Route 9 Corridor Improvement Project
Public Information Meeting #1
September 29, 2015 – Hopkins Academy
Agenda
• Welcome & Introductions
• What’s Been Done?
• Where We Are Now?
• Public Outreach
• Next Steps
• Question & Answer
Project Team
MassDOT’s Highway
Division
Responsible for Administering
the Project Development Phase
Greenman-Pedersen, Inc.
Responsible for Design
Howard Stein Hudson
Public Involvement & Planning
What’s Been Done?
Connecticut River Crossing Transportation Study
• Completed in 2004
• Study area from Holyoke to
Sunderland
• Determine how to best
alleviate traffic congestion and
improve regional mobility
• Concluded Environmental &
Social Impacts Outweighed
Traffic Benefits
Recommendations from Study
• Provide consistent 4-lane cross-section along Route
9 in Hadley
• Address safety and operational deficiencies to the
existing transportation infrastructure
• Migrate the B43 bus service toward a hybrid bus
rapid transit (BRT) system
– Signal pre-emption
– Queue by-pass lanes
– Enhanced stops
– Traveler information systems
Pioneer Valley Transit Authority
Comprehensive Service Analysis
• Reiterated recommendation
for Bus Rapid Transit or
enhanced bus service for the
B43 line between
Northampton & Amherst
along Route9
Where Are We Now?
Study Area
Project Area Limits of Work
Existing Conditions
• Congestion
• Regional Mobility
• Intersection Safety
• Lack of Accessibility (ADA)
• Lack of Pedestrian & Bicycle Accommodations
• Hampered Transit Service
Existing Conditions
Project Goals
• Provide Congestion Relief
• Increase Safety for All Modes
• Provide Improvements While Maintaining Unique Character of Hadley
• Ensure Route 9 is Equipped for the Future
• Accessibility (ADA) - Design to Meet Modern Standards
• Conduct Long-term Transit Mobility Study
• Rehabilitate Pavement, Drainage & Signage ….widening & capacity
What is Being Done?
– Comprehensive Reconstruction of Route 9
• Middle Street to North/South Maple Street – 2.25 miles
• South Maple Street to Norwottuck Rail Trail crossing
– Transit Improvements
What Type(s) of Work are Involved to Fix it?
– Establish a consistent and community supported
roadway accommodating all users
– Transit Mobility Planning & Alternatives Study
• PVTA B43 – Hadley, Northampton, Amherst
What Improvements are Being Made?
–Anticipated roadway widening in Hadley
–Signals and ADA Compliant Infrastructure
–Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancements
–Pavement, Drainage, and Signage
–Integrated transit improvements
Next Steps
Next Steps
• Transit Mobility & Alternatives Study
• Development of Corridor Alternatives for Route 9
• Ongoing Coordination with Key Stakeholders
Project Schedule
Project Initiation
Transit Mobility &
Alternatives Study
Findings
Public Information Meeting
Community Engagement Throughout
Preferred Alternative/
Initiate Environmental
Review
Project Schedule
25% Design Submittal
100% Design Submittal
Design Public Hearing
Community Engagement Throughout
Construction Starts
Project Website
www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/HighlightedPro
jects/Route9CorridorImprovementProject.aspx
Google: “Route 9 Corridor Improvement Project”
Contact Information
Information Contact:
– Michael Trepanier, Project Manager, MassDOT
(857) 368-8828 michael.trepanier@state.ma.us
To be added to the project’s distribution list, please
contact
– Nick Gross, Howard Stein Hudson
(617) 482-7080 ngross@hshassoc.com