ROAD SAFETY AUDIT. Mystic Avenue (Route 38) / Temple Street / Temple Road. City of Somerville. June 16, Prepared For: MassDOT

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1 ROAD SAFETY AUDIT Mystic Avenue (Route 38) / Temple Street / Temple Road City of Somerville June 16, 2014 Prepared For: MassDOT Prepared By: TEC, Inc. 65 Glenn Street Lawrence, MA 01843

2 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. Table of Contents Background... 1 Project Data... 2 Project Location and Description... 3 Audit Observations... 6 Potential Safety Enhancements Summary of Road Safety Audit List of Appendices Appendix A. Appendix B. Appendix C. Appendix D. Appendix E. RSA Meeting Agenda RSA Audit Team Contact List Detailed Crash Data ATR Data Road Safety Audit References List of Figures Figure 1. Locus Map... 5 List of Tables Table 1. Table 2. Table 3. Table 4. Table 5. Participating Audit Team Members... 2 Existing Weekday Traffic Volume Summary... 4 Estimated Time Frame and Cost Breakdown Potential Safety Enhancement Summary Potential Corridor-Wide Safety Enhancement Summary... 26

3 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. Background In cooperation with the City of Somerville, TEC, Inc. has been retained by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to evaluate the traffic and safety impacts for the reconstruction of the Mystic Avenue (Route 38) / Temple Street / Temple Road intersection. These improvements are being implemented as part of the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Infrastructure Program, improving the accessibility and safety for pedestrian and bicycle traffic between the Ten Hills residential area and the Arthur D. Healey School, located on Meacham Street in Somerville. The intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road was identified for further improvements as part of the Arthur D. Healey School Preliminary Assessment dated December 13, 2013 prepared by TEC, Inc. Road Safety Audit Justification In conjunction with the preliminary design (pre-25% Design) stage and Functional Design Report (FDR) for these improvements, TEC, Inc. is submitting this Road Safety Audit (RSA) report for the intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road. The purpose of the RSA is to observe, identify, and report all safety issues and identify future opportunities for safety enhancement improvements for all roadway users. This includes identifying both short-term and long-term safety improvements which can be implemented through general maintenance, immediate installation/removal, or could potentially be incorporated into the defined SRTS improvement project. In August 2005, the transportation act entitled the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) was passed. This act provides guidance and funding for the implementation of a State Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). As part of this program, all states are required to develop a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) guidelines require an RSA to be conducted where HSIP-eligible crash clusters are present within the study area of a transportation improvement project, prior to commencing or finalizing a 25% Design and FDR. An intersection is defined as HSIP-eligible if the intersection is within the top 5% of clusters in its respective Regional Planning Commission (RPC) boundaries based on Equivalent Property Damage Only (EPDO). EPDO rates crashes based on the collision severity. Based on the published MassDOT database, the intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road is recognized as an HSIP-eligible intersection. An RSA, as defined by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is the formal safety performance examination of an existing or future road or intersection by an independent, multidisciplinary team. This RSA was conducted during the preliminary design (pre-25% Design) stage of intersection improvements for the subject intersection in order to incorporate safety-related design features early in the design process. The scale of the improvements at this location as part of the SRTS project is projected to include, but not limited to: removal of channelized turn lanes to reduce speeds, mill and overlay of pavement, restriping of pavement markings, traffic signal upgrades, reconstruction of curb ramps, and traffic sign improvements. Elements of the RSA will be considered for incorporation into the roadway improvement project as the design is advanced through the MassDOT and City of Somerville design development and review processes. Page 1

4 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. Project Data TEC, Inc. of Lawrence, Massachusetts is the prime traffic safety investigation consultant in an RSA for the intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road in Somerville, Massachusetts. The RSA was conducted on Monday, May 1, 2014 at 10:00 PM, with the pre- and post-audit meetings held at the Somerville City Hall. A copy of the RSA agenda can be found in Appendix A. TEC has also conducted other field visits to this audit location as part of its planning and Pre-25% Design work. As presented in Table 1, the audit team consisted of a cross-section of state, regional, and local engineering, planning, enforcement, maintenance and emergency response professionals and was assembled in conjunction with input from MassDOT s Traffic Safety Management Unit. Contact information for all participating audit team members is provided in Appendix B. Table 1. Participating Audit Team Members Audit Team Member Agency/Affiliation Keith Arnold, P.E. Massachusetts Department of Transportation District 4 Sara Timoner Massachusetts Department of Transportation District 4 Corey O Connor, E.I.T. Massachusetts Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Yuan Liu Massachusetts Department of Transportation Traffic Safety William Kuttner Central Transportation Planning Staff Terence Smith City of Somerville City Traffic Engineer Sarah Spicer City of Somerville Senior Transportation Planner Hayes Morrison City of Somerville Director of Planning and Infrastructure Suzanne Rinfret City of Somerville Traffic and Parking Clerk David Hudson Shape-Up Somerville Sergeant Stephen Altieri Massachusetts State Police Samuel W. Gregorio, E.I.T. TEC, Inc. Kevin R. Dandrade, P.E., PTOE TEC, Inc. Audit participants were provided with materials to review prior to the audit meeting. The materials included a summary of collision data, collision diagrams (See Appendix), and a summary of the type and severity of collisions. Participants were encouraged to visit the site prior to the audit and were urged to consider elements on MassDOT s Safety Review Prompt List. On the day of the audit, a pre-audit meeting was held at the Somerville City Hall to discuss the project s background, the audit process, review the distributed materials, and discuss some of the issues that Team members had observed individually. The audit site walk consisted of field observations at the audit intersection. Handwritten notes and photographs documented the observations made by audit team members during the site walk. Following the audit site walk, a post-audit meeting was held at Page 2

