Route 58 Corridor Study Including the Communities of: Abington, Whitman, Hanson, Halifax, and Plympton PPrreeppaarreedd bbyy:: Route 58, Heading North, through East and West Monponsett Ponds Old Colony Planning Council 70 School Street, Brockton, MA 02301 Prepared Under MassDOT Contract # 0052455 September, 2010 Old Colony Planning Council Acknowledgements The preparation of this report has been financed in part through grants from the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, under Metropolitan Planning Program, Section 104(f) of Title 23, U.S. Code, under Contract 0052455. The views and opinions of the Old Colony Planning Council expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U. S. Department of Transportation. This Planning Level Traffic Study was prepared by the following members of the Old Colony Planning Council staff under the direction of Pat Ciaramella, Executive Director, and the supervision of Charles Kilmer, Transportation Program Manager. Report Preparation Ray Guarino, Transportation Planner [email protected] Data Collection and Analysis Jed Cornock, Transportation Planner [email protected] Bruce Hughes, Economic Development Community Planner [email protected] Rodrigo Marion, Transportation Planner [email protected] Eric Arbeene, Planner [email protected] William McNulty, Transportation Planner [email protected] Mapping and Graphics Susan McGrath, GIS Coordinator [email protected] Route 58 Corridor Study i September 2010 Old Colony Planning Council OLD COLONY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION Linda M. Balzotti Mayor, City of Brockton William Hallisey Chairman, Board of Selectmen, Plymouth Joseph Freitas Vice Chairman, Board of Selectmen, Plympton Daniel Salvucci Board of Selectmen, Whitman Jeff Mullan Secretary, MassDOT Luisa Paiewonsky Highway Administrator, MassDOT Reinald Ledoux, Jr. Administrator, BAT Robert Moran President, OCPC JOINT TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE JTC OFFICERS JTC Chairman Noreen O’Toole JTC Vice Chairman Sid Kashi JTC DELEGATES AND ALTERNATES ABINGTON - Delegate Kenan Connell ABINGTON - Alternate Bruce Hughes AVON Ed Sarni BRIDGEWATER - Delegate Robert Wood BROCKTON - Delegate Michael Thoreson BROCKTON - Alternate Elaine Czaja EAST BRIDGEWATER - Delegate John Haines EAST BRIDGEWATER - Alternate Richard O’Flaherty EASTON - Delegate Wayne P. Southworth EASTON - Alternate Maurice Goulet HALIFAX Troy Garron HANSON Noreen O’Toole KINGSTON Paul Basler PEMBROKE Eugene Fulmine PLYMOUTH Sid Kashi PLYMPTON Jim Mulcahy STOUGHTON Carin Klipp WEST BRIDGEWATER Leonard Graf III WHITMAN - Delegate Daniel Salvucci AGENCY REPRESENTATION OCPC TRANSPORTATION STAFF MassDOT David Mohler Charles Kilmer Transportation Program Manager MassDOT Clinton Bench Jed Cornock Transportation Planner MassDOT Trey Wadsworth Caleb Cornock Transportation Intern MassDOT District 5 Bernard McCourt Raymond Guarino Transportation Planner MassDOT District 5 Pamela Haznar Susan McGrath GIS Coordinator MassDOT District 5 Tim Kochan William McNulty Transportation Planner BAT Reinald Ledoux, Jr. Rodrigo Marion Transportation Planner BAT Kathy Riddell Kyle Mowatt Transportation Intern DEP Leah Weiss Andrew Vidal Communications/GIS/IT Specialist FHWA Paul Maloney FHWA Michael Chong FTA Mary Beth Mello FTA William Gordon FTA Noah Berger Brockton Traffic Captain Leon McCabe Commission Route 58 Corridor Study ii September 2010 Old Colony Planning Council Old Colony Planning Council OCPC OFFICERS President Robert Moran Secretary Lee Hartmann Treasurer Fred Gilmetti COMMUNITY DELEGATE ALTERNATE ABINGTON A. Stanley Littlefield Christopher Aiello AVON Frank Staffier Charles Marinelli BRIDGEWATER Anthony P. Anacki BROCKTON Robert G. Moran, Jr. Preston Huckabee EAST BRIDGEWATER Richard O’Flaherty EASTON Jeanmarie Kent-Joyce Steve Donahue HALIFAX John G. Mather Troy E. Garron HANSON Robert Overholtzer Phillip Lindquist KINGSTON Paul Basler PEMBROKE Gerard Dempsey Brian Van Riper PLYMOUTH Lee Hartmann PLYMPTON John Rantuccio James Mulcahy STOUGHTON Scott Turner Robert E. Kuver WEST BRIDGEWATER Eldon F. Moreira Nancy Bresciani WHITMAN Fred Gilmetti Daniel Salvucci DELEGATE-AT-LARGE Matthew Striggles OCPC STAFF Pasquale Ciaramella Executive Director Eric Arbeene Planner Lila Burgess Ombudsman Program Director Jed Cornock Transportation Planner Caleb Cornock Transportation Intern Hazel Gauley Assistant Ombudsman Director Raymond Guarino Transportation Planner Patrick Hamilton AAA Administrator Bruce G. Hughes Economic Development/Community Planner Charles Kilmer Transportation Program Manager Jane E. Linhares Grants Monitor/ Secretary Janet McGinty Fiscal Officer Susan McGrath GIS Coordinator William McNulty Transportation Planner Kyle Mowatt Transportation Intern Anne Nicholas Ombudsman Program Assistant Rodrigo Marion Transportation Planner Norman Sorgman Assistant Ombudsman Director Jacqueline Surette Fiscal Consultant Andrew Vidal Communications/GIS/IT Specialist James R. Watson Comprehensive Planning Supervisor Route 58 Corridor Study iii September 2010 Old Colony Planning Council Table of Contents 1.0  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................. 