ROAD SAFETY AUDIT
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor
City of Cambridge
June 20, 2014
Prepared for:
Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Prepared by:
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
11 Beacon Street, 10th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Table of Contents Background ................................................................................................................................. 3 Road Safety Audit Observations ....................................................................................................... 21 Corridor-wide Issues ......................................................................................................................... 22 Location 1: O’Brien Highway at Sciarappa Street ............................................................... 26 Location 2: O’Brien Highway at Third Street...................................................................... 27 Location 3: O’Brien Highway at Water Street ..................................................................... 29 Location 4 & 5: O’Brien Highway at Gore Street & Gore Street at Second Street .................... 30 Location 6: O’Brien Highway at Lechmere Station Driveway ............................................ 32 Location 7: Cambridge Street at Second Street ................................................................... 33 Location 8: Cambridge Street at First Street ........................................................................ 35 Location 9: O’Brien Highway at Cambridge Street/East Street........................................... 37 Location 10: O’Brien Highway at Leighton Street ................................................................ 40 Location 11: O’Brien Highway at Land Boulevard/Gilmore Bridge ..................................... 41 Location 12: O’Brien Highway at Museum Way .................................................................. 44 Location 13: O’Brien Highway at Museum of Science Driveway ........................................ 46 Potential Safety Enhancements ......................................................................................................... 47 List of Appendices
Appendix A. Appendix B. Appendix C. RSA Meeting Agenda RSA Audit Team Contact List Detailed Crash Data List of Figures
Figure 1. Locus Map.............................................................................................................................. 4
Figure 2. O’Brien Highway at Sciarappa Street .................................................................................... 8 Figure 3. O’Brien Highway at Third Street ........................................................................................... 9 Figure 4. O’Brien Highway at Water Street, Gore Street, and Lechmere Station & Gore Street at Second Street................................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 5. Cambridge Street at First Street and Second Street.............................................................. 14 Figure 6. O’Brien Highway at Cambridge Street/East Street .............................................................. 15 Figure 7. O’Brien Highway at Leighton Street, Land Boulevard/Gilmore Bridge, and Museum Way16 Figure 8. O’Brien Highway at Museum of Science Driveway ............................................................ 18 Page 1
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
List of Tables
Table 1. Table 2. Table 3. Participating Audit Team Members ....................................................................................... 5 Crash Data Summary (2006 – 2011) ...................................................................................... 6 Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements ....................................................................... 49 Page 2
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Background
The Road Safety Audit (RSA) focused on thirteen intersections on the Monsignor O’Brien Highway and
Cambridge Street corridors in Cambridge and took into consideration the corridors as a whole. From
2006 to 2011, 197 crashes were reported along the O’Brien Highway corridor from Sciarappa Street to
Museum of Science Driveway and along the Cambridge Street corridor from Second Street to O’Brien
Highway. One of the intersections on the corridors, O’Brien Highway/Land Boulevard, was identified by
the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) as a 2011 Highway Safety Improvement
Program (HSIP) High Crash Cluster. Meanwhile, the O’Brien Highway corridor between Gore Street and
Leighton Street and the entire Cambridge Street corridor within the study area is part of a 2011 HSIP
Pedestrian Cluster. The study area is shown in Figure 1.
The study area intersections and roadways are currently in the preliminary design process as part of
mitigation commitments for the North Point development project. The development team is also working
in conjunction with Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) team for relocating
Lechmere Station in order to extend Green Line service to Somerville and Medford. Lechmere Station is
proposed to be moved to the north side of O’Brien Highway leaving the existing location open for
redevelopment. With the relocation of the station, the viaduct that crosses over O’Brien Highway at
Cambridge Street will be removed. As a part of the Craigie Bridge replacement project (MassDOT
project #604685), the final conditions are proposed to have bike lanes on O’Brien Highway from Land
Boulevard to Leverett Circle. However, the final design is not scheduled to be constructed until the
conclusion of the Longfellow Bridge project.
The RSA meeting focused on the following intersections as well as corridor-wide issues:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
O’Brien Highway/Sciarappa Street;
O’Brien Highway/Third Street;
O’Brien Highway/Water Street;
O’Brien Highway/Gore Street;
Gore Street/Second Street;
O’Brien Highway/Lechmere Station Driveway;
Cambridge Street/Second Street;
Cambridge Street/First Street;
O’Brien Highway/Cambridge Street/East Street;
O’Brien Highway/Leighton Street;
O’Brien Highway/Land Boulevard/Gilmore Bridge;
O’Brien Highway/Museum Way; and,
O’Brien Highway/Museum of Science Driveway.
In general, the RSA is intended to identify potential safety improvements that can be evaluated and
included as part of future design efforts for reconstruction. The short-term, low-cost potential
improvements could be considered by the responsible agency for implementation prior to reconstruction,
as appropriate.
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Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Locus Map
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Project Data
The audit team conducted the RSA for the O’Brien Highway corridor on Thursday, May 22, 2014. The
RSA agendas appear in Appendix A. Table 1 lists the audit team members and their affiliations.
Appendix B provides contact information for all team members.
Prior to the RSA, in order to begin assessing possible safety issues, the team reviewed collision diagrams
and crash detail summaries based on crash records supplied by the State Police Department and the
Cambridge Police Department and peak hour pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle volumes. Appendix C
provides the detailed crash data for the study area.
Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members
Audit Team Member
Wes Wanagel
Jeff Parenti
Diane Stokes
Bill Deignan
Cara Seiderman
Mark Abbott
Viola Augustin
Debby Galef
Ann Hershfang
Jeff Bennett
Alex Laffey
Megan Ramey
Susan Sloan-Rossiter
Tim McIntosh
Valerie Lenhardt
Amitai Lipton
Raj Kulen
Lisa Schletzbaum
Yuan Liu
Joe SanClemente
Alex Siu
Agency/Affiliation
Massachusetts State Police
Cambridge Traffic & Parking
Cambridge DPW – Engineering
Cambridge Community Development
Cambridge Community Development
Central Transportation Planning staff (CTPS)
Bike Committee
Pedestrian Committee
WalkBoston
Charles River TMA
HYM
Bikeabout & Livable Streets
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB)
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB)
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB)
MassDOT District 6
MassDOT District 6
MassDOT Highway Division Safety Section
MassDOT Highway Division
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
According to the data provided by the state and city police departments, 197 crashes occurred within the
RSA study area from 2006 to 2011. Table 2 summarizes the number of crashes within the area.
Table 2. Crash Data Summary (2006 – 2011)
Location
O’Brien Highway/Sciarappa Street
O’Brien Highway/Third Street
O’Brien Highway/Water Street
O’Brien Highway/Gore Street
Gore Street/Second Street
O’Brien Highway/Lechmere Station Driveway
Cambridge Street/Second Street
Cambridge Street/First Street
O’Brien Highway/Cambridge Street/East Street
O’Brien Highway/Leighton Street
O’Brien Highway/Land Boulevard/Gilmore Bridge
O’Brien Highway/Museum Way
O’Brien Highway/Museum of Science Driveway
O’Brien Highway Corridor, nonspecific
Cambridge Street Corridor, nonspecific
TOTAL
1.
# of Crashes1
3
19
2
2
4
4
10
17
18
2
55
18
19
17
7
197
Excludes 15 crashes reported by the MBTA ,which could not be located.
Nineteen crashes were reported at O’Brien Highway/Third Street, one of which resulted in personal
injury. Of the nineteen crashes, eleven (58%) were right angle crashes, five (26%) were rear-end crashes,
two (11%) were side-swipe crashes, and one (5%) was a single vehicle crash. Most of the crashes (68%)
occurred during the daylight hours.
Ten crashes were reported at Cambridge Street/Second Street, three of which involved pedestrians and
two of which involved bicyclists. Of the ten crashes, five (50%) were angle crashes and two (20%) were
rear-end crashes. One of the crashes resulted in injury while the remainder were property damage only.
The majority (80%) of the crashes occurred during the daylight.
At Cambridge Street/First Street, seventeen crashes were report where five of them resulted in injury. Of
the seventeen crashes six (35%) were angle crashes, six (35%) were rear-end crashes, two (12%) were
sideswipe crashes, and three (18%) involved parked vehicles. Nine (53%) of the crashes occurred during
daylight while eight (47%) occurred during nighttime.
Eighteen crashes were reported at O’Brien Highway/Cambridge Street/East Street, four of which resulted
in injury and one of which involved a pedestrian. Eight (44%) of the crashes involved fixed objects and
three (17%) were sideswipe crashes. Of the eighteen crashes, twelve (67%) occurred under dark roadway
conditions.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
At O’Brien Highway/Land Boulevard/Gilmore Bridge, 55 crashes were reported, two involving
