ROAD SAFETY AUDIT
South Avenue (Route 30) and Wellesley Street
Town of Weston
December 2011
Prepared for:
Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Prepared by:
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
38 Chauncy Street
Boston, MA 02111
Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Table of Contents
Background ................................................................................................................................. 2
Project Data ................................................................................................................................. 2
Project Location Description ..................................................................................................... 3
Road Safety Audit Observations ............................................................................................... 6
Safety Issue #1.
Safety Issue #2.
Safety Issue #3.
Safety Issue #4.
Safety Issue #5.
Safety Issue #6.
Recommendations
Signal Visibility .................................................................................................. 7
Signal Operations................................................................................................ 8
Signage ............................................................................................................... 9
Sight Distance ................................................................................................... 10
Intersection Geometry....................................................................................... 11
Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations......................................................... 12
.......................................................................................................................... 13
List of Tables
Table 1.
Table 2.
Participating Audit Team Members ....................................................................................... 2
Proposed Safety Enhancement Summary ............................................................................. 14
List of Figures
Figure 1.
Locus Map .............................................................................................................................. 5
List of Appendices
Appendix A.
Appendix B.
Appendix C.
Appendix D.
RSA Meeting Agenda
RSA Audit Team Contact List
Detailed Crash Data
Additional Information
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Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Background
The intersection of South Avenue (Route 30) and Wellesley Street is within the Top 5% of High Crash
Locations in the region. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has determined
that this intersection improvement project may be eligible to receive Highway Safety Improvement
Program (HSIP) funding if a Road Safety Audit (RSA) was conducted and the proposed design
incorporated safety improvements identified in the RSA.
The RSA is intended to identify potential safety improvements that can be evaluated and included as part
of the design process for the reconstruction. The short-term, low-cost potential improvements should be
considered by the responsible agency for implementation prior to reconstruction.
The 25% design has been completed as a State Transportation Improvement Project, and is in the final
stages of review by MassDOT. Any safety improvements that come as a result of this RSA may be
incorporated into the 75% design plans.
Project Data
The audit team conducted an RSA for the intersection of South Avenue (Route 30) and Wellesley Street
in Weston, Massachusetts, on Wednesday, December 7, 2011. The RSA agenda appears in Appendix A.
Table 1 lists the audit team members and their affiliations. Appendix B provides contact information for
all team members.
Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members
Audit Team Member
Agency/Affiliation
Donna VanderClock
Town of Weston, Town Manager
Stephen Fogg
Town of Weston, Town Engineer
Rich Sullivan
Town of Weston, DPW
Bob Hoffman
Town of Weston, DPW
John Lyons
Town of Weston, PD
Steve Shaw
Town of Weston, PD
David Soar
Town of Weston, Fire
Clint Schuckel
Weston Traffic/Sidewalk Committee
Peter Hill
Weston Traffic/Sidewalk Committee
Mark Abbott
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Bonnie Polin
MassDOT Highway Division Safety Management Unit
Candas Esin
MassDOT Highway Division Safety Management Unit
Rick Conard
MassDOT Highway Division
Erin Kinahan
MassDOT Highway Division District 6
Amitai Lipton
MassDOT Highway Division District 6
Mark Gravallese
MassDOT Highway Division District 6
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Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Audit Team Member
Agency/Affiliation
Keri Pyke
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
Thomas Stokes
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
Bridget Myers
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
Prior to the RSA, in order to begin assessing possible safety issues, the team reviewed collision diagrams
and a crash detail summary based on crash records supplied by the Weston Police Department. Of
36 crashes related to the intersection from 2009 through November 2011, rear-end and angle crashes
combined equally account for nearly 78% of the total crashes. Crashes typically occurred on dry
pavement (54%) and during daylight hours (66%). The age of drivers involved in these crashes ranges
between 16 and 84, with approximately 30% of all crashes involving drivers between the ages of 45-54.
The most common crash occurred between westbound vehicles on South Avenue and vehicles on the
eastbound approach of South Avenue that are making a left turn onto Wellesley Street. Within this three
year period there was also one bicycle crash involving a vehicle on the eastbound approach of Wellesley
Street making a right turn onto South Avenue. Appendix C provides the detailed intersection crash data
from 2009 through 2011. Other intersection data such as traffic volumes are presented in Appendix D.
