street at Blue Hill Avenue
Morton Street at Courtland Road/Havelock Street
Morton Street at Harvard Street
City of Boston (Mattapan)
January 20, 2012
Prepared For:
MassDOT Highway Division
Prepared By:
BETA Group, Inc.
Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Table of Contents
Project Data .................................................................................................................................1
Background .................................................................................................................................2
Project Description .....................................................................................................................2
Audit Observations .....................................................................................................................7
Potential Safety Enhancements ...............................................................................................11
Summary of Road Safety Audit...............................................................................................17
List of Appendices
Appendix A.
Appendix B.
Appendix C.
Appendix D.
Appendix E.
Appendix F.
RSA Meeting Agenda
RSA Audit Team Contact List
Detailed Crash Data
Speed Regulations
Traffic Volume Information
Additional Comments
List of Figures
Figure 1.
Location Map ......................................................................................................................... 3
List of Tables
Table 1.
Table 2.
Table 3.
Participating Audit Team Members ....................................................................................... 1
Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown ..................................................................... 11
Potential Safety Enhancement Summary ............................................................................. 18
Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Project Data
A Road Safety Audit for the Morton Street corridor between Blue Hill Avenue and Harvard Street in the
Mattapan section of the City of Boston was held on November 10, 2011 at Station B-3 of the Boston
Police Department, located at the corner of Morton Street and Blue Hill Avenue. The audit specifically
focused on the intersections of Morton Street at Blue Hill Avenue, Morton Street at Courtland Road and
Havelock Street, and Morton Street at Harvard Street. As indicated in Table 1, the audit team consisted of
representatives from State, Regional and Local agencies and included a cross-section of engineering,
planning and emergency response expertise.
Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members
Audit Team Member
Agency/Affiliation
Bonnie Polin
MassDOT Highway Division – Safety Section
Lisa Schletzbaum
MassDOT Highway Division – Safety Section
Mark Abbott
Boston Region MPO
John Romano
MassDOT
Martin Harrison
Boston Police Department
Adrian Troy
Boston Police Department
Daniel MacIsaac
Boston Police Department
Eric Anderson
Massachusetts State Police
William Deary
Massachusetts State Police
Tom Maciejko
Boston EMS
Raj Kulen
MassDOT District 6 Traffic
Dorothea Hass
WalkBoston
Price Armstrong
MassBike
Candas Esin
MassDOT
Walter Apperwhite
Mayor’s Office – Boston
Carl McKenzie
Boston Transportation Department
Greg Lucas
BETA Group, Inc.
Christine Keches
BETA Group, Inc.
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
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. A Road Safety Audit was scheduled for the Morton Street
corridor between Blue Hill Avenue and Harvard Street with a specific focus on three intersections:
Morton Street at Blue Hill Avenue, Morton Street at Courtland Road and Havelock Street, and Morton
Street at Harvard Street. The intersections of Morton Street at Blue Hill Avenue and Morton Street at
Harvard Street are both on MassDOT’s statewide list of the Top 200 Crash Locations from 2007 to 2009.
The purpose of the RSA is to identify both short term and long term safety improvements that can be
made at the subject intersections.
Project Description
Morton Street, shown in Figure 1, is a major arterial serving the Mattapan and Dorchester neighborhoods
of the City of Boston. Morton Street, along with the Arborway and Gallivan Boulevard, carries Route 203
from its western terminus at Center Street in Jamaica Plain to its eastern terminus at Interstate 93 in
Dorchester. Morton Street is under MassDOT jurisdiction in the study area.
The three intersections included in the audit are discussed in detail below.
Morton Street/Blue Hill Avenue
Morton Street and Blue Hill Avenue form a
4-way signalized intersection. Blue Hill
Avenue is a City-owned north-south
roadway functionally classified as an Urban
Principal Arterial. Blue Hill Avenue (Route
28) connects to Milton to the south and the
neighborhoods of Roxbury and Dorchester
to the north. Land use is primarily
commercial along both Morton Street and
Blue Hill Avenue in the vicinity of the
intersection, including a Mobil gas station
on the southwest corner of the intersection.
Station B-3 of the Boston Police
Morton Street at Blue Hill Avenue
Department is located on the northwest
(looking westbound)
corner of the intersection. Multi-family
residential properties can be found on Morton Street, both east and west of the intersection and along all
side streets in the area.
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Morton Street at Blue Hill Avenue
Morton Street at Courtland
Road/Havelock Street
Morton Street at Harvard Street
Figure 1
ROAD SAFETY AUDIT
Location Map
BOSTON, MA
Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Morton Street provides two lanes in each direction at Blue Hill Avenue, with parking generally allowed
on both sides. Left turns are not allowed onto Blue Hill Avenue from Morton Street in either direction,
although signage establishing this restriction is limited. Blue Hill Avenue is a median-divided boulevardstyle roadway with two travel lanes, a marked bicycle lane, and a parking lane in each direction. Left turn
lanes and an exclusive left-turn phase are provided at Morton Street. A small island delineates a right turn
lane from Blue Hill Avenue southbound to Morton Street westbound. Back-in angle parking is provided
on Blue Hill Avenue adjacent to the police station on the northwest corner.
Continuous sidewalks are provided along both sides of both Morton Street and Blue Hill Avenue.
Crosswalks are provided across all four approaches, with median cutouts on the north, south and west
legs of the intersection. A crosswalk is also provided across the median-divided southbound right turn
lane; however, it should be noted that pedestrian visibility is limited by parked vehicles. The intersection
experiences a significant amount of pedestrian activity due to the number of businesses and the presence
of MBTA bus stops on both Blue Hill Avenue and Morton Street. Bus stops are located on both sides of
Morton Street on the eastern leg of the intersection. Additional stops are located on Blue Hill Avenue on
the departure side of the intersection in both directions and on Morton Street westbound west of the
intersection. There is a significant amount of bus through traffic along Morton Street due to its role as an
arterial connection between Ashmont station in Dorchester and Forest Hills station in Jamaica Plain.
Crash data obtained from the Boston Police Department (BPD) and Massachusetts State Police show 33
crashes for the period from April 2008 to September 2011. Twenty-two of the crashes are mapped on a
collision diagram included in Appendix C. Of note are nine crashes involving a pedestrian, although it
should be noted that three of the nine pedestrian crashes involved the same person, who is described in
one crash summary as “known to officers as a frequent panhandler who often obstructs traffic at this
intersection.” Pedestrian observations on the day of the audit revealed that generally, pedestrians do not
wait for the walk indication and typically do not push the button to call the pedestrian phase. Instead,
pedestrians choose to walk concurrently with traffic, which may create conflicts due to turning vehicles.
Five crashes were related to vehicles entering or exiting the Mobil gas station on the southwest corner of
the intersection.