pedestrians and two involving bicyclists. Nine of the crashes at this location resulted in injury. Of the 55
crashes, thirteen (24%) were right angle crashes, 26 (48%) were rear-end crashes, and eleven (20%) were
sideswipe crashes.
Eighteen crashes were reported at O’Brien Highway/Museum Way, two of which resulted in injury. Of
the eighteen crashes, eight (45%) were right angle crashes, four (22%) were rear-end crashes, five (28%)
were sideswipe crashes, and one (5%) involved a fixed object. Thirteen of the crashed occurred during
the daylight, while 5 occurred at nighttime.
At O’Brien Highway/Museum of Science Driveway, nineteen crashes were reported, two of which
resulted in injury. Of the nineteen reported crashes, four (21%) were rear-end crashes, seven (37%) were
right-angle crashes, seven (37%) were sideswipe crashes, and one (5%) involved a fixed object. The
majority (84%) of the crashes occurred during daylight.
Project Location Description
The RSA focused on six signalized intersections and seven unsignalized intersections in Cambridge.
O’Brien Highway at Sciarappa Street is an unsignalized T-intersection with three approaches. The
O’Brien Highway eastbound approach consists of three through lanes and is separated by a median from
the westbound approach, which also has three through lanes. Sciarappa Street is one-way in the
northbound direction toward the intersection. The Sciarappa Street stop-controlled northbound approach
consists of a single right-turn only lane as vehicles are prohibited from taking left turns as there is a
median barrier along O’Brien Highway at this location. RSA team members stated that the one-way and
turn prohibition signage is missing from the intersection. Sidewalks are provided along both sides of all
of the roadways at the intersection. Pedestrian ramps are provided across Sciarappa Street; however,
there is no crosswalk. No bicycle accommodations are provided at the intersection. An aerial image of
the intersection is shown in Figure 2.
O’Brien Highway at Third Street is signalized intersection with five approaches and is operated by the
City of Cambridge. The O’Brien Highway eastbound approach has two through lanes and a shared
through/right-turn lane. The O’Brien Highway westbound approach has a shared left-turn/through lane,
a through lane, and a shared through/right-turn lane. O’Brien Highway has a raised median along the
eastbound and westbound approaches. The Third Street northbound approach has two lanes that are
unmarked, but operate as a left turn lane and a shared through/right-turn lane. There are two driveways
along the north side of the intersection that are not controlled by the traffic signal. The driveway to the
east is for the Cambridge Antique Market. The driveway on the west is for a parcel that is currently being
developed. Curb ramps and crosswalks are provided across the eastern and southern legs of the
intersection; however the curb ramps do not appear to be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
accessible. Crosswalks are not provided the western leg of the intersection or across the driveways.
However, the sidewalks are level across the driveways, and driveway aprons are provided. No bicycle
accommodations are provided. An aerial image of the intersection is shown in Figure 3.
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Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Figure 2. O’Brien Highway at Sciarappa Street
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Figure 3. O’Brien Highway at Third Street
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
O’Brien Highway at Water Street is an unsignalized T-intersection with three approaches. The O’Brien
Highway eastbound approach consists of three through lanes and is separated by a median from the
westbound approach, which has two through lanes and a shared through/right-turn lane. The Water Street
stop-controlled southbound approach has right-turn only lane. Left turns from Water Street are prohibited
with signage as well as the raised median on O’Brien Highway. RSA team members noted that the stop
sign and stop line is missing from the Water Street approach. Sidewalks are provided along both sides of
all of the roadways at the intersection. Pedestrian ramps are provided across Water Street; however, there
is no crosswalk. No bicycle accommodations are provided at the intersection. An aerial image of the
intersection is shown in Figure 4.
O’Brien Highway at Gore Street is an unsignalized T-intersection with three approaches. The O’Brien
Highway eastbound approach has two through lanes and a shared through/right-turn lane, which is
separated by a median from the westbound approach, which has three through lanes. The Gore Street
stop-controlled northbound approach has a right-turn only lane, which is channelized by a raised island.
Left turns from Gore Street are prohibited with signage as well as the raised median on O’Brien Highway.
Sidewalks are provided along both sides of all of the roadways at the intersection. Curb ramps and a
crosswalk are provided across Gore Street. However, the raised island on Gore Street blocks the
crosswalk, making the crossing inaccessible. No bicycle accommodations are provided. An aerial image
of the intersection is shown in Figure 4.
Gore Street at Second Street is an unsignalized T-intersection with two approaches. The Gore Street
eastbound and westbound approaches have a single general use travel lane. Second Street is a one-way
street with a single travel lane away from the intersection. Sidewalks are provided along both sides of all
of the roadways at the intersection. Curb ramps and a crosswalk are provided across Second Street. An
RSA team member noted that there is a car dealership located across from Second Street that has a wide
driveway apron, with vehicles often parking along the driveway opening. No bicycle accommodations
are provided. An aerial image of the intersection is shown in Figure 4.
O’Brien Highway at Lechmere Station Driveway is a signalized T-intersection with two approaches and
is operated by the City of Cambridge. The O’Brien Highway eastbound approach has two through lanes
and a shared through/right-turn lane. The O’Brien Highway westbound approach has two through lanes.
A median is provided along the eastbound and westbound approaches. An RSA team member noted that
buses no longer exit Lechmere Station at this location. Sidewalks are provided along both sides of all of
the roadways at the intersection. Curb ramps and crosswalks are provided on the eastern side of the
intersection across O’Brien Highway. There are no crosswalks across the Lechmere Station driveway.
An RSA team member noted that pedestrians often walk diagonally from the southwest corner of the
intersection to the median refuge of the east side of the intersection. The traffic signal at this location
only changes when pedestrians actuate the signal. No bicycle accommodations are provided. An aerial
image of the intersection is shown in Figure 4.
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Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
O’Brien Highway at Water Street, Gore Street, and Lechmere Station and Gore Street at Second Street
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Cambridge Street at Second Street is a signalized intersection with four approaches and is operated by
the City of Cambridge. The Cambridge Street eastbound approach has a shared through/right-turn lane.
The Cambridge Street westbound approach has a shared left-turn/through lane. The section of Second
Street to the north of the intersection is one-way with vehicle traveling southbound. The southbound
approach has a single general use travel lane. The Second Street northbound approach has a shared leftturn/right-turn lane. Sidewalks are provided along both sides of all of the roadways at the intersection.
Curb ramps and crosswalks are provided across all legs of the intersection. Bicycle lanes are provide
along Cambridge Street in both directions. An aerial image of the intersection is shown in Figure 5.
Cambridge Street at First Street is a signalized intersection with three approaches and is operated by the
City of Cambridge. The Cambridge Street eastbound approach has a shared through/right-turn lane. The
Cambridge Street westbound approach has a left-turn lane and a through lane. The First Street
northbound approach has a left-turn lane and a right-turn lane. A driveway for Lechmere Station is
located on the north side of the intersection. Sidewalks are provided along both sides of all of the
roadways at the intersection. Curb ramps and crosswalks are provided across the east, west, and south
sides of the intersection. Bicycle lanes are provided in both directions on Cambridge Street and First
Street. An aerial image of the intersection is shown in Figure 5.
O’Brien Highway at Cambridge Street/East Street is a signalized intersection with four approaches and
is operated by the City of Cambridge. The intersection is skewed with Cambridge Street intersecting
O’Brien Highway at approximately a 30 degree angle from the southwest direction. The O’Brien
Highway eastbound approach has a left-turn lane, three through lanes, and a right-turn lane. The O’Brien
Highway westbound approach has two left-turn lanes, a through lane, and a shared through/right-turn
lane. The left-turn lanes on this approach are separated from the through lanes by a rumble median that is
flush with the roadway. This median begins approximately 200 feet back from the stop line. The East
Street southbound approach has a single general use travel lane. The Cambridge Street north-eastbound
approach has a left-turn lane which is utilized by vehicles traveling to East Street or O’Brien Highway
westbound. This approach also has two travel lanes for those traveling to O’Brien Highway eastbound.
Sidewalks are provided along both sides of all of the roadways at the intersection. However, sidewalks
are missing around the southwest corner of the intersection under the viaduct. Curb ramps and
crosswalks are provided on the east, west, and north sides of the intersection. An RSA team member
noted that the crosswalk markings across O’Brien Highway on the east side of the intersection and the
dotted lane line extension through the intersection are faded. No bicycle accommodations are provided.
An aerial image of the intersection is shown in Figure 6.
O’Brien Highway at Leighton Street is an unsignalized T-intersection with three approaches. The
O’Brien Highway eastbound approach consists of four through lanes and is separated by a median from
the westbound approach, which has a through lane and a shared through/right-turn lane. The Leighton
Street southbound approach has right-turn only lane. Left turns from Leighton Street are prohibited with