1  2.0  INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 6  2.1  Study Purpose and Scope ..................................................................................... 6  2.2  Methodology and Process .................................................................................... 6  3.0  EXISTING CONDITIONS .............................................................................. 8  3.1  Jurisdiction and Road Classification .................................................................... 8  3.2  Land Use .............................................................................................................. 8  3.3  Existing Traffic Volumes ................................................................................... 13  3.3.1  Average Daily Traffic (ADT) ..................................................................... 13  3.3.2  Peak Hour Intersection Turning Movement Counts (TMCs) ..................... 16  3.4  Existing Traffic Operations ................................................................................ 16  3.5  Crash Analysis .................................................................................................... 21  3.6  Speed Studies ..................................................................................................... 28  3.7  Heavy Vehicle Traffic ........................................................................................ 28  3.8  Pavement Conditions.......................................................................................... 31  3.9  Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations .......................................................... 34  3.9.1  Pedestrian and Bicycle Levels-of-Service .................................................. 37  3.10  Land Use and Zoning ..................................................................................... 42  3.10.1  Abington Zoning and Land Use .................................................................. 42  3.10.2  Whitman Zoning and Land Use .................................................................. 43  3.10.3  Hanson Zoning and Land Use ..................................................................... 43  3.10.4  Halifax Zoning and Land Use ..................................................................... 43  3.10.5  Plympton Zoning and Land Use ................................................................. 43  4.0  FUTURE ROUTE 58 CONDITIONS ............................................................ 44  4.1  Planned Improvements ....................................................................................... 44  4.2  Traffic Forecasts ................................................................................................. 47  4.3  Southfield Development (The Redevelopment of the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station) ......................................................................................................... 47  4.4  Future Traffic Operations ................................................................................... 48  5.0  RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................... 51  5.1  Overall Corridor Improvements ......................................................................... 51  5.1.1  Recommended Improvements – Access Management ............................... 52  5.1.2  Recommendations – Land Use ................................................................... 54  5.2  Recommended Improvements - Abington ......................................................... 54  5.3  Recommended Improvements - Hanson ............................................................ 55  5.4  Recommended Improvements – Halifax ............................................................ 59  5.5  Recommended Improvements – Plympton ........................................................ 59  6.0  PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDING ............................................ 61  7.0  APPENDICES (see enclosed CD) .................................................................. 64  7.1  Appendix A - Route 58 Meeting Minutes .......................................................... 64  7.2  Appendix B - Crash Rate Equations .................................................................. 64  7.3  Appendix C - Automatic Traffic Recorder Counts ............................................ 64  7.4  Appendix D - Intersection Turning Movement Counts ..................................... 64  7.5  Appendix E - Bicycle and Pedestrian Analyses ................................................. 64  Route 58 Corridor Study iv September 2010 Old Colony Planning Council 7.6  Appendix F - Safe Routes to School Information .............................................. 64  7.7  Appendix G - Route 58 Community Zoning Maps ............................................ 64  7.8  Appendix H - Project Need Form (PNF) ........................................................... 64  7.9  Appendix I – Project Initiation Form (PIF) ........................................................ 