Project Location Description
The intersection of South Avenue (Route 30) and Wellesley Street is located in the Town of Weston, as
shown in the aerial image in Figure 1. South Avenue (Route 30) in Weston extends in an east-west
direction north of and parallel to Interstate 90 (I-90) between Interstate 95 (I-95) and the City of Newton
to the east and the Town of Framingham to the west. Wellesley Street extends in a north-south direction
through Weston beginning in the south at the Wellesley town line and terminating in the north at Route
20 (Boston Post Road at Boston Post Road Bypass) in Weston. Both South Avenue and Wellesley Street,
in the vicinity of the intersection, are bordered primarily with residential single-family homes, farmland,
and open space. Weston High School is located along the eastern side of the Wellesley Street southern
leg approach to South Avenue with sports fields abutting the southeast corner of the intersection.
The intersection is signalized with four approaches. The South Avenue eastbound and westbound
approaches each have one wide lane for all movements. The Wellesley Street northbound and
southbound approaches also each have one wide lane for all movements. Each approach on all four
directions flares slightly, allow through and right-turning vehicles to pass left-turning vehicles on the
right. The intersection operates under pre-timed two-phase signal control. Although there are crosswalks
across the east and north legs of the intersection, there are no pedestrian indications nor pedestrian signal
phase.
The intersection is the junction of the following roadways, which are categorized according to MassDOT
Executive Office of Transportation Office of Transportation Planning functional classifications:
South Avenue (Route 30) is an urban minor arterial roadway and maintained by the Town. South
Avenue (Route 30) extends in an east-west direction north of and parallel to I-90 between I-95 and the
City of Newton to the east and the Town of Framingham to the west. The roadway is two-directional and
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Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
provides one travel lane in each direction. The posted speed limit is 35 mph along both the eastbound and
westbound approaches to the intersection and 40 mph departing the project limits. The roadway ranges
from 26 feet to 43 feet including a shoulder of varying width on both sides of the roadway.
An asphalt sidewalk, separated from the roadway by a narrow landscaping strip, is located on the north
side of South Avenue west of Wellesley Street and continues on the south side of the street east of
Wellesley Street. As a result, pedestrians along South Avenue must cross the street at the Wellesley
Street intersection in order to continue travel along South Avenue. Both sidewalks are in poor condition
and do not appear to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The intersection, however,
lacks any pedestrian signals and the crosswalk crossing Wellesley Street leads to sidewalks with no ADA
accessible ramps. Double yellow centerlines separate directional travel and white edge lines are provided
along both sides of the roadway.
Wellesley Street is an urban minor arterial and maintained by the Town. Wellesley Street extends in a
north-south direction beginning in the south at the Wellesley town line and terminating in the north at
Route 20 (Boston Post Road at Boston Post Road Bypass) in Weston. The roadway is two-directional
and provides one travel lane in each direction. On Wellesley Street, south of the intersection, the speed
limit varies from 30-40 mph with a 20 mph limit adjacent to the middle and high schools. The speed limit
is not posted along Wellesley Street north of South Avenue. The roadway width ranges from 29 feet to
38 feet including a shoulder of varying width on both sides of the roadway.
An asphalt sidewalk, separated from the roadway by a narrow landscaping strip, is located on the east side
of the Wellesley Street south leg and continues on the west side north of South Avenue. As a result,
pedestrians moving along Wellesley Street must cross the street at the South Avenue intersection in order
to continue travel along Wellesley Street. The crosswalk pavement markings going across South Ave are
faded and fragmented, and there are no pedestrian signals or ADA accessible ramps. White edge lines are
provided in both directions, but most of Wellesley Street uses non-standard (and non-approved) single
yellow center line, rather than a double yellow center line.
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Road Safety Audit -- South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St - Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Wellesley Street
Figure 1. Locus Map
South Avenue (Route 30)
South
Avenu
e (Rou
Wellesle
y Street
te 30)
Weston High
School
Scale: 1" = 100'
Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Road Safety Audit Observations
Safety issues and possible enhancements were determined based on RSA team discussions and field
observations on Wednesday, December 7, 2011. The safety issues identified include:
Location and visibility of signals;
Signal operations;
Signage and Utility Pole Location;
Sight distance obstructions;
Intersection geometry; and
Lack of pedestrian and bicycle accommodations
Several of these issues require further study and engineering judgment in order to determine the
feasibility of implementing enhancements to address them.