The intersection ranks 185th on MassDOT’s statewide list of the Top Crash Intersections from 2007 to
2009. This ranking is based on the number and severity of crashes in MassDOT’s database which can be
georeferenced to a cluster area around the intersection. This cluster area experienced 36 crashes in the
three year period. The ranking is then determined using a weighted system which calculates the
Equivalent Property Damage Only (EPDO) rating of the intersection. Fatal crashes are weighted 10 times
and injury crashes are weighted 5 times. 17 of the 36 crashes involved an injury. There were no fatal
crashes in the three year study period.
Speed regulations maintained by MassDOT Highway Division establish a 25 MPH speed limit for Blue
Hill Avenue in the vicinity of the intersection. Complete speed regulations are included in Appendix D.
Morton Street/Courtland Road/Havelock Street
Morton Street, Courtland Road and Havelock Street form a 4-way, unsignalized intersection. Morton
Street carries a north-south alignment through the intersection, with Courtland Road on its west side and
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Havelock Street on its east side. Courtland Road and Havelock Street are both City-owned, local,
residential streets and are one-way away from Morton Street. Due to the layout of the surrounding streets,
Courtland Road serves as a cut-through for vehicles bound for Harvard Street, while Havelock Street
serves as a cut-through for vehicles bound for Blue Hill Avenue. Land use is residential in the vicinity of
the intersection.
Morton Street provides two travel lanes with an adjacent parking lane in each direction in the vicinity of
the intersection. Courtland Road and Havelock Street are both unmarked, but generally provide a single
lane of travel with parking on both sides. Morton Street is median-divided between Wellington Hill Street
and Harvard Street, with cut-outs for left turns to or from all side streets, including Courtland Road and
Havelock Street. Courtland Road and Havelock Street are the only streets which are one-way away from
Morton Street between Harvard Street and Blue Hill Avenue; all other side streets are one-way towards
Morton Street. Left turn lanes are not provided.
Continuous sidewalks are provided on both sides of Morton Street, Courtland Road and Havelock Street
in the vicinity of the intersection. Handicap ramps are provided at the corners, but no marked crosswalk
exists across either Courtland Road or Havelock Street. No crosswalk is provided across Morton Street in
this area.
Crash data obtained from BPD and the Massachusetts State Police show 20 crashes at this intersection
between July 2008 and September 2011. Nineteen of the 20 crashes are mapped on the collision diagram
included in Appendix C. Thirteen of the 19 mapped crashes were angle crashes, with ten involving a
vehicle turning left onto Courtland Road and three involving a vehicle turning left onto Havelock Street.
One crash at the intersection involved a pedestrian, who may have run into active traffic, as stated in the
crash summary.
Morton Street/Harvard Street
Morton Street and Harvard Street form a 4-way, signalized intersection. Morton Street continues its northsouth alignment through the intersection, although Route 203 is signed as an east-west route. Harvard
Street is generally a north-south corridor, but has horizontal curves both east and west of Morton Street
which allow it to intersect Morton Street with an east-west alignment. Harvard Street is City-owned and is
functionally classified as an Urban Minor Arterial.
Morton Street provides two median-divided lanes in each direction at its intersection with Harvard Street.
The median on the north leg of the intersection is approximately 40 feet in length and ends at a formerly
signalized driveway that is presently gated. MassDOT District 6 personnel present at the audit stated that
signals at this driveway were removed within the past year. A bus stop is provided on the east side of
Morton Street between Harvard Street and this gated driveway, and buses frequently block the crosswalk
across Morton Street and the pedestrian signal on the northeast corner of the intersection.
Harvard Street provides a single lane in each direction at its intersection with Morton Street. The traffic
signal provides a phase for Morton Street in both directions, followed by a lagging phase for Morton
Street southbound. A phase is then provided for Harvard Street in both directions, followed by a lagging
phase for Harvard Street eastbound. It was noted that while the lagging phase for Morton Street
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
southbound has been in operation since before the 2009 transfer in ownership of this intersection from the
Department of Conservation and Recreation to MassDOT, an arrow indication was only recently added to
confirm this operation for approaching motorists.
Pedestrians are accommodated with an exclusive pedestrian phase, and continuous sidewalks are provided
on both sides of both intersecting roadways. Handicap ramps are provided on all four corners, with
marked crosswalks across all four legs of the intersection.
Crash data obtained from BPD and the Massachusetts State Police show 41 crashes at this intersection
between January 2009 and September 2011. Thirty-five of the 41 crashes are mapped on the collision
diagram included in Appendix C. Fifteen of the mapped crashes are angle crashes, with nine of those
occurring between a northbound left-turning vehicle and a southbound through vehicle. This is similar to
the pattern identified at Courtland Street. Rear-end crashes were the next most prevalent type of crash,
with 13 identified on the collision diagram. Eight of these crashes occurred in the northbound direction
and five occurred in the southbound direction. It should also be noted that there was a crash on the day of
the audit at this intersection involving a car and an MBTA bus.
The intersection ranks 37th on MassDOT’s statewide list of the Top Crash Intersections from 2007 to
2009. This ranking is based on the number and severity of crashes in MassDOT’s database which can be
georeferenced to a cluster area around the intersection. This cluster area experienced 52 crashes in the
three year period, 28 of which involved an injury. There were no fatal crashes in the three year study
period.
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Audit Observations
Following a brief introduction to the RSA process and a summary of existing geometry, crash and speed
regulation information, the audit participants were asked to discuss safety issues at the three subject
intersections. Audit participants then visited each of the intersections as a group, at which time they
offered observations on safety issues. A summary of those major safety considerations is as follows:
Morton Street/Blue Hill Avenue
Sign visibility – It was noted that the No Left Turn signs located in the median on the west leg of the
intersection may not be visible enough to effectively enforce this restriction for both Morton Street
approaches. It was also noted that a supplemental sign in the median on the south leg of the
intersection is mounted too low.
Existing No Left Turn
Signage
Missing Signage – The lack of R4-7 Keep Right median signs was noted as a potential safety issue. It
was also noted that there is a stub for the breakaway post of a D6 guide sign in the median on the
northwest corner of the intersection, indicating that a sign was knocked down and should be replaced.
In addition, it was noted that the right turn lane delineated by this island has a crosswalk and stop line
but no stop signs are provided.
Pedestrian Operation – It was suggested that the existing Flashing Don’t Walk (FDW) time may not
be adequate. It was also suggested that the existing exclusive pedestrian operation may not result in
the safety benefit intended, as many pedestrians either do not push the button or do not wait for the
walk signal before crossing. This may be a factor in the nine pedestrian crashes at this location.
Pedestrians crossing concurrently with traffic may create a safety issue given the existing right turn
arrow for northbound right turns from Blue Hill Avenue
to Morton Street eastbound. This right turn arrow also
creates a potential conflict with bicycles.