64  Figures Figure 1 Study Area .......................................................................................................... 10  Figure 2 Land Use ............................................................................................................. 11  Figure 3 Nodal Development ............................................................................................ 12  Figure 4 Average Daily Traffic and Peak Hour Traffic .................................................... 14  Figure 5 Average Daily Traffic and Peak Hour Traffic .................................................... 15  Figure 6 Peak Hour Levels-of Service .............................................................................. 18  Figure 7 Peak Hour Levels-of Service .............................................................................. 19  Figure 8 Crash Rates ......................................................................................................... 23  Figure 9 Crash Rates ......................................................................................................... 24  Figure 10 85th Percentile Speeds and Heavy Vehicle Percentages ................................... 29  Figure 11 85th Percentile Speeds and Heavy Vehicle Percentages ................................... 30  Figure 12 Route 58 Corridor Pavement Conditions ......................................................... 33  Figure 13 Pedestrian Level-of-Service ............................................................................. 39  Figure 14 Bicycle Level-of-Service .................................................................................. 41  Figure 15 Route 58 Recommendations ............................................................................. 60  Tables Table 1 Level-of-Service Criteria Average Delay in Seconds ........................................ 17 Table 2 Existing 2010 Intersection Levels-of-Service ..................................................... 20 Table 3 Table 3 Crashes and Intersection Crash Rates .................................................... 25 Table 4 Route 58 Section Crash Rates ............................................................................ 27 Table 5 Route 58 Improvements ...................................................................................... 44 Table 6 Route 58 Traffic Growth ................................................................................... 47 Table 7 Future 2015 Intersection Levels-of-Service ....................................................... 49 Table 8 LOS Monponsett Street Route 58 at Main Street Route 27 ................................ 58 Route 58 Corridor Study v September 2010 Old Colony Planning Council 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STUDY PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of the Route 58 Corridor Study, which was initiated as part of the Old Colony Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP FFY 2009 and 2010), is to identify specific and general transportation problems, including issues involving land use and transportation, and to derive feasible solutions to enhance circulation, safety, and traffic flow efficiency for Route 58 in the communities of Abington, Whitman, Hanson, Halifax, and Plympton. The geographic scope of this study includes 18.5 miles of the Route 58 corridor from the Abington/Weymouth Town Line south to the Plympton/Carver Town Line. In the OCPC region, the corridor is under town jurisdiction. It is classified as an urban minor arterial in Abington, Whitman, Hanson, and Halifax and a rural major collector in Plympton. This study focuses on key intersections, as well as on the road corridor itself, and includes data and analysis for non-motorized and motorized travel. Route 58 provides access between Route 18, in Weymouth (connecting to Route 93 and Boston) and Route 44, providing access to Plymouth to the east and Middleborough and Interstate 495 to the west. The Southfield Development (South Weymouth Naval Air Station re-use) in Weymouth, Rockland, and Abington and the previously proposed casino complex in Middleborough to the southwest of Plympton, both represent potential for traffic growth in the Route 58 corridor through direct or indirect impacts. The corridor is currently a two-lane rural-suburban facility with commercial and industrial nodes in Abington, Halifax, and Hanson. The corridor was recently reconstructed and repaved in Plympton from the Plympton/Carver Town Line to the Plympton/Halifax Town Line. This included improvements at key intersections for improving safety and traffic flow funded by the Old Colony Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). As part of a public outreach program for this corridor study, stakeholder meetings were held in Abington, Whitman, Hanson, and Plympton (with Halifax participating in the Plympton meeting). The purpose of these meetings was to solicit local input and provide a more comprehensive approach to the planning process. The meetings included representation from the study area towns’ Boards of Selectmen, Planning Boards, Department of Public Works, Planning Departments, Fire Departments, and Police Departments. In addition, a meeting was held with MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning and MassDOT District Five. Recommended improvements were developed based on the review of the data and analyses and on discussions and input at the stakeholder meetings. Recommended improvements in the corridor were made in concert with existing TIP improvement projects and other planned mitigation for developments. A variety of funding sources is described at the end of this report for funding recommended improvements. Route 58 Corridor Study 1 September 2010 Old Colony Planning Council RECOMMENDED IMPROVEMENTS Abington – Adams Street Route 58 at North Avenue Route 139 The Town of Abington has begun improvements at this intersection as part of a Public Works Economic Development Grant (PWED). The project includes Route 58, between Birch Street and Wales Street (repaving only), and Route 139 from the Route 58/Route 139 intersection to the Rockland Town Line. Improvements to the Route 58/Route 139 intersection include replacing signal equipment, installing countdown pedestrian signals with audio for the visually impaired, and reconstructing pedestrian crossings for ADA compliancy. Improvements to Route 58 as part of this project include cold planing and resurfacing Route 58 from Wales Street south through the Route 139 intersection to Birch Street. The Southfield Development Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) proposed off- site mitigation for the Route 58/Route 139 intersection in Abington. This mitigation includes adding an exclusive northbound left turn lane on Route 58, and adding an eastbound right turn lane on Route 139. Analysis of future peak hour operating conditions in this corridor study assumes these proposed improvements. The analysis estimates that future peak hour operating conditions with these improvements are expected to be at Level-of-Service (LOS) “B” during the future morning peak hour and at LOS “C” during the afternoon peak hour. These improvements are planned for the completion of Phase 1B of the Southfield project, which is expected to occur between 2013 and 2014. Abington – Plymouth Street Route 58 at Birch Street and Brighton Street The problems at this unsignalized intersection, poor morning and afternoon peak hour levels-of-service (“E” and “F”) and higher than average crash rates, are exacerbated because this is a five-legged intersection. One of the suggestions at the Abington stakeholders meeting was to make Brighton Street one-way northbound away from Route 58 to the parking lot at New England Art in order to reduce the vehicle conflicts entering the intersection from Brighton Street. If this change is implemented by the town, the Old Colony Planning Council will follow up this improvement by monitoring the peak hour levels-of-service and crash rates to determine its effectiveness. Hanson – Route 58 at Spring Street and Route 58 at Whitman Street The problems at these two intersections stem from the poor alignment of Spring Street at Route 58 and Whitman Street at Route 58, both of these intersections are skewed, and they are located approximately 125 feet apart. In addition, these roads intersect Route 58 at a curve, and a restaurant parking lot is located directly opposite the Spring Street intersection with no access control. Vehicles entering and exiting the restaurant lot add to the turning movement confusion at these intersections. The Transportation Research Board published a series of reports (The National Highway Cooperative Research Program Report (NHCRP) 500) for the implementation of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Volume 7 of these reports: NHCRP 500 A Guide for Reducing Collisions on Horizontal Curves offers strategies to reduce the likelihood of a vehicle leaving its lane Route 58 Corridor Study 2 September 2010 Old Colony Planning Council and either crossing the centerline or leaving the roadway at a horizontal curve. These include providing advance warning of unexpected changes in horizontal alignment, enhancing delineation of the curve, providing adequate lighting at the curve, providing adequate sight distance, and widening the roadway. Some of these improvements can be done at relatively low cost in the near term, while others, such as realigning and reconstructing the road and intersection to improve sight distance, require larger investments of time and money. Reconstructing and relocating the Spring Street intersection further from the Whitman Street intersection, and adding a curb and access control at the restaurant opposite Spring Street, would help reduce conflicts at these locations. Other less expensive, short-term improvements include adding advanced warning signs for turns and 25 miles per hour advisory speeds (MUTCD W1-1R and W13-1P, Section 2C.07, page 111) on the northbound and southbound approaches on Route 58 to these intersections. Hanson - Route 58 at West Washington Street This intersection lacks sufficient sight distance for vehicles entering Route 58 from West Washington due to the curvature on Route 58. Advanced warning signs and 25 miles per hour advisory speeds are recommended for this intersection. Hanson – Liberty Street Route 58 at County Road Route 14 