The following sections describe in more detail the safety issues and enhancements determined during the
RSA.
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Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Safety Issue #1. Signal Visibility
Observation:
During the RSA discussions and field observations, there was a common theme connecting the
traffic signals to many of the possible safety issues. In this case it is not just the function of the
signals that is the problem, but also their placement and proximity to the edge of the roadway.
There is one signal post at each corner of the intersection providing a near-side and a far-side
signal for each approach.
The RSA team noted the signal
heads appear difficult to view when
approaching the intersection, and in
some cases views of the signal heads
were obstructed by other larger
vehicles or other stationary objects
such as trees. The 14 rear-end
crashes out of 36 total crashes from
2009 through 2011, may indicate
that visibility of the signal heads is
an issue.
A different, but related issue
pertaining to the location of the signals is their proximity to the edge of the roadway. According
to the Weston Department of Public Works (DPW) staff and Weston Police Department logs,
large trucks make use of these roads and when making right-turns they can get too close and hit
any signs and even the signal heads that are too close to the edge of pavement. If the signals are
hit or bumped the signal heads can get twisted out of proper alignment, making them more
difficult to be seen by oncoming traffic. The RSA team received police reports dealing with
maintenance issues at the signals, which confirm a number of these incidents. However, the
DPW also noted that in most cases when the signals are hit, there is no notification given by the
truck drivers and therefore the problem cannot be addressed in a timely manner.
Enhancements:
1. Install signal heads on taller signal posts or mast arms to provide drivers with advanced
visibility of all signals.
2. Locate new signal equipment to avoid any possible conflicts with the turning movements
of large trucks.
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Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Safety Issue #2. Signal Operations
Observation:
Both South Avenue (Route 30) and Wellesley Street are high volume roadways with
approximately 16,000 vehicles per day (vpd) on South Avenue and 10,000 vpd on Wellesley
Street. However, according to the Town most of the problems associated with this intersection
occur within the weekday morning and afternoon peak periods. The crash data reveals that 83%
of all crashes occurred on weekdays, and 31% occurred during the 2-6pm time frame. Evening
commuters as well as high school dismissal could contribute to the higher percentage of crashes
within this time frame.
The Weston Police Department (WPD) also noted that they used to manage the intersection in
order to alleviate the queues on South Avenue; however, when that happened, the Wellesley
Street queues would prevent school buses from being able to enter the high school. For that
reason, the WPD had to stop using this method of alleviating the queues on South Avenue. The
long queues combined with driver frustration could be a factor in the causes leading to the rearend crashes.
The Town mentioned a number of issues related to the age of the signal equipment:
•
The loop detectors do not work.
•
Any time there is a power outage the signals have to be manually reset.
•
They have been told that the equipment is too outdated to perform any updates to the
signal timings.
Enhancements:
1. Replace all existing signal equipment with up-to-date equipment to allow for proper
operation.
2. Re-design signal phasing to improve queuing on all approaches.
3. Check clearance time lengths (yellow and all-red) to ensure they are adequate.
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Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Safety Issue #3. Signage
Observation:
Signal heads are not the only objects being hit and/or bumped by large tractor trailers. The
Weston DPW stated that these large trucks are also hitting traffic signs. During the field visit, the
RSA team saw an example of this as one of
the larger green wayfinding signs had a
corner bent over after being struck.
In addition to signs being hit and bent,
there are also issues with sign location and
sign clutter. It was mentioned during the
RSA discussions that there are “No Turn
on Red” signs on all four approaches.
However, driving through the intersection
it was observed that some of these signs are
not easily visible based on their location or
other objects blocking them.
All signage in this intersection needs to be updated to conform to the Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices (MUTCD), but there is also an issue of non-traffic-related sign clutter. Many
RSA team members noted 5 or 6 sandwich board signs that were placed just off the edge of the
roadway on the northwest corner. Given their quantity and proximity to the intersection, these
boards can cause sight line obstructions and also provide drivers with an unnecessary distraction.
The WPD stated that a permit through the Town is required to place these sandwich boards and
that there is a limit of 3 boards that can be placed at any one intersection. However, it does not
appear that this 3-board limit is being obeyed.