signage as well as the raised median on O’Brien Highway. RSA team members noted that the stop sign
and stop ling is missing from the Leighton Street approach. A median is located on the Leighton Street
approach, which houses the viaduct abutments. Sidewalks are provided along both sides of all of the
roadways at the intersection. A raised crosswalk is provided across Leighton Street beneath the viaduct.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
As RSA member noted that the crosswalk is missing the white edge lines. No bicycle accommodations
are provided at the intersection. An aerial image of the intersection is shown in Figure 7.
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Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Figure 5. Cambridge Street at First Street and Second Street
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
O’Brien Highway at Leighton Street, Land Boulevard/Gilmore Bridge, and Museum Way
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
O’Brien Highway at Land Boulevard/Gilmore Bridge is a signalized intersection with four approaches
and is operated by MassDOT. The O’Brien Highway eastbound approach has a left-turn lane, a shared
left-turn/through lane, two through lanes, and a right-turn lane. The right-turn lane is channelized and
enters Land Boulevard in its own lane. An RSA team member noted that yield markings and yield lines
are missing from this approach. The O’Brien Highway westbound approach has a left-turn lane, two
through lanes, and a right-turn lane. The Land Boulevard northbound approach has a left-turn lane, two
through lanes, and a right-turn lane. The Gilmore Bridge southbound approach has a shared leftturn/through lane and a shared through/right-turn lane. Sidewalks are provided on both sides of all
roadways at this intersection with the exception of the east side of Gilmore Bridge. Curb ramps and
pedestrian crossings are provided across the west, north, and south sides of the intersection. Through
field observations, the team noted the crosswalk markings across the eastern side of the intersection that
were recently removed are still visible. Additionally, the northern crosswalk which has been recently
added does not have markings. Shared lane markings are provided on O’Brien Highway to the east of the
intersection; however, no other bicycle accommodations are provided at this location. An aerial image of
the intersection is shown in Figure 7.
O’Brien Highway at Museum Way is a signalized T-intersection with three approaches and is operated
by DCR. The O’Brien Highway eastbound approach has a shared left-turn/through lane and two through
lanes. The O’Brien Highway westbound approach has two through lanes and a shared through/right-turn
lane. The Museum Way southbound approach has a left-turn lane and a right-turn lane. Sidewalks are
provided on both sides of the all roadways at this intersection. Curb ramps and crosswalks are provided
across all legs of the intersection. Shared lane markings are provided in both directions on O’Brien
Highway. However, an RSA team member noted that the markings are faded and spaced very far apart.
An aerial image of the intersection is shown in Figure 7.
O’Brien Highway at Museum of Science Driveway is unsignalized with three approaches. The O’Brien
Highway eastbound approach has two through lanes and a shared through/right-turn lane. The O’Brien
Highway westbound approach has a shared left-turn/through lane and two through lanes. The Museum of
Science Driveway stop-controlled northbound approach has a left-turn lane and a right-turn lane. Within
the intersection there are ‘Do Not Block the Box’ markings. It was noted in the RSA that these markings
are not enforceable since they were placed at an intersection with a private driveway. Sidewalks are
provided along O’Brien Highway on both sides of the roadway. A raised driveway treatment is provided
for pedestrians across the Museum of Science Driveway. Shared lane markings are provided in both
directions on O’Brien Highway. However, an RSA team member noted that the markings are faded and
spaced very far apart. An aerial image of the intersection is shown in Figure 8; which was taken prior to
the installation of the Do Not Block the Box markings.
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Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Figure 8. O’Brien Highway at Museum of Science Driveway
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
These intersections are the junctions of the following roadways, which are categorized according to
MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning functional classifications:
O’Brien Highway is classified by MassDOT as principal arterial and falls under the jurisdiction of the
MassDOT. O’Brien Highway runs east-west from Land Boulevard to the east to Rufo Road in
Cambridge to the west. From Land Boulevard to Nashua Street in Boston, the roadway is officially
named Charles River Dam Road , which is owned and maintained by DCR. O’Brien Highway generally
consists of three travel lanes in each direction, with a raised median separating the directions of travel.
Sidewalks are provided on both side of the roadway along its entire length. Shared bike lanes are proved
on O’Brien Highway between Land Boulevard and Nashua Street. The remainder of the corridor does not
have bicycle accommodations.
Sciarappa Street is a one-lane roadway classified by MassDOT as a local roadway and falls under the
City of Cambridge’s jurisdiction. Sciarappa Street generally runs in a north-south direction, running from
Charles Street in the south to O’Brien Highway in the north. The street generally has one travel lane in
each direction; however, between Winter Street and O’Brien Highway the roadway is one-way in the
northbound direction. Sidewalks are typically provided on both sides of the roadway. There are no
bicycle accommodations along Sciarappa Street.
Third Street is a two-lane roadway classified by MassDOT as a minor arterial under the jurisdiction of
the City of Cambridge. Third Street generally runs north-south from Broadway in the south to O’Brien
Highway in the north with one travel lane in each direction. Sidewalks are provided on both side of the
roadway along its entire length. Bike lanes are provide in both directions from Broadway to Binney
Street. The remainder of the corridor does not have bicycle accommodations.
Water Street is a two-lane roadway and is classified by MassDOT as a local road under the jurisdiction of
the City of Cambridge. Water Street generally runs in a north-south direction, running from O’Brien
Highway in the south and extending approximately 400 feet to the north. Sidewalks are provided on both
sides of Water Street along the approach to O’Brien Highway. There are no bicycle accommodations on
Water Street.
Gore Street is classified by MassDOT as an urban collector and falls under the jurisdiction of the City of
Cambridge. Gore Street generally runs in the east-west direction from O’Brien Highway to Rufo Road.
The roadway has one travel lane in each direction with sidewalks on both sides. There are no bicycle
accommodations along the roadway.
Second Street is a two-lane roadway classified by MassDOT as a local roadway under the City of
Cambridge jurisdiction. Second Street runs in the north-south direction from Gore Street to Athenaeum
Street with one travel lane in each direction; however, from Gore Street to Cambridge Street, the roadway
is one-way in the southbound direction. Sidewalks are provided on both sides of the roadway. There are
no bicycle accommodations on Second Street
First Street is a two-lane roadway classified by MassDOT as an urban collector under the City of
Cambridge jurisdiction. First Street runs north-south from Cambridge Street to Memorial Drive with one
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
travel lane in each direction. From Linskey Way to Memorial Drive, First Street is one-way in the
southbound direction. Sidewalks are provided on both sides of First Street for its entire length, with the
exception to the approach to Memorial Drive. Bike lanes are provided on both sides of the roadway from
Cambridge Street to Binney Street.
Cambridge Street is a two-lane roadway and is classified by MassDOT as an urban minor arterial under
the jurisdiction of the City of Cambridge. Cambridge Street general runs east-west from O’Brien
Highway to Massachusetts Avenue with one travel lane in each direction. Sidewalks are provided along
the roadway on both sides. Bike lanes are provided from First Street to Oakland Street in both directions.
East Street is classified by MassDOT as a local roadway and falls under the jurisdiction of the City of
Cambridge. East Street generally runs north-south from North Point Boulevard to O’Brien Highway with
one travel lane in each direction. Sidewalks and bicycle lanes and provided on both sides of the roadway.
Leighton Street is a two-lane roadway classified as a private roadway and has not been accepted by the
City of Cambridge. Leighton Street generally runs north-south from North Point Boulevard to O’Brien
Highway. One travel lane is provided in each direction with sidewalks on both sides of the street. No
bicycle accommodations are provided.
Land Boulevard is a six-lane roadway classified by MassDOT as an urban principal arterial under the
jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Land Boulevard runs north-south from
O’Brien Highway to the Longfellow Bridge. The roadway generally has three travel lanes in each
direction, which are separate by a raised median. Sidewalks are provided along both sides of the
roadway. No bicycle accommodations are provided.
Charlestown Avenue (Gilmore Bridge) is a four-lane roadway that generally runs north-south from
O’Brien Highway to just south of North Point Boulevard. This portion of Charlestown Avenue is under
the jurisdiction of the Department of Conservation and Recreation. North of North Point Boulevard, the
roadway transitions to Austin Street, which is under MassDOT jurisdiction. The roadway is classified as
an urban principal arterial. Sidewalks are provided along the west side of the roadway, but not along the
east side. No bicycle accommodations are providedMuseum Way is a two-lane roadway and is classified
as a private roadway and has not been accepted by the City of Cambridge. Museum way runs north-south
from North Point Boulevard to O’Brien Highway. One travel lane is provided in each direction.
Sidewalks and bike lanes are provided along both sides of the roadway.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Road Safety Audit Observations
Based on field observations on Thursday, May 22, 2014, the RSA team determined that the thirteen study
area intersections and the O’Brien Highway and Cambridge Street corridors have the following issues that
affect safety:






Signage and pavement markings;
Pedestrian and bicycle accommodations;
Transit;
Intersection control and geometry;
Traffic signals; and
Access management.
The following sections describe in more detail the safety issues and potential enhancements determined
during the RSA. Several of these issues require further study and engineering judgment to determine the
feasibility of implementing the improvements to address them.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Corridor-wide Issues
The RSA team made the following observations with regard to signage, pedestrian accommodations,
bicycle accommodations, speed, lighting conditions, and transit along the O’Brien Highway corridor
in Cambridge.
Observations:
Signage
RSA team members noted that wayfinding signage along the corridor is not adequate and may cause confusion for motorists unfamiliar with the area. There is also a lack of street name signs at several of the intersections. In the westbound direction, there is a rumble
median that begins approximately 200 feet in
advance of the intersection of O’Brien
Highway/Cambridge Street/East Street, separating
Wayfinding signage EB on O’Brien
Highway is obscured by trees.
vehicles who wish to continue on O’Brien Highway
and those heading toward Cambridge Street.
However, there is no directional signage indicating which side of the median to be on.
Meanwhile in the eastbound direction, there is a left turn lane, three through lanes, and a right
turn lane. The through lanes that travel beneath the bridge have no lane line extensions through
the intersection which has a skewed geometry. This could lead to sideswipe crashes within the
intersection. It was also noted that there are no street name signs are wayfinding signage for the
eastbound right turn onto Cambridge Street. Drivers who are not familiar with the area would not
know where the right turn lane leads to.
Team members also commented that advance guide signage for I-93 and Storrow Drive is not
provided along O’Brien highway eastbound which makes it difficult for motorists unfamiliar with
the area to know which lane they should be in and may cause merging issues on the eastern end
of the corridor.
On O’Brien Highway eastbound, overhead
signage is obscured by overgrown trees along the
eastbound approach to Land Boulevard.
Pavement & Pavement Markings
It was noted in the field that the pavement
conditions on O’Brien Highway are poor. There
is visible rutting and poor patchwork from
previous construction.
Poor pavement conditions and no
pavement marking guidance through
intersection.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Pavement markings are worn throughout the entire corridor. Most noticeable are the lack of lane
line extension markings through the large intersections. The lack of markings could cause some
confusion on lane use.
Pedestrian Accommodations
RSA team members stated there is a lack of safe pedestrian connections, and the crosswalks do
not follow the pedestrian desire lines. The desire lines for crossing pedestrians are at the
Lechmere T station, Cambridge Street at East Street, and at Water Street. It was noted that
sidewalks are in poor condition and many of the crosswalk markings are worn.
Bicycle Accommodations
There are no dedicated bicycle accommodations
provided along the O’Brien Highway corridor.
There are shared lane markings at some locations;
however, they are worn due to the heavy vehicular
traffic and shoulders along the edge of the roadway
are not provided. In general, cyclists tend to ride on
parallel streets, such as Cambridge Street, which has
lower volumes and speeds than O’Brien Highway.
Existing shared lane markings
During the RSA, several cyclists were observed
are faded.
riding along the O’Brien Highway corridor; some
rode in the roadway while others rode on the
sidewalk. Pavement conditions are poor with sand and rutting along the corridor. There are also
several locations where manholes are protruding. These conditions may cause bicycles to slide or
weave to avoid these areas.
Several RSA members noted that there needed to be better connections across O’Brien Highway.
The major desire lines for crossing cyclists are at the Lechmere T station, Cambridge Street at
East Street, and at Water Street.
Speed & Enforcement
Team members noted that there are no speed regulations along the O’Brien corridor or posted
speed limits and the current design of the roadway (i.e., 4 to 6 lane cross section with raised
median) may cause confusion among motorists about an appropriate travel speed even though the
area is thickly settled. According to team members, there are no speed issues during the peak
hours due to the congestion, but speeds can be an issue during the off-peak times when volumes
are lower. It was also noted that enforcement is difficult in the area due to the lack of places for
vehicles to pull off the road. Making vehicle stops in the area often lead to higher congestion and
driver frustration and could lead to unsafe road conditions for other motorists.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Transit
The MBTA #69, #80, #87, and #88 buses run on O’Brien Highway from Arlington Center,
Harvard, or Clarendon Hill to Lechmere Station. The CRTMA’s E-Z Ride shuttle also runs along
O’Brien Highway. RSA team members noted that the stop at Winter Street requires the buses to
stop in the travel lane as there is no pull-off for the buses. Team members also noted the bus stop
locations will likely be reevaluated with the relocation of the Lechmere Station.
Potential Enhancements:
1. In the short-term, consider the safety benefits of adding additional guide signage and street
name signs at major intersections along the corridor to reduce motorist confusion.
2. Consider adding advanced wayfinding signage prior to the median split on the O’Brien
Highway approach to Cambridge Street in the westbound direction.
3. Consider adding wayfinding signage on O’Brien Highway in the eastbound direction to direct
vehicles to Cambridge Street.
4. As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, re-evaluate all guide signage along the O’Brien
Highway and Cambridge Street corridors to reduce motorist confusion.
5. In the short-term, consider trimming back trees to provide better visibility of signage and
pedestrians (i.e. on the O’Brien Highway eastbound approach to Land Boulevard.
6. In the short-term, consider restriping the pavement markings including, crosswalks, lane line
extensions through the intersections, shared lane markings, and lane lines to clarify lane use
along the corridor and make crosswalks more visible to motorists.
7. As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider inspecting all sidewalks and pedestrian
ramps for ADA compliance and reconstruct locations where they do not meet standards to
ensure adequate accommodations for pedestrians.
8. As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, the bus stop locations should be coordinated with
the MBTA and the placement be considered so as to not block vehicle travel lanes and to
meet the standards for bus stop length and landing areas.
9. At the completion of the long-term reconstruction, consider conducting a speed study to
determine the speed regulations for O’Brien Highway so that they are enforceable.
10. The designer should consider design elements (e.g., change road name to “O’Brien
“Boulevard” vs “Highway”, street trees, bicycle accommodations, etc.) that reduce the
“highway feel” of the roadway and may encourage slower speeds. This may require
legislative action and should be coordinated between the developer, the City, and MassDOT.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
11. To improve pedestrian and bicycle conditions along the corridor, consider timing the
progression of the signals for lower speeds: 30 mph for vehicle progression or timing for a
bike wave of 15-18 mph.
12. As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider installing enhanced bicycle
accommodations along the O’Brien corridor such as bike lanes or cycle tracks as appropriate
for improved bicycle safety and mobility.
13. As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, re-evaluate major pedestrian and bicycle desire
lines across O’Brien Highway and Cambridge Street and provide enhanced crossings at these
locations to encourage non-auto trips and enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety in the area.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Location 1: O’Brien Highway at Sciarappa Street
The RSA team made the following observations with regard to signage at the intersection of O’Brien
Highway at Sciarappa Street in Cambridge.
Observations:
Signage & Pavement Markings
Sciarappa Street northbound vehicles are forced to
turn right onto O’Brien Highway by a raised median. However, there are no regulatory signs prohibiting
vehicles from turning left or warning signs or pavement markings in advance of the intersection. Two of the crashes involved vehicles on Sciarappa Street colliding with the median. No signage for Sciarappa Street
approach prohibiting left turns.
There are also no crosswalks across Sciarappa Street.
Potential Enhancements:
1. In the short term, consider adding ‘NO LEFT TURN’ and ‘ONE WAY’ signs in the median
to prohibit left turns from Sciarappa Street.
2. Consider adding flexible yellow delineator posts to the median to warn vehicles the O’Brien
Highway is divided by a median.
3. Provide pedestrian crosswalk markings across Sciarappa Street so pedestrians are aware of
where to cross and to alert motorists that pedestrians may be crossing the roadway.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Location 2: O’Brien Highway at Third Street
The RSA team made the following observations with regard to intersection control, access
management, and pedestrian and bicycle accommodations at the intersection of O’Brien Highway at
Third Street in Cambridge.
Observations:
Intersection Control
Two driveways are located on the north side of O’Brien Highway, across the roadway with Third Street. The eastern driveway is for the Cambridge
Antique Market and is not controlled by the signal at the intersection. The western driveway, which is also not signalized, is for a parcel that is currently being developed. An RSA team member noted that it is difficult for vehicles to exit the Cambridge Antique Market driveway since there are no indications to alert vehicles when it is safe to proceed through the No signal indications for driveways
north of the intersection.
intersection. The O’Brien Highway westbound left turn movement is protected/permissive allowing a short
advance prior to the eastbound through green movement. Five of the 19 crashes were angle
crashes involving westbound left-turning vehicles. The volume for the left turn is relative low;
however, vehicles seem to be finding it difficult to make the left turn against high traffic volume.
A team member noted that visibility may be an issue for the left turns as they have to cross three
eastbound through lanes.
Access Management
A Dunkin’ Donuts is located on the southwest corner
of the intersection along Third Street. There are
seven perpendicular parking spaces along Third Street
requiring vehicles to back into the sidewalk and
roadway when exiting. The beginning of the parking
lot is located led than 20 feet from the intersection.
Four of the 19 crashes at this location were cause by
vehicles exiting the Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot. The
large radius at the corner of the intersection also
Dunkin’ Donuts parking adjacent to
Third Street.
encourages high speeds for vehicles turning right
from O’Brien Highway to Third Street, making it
even more difficult for vehicles to back out the of the Dunkin’ Donuts lot.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
An RSA team member noted that vehicles tend to park on the sidewalk on the south side of
O’Brien Highway to the east of the intersection. At this location, there is an auto repair shop and
a car dealership. Vehicles parked on the sidewalk reduce the effective width of the sidewalk and
travel lanes.
Pedestrian Accommodations
An RSA team member noted that the pedestrian signal on the northeast corner of the intersection
is not working. This malfunction could lead to pedestrians entering the crosswalk in conflict with
vehicle phases. At the RSA, a representative from the City of Cambridge called in a request to
have the signal repaired. Additionally, the pedestrian phase for the eastern crossing comes up
automatically, while the crossing across Third Street is push-button actuated. This can cause
confusion for pedestrians.
Potential Enhancements:
1. Consider narrowing the curb cut opening for the Dunkin’ Donuts lot and eliminating the
parking spaces that are close to the intersection to reduce vehicle and pedestrian conflicts
2. Consider reducing the radius of the southwest corner of the intersection to reduce speeds of
right-turning vehicles to improve pedestrian conditions
3. As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider changing the control for the driveways
on the north side of the intersection. Consider signalized and/or restricting driveways to
right-turn only to reduce vehicle conflict.
4. Verify that the pedestrian indications and pushbuttons are working properly on the northeast
corner of the intersection so that pedestrians know when they may cross safely.
5. Consider making the left-most O’Brien Highway westbound lane an exclusive left-turn lane
that is protected-only. With a protected-only westbound left-turn phase, the northbound right
turn can have an overlap phase, which may reduce rights on red and increase compliance at
the signal.
6. Consider setting all pedestrians phases on recall so that they come up automatically and
reduce confusion.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Location 3: O’Brien Highway at Water Street
The RSA team made the following observations with regard to signage at the intersection of O’Brien
Highway at Water Street in Cambridge.
Observations:
Signage & Pavement Markings
There are no stop signs on the Water Street
northbound approach to the intersection. There are also no regulatory signs prohibiting vehicles from turning left, which may result in vehicles hitting the median on O’Brien Highway.
There are no stop line, stop signs, or crosswalks on
Water Street.
No stop signs or left-turn prohibition
signs for Water Street approach.
Potential Enhancements:
1. In the short term, consider adding ‘NO LEFT TURN’ and ‘ONE WAY’ signs in the median
to prohibit left turns from Water Street.
2. Consider adding flexible yellow delineator posts to the median to warm vehicles the O’Brien
Highway is divided by a median.
3. Provide stop signs, stop lines, pedestrian crosswalk markings for the Water Street approach.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Location 4 & 5: O’Brien Highway at Gore Street & Gore Street
at Second Street
O’Brien Highway/Gore Street and Gore Street/Second Street are discussed jointly in this section as
the two intersections are adjacent to each other. The RSA team made the following observations with
regard to intersection geometry and pedestrian accommodations at the intersections.
Observations:
Intersection Geometry
Gore Street intersects O’Brien Highway at a very sharp angle, making the right turn from O’Brien Highway to Gore Street very difficult. Five of the six crashes at
these locations involved parked vehicles. A team
member noted that the turning movement is difficult for both passenger vehicles and trucks. The right turn is also
made difficult by the transition from the higher speeds on O’Brien Highway to the low speeds on Gore Street.
A team member also noted that Second Street is often used as a cut-through for vehicles when Third Street is
congested. Sharp right turn from O’Brien
Highway to Gore Street.
Pedestrian Accommodations
An RSA team member noted that the pedestrians were seen walking diagonally from O’Brien
Highway to Second Street. This is a desire line for pedestrians, but there are no crosswalks at this
location.
Access Management
A car dealership is located on the corner of O’Brien Highway/Gore Street. The curb cut on the
west side of Gore Street is very wide. Vehicles tend to park along Gore Street blocking most of
the curb opening.
Potential Enhancements:
1. Consider parking restrictions on Gore Street to allow for truck turning movements from
O’Brien Highway. Consider adding curb extensions on this corner to direct vehicles to the
center of the travel lanes and to protect parked vehicles.
2. Consider access management for the car dealership by closing curb cuts and/or making the
existing curb cuts narrower.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
3. Consider making the crosswalks short with curb extensions and making pedestrian ramps
accessible.
4. Consider closing the short segment of Gore Street between O’Brien Highway and Second
Street to vehicle traffic and reallocate the space for pedestrians and cyclists. This would
increase safety and reduce cut-thought traffic on Second Street.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Location 6: O’Brien Highway at Lechmere Station Driveway
The RSA team made the following observations with regard to intersection geometry and pedestrian
accommodations at the intersection.
Observations:
Intersection Geometry
An RSA member noted that the busway at this
location has been converted to an entrance only.
Vehicles no longer come out at this location. However, the loops may still be triggered when buses enter the station. It was noted that the loops
on the busway should have been unplugged so they
no longer trigger the traffic signal, and the traffic signal at this location only turns red when the There is a break in the median, but u-turns
pedestrian phase is actuated. Unexpected stops
are not allowed and the buses do not exit
when pedestrians are not present could cause driver the busway at this location.
frustration and noncompliance to the signal. U-turns are not allowed; however, there is a break in the median where the buses used to exit.
The break in the median is no longer necessary and could encourage illegal U-turns even though
there is a prohibition sign.
Pedestrian Accommodations
An RSA team member noted that the pedestrians often travel diagonally from the southwest
corner of the intersection to the pedestrian refuge in the median on the east side of the
intersection.
Potential Enhancements:
1. Verify that the traffic signal and equipment are functioning properly and the buses no longer
trigger the loops at the signal.
2. Consider closing the median as vehicles are not allowed to make U-turns and buses no longer
exit at this location.
3. Consider relocating the crosswalks to better serve pedestrian desire lines. This may require
relocating or adding pedestrian indications, pushbuttons, and pedestrian ramps.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Location 7: Cambridge Street at Second Street
The RSA team made the following observations with regard to intersection control, pedestrian
accommodations, and bicycle accommodations at the intersection.
Observations:
Intersection Control
Two of the nine reported crashes involved vehicles running the red lights. At this location, the Cambridge Street indications are mounted overhead on mast arms with supplemental vehicle indications on the mast arm posts. The vehicle indications for the Second Street approaches are post-mounted only.
None of the indications have backplates. An RSA team member noted that there could be solar glare at the intersection during certain times of the day, which could make it difficult to see the indications. Overhead vehicle indications for the
Cambridge Street approaches do not have
backplates.
Pedestrian Accommodations
Of the nine reported crashes at this location, three of them involved a pedestrian. It was noted by
an RSA team member that pedestrians were observed to be walking against the pedestrian
signals or distracted at this location. It was also noted that vehicles in the eastbound direction
often queue from First Street and block the intersections and crosswalks.
Bicycle Accommodations
Of the nine reported crashes at this location, two of them involved a cyclist. These crashes
involved turning movements by either a vehicle or cyclist. It was noted that there could be
visibility issues due to vehicles often queuing through the intersection. While cyclists have bike
lanes on Cambridge Street, they can often be blocked by vehicles when there is congestion.
Cyclists were also observed traveling at high speeds and running the red indication at the traffic
signal.
Potential Enhancements:
1. Consider adding backplates to the overhead indications to increase visibility.
2. Consider providing overhead vehicle indications on Second Street.
3. Consider painting ‘Do Not Block the Box’ markings within the intersections with associated
signage to discourage vehicles from queuing through the intersection.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
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4. Consider adding a bike box to the Cambridge Street westbound approach to facilitate left
turning bicycle movements onto Second Street.
5. Consider a pedestrian education/enforcement campaign.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Location 8: Cambridge Street at First Street
The RSA team made the following observations with regard to intersection control, pedestrian
accommodations, and at the intersections.
Observations:
Intersection Control
An RSA team member noted that the signal
phasing at the intersection is inefficient. The
eastbound and westbound through movements
do not run at the same time. The advance
westbound phase is to allow vehicles a
protected phase when turning left onto First
Street. However, when eastbound through
vehicles have a green, the westbound through
has a red even though there are no other
Cambridge Street WB through movement
has a red indication when the EB has a
conflicting moves. This adds to congestion
green.
which can result in motorist inattention and
frustration. A representative from the City of Cambridge noted that the inefficient phasing is due
to the limitation of the existing traffic signal controller. It was noted that the bus station driveway
and the First Street approaches run concurrently. The First Street northbound right turn phasing
sequence goes from permitted, when it runs with the bus phase, to protected. The transitions are
from a green ball to a red ball and then onto a green arrow. This could be a cause for rear end
crashes.
Pedestrian Accommodations
Of the 16 reported crashes at this location, five of them involved a pedestrian. This location has
very heavy pedestrian volumes since it is adjacent to Lechmere Station – with approximately 500
-1,000 pedestrians crossing Cambridge Street during the morning and evening peak hours. It was
noted by an RSA team member that pedestrians often walk against the pedestrian signals at this
location. Due to the heavy volume and large platoons of pedestrians, once one person steps off
the curb and enters the crosswalk, the crowd of other pedestrians typically follow suit. It was
observed that the majority of pedestrians use the eastern crosswalk across Cambridge Street. This
often makes it difficult for vehicles on First Street to make the right turn movement during the
permitted phase.
An RSA team member noted that pedestrians on the northern side of Cambridge Street often get
trapped when traveling toward East Street. The sidewalk on the northern side ends beneath the
bridge with no crosswalks to bring them across the street.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Bicycle Accommodations
An RSA team member noted that the Cambridge eastbound approach has a moderate vertical
downgrade towards the intersection. Cyclists were observed traveling at high speeds and
running the red indication at the traffic signal. This can be unsafe when eastbound vehicles are
queued and the westbound left turns have a green indication.
Potential Enhancements:
1. Consider changing the signal phasing at the intersection to improve overall efficiency and
reduce motorist confusion. This may require adding an additional vehicle indication to the
westbound approach and reprogramming and/or upgrading the traffic signal controller.
2. Consider making the signal cycle length shorter to reduce pedestrian delay and increase
signal compliance.
3. Consider split phasing for the bus driveway and First Street approaches to reduce traffic
signal confusion.
4. Consider adding additional wayfinding signage for pedestrians at the tunnel to access
O’Brien Highway.
5. Consider adding warning signs and/or street furniture on the northern side of Cambridge
Street to the east of the intersection to prevent pedestrians from getting trapped under the
bridge toward East Street.
6. Consider adding a high friction surface treatment to the bike lane on the eastbound approach
to allow the bikes to slow and stop more quickly at the intersection.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Location 9: O’Brien Highway at Cambridge Street/East Street
The RSA team made the following observations with regard to intersection control, signage and
pavement markings, and pedestrian accommodations at the intersection.
Observations:
Intersection Geometry & Control
It was observed in the field that the East Street and Cambridge Street approach phases operate
concurrently. The Cambridge Street approach initially has a green arrow before it approaches the
viaduct. However, once vehicles have proceeded under the viaduct, this approach has a green
ball indication for the concurrent movement. This is confusing as the initial green arrow indicates
a protected movement. Additionally, the pedestrian phase for the western crosswalk across
O’Brien Highway is also concurrent during this phase. With the long distance that vehicles from
Cambridge Street need to travel to make the left turn onto O’Brien Highway, vehicle speeds can
be high. This makes the concurrent pedestrian crossing unsafe.
With the skew intersection geometry and viaduct supports, visibility through the intersection is
difficult. The obstacles and small islands within the intersection, direction of travel can be
confusing. The viaduct also causes lighting issues. 67% of the crashes occurred under darklighted roadway conditions.
Signage & Pavement Markings
No lane line extension markings
through the middle of the intersection
where approach and receiving lanes
are not aligned.
An RSA team member noted that the signage and
pavement markings are unclear and confusing. At
some locations there is a lack of signage. With five
lanes on O’Brien Highway eastbound and four lanes
in the westbound direction, it is unclear to vehicles
which lane they are supposed to be in. There is also
a lane trap on Cambridge Street approaching the
intersection. At First Street there are two through
lanes in the eastbound direction. However, at the
approach to O’Brien highway, the left-most lane
becomes a left-turn only. This requires vehicles that
want to continue onto O’Brien Highway eastbound
to be forced to change lanes within a short distance.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Pedestrian Accommodations
Due to the MBTA viaduct over the intersection
and the support columns located near
crosswalks, pedestrians are very difficult to see.
Crosswalks are also faded with old and dim
pedestrian indications. As previously stated
under Location 8, pedestrians coming from the
north side of Cambridge Street get stuck at the
southwest corner of the intersection because the
sidewalk ends and there is a pinch point under
the bridge. Pedestrians have been observed
crossing between the islands under the viaduct
where sight distance for vehicles are poor.
Faded crosswalk marking and old
pedestrian indications.
It was also noted that the lighting under the viaduct is poor making it difficult to see pedestrians.
Thirteen of the 18 crashes occurred under dark roadway conditions.At the time of the audit, team
members noted that the vegetation on the south side of Cambridge Street is overgrown reducing
the usable width of the sidewalk.
Bicycle Accommodations
It was noted by an RSA team member that there is a lot of sand and debris on East Street that
gathers in the bicycle lane. This could cause cyclists to slide on the roadway.
Potential Enhancements:
1. Consider a new traffic signal phasing scheme to separate the East Street and Cambridge
Street movements.
2. Consider retiming the intersection to provide more walk time across East Street and a leading
pedestrian interval across O’Brien Highway on the west side of the intersection.
3. Inspect the lighting conditions under the viaduct and provide new bulbs if necessary to
improve motorist visibility.
4. Consider adding lane line extensions and gore markings on Cambridge Street to direct