Pedestrian Visibility – The small channelizing island on
the northwest corner of the intersection provides
separation for a right turn lane and has an unprotected
crosswalk from the island to the corner. Visibility by
and of pedestrians in this crossing is restricted by
parking along the right turn lane and back-in angle
parking along the building north of this right turn lane.
View for pedestrians crossing to
channelizing island
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Pedestrian Accommodation – The pedestrian signal on the northeast corner of the intersection is bent
and is not clearly visible when crossing Morton Street.
Overhead Signals – Overhead signals are provided for Blue Hill Avenue, but the majority of signal
heads for Morton Street are post-mounted. There is one overhead signal head facing eastbound traffic
located on the far side of the intersection, which may not be visible for all approaching traffic based
on the alignment of Morton Street.
Bus Operations – The location of bus stops may create a safety issue both due to the impact of buses on vehicular
traffic and the resultant pedestrian demands. It was
noted that far side bus stops are preferred from a traffic
operations standpoint, and that the existing near side stop on Morton Street on the northeast corner of the intersection both creates conflicts between buses and queued traffic and causes pedestrians to wait in a relatively narrow sidewalk area.
Mobil Cut-through – It was suggested that vehicles use
Existing bus stop at Morton the Mobil gas station on the southwest corner of the
Street westbound approach
intersection as a cut-through for the eastbound right turn
when the signal is red, or to make the restricted left turn from Morton Street westbound to Blue Hill
Avenue. Five crashes were related to vehicles entering or exiting the Mobil station.
Pavement Width and Condition – It was noted that the pavement is rutted on the approaches to this
intersection, which may impact stopping and lane changing for approaching vehicles. It was also
suggested that the width of pavement is not friendly to pedestrians and creates long crosswalks and
extended crossing times; however, it should be noted that lane widths do not appear to be excessive at
this location.
Morton Street/Courtland Road/Havelock Street
Left-turning vehicles – The crash history at this intersection shows a prevalence of angle-type crashes
involving left-turning vehicles in both directions on Morton Street. It was suggested that westbound
left turning vehicles are using Courtland Road as a cutthrough to Harvard Street. It was suggested that this
practice occurs during peak hours because drivers can
observe the long northbound queue and choose to shortcut
via Courtland Road, but it was also observed repeatedly
during the audit which was off peak.
Missing signs – It was noted that while both Courtland
Road and Havelock Street are one-way away from Morton Street, there are no One Way signs indicating this operation.
Missing One Way signs
and crosswalk
at Courtland Road
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Pedestrian Accommodation –Marked crosswalks
are not provided across either Courtland Road or
Havelock Street, although continuous sidewalks
exist along Morton Street and handicap ramps
are provided. The handicap ramp at the southeast
corner of Morton Street and Havelock Street was
blocked by debris. It was also noted that there is
no accommodation for pedestrians wishing to
cross Morton Street at or near this intersection,
and that one crash involved a pedestrian entering
the travel lanes on Morton Street.
Morton Street/Harvard Street
Ramp debris and missing crosswalk
at Havelock Street
Left-turning vehicles – The crash history at this
intersection show a prevalence of angle-type crashes involving left-turning vehicles in both directions
on Morton Street. The audit team considered the need for a left turn lane and a protected phase,
particularly in the northbound direction. The addition of a left turn lane and phase could potentially
have positive impact on the Courtland Road intersection by reducing the desire for drivers to cut
through to Harvard Street.
Intersection Capacity – In addition to concerns regarding left-turning vehicles, the overall intersection
capacity is leading to safety issues that may require
consideration of capacity upgrades. It was noted that
vehicles try to squeeze around stopped turning vehicles
on the Harvard Street westbound approach, which was
identified in the crash summary as the cause of one of
the crashes at the intersection.
Bus Stop – The location of the bus stop on the departure
side of the north leg of the intersection between Harvard
Street and the gated driveway opening was noted as a
potential safety issue. There is limited curb space in this
area, and a bus stopped at the existing designated bus
stop blocks both the crosswalk and the pedestrian signal
for pedestrians crossing Morton Street.
Stopped bus blocking crosswalk
and pedestrian signal
Intersection Geometry – The presence of stop lines and
curb cuts at the gated driveway north of the intersection
gives the perception that the driver needs to stop, even
after the removal of signals at this location. It was noted
that planned improvements in the area will redefine
and/or eliminate this driveway opening, and will
remove the extraneous stop lines.
Stop lines and crosswalk at formerly
signalized intersection immediately
north of Harvard Street
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Pedestrian Operation – It was suggested that the existing Flashing Don’t Walk (FDW) time may not
be adequate. It was also suggested that the existing exclusive pedestrian operation may not provide
the safety benefit intended, as many pedestrians either do not push the button or do not wait for the
walk signal before crossing.
Clearance Phase Timing – There was concern amongst audit participants that the yellow clearance
time may not be sufficient. The high occurrence of rear-end crashes at the intersection may be
indicative of clearance time deficiencies.
Signal Equipment – A loop malfunction was discovered on the day of the audit for the Harvard Street
eastbound approach. While a broken loop does not in itself create a safety concern, the resultant effect
on operations is to provide maximum green time to this approach even when calls are not present,
which may have an overall impact on operations and exacerbate other safety issues at the intersection
related to capacity.
Missing Signs – It was noted that the lack of lane control signage increases the potential for conflicts
for approaching drivers.
Morton Street Corridor
The audit team identified several safety concerns regarding the Morton Street corridor that are not tied to
a specific intersection, which are summarized below.
Speeds – It was suggested that speed is an issue on Morton Street, especially during off-peak periods,
and may contribute to the crash history along the corridor. No speed data were available for
evaluation by the audit team.
Pedestrian Accommodations – Morton Street between Blue Hill Avenue and Harvard Street sees a
significant amount of pedestrian activity due to the proximity of bus stops and businesses along both
Morton Street and Blue Hill Avenue. It was suggested that pedestrians currently cross at unprotected
midblock locations and that they would benefit from additional designated crossings.
Median Cutouts – Morton Street is median divided from Wellington Hill Street to just north of
Harvard Street, but has frequent breaks in the median to allow turns to and from side streets at
Rhoades Street, Baird Street, Courtland Road, Havelock Street, Estella Street and Wilcock Street.
This safety concern is realized by the high number of left turn crashes at both Courtland Road and
Harvard Street, but should be a consideration along the entire corridor between Blue Hill Avenue and
Harvard Street. Police present at the audit suggested that crashes occur in the outside lane
southbound, indicating the potential that a vehicle in the inside lane is stopping to allow the leftturning vehicle in, but the left-turning vehicle subsequently collides with a vehicle in the outside lane.
Bicycle Accommodations – It was noted that the existing Morton Street cross section creates an
intimidating experience for bicyclists due to the relatively narrow travel lanes and adjacent parking
lane. Although no crashes involving bicycles were noted during the study period, future
improvements along the corridor should consider improving safety for bicyclists.