Enhancements:
1. Upgrade all existing signage
with new reflectorized signs to
meet standards of consistency
with the MUTCD. Ensure that
sign locations also meet
MUTCD and/or MassDOT
standards.
2. Locate new signage as not to
interfere with the turning paths
of large tractor trailers.
3. Remove or relocate sandwich
board signs. Restrict to sandwich board signs with permits.
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Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Safety Issue #4. Sight Distance
Observation:
Another instance of objects being placed too close to the roadway includes the utility poles.
These utility poles are not only at risk of being struck by large tractor trailers, but they also can
create a sight line obstruction for turning vehicles. Any geometrical design change to this
intersection is going to necessitate the
relocation of one or more utility poles.
During this discussion, MassDOT
reminded the team of the more recent
processes involved with utility pole
relocation. There is a new utility
review and reimbursement policy, and
the design consultants should begin
working with MassDOT on this as
soon as possible.
In addition to the utility poles and
excessive sandwich board signs
discussed in the previous section, the
southeast and southwest corners of the
intersection have an abundance of overgrown bushes and small trees that can cause visual
interference for vehicles making right turns from Wellesley Street onto South Avenue eastbound
and from South Avenue onto Wellesley Street southbound.
Enhancements:
1. Relocate existing utility poles away from roadway edges.
2. Trim and remove excess branches, bushes, and overgrown brush.
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Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Safety Issue #5. Intersection Geometry
Observation:
According to the crash data, 14 (approximately 39%) of the 36 accidents at the intersection
involved left-turning vehicles along South Avenue (Route 30). There are neither separate leftturn pockets nor protected left-turn phases provided on the South Avenue eastbound and
westbound approaches. On the South Avenue westbound approach, the roadway flares out near
the intersection giving through traffic room to by-pass vehicles trying to make a left turn onto
Wellesley Street. However, those
vehicles waiting to turn left make it
difficult for the through traffic to see
those vehicles on the South Avenue
eastbound approach trying to make a left
turn onto Wellesley Street. This situation
is a possible cause for 7 of the 14 angle
crashes involving the South Avenue
eastbound left turns and westbound
through traffic. Alternatively, on the
eastbound approach of South Avenue,
there is not enough room for cars to bypass left-turning vehicles. This causes
long queues and driver frustration trying
to circumvent turning vehicles.
The left-turn volumes are not high enough to warrant a protected left-turn signal phase; however,
adding an exclusive left-turn lane would help alleviate queues and provide better visibility.
It was also noted during the RSA team discussion that there is a misalignment of Wellesley Street
between the northbound and southbound approaches.
As mentioned in the previous two sections, the issue of large tractor trailer trucks hitting and/or
bumping signs, signals, and utility poles is not just a matter of those objects being too close to the
edge of the roadway. This is evidence that the existing radii for the corners of this intersection
are too small for the large vehicles that regularly utilize these roads.
Enhancements:
1. Install exclusive left-turn lanes on the South Avenue eastbound and westbound
approaches to ensure that through vehicles passing left-turning vehicles can move in a
safe, predictable, and visible fashion. If warranted, protected left-turn phasing could be
added to the signal phasing.
2. Adjust the horizontal alignment on Wellesley Street so that the approaches align.
3. Provide adequate turning radii to accommodate large tractor trailers.
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Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Safety Issue #6. Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations
Observation:
Weston High School directly abuts this intersection in the southeast corner. During the RSA
discussion, members from the Town stated that students would like to be able to walk and bike to
school; however, in most cases parents will not allow it due to safety concerns related to this
intersection. It was also mentioned that currently bicyclists use Wellesley Street for commuting
travel; however, most bicyclists avoid South Avenue given its lack of bicycle facilities and
because the road narrows to the west.
Currently there is a sidewalk running along the north side of South Avenue west of Wellesley
Street which connects to the sidewalk along the west side of Wellesley Street north of the
intersection. South of the
intersection the sidewalk runs along
the east side of Wellesley Street and
along the south side of South Avenue
to the east. There is a long worn
crosswalk crossing Wellesley Street
on the north side of South Avenue
then crossing South Avenue on the
east side of Wellesley Street to
connect these sidewalks. However,
there are no ADA accessible ramps,
and the sidewalks do not appear to
comply with ADA regulations. In
addition, there are no push buttons or
pedestrian signal heads on any of the
approaches.