5 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. Somerville City Hall where the Team confirmed the observations made in the field and offered solutions to enhance the safety of areas noted in the site walk and pre-audit meeting. Project Location and Description The Road Safety Audit was conducted at the intersection of Mystic Avenue (Route 38) / Temple Street / Temple Road in the City of Somerville, Massachusetts. A Study Area Location Map is provided in Figure 1. Mystic Avenue (Route 38) Mystic Avenue, signed as Massachusetts Route 38, is a four-lane, northwest-southeast urban minor arterial roadway maintained by MassDOT (between Crescent Street [Medford] and Grant Street [Somerville]) in the vicinity of the improvements. Mystic Avenue runs parallel on the west side of Interstate 93. The roadway provides local connection between Medford Square and Route 60 to the north, and Assembly Square and the Fellsway (Route 28) to the south. In the vicinity of the proposed improvements, Mystic Avenue is approximately 60- to 70-feet wide and is within the Right-of-Way for the Interstate 93 State Highway Layout (SHLO). Directional flow along Mystic Avenue is separated by a marked centerline and at-grade stamped concrete. The posted speed limit along Mystic Avenue is 30 miles per hour (MPH), however MassDOT speed regulations state that the speed limit from Assembly Square to a point ±500 feet north of Temple Street should be signed as 25 MPH. Speed data was only collected on the Mystic Avenue southbound approach where an 85th percentile speed is 32 MPH was measured. Land uses along Mystic Avenue in the vicinity of improvements include primarily apartmentstyle residential and light commercial uses. Temple Street / Temple Road Temple Street / Temple Road is a two-lane, east-west roadway maintained by the City of Somerville. The roadway is functionally classified as an urban collector roadway west of Mystic Avenue and a local roadway east of Mystic Avenue. The roadway provides a local connection between Broadway to the west, and Shore Drive and the Fellsway (Route 28) to the east. In the vicinity of Mystic Avenue, Temple Street / Temple Road is approximately 42-feet wide with bi-directional on-street parking and sharrows for bicycle traffic. Temple Street, west of Mystic Avenue, was recently reconstructed as part of a City project. The posted speed limit just west of Mystic Avenue is 20 MPH (school zone), although an 85th percentile speed of 27 MPH was measured. Land uses along Temple Street / Temple Road in the vicinity of improvements include primarily residential and light-commercial uses. Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road Temple Street and Temple Road intersect Mystic Avenue to form a skewed four-way, fully-actuated signalized intersection. For the purposes of this report, the cardinal direction of Mystic Avenue is considered to be north-south and the cardinal direction of Temple Street / Temple Road is considered to be east-west. The Temple Street eastbound approach consists of an exclusive left-turn lane, and a shared through / right-turn lane. Directional flow along Temple Street is separated by a marked centerline. The Temple Road westbound approach is unmarked but was observed to be utilized as a single general purpose travel lane in each direction. The Mystic Avenue northbound appraoch consists of an exclusive left-turn lane, a through lane, and a shared through / right-turn lane. The Mystic Avenue southbound approach consists of a shared left-turn / through lane, a through lane, and a channelized right-turn lane Page 3