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Potential Safety Enhancements
After the site visit, audit participants returned to the meeting location to discuss the safety issues and
consider improvements. Audit participants were encouraged to consider both short and long term
improvements for each issue. Each improvement considered has been categorized as short-term, midterm, or long-term based on the definitions shown in Table 2. Additionally, a cost category has been
assigned to each improvement based on the parameters set forth in Table 2.
Table 2. Estimated Time Frame and Costs Breakdown
Time Frame
Short-term
<1 year
Costs
Low
Mid-term
1–3 years
Medium
Long-term
>3 years
High
<$10,000
$10,000–$50,000
>$50,000
The following improvements were suggested by audit participants to improve safety issues associated
with the Morton Street corridor and with the intersections of at Blue Hill Avenue, Courtland Road and
Havelock Street, and Harvard Street. Additional comments on safety were received following the RSA
and are included in Appendix F. Many of these comments regard middle and longer term measures that
should be considered if larger scale improvements to Morton Street become a reality. Traffic counts,
parking demand studies, pedestrian, bicycle and bus desire lines and other components could be included
at that time in order to fully evaluate various alternatives to best accommodate all users.
Maintenance items such as missing signs, broken loops, pavement markings, etc. included in the
Appendix should also be considered by MassDOT District 6 personnel when they go out to fix or replace
specific items identified below, even though some may be outside of the area of the RSA.
Morton Street Corridor
Conduct a corridor study. A number of individual improvements were discussed and are summarized
below that require further evaluation of vehicle and pedestrian volumes. A corridor study would
collect and compile this information so that informed decisions can be made regarding proposed
improvements. The corridor study should also include a parking utilization component to determine if
elimination of any on-street parking can be reasonably considered. This is a short-term, medium cost
improvement.
Evaluate median cutouts. This potential improvement was initially discussed when considering left
turn crashes at Courtland Road. It was suggested that the safety issues related to left turn crashes at
this intersection could be eliminated by closing the median cutout, creating a barrier prohibiting left
turns. This recommendation was expanded to consider the effect of this potential closure on the entire
corridor between Blue Hill Avenue and Harvard Street, including an increase in left turn volume at
Harvard Street and the potential for new cut-through patterns and u-turns as a result of the closure.
This is a short-term, low cost improvement. If median closures are to be implemented, they should be
implemented first on a temporary basis using movable barriers.
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
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Conduct a speed study. Speeding was suggested as a potential safety issue along Morton Street,
especially during off-peak periods. A speed study should be conducted to ensure that the speed limits
along Morton Street are appropriate for the roadway. This is a short-term, low cost improvement.
Consider additional pedestrian crossings along Morton Street. It was suggested that pedestrians
currently make mid-block crossings where there are no crosswalks, and that additional crosswalks
should be installed with either high-visibility signage, pedestrian signals, or a hybrid beacon such as
the HAWK. The HAWK (High-intensity Activated crossWalK beacon) is included in the 2009
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and is dark at all times except when activated
by a pedestrian pushbutton. The HAWK beacon should only be used at a mid-block location and not
at an existing intersection, which limits the practical opportunities for installation between Blue Hill
Avenue and Harvard Street. Installation of an uncontrolled crosswalk in this corridor would first
require a sight distance study to ensure that adequate sight distance exists for vehicles traveling in
either direction. This is a short-term, low cost improvement that may become a medium or high cost
improvement depending upon the specific application determined to be appropriate for the corridor.
Install “sharrows” along Morton
Street. Presently, lane widths and the adjacent parking lane do not
provide the minimum of 5 feet
required for a dedicated bicycle lane nor do they provide the 15 feet required to meet MassDOT
standards for bicycle accommodation in a shared lane.
Residential properties along
Morton Street are typically multifamily dwellings without adequate off-street parking, which places
high demand on on-street parking
provided and may preclude the installation of a bicycle lane at the Example of sharrow in a travel lane
expense of on-street parking. At a with adjacent parking
minimum, “sharrows”, or shared
(Dorchester
Avenue, Boston)
lane markings depicting a bicycle,
should be installed along Morton Street to indicate to bicyclists that they are allowed to share the
outside travel lane with vehicles, and to increase awareness for drivers of the potential for bicycle
traffic along the corridor. Sharrows have been successfully implemented on other streets in the City
of Boston with similar lane widths. This is a short-term, low cost improvement.
Morton Street at Blue Hill Avenue
Tighten up the intersection. It was suggested that the intersection can be modified to reduce pavement
width, reducing the length of pedestrian crossings. This can be accomplished by a combination of
reduced lane widths, bumpouts, parking pockets, and bus turnouts. The intersection will first need to
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
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be evaluated to determine the practicality of these recommended improvements. The evaluation of
these potential improvements is a short-term, low cost measure; the implementation is a mid-term,
potentially high cost improvement.
Install overhead signals for Morton Street. Overhead signals should be provided to increase visibility
for approaching vehicles. It may be practical to consider a supplemental near-side overhead signal
head on the eastbound approach due to the curvature of the roadway west of Blue Hill Avenue. This
is a mid-term, medium cost improvement that will require the addition of at least
one new mast arm.
Install overhead R3-2 No Left Turn signs. The existing ground-mounted R3-2 signs
restricting the left turn from Morton Street to Blue Hill Avenue should be
supplemented with new signs mounted on the mast arm. In addition, the existing
R3-2 sign in the median on the south leg of the intersection should be replaced and
mounted at an appropriate height. This is a short-term, low cost improvement.
Install R4-7 Keep Right median signs. It was noted that there are no existing Keep
Right signs on any of the medians dividing the roadway on the north, south and
west legs of the intersection. R4-7 Keep Right signs should be installed on both
ends of each median to increase awareness of the median for approaching traffic.
This is a short-term, low cost improvement.
Replace missing D6 sign on the island on the northwest corner of the
intersection. The stub of the breakaway post for a D6 guide sign is located
on the island. This sign should be replaced. This is a short-term, low cost
improvement.
Evaluate the need for traffic control for the right turn lane from Blue Hill
Avenue southbound to Morton Street. There is a stop line and a crosswalk
crossing from the island to the corner, but no stop signs. This crossing
should be evaluated to determine if stop control is necessary. If determined
D6 sign stub
to be necessary, stop signs should be installed on both sides, since a right
side sign alone may not be visible due to on-street parking allowed in this
area. If stop control is not necessary, the stop line should be eradicated. This is a short-term, low cost
improvement.
Evaluate visibility for the pedestrian crossing on the northwest corner. It was suggested that the onstreet parking on this corner reduces visibility both for and of pedestrians using the crosswalk. This
condition may be improved by the installation of stop signs as suggested above, but the visibility at
this crossing should be evaluated to determine if elimination of parking is required. Removal of the
parking space closest to the crosswalk may be sufficient to improve visibility. This is a short-term,
low cost improvement.