Given the proximity to the high school and the fact that these roads are heavily used routes for
commuting, improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities are desired and would be used by residents
in the area.
Enhancements:
1. Widen shoulders to accommodate bicycles
2. Add appropriate “Share the Road” signage and consider striping of Sharrows.
3. Reconstruct sidewalks to ADA standards and provide ADA accessible ramps.
4. Include bicycle loop detectors in the signal design.
5. Provide countdown pedestrian signal heads with push buttons.
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Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Recommendations
Based on its observations and discussions, the RSA team identified the issues and possible enhancements
that could improve the safety at the intersections of South Avenue (Route 30) and Wellesley Street in
Weston.
Short-term recommendations include:
•
Clearing and trimming of overgrown bushes, trees, and brush;
•
Reviewing and modifying the signal clearance times;
•
Installing MUTCD-compliant signage, both in messaging and location; and
•
Removing or relocating sandwich board signs.
To enhance the safety of the intersection of South Avenue (Route 30) and Wellesley Street, the long-term
recommendation is to reconstruct the intersection, improving geometry, add exclusive left-turn lanes,
provide new pavement markings, signs, and traffic signals, and add new pedestrian and bicycle facilities.
Further study and design work needs to be conducted to determine the feasibility of making
improvements to the intersection.
Table 2 summarizes these safety issues, possible enhancements, estimated safety payoff, time frame, cost,
and responsibility. Safety payoff estimates are based on the approximate percent of crashes reduced by
enhancement and are categorized as low (<30%), medium (30% to 70%), and high (>70%). The time
frame is categorized as short-term (<1 year), mid-term (1 to 3 years), or long-term (>3 years). The costs
are categorized as low (<$10,000), medium ($10,001 to $50,000), or high (>$50,000). It is the
responsibility of the Town of Weston (local jurisdiction) to ensure that the designer incorporates the
relevant safety enhancements identified as part of this RSA.
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Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Table 2. Proposed Safety Enhancement Summary
Safety Issue
Safety
Payoff
Time
Frame
Cost
Responsibility
Current
25% Design
Install signal heads on taller posts or mast arms to provide drivers
with advanced visibility of all signals.
High
Longterm
High
Town of
Weston
Included
Locate new signal equipment to avoid any possible conflicts with
the turning movements of large trucks.
Med
Longterm
Low
Town of
Weston
Needs to be
evaluated
Replace all existing signal equipment with up-to-date equipment to
allow for proper operation.
High
Longterm
High
Town of
Weston
Included
Re-design signal phasing to improve queuing on all approaches.
Med
Longterm
High
Town of
Weston
Needs to be
evaluated
Check clearance times to ensure they are adequate.
Med
Shortterm
Low
Town of
Weston
Included
Upgrade all existing signage with new reflectorized signs that meet
standards of consistency with the MUTCD. Ensure that sign
locations also meet MUTCD and/or MassDOT standards.
Med
Shortterm
Low
Town of
Weston
Included
Locate new signage as not to interfere with the turning paths of
large tractor trailers.
Low
Longterm
Low
Town of
Weston
Included
Remove or relocate sandwich board signs.
Low
Shortterm
Low
Town of
Weston
Needs to be
evaluated
Relocate existing utility poles away from roadway edges.
Med
Longterm
High
Town of
Weston
Needs to be
evaluated
Trim and remove excess branches, bushes, and overgrown brush.
Low
Shortterm
Low
Town of
Weston
N/A
Install exclusive left-turn lanes on the South Avenue eastbound
and westbound approaches. Then in the future if left-turning
volumes increase, left turning phasing could be added to the signal
phasing.
High
Longterm
High
Town of
Weston
Included
Adjust the horizontal alignment on Wellesley Street so that the
approaches align.
High
Longterm
High
Town of
Weston
Included
Safety Enhancement
Signal Visibility
Signal Operations
Signage
Sight Distance
Intersection Geometry
Page 14
Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Provide adequate turning radii to accommodate large tractor
trailers.
Safety Issue
Pedestrian and
Bicycle
accommodations
Safety Enhancement
Low
Safety
Payoff
Longterm
Time
Frame
Longterm
Low
Town of
Weston
Needs to be
evaluated
Cost
Responsibility
Current
25% Design
Med
Town of
Weston
Included
Town of
Weston
Included
Widen shoulders to accommodate bicycles
Med
Add appropriate “Share the Road” signage and consider striping of
Sharrows.