vehicles traveling to O’Brien Highway eastbound to the right lane.
5. Consider restriping the crosswalks so that they are more visible to vehicle traffic.
6. Consider providing lane line extension markings through the intersection for the O’Brien
Highway eastbound movements.
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Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
7. Consider upgrading the traffic signal equipment at this location.
8. Trim overgrown vegetation along the south side of Cambridge Street.
9. Provide street sweeping on East Street or additional maintenance to remove sand and debris.
10. As a part of the long-term reconstruction efforts, consider realigning the Cambridge Street
approach to enter the intersection at more of a right-angle and/or consider restricting the left
turns from Cambridge Street to O’Brien Highway.
Page 39
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Location 10: O’Brien Highway at Leighton Street
The RSA team made the following observations with regard to signage and pavement markings at the
intersection.
Observations:
Signage & Pavement Markings
The eastbound and westbound directions of travel on O’Brien Highway are separated by a raised median. Vehicles on Leighton Street northbound are forced to turn right at this location. An RSA team member noted that the stop sign was missing from the Leighton Street approach to the intersection. A raised crosswalk is located across Leighton Street that has brick paving material on the flat section and is outline with granite edge stone. However, there are no reflective edge lines on either side of the crosswalk. Raised crosswalk across Leighton
Street is missing reflective edge
lines.
It was also noted that there is an edge line on O’Brien Highway in the westbound direction across
Leighton Street, which should not be painted across streets.
Pedestrian Accommodations
As mentioned, there is a raised crosswalk across Leighton Street, which is set back from the
intersection. The crosswalks runs under the viaduct making it difficult to see pedestrian on sunny
days, because of the deep shadows.
Potential Enhancements:
1. Consider removing the edge line across Leighton Street to comply with the Manual on
Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
2. A stop sign should be added back to the Leighton Street approach.
3. To be consistent with other location along the corridor, consider adding ‘ONE WAY’ and
‘NO LEFT TURN’ signs to the median.
4. Consider adding a ‘KEEP RIGHT’ sign on the median on Leighton Street.
5. Consider adding white reflective edge lines on either side of the crosswalk across Leighton
Street to increase visibility of the pedestrian crossing.
6. Consider providing lighting under the viaduct even during the daytime to increase visibility
of pedestrians.
Page 40
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Location 11: O’Brien Highway at Land Boulevard/Gilmore
Bridge
The RSA team made the following observations with regard to intersection control, signage and
pavement markings, pedestrian accommodations, and bicycle accommodations at the intersection.
Observations:
Intersection Control
An RSA team member noted that this intersection is constantly congested causing high driver
frustration. The heavy delays result in aggressive driving and reduced respect and compliance to
the traffic signal and intersection regulations. Congestion at this location is often related to
queues from Leverett Circle and the opening of the Craigie Bridge. However, it was noted by a
team member that there have been issues with coordination with adjacent signals and
malfunctioning of the signal, which results in the lights going out.
An audit member noted that on the day prior to the RSA, Land Boulavrd had extensive queuing
while O’Brien Highway has very little. Due to the long queues it was noted that vehicles on Land
Boulevard have been observed using the northbound exclusive right turn lane as a through lane to
get through the intersection more quickly. Vehicles making this maneuver create unsafe merging
condition within the intersection since by creating a third through lane on Land Boulevard while
there is only 2 receiving lanes.
=
The channelized right turn from O’Brien Highway in the eastbound direction to Land Boulevard
in the southbound direction has a large radius, inducing higher speeds.
Signage & Pavement Markings
The O’Brien Highway eastbound approach has an
exclusive right turn lane that is channelized by a
raised island. It was observed that there are no
yield signs to control this movement onto Land
Boulevard. Yield markings are also missing from
this approach.
The pavement markings for the eastern
crossing, which has been removed, is
still visible.
As stated in general along the corridor, there is a
lack of wayfinding signage. While there are signs
for the eastbound direction on O’Brien Highway,
the signs are covered by overgrown trees. The
intersection is also missing street name signs at all
approaches.
The intersection was recently reconstructed, which removed the eastern crossing across O’Brien
Highway and added a northern crossing across the Gilmore Bridge approach. It was observed
Page 41
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
that although the pedestrian indications and pedestrian ramps have been removed, the crosswalk
markings are still visible for the eastern crosswalk. This can be confusing for pedestrians. The
new crosswalk across the northern leg of the intersection is also missing. This can be confusing
for vehicles that cannot see the pedestrian indications signifying a legal crossing.
Pedestrian Accommodations
Due to the long signal cycle length, pedestrian
often travel to the median and wait in the middle
of the intersection. The medians at this
intersection are very narrow and are not wide
enough to be considered pedestrian refuges.
Due to congestion and driver frustration, it was
observed that several vehicles do not stop at the
stop lines. Vehicle were seen blocking a portion
or at some points all of the crosswalk, resulting
Large truck blocking the entire crosswalk.
in additional pedestrian delay, pedestrian getting
stuck in the middle of the intersection, or pedestrians making unsafe maneuvers into the
intersection to get around the vehicles.
The eastern crosswalk across O’Brien Highway was recently removed. However, in urban areas,
crosswalks are generally provided across all legs of the intersection. Without any pedestrian
indications for this crossing, pedestrians either have an increase in delay by having to walk
around multiple legs of the intersection or they will be encouraged to jaywalk.
Bicycle Accommodations
Bicycle accommodations are not provided at this intersection. It was observed that bicycles ride
both in the roadway and along the sidewalk, making transitions at the pedestrian ramps. This
causes conflicts between the pedestrians and cyclists.
Page 42
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Potential Enhancements:
1. Remove the existing paint on the eastern crosswalk across O’Brien Highway, since the
pedestrian ramps and indications have been recently been removed.
2. Consider adding street name signs to the mast arm posts.
3. Consider adding yield marking and yield signs to the O’Brien Highway eastbound
channelized right turn.
4. Consider installing an ‘Add a lane’ warning sign to the O’Brien Highway eastbound
channelized right turn.
5. Consider adding flashing beacons and pedestrian warning signs to the channelized right turn
to make vehicles more aware of the pedestrian crossing.
6. As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, evaluate pedestrian crossing conditions and
walk/wait times at the intersection and the most appropriate pedestrian treatment at the
O’Brien Highway eastbound channelized right turn lane (e.g., reducing the radius,
eliminating the channelized right-turn lane, signalizing the pedestrian crossing, etc.).
7. Trim back the trees on the O’Brien Highway eastbound approach for better visibility of
signage and pedestrians.
8. Fix the left-most signal over the O’Brien Highway eastbound approach so that it is no longer
tipped downward.
9. Add crosswalk markings across the Gilmore Bridge approach.
10. Consider conducting a study of the operations at this intersection, exploring several sequence
and timing options and possibly adaptive signal control to improve congestion and better
coordinate with Museum Way.
11. Provide a pedestrians crossing across the eastern leg of the intersection across O’Brien
Highway.
Page 43
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Location 12: O’Brien Highway at Museum Way
The RSA team made the following observations with regard to intersection control and pedestrian
accommodations at the intersection.
Observations:
Intersection Control
It was noted that the queues on O’Brien Highway in the westbound direction regularly extend
through the intersection at Museum Way. This makes it difficult for eastbound left turning
vehicles, which have protected/permissive phasing, to proceed onto Museum Way. Seven of the
18 crashes at the intersection were angle crashes that involved eastbound left turning vehicle
conflicts with westbound through vehicles. Many of these crashes could have been caused by a
vehicle in the left-most lane in the westbound direction allowing eastbound vehicles to turn left
while adjacent westbound vehicles continue to proceed through the intersection, resulting in a
courtesy crash.
Pedestrian Accommodations
An RSA member noted that the crosswalks at this location connect pedestrians and cyclists to the North Point Bridge. The recreational areas north of the intersection attract a lot of pedestrians and cyclists and will attract even more with the future connections to the North End neighborhood of Boston. It was observed in the field that vehicles making a left out of Museum Way
rarely yield to pedestrians, regardless of the sign that requires them to yield. With the wide cross-section of the roadway, team members noted that pedestrians feel vulnerable when they are in the intersection. Drivers were observed to neglect the
signage stating the turning vehicles
must yield to pedestrians.
Signage & Pavement Markings
An RSA member noted that the street name signage at this location is confusing. Attached to a
street light post on the northeast corner of the intersection, there is a sign labeling O’Brien
Highway at Industrial Park Road. This can be confusing to all road users as the reference to
Industrial Park Road is not correct.
Page 44
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Potential Enhancements:
1. Consider painting ‘Do Not Block the Box’ markings within the intersections with associated
signage to discourage vehicles from queuing through the intersection.
2. Consider making the left-most lane on the O’Brien Highway eastbound approach an
exclusive left-turn lane with a protected-only movement. Analysis should be performed to
ensure that queues at Museum Way do not spill back through the intersection at Land
Boulevard.
3. Consider adding a leading pedestrian interval for the eastern crosswalk across O’Brien
Highway to give pedestrians a head start before the Museum Way traffic signal phase is
activated.
4. Consider replacing the green indication for Museum Way with a flashing yellow arrow to
better clarify that the turning vehicles do not have the right-of-way.
5. Verify that there is optimal coordination between Land Boulevard and Museum Way.
Consider providing hard wire interconnect, to replace the existing GPS connection, between
the two locations to reduce the risk of malfunction.
6. Consider transferring the jurisdiction of the intersection to MassDOT so that the timings can
be more easily coordinated/updated.
7. Remove the street name sign for Industrial Park Road and replace with the proper street name
sign.
Page 45
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Location 13: O’Brien Highway at Museum of Science Driveway
The RSA team made the following observations with regard to pavement marking and signage at the
intersection.
Observations:
Signage & Pavement Markings
An RSA team member noted that many drivers neglect the ‘Do Not Block the Box’ markings at the driveway. These markings were recently installed by MassDOT District 6 with permission from the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). However, due to the size of the box and
congestion, vehicles often do not notice the markings until they are already on top of them. It was also noted that these markings are not enforceable since they are at a driveway and not an actual intersection. ‘Do Not Block the Box’ markings are large
and often ignored.
Seven of the 18 crashes at this location involved left turning vehicles going into or out of the
Museum of Science driveway. Since the reported crashes in this study were collected prior to the
installation of the ‘Do Not Block the Box’ markings, it is unclear if the markings helped to reduce
crashes. A team member noted that these crashes are likely courtesy crashes. Vehicles on the
inside travel lanes allow vehicles exiting the driveway to proceed while through vehicles in the
outside travel lanes are traveling at higher speeds and cannot see turning vehicles entering the
travel lanes. An RSA team member noted that the Museum of Science sometimes hire a police
detail for certain events to facilitate entering and exiting at this location.
Potential Enhancements:
1. Consider monitoring the effectiveness of the ‘Do Not Block the Box’ markings.
2. Consider reducing the size of the ‘Box’ and add more diagonal lines to increase the visibility
and compliance to the markings.
3. Consider beginning a campaign to educate people on the ‘Do Not Block the Box’ symbol.
4. If it has been determined that the ‘Do Not Block the Box’ markings are not effective,
consider using signage to restrict left turns from the Museum of Science driveway to reduce
the occurrence of courtesy crashes.
5. As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider using a channelization island at the
Museum of Science driveway, or a median on O’Brien Highway, to prevent left turns from
the Museum of Science driveway.
Page 46
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Potential Safety Enhancements
Based on its observations and discussions, the RSA team identified the issues and possible enhancements
that could improve safety along the O’Brien Highway and Cambridge Street corridors.
Short-term enhancements include, but are not limited to:

Provide crosswalks where they are missing and restripe faded crosswalks along O’Brien Highway;

Add wayfinding signage along O’Brien Highway, including street name signs;

Trim back overgrown trees along the corridor;

Provide backplates with retroreflective strips on overhead signals;

Provide a stop signs at unsignalized locations where they are missing;

Provide ‘One-Way’ and turn prohibition signage on O’Brien Highway at Sciarappa Street, Water
Street, Gore Street, and Leighton Street;

Provide yield signs and yield markings for the channelized right turn at Land Boulevard;

Provide ‘Do Not Block the Box’ markings at Cambridge Street/Second Street and O’Brien
Highway/Museum Way; and,

Evaluate restricting left turns from Cambridge Street onto O’Brien Highway.
To enhance the safety of the corridor, the long-term enhancements are to:

Realign the Cambridge Street approach to O’Brien Highway to be closer to a 90 degree angle and
reduce obstructions within roadway to decrease motorist confusion;

Re-evaluate major pedestrian and bicycle desire lines, taking into consideration long-term
development and infrastructure changes to the area and improve crossing conditions where
necessary;

Consolidate or narrow driveways where possible;

Provide a curb extension at Gore Street to protect the parking lane;

Provide ADA compliant curb ramps and sidewalks;

Close the median break at O’Brien Highway/Lechmere Station Driveway; and,

Provide bicycle lanes or cycle tracks.
Page 47
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
It should be noted that any long-term design plans should consider the future plans for the entire O’Brien
Highway corridor beyond the study area for this RSA. Table 2 summarizes these safety issues, possible
enhancements, estimated safety payoff, time frame, cost, and responsibility. Safety payoff estimates are
based on engineering judgment and are categorized as low, medium, and high. The time frame is
categorized as short-term (<1 year), mid-term (1 to 3 years), or long-term (typically >3 years).
The costs are categorized as low (<$10,000), medium ($10,000 to $50,000), or high (>$50,000). It is the
responsibility of MassDOT and the City of Cambridge to ensure that the designer incorporates the
relevant safety enhancements identified as part of this RSA as appropriate. The RSA is intended to
identify potential safety improvements that can be evaluated and included as part of the design process for
the future reconstruction efforts. The short-term low-cost improvements should be considered by the
responsible agency for implementation prior to reconstruction.
Page 48
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Table 3. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements
Location
Corridor-Wide
Issues
Safety Enhancement
Consider the safety benefits of adding additional guide signage
and street name signs at major intersections along the corridor,
namely at Cambridge Street and Land Boulevard to reduce
motorist confusion.
Consider adding advanced wayfinding signage prior to the median
split on the O’Brien Highway approach to Cambridge Street in the
westbound direction.
Consider adding wayfinding signage on O’Brien Highway in the
eastbound direction to direct vehicles to Cambridge Street.
Re-evaluate all guide signage along the O’Brien Highway and
Cambridge Street corridors to reduce motorist confusion
In the short-term, consider trimming back trees to provide better
visibility of signage and pedestrians (i.e. on the O’Brien Highway
eastbound approach to Land Boulevard).
Restripe pavement markings through the corridor including
crosswalks, stop lines, lane line extensions through intersections,
lane lines, and shared lane markings.
As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider inspecting all
sidewalks and pedestrian ramps for ADA compliance and
reconstruct locations where they do not meet standards to ensure
adequate accommodations for pedestrians.
As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, the bus stop locations
should be coordinated with the MBTA and placement be
considered so as to not block travel lanes. Bus stops should also
meet MBTA guidelines for stop lengths and landing areas.
At the completion of the long-term reconstruction, a speed study
should be conducted to determine the speed regulations for
O’Brien Highway so that they are enforceable.
Consider design elements (e.g., change road name to “O’Brien
“Boulevard” vs “Highway”, street trees, bicycle accommodations,
etc.) that reduce the “highway feel” of the roadway and may
encourage slower speeds.
Safety
Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Party
Low
Short-term
Low
MassDOT/ City of
Cambridge
Medium
Short-term
Medium
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
Medium
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
Medium
MassDOT/City of
Cambridge
Medium
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge/
MassDOT/ DCR
Low
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
High
Long-term
High
Designer
Medium
Long-term
High
Designer/MBTA/
MassDOT
Medium
Long-term
Low
MassDOT
High
Long-term
High
Developer/MassDOT
/ City of Cambridge
Page 49
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Table 3. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements (continued)
Location
Corridor-Wide
Issues
Location 1:
O’Brien Highway
at Sciarappa
Street
Location 2:
O’Brien Highway
at Third Street
Safety Enhancement
Consider timing the progression of the signals for lower speeds:
30 mph for vehicle progression or timing for a bike wave of 1518 mph.
As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider installing
enhanced bicycle accommodations along the O’Brien corridor
such as bike lanes or cycle tracks as appropriate for improved
bicycle safety and mobility.
As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, re-evaluate major
pedestrian and bicycle desire lines across O’Brien Highway and
Cambridge Street and provide enhanced crossings at these
locations to encourage non-auto trips and enhance pedestrian
and bicycle safety in the area.
Add ‘No Left Turn’ and ‘One-Way’ signage in the median to
prohibit left turns from Sciarappa Street
Consider adding flexible yellow delineator posts to the median to
warn vehicles that O’Brien Highway is divided.
Provide pedestrian crosswalk markings across Sciarappa Street.
Consider narrowing the curb cut opening for the Dunkin’ Donuts
lot and eliminating the parking spaces that are close to the
intersection to reduce vehicle and pedestrian conflicts.
Consider reducing the radius of the southwest corner of the
intersection to reduce speeds of right-turning vehicles to improve
pedestrian conditions
As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider changing
the control for the driveways on the north side of the
intersection. Consider signalized and/or restricting driveways to
right-turn only to reduce vehicle conflict
Verify that the pedestrian indications and pushbuttons are
working properly. If they are not working, they should be
repaired or replaced.
Safety
Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Party
Medium
Long-term
High
City of Cambridge/
MassDOT/ DCR
High
Long-term
High
Designer
High
Long-term
High
Designer
High
Short-Term
Low
MassDOT
Medium
Short-Term
Low
MassDOT
Low
Long-term
Low
City of Cambridge
High
Short-term
Low
Designer/City of
Cambridge/ Abutters
High
Medium-term
Medium
Designer/MassDOT/
City of Cambridge
High
Long-term
High
Designer
High
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Page 50
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Table 3. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements (continued)
Location
Location 2:
O’Brien Highway
at Third Street
Location 3:
O’Brien Highway
at Water Street
Location 4 & 5:
O’Brien Highway
at Gore Street &
Gore Street at
Second Street
Location 6:
O’Brien Highway
at Lechmere
Station Driveway
Safety Enhancement
Consider making the left-most O’Brien Highway westbound lane an
exclusive left-turn lane that is protected-only. With a protected-only
phase, the northbound right turn can have an overlap phase, which may
reduce rights on red and increase compliance at the signal.
Consider setting all pedestrians phases on recall so that they come up
automatically and reduce confusion
Consider adding flexible yellow delineator posts to the median to warn
vehicles that O’Brien Highway is divided.
Add ‘No Left Turn’ and ‘One-Way’ signage in the median to prohibit left
turns from Water Street
Provide a stop line, stop sign, and crosswalk markings across for the
Water Street approach.
Consider parking restrictions on Gore Street to allow for truck turning
movements from O’Brien Highway. Consider adding curb extensions
on this corner to direct vehicles to the center of the travel lanes and to
protect parked.
Consider access management for the car dealership by closing curb
cuts and/or making the existing curb cuts narrower.
Consider making crosswalks shorter with curb extensions and make
pedestrian ramps accessible.
Consider closing the short segment of Gore Street between O’Brien
Highway and Second Street to vehicle traffic and reallocate the space
for pedestrians and cyclists. This would increase safety and reduce
cut-through traffic on Second Street.
Verify that the traffic signal equipment is functioning properly. If not,
make repairs and replace equipment as necessary.
Consider closing the median as vehicles are not allowed to make Uturns as buses no longer exit at this location.
Consider relocating the crosswalks to better serve pedestrian desire
lines. This may require relocating or adding pedestrian indications,
pushbuttons, and pedestrian ramps
Safety
Payoff
Time
Frame
Cost
Responsible Party
Medium
Long-term
High
Designer/MassDOT/
City of Cambridge
Low
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Medium
Short-Term
Low
MassDOT
High
Short-Term
Low
MassDOT
Low
Long-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Medium
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Medium
Mid-term
Low
High
Long-term
Medium
High
Long-term
High
MassDOT/City of
Cambridge
Low
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Medium
Long-term
Medium
MassDOT/MBTA
High
Mid-term
Medium
MassDOT
Abutters/ City of
Cambridge
MassDOT/City of
Cambridge
Page 51
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Table 3. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements (continued)
Location
Safety Enhancement
Add backplates to the overhead signals to increase visibility
Consider providing overhead signals on Second Street.
Consider painting ‘Do Not Block the Box’ markings within the
Location 7:
intersection with associated signage to discourage queuing
Cambridge Street through the intersection.
at Second Street Consider adding a bike box on Cambridge Street westbound
approach to facilitate left turning bicycle movements onto
Second Street
Consider a pedestrian/enforcement campaign.
Consider changing the phasing at the intersection to allow
eastbound and westbound phases to operate at the same time.
This may require additional vehicle indications and a new traffic
signal controller.
Consider making the signal cycle length shorter to reduce
pedestrian delay and increase signal compliance.
Consider split phasing for the bus driveway and First Street
Location 8:
approaches to reduce traffic signal confusion
Cambridge Street
Add additional wayfinding signage for pedestrians at the tunnel
at First Street
to access O’Brien Highway.
Add warning signs and/or street furniture on the northern side of
Cambridge Street to the east of the intersection to prevent