Study pedestrian times at the intersection, and consider concurrent operation. It was suggested that
the existing Flashing Don’t Walk (FDW) time is insufficient for pedestrians to cross Blue Hill
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Avenue. The existing timing should be evaluated to determine if it is adequate according to MUTCD
and MassDOT standards. A study of pedestrian times should also consider the potential effectiveness
of concurrent pedestrian operation at the intersection. It was noted during the audit that pedestrians
often ignore the pedestrian indications and cross when it is safe to do so concurrently with traffic. If
concurrent phasing is implemented at the intersection, the right turn arrow for northbound right turns
should be removed. This is a short-term, low cost improvement that will require consent from the
Boston Transportation Department (BTD).
Realign the pedestrian head on the northeast corner of the intersection. The
visors on this head are bent, indicating that it had been struck. The visors
and head should be realigned for maximum visibility for pedestrians
crossing Morton Street. This is a short-term, low cost improvement.
Install countdown pedestrian heads. It was suggested that countdown
pedestrian signals would improve safety by notifying pedestrians of the
time remaining on the FDW interval. This is a short-term, medium cost
improvement that should be implemented only following agreement from
both MassDOT and the City of Boston.
Misaligned
Pedestrian head
Consider relocation of the near side bus stop on the northeast corner of the intersection. Bus
operations should be evaluated to determine if this bus stop can be relocated to operate in conjunction
with existing bus operations at either the existing westbound stop on Morton Street west of Blue Hill
Avenue or the existing northbound stop on Blue Hill Avenue on the northeast corner. This would
eliminate conflicts at the stop line between buses and queued traffic and would improve visibility of
the intersection for approaching vehicles. This is a short-term, low cost improvement that would
require cooperation from the MBTA.
Consider transit priority. This would allow approaching buses to place a call to provide a green phase.
This should be carefully considered along with other potential phasing and timing improvements, and
may be complicated by the existing near side bus stop on the Morton Street westbound approach, as
an approaching bus would place a priority call when it is in fact intending to stop to pick up or
discharge passengers before traveling through the intersection. This is a short-term, low cost
improvement that would require cooperation from the City of Boston and the MBTA.
Extend the median on the west leg of the intersection to prohibit left turns from Morton Street to the
Mobil gas station. This potential improvement would prohibit vehicles from turning left into the
Mobil station to access Blue Hill Avenue, but would also prohibit westbound vehicles from accessing
the Mobil station at all without traveling further westbound and making a u-turn. This is a mid-term,
medium cost improvement that would require coordination with the City, property owners and
abutters, and would not address the issue of eastbound vehicles using the Mobil station as a cutthrough to avoid waiting at the light at Blue Hill Avenue.
Rehabilitate pavement. Pavement rehabilitation should be integrated with any potential reconstruction
option, but can also be undertaken within the existing geometry. The proper method of pavement
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
rehabilitation should be determined based on pavement cores and on current traffic counts, including
heavy vehicle percentages. This is a mid-term, high cost improvement.
Install lane usage signage. It was suggested that additional lane control signage is needed for all
approaches. It is recommended that R3-8 series graphical signs be provided. This is a short-term, low
cost improvement.
Morton Street/Courtland Road/Havelock Street
Close median opening. This improvement was specifically discussed for the Courtland
Road/Havelock Street intersection, but should only be implemented following evaluation of the
median openings along the entire corridor recommended previously. Closing this median would
require northbound vehicles turning left to instead make a left turn at Harvard Street; therefore, this
improvement should be evaluated in tandem with potential modifications at Harvard Street. While
this improvement would eliminate cut-throughs, the impacts to circulation and to surrounding streets
must also be considered.
Install One Way signs for both Courtland Road and Havelock Street. One Way signs should be R6-2
signs, in accordance with the Massachusetts Amendments to the MUTCD, which state that R6-1 signs
should be used when the one way street comes into an intersection, and R6-2 signs should be used
when the one way street goes away from the intersection. This is a short-term, low cost improvement.
Install crosswalks. Crosswalks should be installed on both Courtland Road and Havelock Street. This
is a short-term, low cost improvement. Crosswalks should be ladder-type crosswalks, matching
existing crosswalks at Blue Hill Avenue and at Harvard Street.
Evaluate corner radii. It was suggested that the large corner radii at Havelock Street are excessive,
specifically on the southeast corner of the intersection, and that a reduction in corner radii would
improve pedestrian access by reducing crosswalk length. The existing corner radii should be
evaluated with regards to truck turning accommodations, and may be necessary given the angle of
Havelock Street. The evaluation of the existing radii is a short-term, low cost measure, while potential
improvements are a mid-term, potentially medium cost improvement.
Remove debris and investigate drainage for the handicap ramp on the southeast corner of Havelock
Street. The presence of debris may indicate a drainage issue, which should be investigated. This is a
short-term, potentially medium cost improvement.
Morton Street/Harvard Street
Conduct an intersection study to evaluate the need for phasing and lane assignment modifications.
The elimination of the left turn at Courtland Road will increase left turns from Morton Street
northbound to Harvard Street. An intersection study should include data collection at both
intersections to evaluate the need for an exclusive northbound left turn lane and phase, and should
also consider the need for an exclusive left turn lane and phase in the southbound direction.
Additional turn lanes may also be warranted for the Harvard Street approaches. This is a short-term,
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
medium cost improvement that may lead to a long-term, high cost intersection redesign. It was noted
following the audit that this intersection will be redesigned under an ongoing permit with BRA.
Eliminate stop lines and close the median at the formerly signalized driveway north of Harvard Street.
As previously noted, signals at this location were removed in the past year. The median opening
should be eliminated and the stop lines removed to eliminate potential confusion for approaching
motorists. This is a short-term, medium cost improvement.
Relocate the bus stop on the northeast corner of the intersection. The existing stop is located between
Harvard Street and the formerly signalized, now gated driveway opening. This provides limited curb
space, resulting in a stopped bus blocking the crosswalk. This bus stop should be moved further north
in conjunction with modifications at the existing driveway. This is a short-term, low cost
improvement.
Study pedestrian times at the intersection, and consider concurrent operation. It was suggested that
the existing Flashing Don’t Walk (FDW) time is insufficient for pedestrians to cross Morton Street.
The existing timing should be evaluated to determine that it is adequate according to MUTCD and
MassDOT standards. A study of pedestrian times should also consider the effect and potential
effectiveness of concurrent pedestrian operation at the intersection. It was noted during the audit that
pedestrians often ignore the pedestrian indications and cross when it is safe to do so concurrently with
traffic. This is a short-term, low cost improvement.