Med
Mid-term
Low
Include bicycle loop detectors in signal design.
Med
Mid-term
Med
Reconstruct sidewalks to ADA standards and provide ADA
accessible ramps.
Med
Provide countdown pedestrian signal heads and pushbuttons.
Med
Longterm
Longterm
Med
High
Town of
Weston
Town of
Weston
Town of
Weston
Needs to be
evaluated
Included
Included
Page 15
Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Appendix A. RSA Meeting Agenda
Road Safety Audit
South Avenue (Route 30) at Wellesley Street
Weston, Massachusetts
Meeting Time:
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Meeting Location:
Weston DPW
190 Boston Post Road By-Pass (Route 20)
Weston, MA 02493
(Training Room on the first floor in the front left corner of the building)
Attendees:
Invited participants comprise a multi-disciplinary team
Please Bring
Your informational packets, your thoughts and enthusiasm!
Agenda
10:00 a.m.
Welcome and introductions
10:10 a.m.
Review of site specific materials
 Crash Data and Volume Summaries – provided in advance
 Existing Geometries and Conditions
 Discuss Crash Trends
10:30 a.m.
Visit the site:
 South Avenue (Route 30) at Wellesley Street
As a group, identify areas for improvement.
11:15 a.m.
Post Visit Discussion / Completion of RSA
 Discuss observation and finalize findings.
 Discuss potential improvements and finalize recommendations.
11:30 a.m.
Adjourn for the day – this is not the end of the RSA process.
Instructions for Participants
 Before attending on December 7th please visit the intersection and complete/consider
elements on the RSA prompt list with a focus on safety.
 All participants will be actively involved in the process throughout. Participants are
encouraged to come with thoughts and ideas, but are reminded that the synergy that
develops and respect for others’ ideas are key elements in the overall success of the RSA
process.
 After the RSA meeting, participants will be asked to comment and respond to the draft
report to ensure it is reflective of the RSA completed by the team.
Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Appendix B. RSA Audit Team Contact List
Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Participating Audit Team Members
Date:
December 7, 2011
Location: Weston DPW, 190 Boston Post Road Bypass (Route 20), Weston
Audit Team Members Agency/Affiliation
Email Address
Phone Number
Donna VanderClock
Town of Weston, Town Manager
vanderclock.d@westonmass.org
781-786-5020
Stephen Fogg
Town of Weston, Town Engineer
fogg.s@westonmass.org
781-786-5115
Rich Sullivan
Town of Weston, DPW
sullivan.r@westonmass.org
781-786-5125
Bob Hoffman
Town of Weston, DPW
hoffman.r@westonmass.org
781-786-5105
John Lyons
Town of Weston, PD
lyons.j@westonmass.org
781-786-6201
Steve Shaw
Town of Weston, PD
shaw.s@westonmass.org
781-786-6200
David Soar
Town of Weston, Fire
soar.d@westonmass.org
781-786-6101
Clint Schuckel
Weston Traffic/Sidewalk Committee
cschuckel@gmail.com
617-799-2401
Peter Hill
Weston Traffic/Sidewalk Committee
chirohill@aol.com
781-772-2500
Mark Abbott
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
mabbott@ctps.org
617-973-7095
Bonnie Polin
MassDOT Highway Division Safety Management Unit bonnie.polin@state.ma.us
617-973-7991
Candas Esin
MassDOT Highway Division Safety Management Unit candas.esin@state.ma.us
617-888-3857
Rick Conard
MassDOT Highway Division
richard.conard@state.ma.us
617-973-7338
Erin Kinahan
MassDOT Highway Division District 6
erin.kinahan@state.ma.us
781-431-5750
Amitai Lipton
MassDOT Highway Division District 6
amitai.lipton@state.ma.us
781-431-5713
Mark Gravallese