6 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. separated by a raised concrete island. Directional Flow along Mystic Avenue is separated by a marked centerline with a concrete rumble strip near the intersection. No Turn on Red (NTOR) restrictions are posted for both the Temple Street eastbound and Temple Road westbound approaches. Sidewalks are provided along both sides of Temple Street / Temple Road and along the westerly side of Mystic Avenue. Crosswalks are provided across all four approaches. Public Transportation Accommodations Currently, there is one Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus route that travels along Mystic Avenue past Temple Street. A summary of the route is provided below: MBTA Bus Route 95 (West Medford to Sullivan Square) Regular service is provided at designated stops along Playstead Road, High Street, Main Street, and Mysitc Avenue in Medford; along Mystic Avenue in Somerville; and Main Street in Charlestown (Boston). This route operates from 4:55 AM to 1:23 AM at 20- to 60-minute headways. Both northbound and southbound bus stops are located along Mystic Avenue, just south of Temple Street. Automatic Traffic Recorder Count Data Updated Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) counts were conducted on Mystic Avenue (Route 38) north of Temple Street on Thursday April 10, 2014 to Saturday 12, In addition, ATR counts were conducted on Temple Road west of Mystic Avenue on Friday May 2, 2014 to Saturday May 2, 2014 to gather daily traffic-volume data for the study area roadways during a continuous 48-hour time period. A summary of the weekday ATR traffic data is presented in Table 2. Table 2. Location Mystic Avenue (north of Temple Street) Temple Street (west of Mystic Avenue) Existing Weekday Traffic Volume Summary Weekday Weekday Morning Peak Hour Traffic Traffic K Volume a Volume b Factor c Directional Distribution d Weekday Evening Peak Hour Traffic Volume K Factor Directional Distribution 33,732 2, % SB 2, % NB 13, % WB % WB a Daily traffic expressed in vehicles per day. b Expressed in vehicles per hour. c Percent of daily traffic volumes which occurs during the peak hour. d Percent of peak-hour volume in the predominant direction of travel. EB eastbound; WB = westbound; NB = northbound; SB = southbound Mystic Avenue carries approximately 33,730 vehicles per day (vpd) on an average weekday north of Temple Street. The majority of vehicles along Mystic Avenue are travelling southbound in the weekday morning peak period and northbound during the weekday evening peak period. This is consistent with commuter flows travelling to / from Boston. Temple Street carries approximately 13,270 vpd on an average weekday west of Mystic Avenue. The majority of vehicles along Temple Street are travelling westbound in both the weekday morning peak period and the weekday evening peak period. This is consistent with commuter flows travelling to / from Downtown Somerville. It also suggests that commuter flow to/from Interstate 93 may likely be utilizing Temple Street as a cut-through roadway to Downtown Somerville. Page 4

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8 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. Audit Observations Prior to the RSA site walk, a pre-audit meeting was held at the Somerville City Hall in Somerville. This pre-audit meeting included brief introductions, an overview of the project and RSA process and safety characteristics of the intersection of the Mystic Avenue (Route 38) / Temple Street / Temple Road. Audit participants then conducted a site walk as a group to observe the intersection. Each participant was advised to offer their concerns and comments related to safety issues at the study area intersection. Based on these field observations and discussions, the RSA team determined that the intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road has several general concerns that may negatively impact safety. The following sections describe in more detail the safety issues identified during the RSA. Several of these require further evaluation and design work to develop appropriate safety enhancements. More specific safety challenges located at specific audit area intersections are also included. Crash History The intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road is considered HSIP-eligible. Collision data for this intersection was provided by MassDOT for the period of January 2009 to March 2014 and supplemented by the City of Somerville Police Department. The data shows a total of 32 reported collisions (6.1 per year) in the area of the intersection during the five-years of complete collision data. The crash rate for this intersection is significantly lower than the statewide and district-wide averages for unsignalized intersections with 0.38 crashes per MEV. There were fifteen (15) angled-type or head-on collisions (47%) at the intersection over the five-year period which represents the vast majority of collisions at the intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road. Eighty percent (12 of 15) of these angled/head-on collisions occurred as a vehicle attempted a left-turn movement and was struck by an opposing through vehicle. Two (2) of the angled collisions resulted from illegal U-turn movements along the Mystic Avenue northbound approach to the intersection. There were eleven (11) rear-end collisions (34%) at the intersection over the five-year study period. Of the locatable rear-end collisions, more than half (6 of 11) occurred on the Mystic Avenue northbound approach to the intersection, three (3) of which s were reported the result of a failure to take care stopping. Four (4) of the rear-end collisions occurred on the southbound approach of Mystic Avenue. Two (2) collisions at the intersection involved a pedestrian. One of these collisions occurred on the northbound approach where the approaching vehicle slid on wet pavement and crossed over the marked stop line, striking the pedestrian. The other pedestrian collision occurred on a legal left-turn movement from Mystic Avenue northbound where the pedestrian attempted to cross Temple Street during the DON T WALK interval. Both collisions resulted in non-fatal injuries for the pedestrians. One-quarter of the collisions (8 of 32) occurred during the three-hour time period of 9 AM to 12 PM. This time period corresponds with the time immediately subsequent to the morning commuter period where vehicles begin to regain free-flow speed conditions. Approximately 22 percent (7 of 32) of Page 6