Install countdown pedestrian heads. It was suggested that countdown pedestrian signals would
improve safety by notifying pedestrians of the time remaining on the FDW interval. This is a shortterm, medium cost improvement that should be implemented only following agreement from both
MassDOT and the City of Boston.
Study clearance times. The existing yellow and all red clearance times should be determined from the
existing traffic signal controller and compared to minimum requirements calculated based on the
Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) methodology. If existing clearance times are insufficient,
clearance times should be increased accordingly. This change in clearance times could reduce the
number of rear-end crashes occurring at the intersection. This is a short-term, low cost improvement.
Repair or replace the broken loop on Harvard Street eastbound. The loop malfunction was discovered
on the day of the audit. Repairing or replacing this loop should improve overall operations at the
intersection. This is a short-term, medium cost improvement.
Rehabilitate pavement. Pavement rehabilitation should be integrated with any potential reconstruction
option, but can also be undertaken within the existing geometry. The proper method of pavement
rehabilitation should be determined based on pavement cores and on current traffic counts, including
heavy vehicle percentages. This is a mid-term, high cost improvement.
Install lane usage signage. It was suggested that additional lane control signage is needed for the
Morton Street approaches. It is recommended that R3-8 series graphical signs be provided. This is a
short-term, low cost improvement.
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Summary of Road Safety Audit
Table 3 summarizes potential recommendations discussed by the audit team. The recommendations are
categorized based on the potential safety payoff, as well as by time frame and cost. The safety payoff is a
qualitative judgment of the effectiveness of the potential safety improvements. Each recommendation has
a responsibility assigned to it stating whether MassDOT or the City of Boston would be responsible for
implementing the recommended improvement.
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Table 3. Potential Safety Enhancement Summary
Safety Issue
Safety Enhancement
Responsibility
Safety Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Morton Street Corridor
ALL
Conduct a corridor study.
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
$15,000
Median Cutouts
Evaluate median cutouts between Blue Hill Avenue and
Harvard Street.
MassDOT
High
Short-term
$5,000
Speeds
Conduct a speed study to ensure that speed limits are
appropriate along the corridor.
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
$5,000
Pedestrian
Accommodation
Consider additional pedestrian crossings along Morton
Street. This may include new mid-block crosswalks
with high-visibility signage, a pedestrian signal, or a
HAWK signal.
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
(Study)
Mid-term
(Implementation)
TBD
Bicycle
Accommodation
Install ―sharrows‖ along Morton Street.
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
$5,000
TBD
Morton Street at Blue Hill Avenue
Pavement Width and
Condition, Pedestrian
Accommodation
Tighten up the intersection. This improvement includes
determining the appropriateness of improvements to
reduce pavement width, and the subsequent
application of those improvements.
MassDOT
High
Short-term
(Study)
Mid-term
(Implementation)
Overhead Signals
Install overhead signals for Morton Street. This should
also include a supplemental near-side overhead signal
for the eastbound approach.
MassDOT
High
Mid-term
$50,000
Sign Visibility
Install overhead R3-2 No Left Turn signs and mount
the existing sign in the median on the south leg of the
intersection at an appropriate height.
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
$500
Missing Signs
Install R4-7 Keep Right median signs on both ends of
the median on the north, south, and west legs of the
intersection.
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
$1,500
Missing Signs
Replace missing D6 sign on the island at the northwest
corner of the intersection.
MassDOT
Low
Short-term
$1,000
Missing Signs
Evaluate the need for traffic control for the right turn
lane from Blue Hill Avenue southbound to Morton
Street. If Stop signs are to be installed, they should be
installed on both sides for increased visibility.
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
$500
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Table 3. Potential Safety Enhancement Summary
Safety Issue
Safety Enhancement
Responsibility
Safety Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Pedestrian Visibility
Evaluate visibility for the pedestrian crossing on the
northwest corner of the intersection. This improvement
may subsequently require removing on-street parking.
MassDOT/City
Medium
Short-term
$5,000
Pedestrian
Accommodation
Realign the pedestrian head on the northeast corner of
the intersection.
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
$1,000
Pedestrian Operation
Study pedestrian times at the intersection, and
consider concurrent operation.
MassDOT/City
Medium
Short-term
$5,000
Pedestrian Operation
Install countdown pedestrian heads.
MassDOT/City
Medium
Short-term
$20,000
Bus Operation
Consider relocation of the near side bus stop on the
northeast corner of the intersection.
MassDOT/
MBTA
Medium
Short-term
$5,000
Bus Operation
Consider transit priority.
MassDOT/City/
MBTA
Medium
Short-term
$5,000
(Study)
Mobil Cut-Through
Extend the median on the west leg of the intersection
to prohibit left turns from Morton Street to the Mobil gas
station.
MassDOT
Medium
Mid-term
$15,000
Pavement Width and
Condition
Rehabilitate pavement.
MassDOT
Medium
Mid-term
$200,000
Medium
Short-term
$1,000
$15,000
Missing Signs
Install R3-8 series graphical lane control signs on all
MassDOT
approaches.
Morton Street at Courtland Road/Havelock Street
Left-turning Vehicles
Close median opening. This improvement should not
be completed unless the impact to circulation and
surrounding streets has been considered, including the
effect on left turns at Harvard Street. This improvement
should also be implemented temporarily for evaluation
before final implementation.
MassDOT
High
Short-term
(Temporary)
Mid-term
(Permanent)
Missing Signs
Install R6-2 signs for both Courtland Road and
Havelock Street.
MassDOT
Low
Short-term
$1,000
Pedestrian
Accommodations
Install crosswalks on both Courtland Road and
Havelock Street.
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
$5,000
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Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Table 3. Potential Safety Enhancement Summary
Safety Issue
Pedestrian
Accommodations
Pedestrian
Accommodations
Safety Enhancement
Evaluate corner radii. Consider tightening radii to
reduce crosswalk width while still maintaining adequate
turning space for trucks.
Responsibility
MassDOT
Remove debris and investigate drainage for the
handicap ramp on the southeast corner of Havelock
MassDOT
Street.
Morton Street at Harvard Avenue
Safety Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Medium
Short-term
(Study)
Mid-term
(Implementation)
TBD
Medium
Short-term
TBD
Left-turning Vehicles
Conduct an intersection study to evaluate the need for
phasing and lane assignment modifications.
MassDOT
High
Short-term
$15,000
(Study)
Intersection Geometry
Eliminate stop lines and close the median at the
formerly signalized driveway north of Harvard Street.
MassDOT
High
Short-term
$20,000
Bus Stop
Relocate the bus stop on the northeast corner of the
intersection.
MassDOT/
MBTA
High
Short-term
$5,000
Pedestrian Operation
Study pedestrian times at the intersection, and
consider concurrent operation.
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
$5,000
Pedestrian Operation
Install countdown pedestrian heads.
MassDOT/City
Medium
Short-term
$20,000
Clearance Phase
Timing
Study clearance times based on ITE methodology, and
implement changes as appropriate.