MassDOT Highway Division District 6
mark.gravallese@state.ma.us
781-431-5741
Keri Pyke
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
kpyke@hshassoc.com
617-348-3301
Thomas Stokes
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
tstokes@hshassoc.com
617-348-3303
Bridget Myers
Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates
bmyers@hshassoc.com
617-348-3325
Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Appendix C. Detailed Crash Data
Crash Data Summary Table
South Avenue (Route 30) at Wellesley Street, Weston, MA
#
Crash Date
Crash Day
Time of Day
m/d/y
Manner of Collision
Type
Light Condition
Type
Weather Condition
Type
Road Surface
Type
1
2
3
1/25/2009
2/9/2009
2/25/2009
Sunday
Monday
Wednesday
3:51 PM
7:31 AM
1:57 PM
Rear-end
Single vehicle crash
Angle
Not reported
Daylight
Daylight
Not Reported
Cloudy
Cloudy
Not reported
Ice
Wet
4
3/3/2009
Tuesday
3:18 PM
Rear-end
Daylight
Cloudy
Dry
5
6
7
8
3/6/2009
5/28/2009
5/29/2009
9/4/2009
Friday
Thursday
Friday
Friday
6:25 AM
12:59 PM
6:19 AM
2:31 PM
Sideswipe, opposite direction
Rear-end
Angle
Rear-end
Dawn
Daylight
Dawn
Daylight
Cloudy
Cloudy
Rain
Cloudy
Dry
Wet
Wet
Dry
9
10
9/12/2009
10/18/2009
Saturday
Sunday
2:44 PM
10:12 AM
Rear-end
Angle
Daylight
Daylight
Rain
Rain
Wet
Wet
11
12
13
14
10/20/2009
12/9/2009
1/20/2010
2/11/2010
Tuesday
Wednesday
Wednesday
Thursday
10:40 AM
6:40 PM
3:11 PM
8:18 PM
Head-on
Angle
Angle
Angle
Daylight
Dark - lighted roadway
Daylight
Daylight
Clear
Rain
Clear
Clear
Dry
Wet
Wet
Dry
15
16
3/17/2010
6/25/2010
Wednesday
Friday
8:32 PM
6:42 AM
Single vehicle crash
Angle
Not reported
Daylight
Not Reported
Clear
Not reported
Dry
17
18
19
20
21
6/30/2010
8/12/2010
8/23/2010
12/5/2010
12/9/2010
Wednesday
Thursday
Monday
Sunday
Thursday
4:04 PM
3:22 PM
10:27 PM
10:11 AM
10:51 PM
Rear-end
Rear-end
Angle
Rear-end
Angle
Daylight
Daylight
Dark - lighted roadway
Daylight
Dark - lighted roadway
Dry
Dry
Wet
Dry
Dry
22
12/20/2010
Monday
3:03 PM
Rear-end
Daylight
Clear
Clear
Rain
Cloudy
Clear
Snow/Blowing sand,
snow
23
1/14/2011
Friday
11:26 AM
Rear-end
Daylight
Cloudy
Wet
24
25
1/29/2011
3/3/2011
Saturday
Thursday
6:02 PM
11:44 AM
Rear-end
Head-on
Not reported
Daylight
Not Reported
Clear
Not reported
Dry
26
27
28
29
6/1/2011
6/3/2011
6/8/2011
6/16/2011
Wednesday
Friday
Wednesday
Thursday
11:15 PM
7:25 AM
4:39 PM
7:21 PM
Angle
Single vehicle crash
Angle
Single vehicle crash
Not reported
Daylight
Daylight
Daylight
Not Reported
Clear
Clear
Cloudy
Not reported
Dry
Dry
Dry
30
6/24/2011
Friday
8:25 AM
Single vehicle crash
Daylight
Cloudy
Wet
31
32
7/4/2011
7/9/2011
Monday
Saturday
7:27 PM
8:22 AM
Rear-end
Angle
Daylight
Not reported
Cloudy
Not Reported
Dry
Dry
33
7/12/2011
Tuesday
5:14 PM
Rear-end
Not reported
Not reported
Not reported
34
10/18/2011
Tuesday
6:49 PM
Angle
Dark - lighted roadway
Clear
Dry
35
11/14/2011
Monday
11:01 AM
Angle
Daylight
Cloudy
Dry
36
11/14/2011
Monday
5:28 PM
Rear-end
Dark - lighted roadway
Cloudy
Dry
Summary Based on Crash Reports obtained from the Weston Police Department
Snow
Driver Contributing Code
Type
D1:(Other improper action) D2:(No improper
driving)
D1:()
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(Unknown)
D1:(Followed too closely),(Distracted) D2:(No
improper driving) D3:(No improper driving)
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(Failed to yield right of
way)
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(Inattention)
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(Failed to yield right of
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(Inattention)
D1:(Driving too fast for conditions),(No improper