pedestrians from getting trapped.
Consider adding high friction surface treatment to the bike lane
on the eastbound approach to allow bikes to slow and stop more
quickly.
Consider a new traffic signal phasing scheme to separate the
Location 9:
East Street and Cambridge Street movements. .
O’Brien Highway
Consider retiming the intersection to provide more walk time
at Cambridge
Street/East Street across East Street and a leading pedestrian interval across
O’Brien Highway on the west side of the intersection
Safety
Payoff
Medium
Medium
Time Frame
Short-term
Mid-term
Cost
Low
Medium
Responsible Party
City of Cambridge
City of Cambridge
High
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Medium
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Medium
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Medium
Mid-term
Medium
City of Cambridge
High
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Medium
Mid-term
Medium
City of Cambridge
Low
Short-term
Low
MBTA
High
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Medium
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
High
Mid-term
Medium/
High
City of Cambridge
Low
Mid-term
Medium
City of Cambridge
Page 52
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Table 3. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements (continued)
Location
Safety Enhancement
Consider adding lane line extensions and gore markings on
Cambridge Street to direct vehicles traveling to O’Brien Highway
eastbound to the right lane.
Inspect the lighting condition under the viaduct and provide new
bulbs if necessary.
Restripe the crosswalks so that they are more visible to vehicles.
Stripe lane line extension markings through the intersection for
Location 9:
the O’Brien Highway eastbound movements.
O’Brien Highway
Consider upgrading the traffic signal equipment at this location
at Cambridge
Street/East Street Trim overgrown vegetation along the south side of Cambridge
Street.
Provide street sweeping on East Street or additional
maintenance to remove sand and debris.
As a part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider realigning
the Cambridge Street approach to enter the intersection at a
more of a 90 degree angle and/or consider restricting left turns
from Cambridge Street to O’Brien Highway.
Consider removing the edge line across Leighton Street.
Provide a stop sign for the Leighton Street approach.
Add ‘One-Way’ and ‘No Left Turn’ signage on the median.
Location 10:
O’Brien Highway Add a ‘Keep Right’ sign to the median on Leighton Street.
at Leighton Street Add white reflective edge lines on either side of the raised
crosswalk to increase visibility.
Consider providing lighting under the viaduct even during the
daytime to increase visibility of pedestrians.
Location 11:
Remove the existing paint on the eastern crosswalk across
O’Brien Highway O’Brien Highway
at Land
Boulevard/
Add street name signs to the mast arms.
Gilmore Bridge
Safety
Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Party
Medium
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
High
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
High
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
Medium
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
Medium
Long-term
High
Designer
Low
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Medium
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
High
Long-term
High
Designer
Low
Low
Low
Low
Short-term
Short-term
Short-term
Short-term
Low
Low
Low
Low
MassDOT
City of Cambridge
MassDOT
City of Cambridge
Low
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Medium
Short-term
Low
City of Cambridge
Medium
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
Low
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
Page 53
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Table 3. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements (continued)
Location
Location 11:
O’Brien Highway
at Land
Boulevard/
Gilmore Bridge
Location 12:
O’Brien Highway
at Museum Way
Safety Enhancement
Add yield marking and yield signs to the channelized island for
the O’Brien Highway eastbound right turns.
Consider installing an ‘Add a lane’ warning sign to the O’Brien
Highway eastbound channelized right turn
As a part of long-tern reconstruction efforts, consider reducing
the radius for the channelized right turn to slow vehicle
movements.
Trim back the trees on the O’Brien Highway eastbound
approach for better visibility of signage and pedestrians
Fix the left-most signal over the O’Brien Highway eastbound
approach so that it is no longer tipped downward.
As part of long-term reconstruction efforts, evaluate pedestrian
crossing conditions and walk/wait times at the intersection and
the most appropriate pedestrian treatment at the O’Brien
Highway eastbound channelized right turn lane (e.g., reducing
the radius, eliminating the channelized right-turn lane,
signalizing the pedestrian crossing, etc.).
Add a crosswalk across the Gilmore Bridge approach.
Consider conducting a study of the operations at this
intersection, exploring several sequence and timing options and
possibly adaptive signal control to improve congestion and
better coordinate with Museum Way.
Provide a pedestrians crossing across the eastern leg of the
intersection across O’Brien Highway.
Consider adding flashing beacons and pedestrian warning signs
to the channelized right turn to make vehicle more aware of the
pedestrian crossing
Consider painting ‘Do Not Block the Box’ markings within the
intersection with associated signage to discourage vehicles from
queuing through the intersection.
Safety
Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Party
High
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
Low
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
High
Long-term
Medium
Designer
Medium
Short-term
Medium
MassDOT
Low
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
High
Long-term
Medium
Designer
High
Short-term
Low
MassDOT
High
Mid-term
Low
Designers/
MassDOT/DCR
High
Medium-term
Medium
MassDOT
Medium
Long-term
Medium
Designer
High
Short-term
Low
DCR
Page 54
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Table 3. Summary of Potential Safety Enhancements (continued)
Location
Safety Enhancement
Consider making the left-most lane on O’Brien Highway
eastbound approach an exclusive left-turn lane. Analysis should
be performed to ensure that queues at Museum Way do not spill
back through the intersection at Land Boulevard.
Consider adding a leading pedestrian interval for the eastern
crosswalk across O’Brien Highway.
Consider replacing the green indication for Museum way with a
flashing yellow arrow to better clarify that the turning vehicles do
Location 12:
O’Brien Highway not have the right-of-way.
at Museum Way Consider transferring the jurisdiction of the intersection to
MassDOT that that the timings can be more easily
coordinated/updated
Remove the existing street name sign for Industrial Park Road
and replace with a proper street name sign.
Verify that there is optimal coordination between Land Boulevard
and Museum Way. Consider providing hardwire interconnect to
replace the existing GPS connection.
Consider monitoring the effectiveness of the ‘Do Not Block the
Box’ markings
Consider making the ‘Do Not Block the Box’ smaller and add
more diagonal lines to increase visibility and compliance to the
markings.
Consider beginning a campaign to educate people on the ‘Do
Location 13:
Not Block the Box’ symbol.
O’Brien Highway
If
it has been determined that the ‘Do Not Block the Box’
at Museum of
markings
are not effective, consider using signage to restrict left
Science Driveway
turns from the Museum of Science driveway to reduce the
occurrence of courtesy crashes.
As a part of long-term reconstruction efforts, consider using a
channelization island at the Museum of Science driveway, or
median on O’Brien Highway, to prevent left turns from the
Museum of Science driveway
Safety
Payoff
Time Frame
Cost
Responsible Party
High
Short-term
Low
CDR
High
Short-term
Low
DCR
Medium
Short-term
Low
DCR
Low
Mid-term
Low
MassDOT/DCR
Low
Short-term
Low
DCR
High
Short-term
Low
MassDOT/DCR
Low
Short-term
Low
Abutters
Low
Short-term
Low
DCR
Low
Mid-term
Low
City of
Cambridge/DCR
High
Mid-term
Low
DCR
High
Long-term
High
DCR
Page 55
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda Road Safety Audit
Cambridge, MA
Monsignor O’Brien Hwy Corridor
(Sciarappa Street to MOS Driveway, Cambridge St at First St,
Cambridge St at Second and Gore St at Second St)
Meeting Location:
24 East Street, Cambridge, MA
(Northpoint / Adium Building)
May 22nd, 2014
9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Type of meeting:
High Crash Location – Road Safety Audit
Attendees:
Invited Participants to Comprise a Multidisciplinary Team
Please bring:
Thoughts and Enthusiasm!!
10:00 AM
Welcome and Introductions
10:15 AM
Review of Site Specific Material
• Crash, Speed & Volume Summaries– provided in advance
• Existing Geometries and Conditions
11:00 AM
Visit the Site
• Walk to the O’Brien Hwy corridor
• As a group, identify areas for improvement
1:00 PM
Break for Lunch
2:00 PM
Post Visit Discussion / Completion of RSA
• Discuss observations and finalize safety issue areas
• Discuss potential improvements and finalize recommendations
4:00 PM
Adjourn for the Day – but the RSA has not ended
Instructions for Participants:
•
Before attending the RSA on May 22nd, 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
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Participating Audit Team Members
Date:
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Location: North Point Adium Building (24 East Street, Cambridge, MA)
Audit Team Members Agency/Affiliation
E-mail Address
Phone Number
Yuan Liu
MassDOT Highway Division
yuan.liu@state.ma.us
857-368-9637
Lisa Schletzbaum
MassDOT Highway Division Safety Section
lisa.schletzbaum@state.ma.us
857-368-9634
Amitai Lipton
MassDOT District 6
amitai.lipton@state.ma.us
857-368-6313
Raj Kulen
MassDOT District 6
Raj.kulen@state.ma.us
Ann Hershfang
WalkBoston
ahershfang@walkboston.org
617-267-9770
Mark Abbott
Central Transportation Planning staff (CTPS)
mabbott@ctps.org
617-973-7095
Tim McIntosh
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB)
TMcIntosh@VHB.com
617-924-1770
Valerie Lenhardt
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB)
vlenhardt@VHB.com
617-924-1770
Viola Augustin
Bike Committee
viola_augustin@hotmail.com
857-445-6679
Jeff Parenti
Cambridge Traffic & Parking
jparenti@cambridgema.gov
617-349-4715
Diane Stokes
Cambridge DPW – Engineering
dstokes@cambridgema.gov
617-349-9405
Debby Galef
Pedestrian Committee
drgalef@gmail.com
617-491-1024
Cara Seiderman
Community Development Department/City of Cambridge cseiderman@cambridgema.gov
617-349-4629
Bill Deignan
Cambridge Community Development
wdeignan@cambridgema.gov
617-349-4632
Wes Wanagel
Massachusetts State Police
weswanagel@pol.state.ma.us
617-727-6780
Susan Sloan-Rossiter Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB)
ssloanrossiter@VHB.com
617-728-7777
Megan Ramey
Bikeabout & Livable Streets
megan@livablestreets.info
617-661-5313
Alex Laffey
HYM
alaffey@hyminvestments.com
617-212-8679
Jeff Bennett
Charles River TMA
jeff@charlesrivertma.org
617-324-6118
Joe SanClemente
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
jsanclemente@hshassoc.com
617-348-3334
Alex Siu
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
asiu@hshassoc.com
617-348-3346
Road Safety Audit
Monsignor O’Brien Highway Corridor, Cambridge
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data