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
$5,000
Signal Equipment
Repair or replace the broken loop on Harvard Street
eastbound.
MassDOT
Low
Short-term
$5,000
Pavement Width and
Condition
Rehabilitate pavement.
MassDOT
Medium
Mid-term
$200,000
Missing Signs
Install R3-8 series graphical lane control signs on all
approaches.
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
$1,000
Page 20
Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda
Road Safety Audit
Boston
Morton Street between Harvard St & Blue Hill Ave
Meeting Location: Boston Police Station B-3
1165 Blue Hill Avenue, Dorchester, MA
Thursday, November 10, 2011
9:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Type of meeting:
High Crash Locations – Road Safety Audit
Attendees:
Invited Participants to Comprise a Multidisciplinary Team
Please bring:
Thoughts and Enthusiasm!!
9:00 AM
Welcome and Introductions
9:15 AM
Review of Site Specific Material
• Crash data, Speed Regulation & Volume Summaries– provided in advance
• Existing Geometries and Conditions
• Discuss safety issues
10:00 AM
Visit the Site
• Walk the area of Morton Street between Blue Hill Ave and Harvard Street
• As a group, identify areas for improvement
10:30 AM
Post Visit Discussion / Completion of RSA
• Discuss observations and finalize findings
• Discuss potential improvements and finalize recommendations
11:30 AM
Adjourn for the Day – but the RSA has not ended
Instructions for Participants:
• Before attending the RSA on November 10th, participants are encouraged to
drive/walk through the intersections/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—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List
Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data
Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix D. Speed Regulations
Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix E. Traffic Volume Information
Road Safety Audit—Morton Street—Boston(Mattapan), MA
Prepared by BETA Group, Inc.
Appendix F. Additional Comments
New England United 4 Justice – Ward 14 Issue Campaigns on Morton St
New England United 4 Justice
196 Adams St Boston Ma 02122
617-265-7100 www.neunited4justice.org
Who We Are:
New England United 4 Justice, NEU4J, is a non-profit membership-based organization that represents low and
moderate income families who want to promote social justice and become more involved in improving their
neighborhood, city and state. We are a multi-issue organization that focuses on issues that are elected by our
members who carry the voice and determine the direction of the organization. The organization also seeks to
educate the general public about social justice issues and about the needs of the poor and middle class families in
our communities. Working like a union of community people, our members are able to address small and large issues
that families care about that affect the quality of everyday life for the people in our city and state. We believe in
bringing people together that share a vision for change in our communities and who believe in the right to organize
and share information and ideas that provide a non-partisan public forum for discussion. We are a direct action based
organization that uses the power of people and education to influence policy changes that affect low to moderate
income neighborhoods.
Our Leadership and Members:
Most of our members live in the Dorchester and Mattapan section of Boston and we currently represent a few
hundred residents that live in Ward 14, 15, 17, 18 in specific precinct areas. We also have some leaders who live in
other parts of the City like Hyde Park, South Boston and Roxbury. Residents join our organization as dues paying
members for various reasons; to support the work we are doing around campaigns, to get involved in a local issue in
their neighborhood and some just to support the work we focus on around social and economic justice in our City.
Our members and leaders live and work in our communities. They are home owners, renters, business owners and
workers. Most of our membership is African American, Caribbean and small base of Latino and Caucasian members
who work to make a difference in their neighborhoods.
How We Organize:
Our model is best described as having a strong bottom up approach. We organize various neighborhood groups and
begin to work on smaller community issues as a way to introduce organizing and collective power in our community
and with strong training and education, local residents are able to be effective on creating various changes and
improvements by working with each other, as neighbors, in one voice. Most of our neighborhood groups are based
on the City’s ward and precinct outline so that we are organizing in areas that need support the most, but also in a
way to make it easier to provide nonpartisan political education to local residents on how to work with officials both in
our City and who represent the State around issues that impact our communities. We currently have both a field and
phone program that allows us to have one on one conversation with voters and local residents living in the
neighborhoods we currently organize in. Our members make decisions on the issues that we focus on as an
organization and have a voice and a vote on the direction we take as NEU4J. This is important to allow residents to
have power and control over the local issues and campaigns we are a part of, but also to develop skills to become
long term leaders of their community, working with our organization as a tool and a resource in their neighborhoods.
Coalition Partners:
Our organization believes in the importance of working collectively with other organizations who believe in social and
economic justice, using a racial justice lens to promote power, create policy changes and build local leaders in our
communities who live in low and moderate income, communities of color in Boston.
New England United 4Justice works with many organizations that represent youth, civic engagement, civil rights,
labor, environmental and neighborhood justice.
Some of our partners include: Community Labor United, The Green Justice Coalition, Mass Paid Leave Coalition,
One Massachusetts, Public Policy Institute, Mass Uniting, Mass Vote and the Civic Engagement Initiative.
The Ward 14 Efforts in Dorchester:
For the past year, NEU4J has been going door to door in the Ward 14 neighborhood, specifically focusing on
residents who live in precinct: 5, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14. We have learned a lot about the local issues in this neighborhood.
Many of the residents have shared issues of concern around:
-
Lack of jobs
Foreclosures
Cleanliness
Youth programs and Services
And so much more
-
Urban Farms
Speeding
Traffic
Violence
Lack of Voter Education
These issues are not going to be resolved right away and we know and understand that many of the challenges that
are communities face can only be overcome through organizing block by block and working with residents, City and
State Officials and departments who share a common vision to improve our communities. This takes time; building
relationships at a local community level, ensuring our residents are educated on how to make decisions collectively
as a neighborhood voice and also education on understanding how the City and State operates when dealing with
local issues of concern from our communities.
Our successes in the Ward 14 area alone have been:
-
-
-
Reaching out to over 4,000 residents in the Ward 14 community to remind infrequent voters to get out and
vote during the 2010 election while providing nonpartisan information on candidates running for office and
education on important ballot questions that would impact our communities.
In the 2010 through 2011 year local residents worked to ensure the City had a stronger community
engagement process for the Urban Farms proposal. This provided residents 2 extended community
meetings and an opportunity for a neighborhood hearing in Dorchester of which NEU4J was able to turnout
over 40, 50 residents. This allowed the voice and areas of concern to be heard by local residents and
ensure local abutters and neighbors were able to be engaged in providing menu options for the RFP around
specific issue areas such as food access, neighborhood oversights, soil testing and other areas of focus.
In 2011 residents elected to work on the cleanup of over 11 vacant lots in the community, specifically on
Callendar St and Oakhurst St in Dorchester. Working with the City Liaison and local City Councilor Charles
Yancey’s office, residents were able to get lots cleaned up in their community.