driving) D2:(No improper driving)
D1:() D2:()
D1:(Unknown),(Unknown) D2:(Failed to yield right
of way),(Failed to yield right of way)
D1:(Over-correcting/over-steering) D2:(No
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(Failed to yield right of
D1:(Failed to yield right of way) D2:(No improper
Youngest Known
AGES
Oldest Known
35-44
16-20
16-20
55-64
16-20
35-44
16-20
65-74
25-34
25-34
25-34
45-54
55-64
35-44
45-54
55-64
45-54
45-54
45-54
45-54
16-20
35-44
35-44
45-54
35-44
45-54
>84
45-54
55-64
45-54
55-64
55-64
25-34
25-34
45-54
45-54
21-24
45-54
65-74
65-74
>84
45-54
16-20
45-54
55-64
75-84
D1:(No improper driving) D2:()
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(Failed to yield right of
D1:(Disregarded traffic signs, signals, road
markings) D2:(No improper driving)
D1:(No improper driving)
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(Unknown)
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(Unknown)
D1:(Inattention),(Failure to keep in proper lane or
running off road)
D1:(Inattention),(Followed too closely) D2:(No
improper driving)
D1:(No improper driving)
45-54
25-34
45-54
>84
55-64
45-54
25-34
55-64
65-74
45-54
35-44
55-64
45-54
45-54
55-64
55-64
65-74
55-64
Not reported
D1:(No improper driving), (other improper action)
D2: (Failed to yield right of way)
D1:(No improper driving), D2: (Disregarded traffic
signs, signals, road markings)
D1:(No improper driving), D2: (Distracted, cellular
telephone)
Not reported
Not reported
25-34
55-64
25-34
65-74
16-20
65-74
D1:(Over-correcting/over-steering)
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(Failed to yield right of
D1:(No improper driving),(No improper driving)
D2:(Inattention),(Distracted)
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(Inattention)
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(Inattention),(Failed to
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(No improper driving)
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(No improper driving)
D1:(No improper driving) D2:(No improper driving)
D3:(Unknown)
D1:(No improper driving),(No improper driving)
D2:(Followed too closely),(Other improper action)
CRASH MONTH
25%
19%
20%
15%
11%
11%
10%
11%
8%
8%
8%
6%
6%
6%
A
S
6%
5%
0%
0%
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
O
N
D
CRASH DAY OF WEEK
25%
20%
19%
19%
17%
17%
15%
11%
8%
8%
Saturday
Sunday
10%
5%
0%
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
CRASH TIME OF DAY
35%
31%
30%
25%
20%
22%
19%
19%
15%
8%
10%
5%
0%
0%
6-10 am
10-2 pm
2-6 pm
6-10 pm
10-2 am
2-6 am
CRASH MANNER COLLISION
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
39%
39%
14%
6%
3%
0%
Rear-end
Angle
Single
vehicle
Head-on
Sideswipe: Sideswipe:
Same
Opposite
0%
0%
Not
Reported
Unknown
CRASH LIGHT CONDITION
66%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
14%
20%
14%
6%
10%
0%
0%
Daylight
Dark - lighted
roadway
Not Reported
Dusk
Dawn
CRASH WEATHER CONDITION
37%
40%
35%
31%
30%
25%
20%
14%
15%
14%
10%
3%
5%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Clear
Cloudy
Rain
Snow
Sleet, Hail, Fog, Smog, Severe
Blowing
Freezing
Smoke Crosswinds sand, Snow
Rain
Other
Not
Reported
CRASH ROAD SURFACE
60%
54%
50%
40%
30%
29%
20%
11%
10%
3%
0%
3%
0%
0%
Wet
Dry
Other
Not Reported
Snow
Slush
Ice
CRASH DRIVER AGE
35%
30%
30%
25%
20%
17%
14%
15%
10%
11%
9%
11%
5%
5%
2%
2%
0%
16-20
21-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
75-84
>84
Road Safety Audit — South Ave (Route 30)/Wellesley St – Weston
Prepared by Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates, Inc.
Appendix D. Additional Information