and the Dunkin Donuts Drive and the County Road Route 14 at High Street The peak hour analyses for this signalized intersection show that the lack of storage for vehicles on the northbound County Road approach along with the heavy peak hour northbound volumes creates back-ups into the stop-sign controlled County Road Route 14/High Street intersection. High Street intersects County Road just 50 feet south of Liberty Street. Both County Road and High Street are stop-signed controlled. There is a heavy demand for vehicles coming from County Road turning right to Liberty Street during both the morning and afternoon peak hours. A Dunkin Donuts exit is located opposite County Road, making up the fourth leg of a four-way intersection, although the pavement markings at this exit allow only right turns and left turns out, with no through movements allowed to County Road. The entrance to the Dunkin Donuts is separate from the exit, and is located 100 feet to the southeast off of Route 58. The back-ups from this entrance (due to left turning vehicles) interfere with traffic operations at the intersection especially during the morning and afternoon peak hours. A right turn in and right turn out policy on Route 58 for the Dunkin Donuts would eliminate back-ups from the Dunkin Donuts and improve traffic operations at this intersection. The town should work with the owner of the Dunkin Donuts and adjacent properties toward sharing access off of Route 58, thereby eliminating those driveways that interfere with traffic operations at this intersection. Hanson – Liberty Street Route 58 at Maquan Street Route 14 This three-way intersection is currently under stop sign control on the Maquan Street approach and the Route 58 northbound approach. This is unconventional when compared to the standard three-way intersection that has a stop sign on just one approach (usually the minor street approach). The stop sign on Route 58 northbound compensates for the Route 58 Corridor Study 3 September 2010 Old Colony Planning Council poor northbound sight distance, as this faces heavy left turn volumes from Route 58 southbound to Maquan Street. The grade is ascending on the northbound approach which restricts sight distance. This intersection operates under LOS “E” conditions during the afternoon peak hour. The installation of a traffic signal is recommended for this location along with the addition of an exclusive left turn lane on the Route 58 southbound approach. This intersection satisfies the signal warrants for the peak hour warrant and four hour warrant as prescribed in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. In addition to the installation of signals, it is recommended that sidewalks be installed along both sides of Maquan Street back to School Street to accommodate and facilitate pedestrian activity to and from the elementary schools on School Street. Hanson - Indian Head Street Route 58 at Main Street Route 27 and Monponsett Street Route 58 Although the peak hour levels-of-service are within the acceptable range, this intersection has an elevated crash rate (1.27 crashes per million entering vehicles), and a fatality occurred here in 2006. The intersection is poorly aligned and there are curb cuts and driveways to adjacent parking lots in close proximity to the intersection on the southeast, southwest, and northeast corners. These driveways create confusion for vehicles making turning movements at the intersection. The town should work with the owners of the adjacent businesses and properties to manage the access close to the intersection, especially on the southwest corner where there should be a right turn in, right turn out policy. In addition, the signal timing and phasing should be adjusted to allow protected phasing for left turns on the northbound and southbound approaches. Long-term improvements should include widening Route 27 and adding an additional left turn lanes on the eastbound and westbound approaches, as well as consolidating driveway access in close proximity to the intersection. Route 58 in Halifax The pavement condition on Route 58 Halifax is in the “Poor” category from the Hanson Town Line to the Plympton Town Line. The recommendations from the Pavement Management software for Route 58 in Halifax include reconstructing and repaving the entire length of Route 58 in Halifax from the Hanson Town Line south to the Plympton Town Line. Halifax – Monponsett Street Route 58 at Plymouth Street Route 106 This intersection operates within acceptable LOS ranges during the morning and afternoon peak hours, although its crash rate (0.89 per million entering vehicles) exceeds the MassDOT District 5 average of 0.77. Route 58 lacks sufficient sidewalks south of Route 106, although a sidewalk on the west side does exist. There is an existing residential development on Route 58 south of Route 106 and a proposed residential development that will likely increase the demand for walkers to and from the retail establishments along Route 106. It is recommended that sidewalks be added on the east side of Route 58 from Route 106 south to accommodate pedestrian movement to and from these residential areas. Route 58 Corridor Study 4 September 2010