The Issue Our Morton Street in Ward 14
The most recent issue of concern has been an issue that has impacted the residents living off of Morton St for over
10 years. Residents and local Business owners who live and work on Morton St, Rhoades St, Baird St, Havelock St,
Wilcock St and neighboring residential streets, have lived in fear as a result of traffic issues that have caused homes
and pedestrians to be hit in their community.
There has been a lack of understanding from the local residents around the barriers that are defined by what is City
or State property, preventing residents from trying to work with representatives of this local community area on this
major concern causing many residents to give up hope on the reality of change improving this local issue.
NEU4J has strong leadership who live in this specific part of Dorchester who has made this issue their number one
priority. As a result of organizing and working together, local residents have been able to conduct:
-
2 Neighborhood Walk Through Events on Morton St of which over 30 residents have participated in over the
past few months. These events were conducted in June 2011 and September 2011
Have collected over 200 petitions from local residents and business owners that are concerned with this
issue and want to see improvements made in this area
NEU4J staff are currently building a relationship with Walter Apperwhitter, Neighborhood Liaison for Ward
14 Dorchester, Raj Kulen, State High Way Department Coordinator for this area, Councilor Charles Yancey
and Representative Russell Holmes, specifically about this issue and other community concerns
Below is a short term and long term goal for the local community and we hope to work with the City and State
officials, to create a safer community for residents who live in this section of Dorchester.
Short Term and Long Term Vision for Morton St
1st Phase – Short Term Goals
Stop Signs on all Side Streets leading to
Morton St and Blue Hill that currently do
not have any traffic signs
(City Area)
Neighborhood Liaison for this area:
Walter Apperwhitter
Cross Walks making it accessible and safe
for pedestrians walking across Morton St
from various residential streets and
redoing Harvard St’s cross walk
(City and Potentially State Area)
Neighborhood Liaison for this area:
Walter Apperwhitter
Repair Street Lights that have been
damaged from car accidents which are
currently causing light poles to lean over
(City Area)
Representative Russell Holmes
Representative Russell Holmes
State Highway Department Representative Raj Kulen
Neighborhood Liaison for this area:
Walter Apperwhitter
Representative Russell Holmes
2nd Phase – Long Term Goals
Concrete Barriers with solar paneled
lighting on the sidewalks connecting
Morton St to residential side streets. This
will assist with lighting the neighborhood,
provide a steady barrier to block cars from
hitting homes and pedestrians.
(State Area)
The medium along Morton St needs
reflectors to warn drivers when taking a left
or a right on Morton St into the various
side streets. (State Area)
Neighborhood Liaison for this area:
Walter Apperwhitter
Representative Russell Holmes
State Highway Department Representative Raj Kulen
Neighborhood Liaison for this area:
Walter Apperwhitter
Representative Russell Holmes
State Highway Department Representative Raj Kulen
The community needs includes Morton St and various residential streets in the area. Residential Streets that are included in the problem area are:
Rhoades St, Baird St, Havelock St, Wilcock St
This outline is provided to ensure local officials and departments are aware of who we are the work we
focus on in Boston and to specifically outline the areas of concern in this community. We know and
understand the challenges our communities face and we hope to continue to work with our City and State
in creating a strong, healthy, safe environment for the residents in Boston.
Thank you for your time and efforts
New England United for Justice
Maude Hurd, President
Trevor Harrigen, Ward 14 Resident
Sandra Ramgeet, Vice President
Dorothy McKoy, Ward 14 Resident
Carla Stovell, Treasurer
Cindy Williams, Ward 14 Resident
Madison McKay, Community Liaison
Jean Wynn, Ward 14 Resident
Dora Vaughn, Board Member
Annie Dowell, Ward 14 Resident
Reggie Stovell, Board Member
Evelina Mumford, Ward 14 Resident
Randy Vaughn, Board Member
Olivia Hoskins, Board Member
Noemi Ramos-Winthrop, Executive Director and Board Clerk Lucia Correia, Community Organizer
www.neunited4justice.org
Additional Comments
WalkBoston
1. Morton/Blue Hill Ave
Tightening up the intersection as you recommend to substantially increase pedestrian safety and make
them more visible to drivers. The wide streets and low buildings make this intersection look like a
highway rather than an urban street environment.
As we noted in our field assessment, pedestrians must wait over 2 minutes to get a WALK light and as a
result they cross with gaps in the traffic rather than wait for a WALK light. You mentioned this issue, but
hope it can be stated more strongly in the final report. Certainly, the the eastern pedestrian crossing of
Morton could be concurrent. The turning radii here are relatively tight and the crossing not wide. The
right turning vehicles coming from the south are relatively light according to the vehicle volumes
included in the packet - 59/hr in the am peak & 22 in the pm peak. I strongly feel that there should also
be neckdowns at this crossing to make pedestrians more visible to drivers and also to increase the
likelihood that vehicles will yield to pedestrians.
Vehicle Speeds
Cars travel very fast on both Blue Hill Ave and Morton. Every effort should be made to tame traffic in
this area since speed is the number 1 killer for pedestrians.
Mid-Block Crossings
As the group noted and you indicated in your report, there are very few protected mid-block crossings on
Morton. I strongly support the installation of HAWK signalization along this stretch of Morton Street
which has dense residential development and many bus stops.
Bus Override of Signals
As I recall, there was some discussion of encouraging bus override of signals along the corridor. I did not
see this in the report.
Slip Turn in front of Police Station
This should certainly be eliminated. As you write in the report, pedestrian visibility here is poor, and the
amount of parking provided insignificant.
MassBike
Morton Corridor General Comments:
1. If the speed limit is 25 mph, think about adding traffic calming treatments like speed humps.
Having a four-lane road, especially outside of peak periods, looks too much like a highway and
encourages people to drive well-above 25 mph, generally.
2. A parking study would help determine what the actual utilization rate for the on-street parking
is. If we could do on-street parking on one side of the road but not the other, that would free up a
enough space to put in bike lanes, perhaps.
3. Wherever there are loop detectors, pavement markings indicating to bicyclists where to stop to
request the green would be useful.
Harvard/Morton intersection:
1. There is a small shoulder on Morton north of Harvard st – it would be excellent to mark it as a
bike lane specifically, beginning at that intersection (perhaps outside the scope of this study, but
still worth noting).
Havelock/Morton intersection:
1. If the median is closed, I hope there will still be cuts for pedestrians and bicyclists who want to go
through. Given that Havelock is a low-volume street, it may be especially attractive for
bicyclists. If motorists can no longer turn onto/off of it, then the volume will presumably
decrease and it will be even more attractive to bicyclists.
2. Consider adding bulb-outs on the crosswalk areas. This would simultaneously calm traffic and
reduce crossing distance for pedestrians.
Blue Hill Ave/Morton
1. On the both sides of Blue Hill Ave., there is a high-volume of traffic turning right onto Blue Hill
Ave. There should be bike boxes and sharrows to avoid right hook crashes.