9 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. collisions occurred during the morning (6 AM to 9 AM) or evening (3 PM to 6 PM) commuter peak periods, indicating that traffic congestion may be a contributing factor to collisions at the intersection. There were nine (9) collisions (28%) that occurred with operators of vehicles with suspended, invalid, or no driver s license. The City of Somerville representatives confirm that this statistic is not unexpected based on prior history. Safety Concerns The RSA team noted safety concerns at the intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road. Some specific safety related concerns are mentioned in multiple bullets within the summary. Based on these field observations and discussions, the RSA team determined that the intersection and approaches had the following issues that negatively impact safety: Traffic Congestion and Long Vehicle Queues Northbound Left-turning Vehicles and Storage Length Southbound Left-turning Vehicles Traffic Signal Equipment Traffic Signal Phasing Red-Light Running Excessive Speed / Erratic and Aggressive Driving Pedestrian Accommodations Bicycle Accommodations Pavement Markings Roadway Lighting Transit Accommodations Pavement Condition Roadway Debris Intersection Signage The following provides a detailed summary of the identified safety concerns at the intersection: Traffic Congestion and Long Vehicle Queues As a result of the numerous commercial, retail, and residential land uses in the area, in addition to the proximity to Interstate 93, traffic volumes at the intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road generally increase during the weekday peak periods. These additional traffic volumes combined with the lack of traffic signal coordination and numerous driveway / side-street access locations results in increased traffic congestion along the Mystic Avenue corridor. A representative from MassDOT District 4 noted that the vehicle detection is not properly working and therefore the signal runs as a pre-timed signal with a pedestrian interval occurring every cycle. This operational deficiency causes excess congestion beyond the normal commuter congestion. As previously stated, eleven (11) of the collisions at the intersection were rear-end collisions, which may be a result of long queues and stop-and-go conditions throughout the day. Approximately 82 percent (9 of 11) of the rear-end collisions occurred between 9 AM and 3 PM when volumes, queues, and speeds are all moderately high, combining to result in rear-end collisions. Twelve (12) of the collision at the intersection were angle collisions, six (6) of which occurred during the weekday morning and evening peak Page 7

10 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. periods. These collisions indicate that driver frustration caused by heavy traffic congestion may result in drivers running the red light or taking unsafe gaps to make leftturns. In addition, some of these crashes may be left-turn courtesy crashes, where one vehicle waves on the opposing left-turn vehicle to turn when that vehicle does not have the right-of-way. Upon advancing, other vehicles from the second oncoming through lane are unaware of the courtesy given and strike the left-turning vehicle while travelling normally through the intersection. A representative of the Massachusetts State Police noted that it is not uncommon for traffic enforcement officers to hand-direct traffic at the intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road and other adjacent signalized intersections along Mystic Avenue and the Fellsway (Route 28). Image 1: Queued Vehicles Approaching Temple Street from South Northbound Left-turning Vehicles and Storage Length - Several audit participants noted that motorists seeking to turn-left from the northbound left-turn lane are very aggressive and tend to not yield to on-coming traffic at the end of the protected leftturn phase. Upon observation, as many as 4 or 5 additional vehicles were seen sneaking behind one another after the yellow arrow went to a green ball indication. During the study period, three (3) angled collisions occurred between northbound leftturning vehicles and southbound through vehicles. The northbound left-turn lane currently has 110 feet of striped storage and is utilized up to approximately 250 feet in length during congested periods as vehicle spillover against the double yellow centerline line within the through lane. It was noted by a Massachusetts State Police representative that the short storage area and spillover into the through lane may be a factor in some of the side-swipe and rear-end collisions south of the intersection. Southbound Left-turning Vehicles and Storage Length The Mystic Avenue southbound left-turn movement is currently controlled by a permissive left-turn phase. There is currently no designated left-turn lane for the southbound approach of Mystic Avenue. Page 8

11 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. The far-left lane on the approach is a shared left-turn/through lane. A scored concrete median creates a negative offset for the southbound left-turns. Southbound left-turning vehicles will queue in the inside thru lane, further worsening operations and have the potential to cause rear-end and side-swipe collisions as thru vehicles attempt to change lanes to by-pass the queued vehicles. Crashes for southbound left-turning vehicles may also be a result of driver frustration caused by high traffic volumes and the added pressure for southbound left-turn vehicles to not block through traffic in the shared leftturn/through lane. Turning Movement Counts (TMCs) conducted at the intersection in April 2014 indicate only one (1) vehicle turning left from this approach during both the weekday morning and weekday evening peak hours. However, during the study period, five (5) angled/head-on collisions occurred between southbound left-turning vehicles and northbound through vehicles. Two (2) of the five crashes noted an obstructed view due to the negative offset from opposing vehicles in the northbound left-turn lanes. Traffic Signal Equipment Several traffic signal equipment deficiencies were observed during the field visit, including: o o o Vehicular Traffic Signals All signal housings at the intersection lack back plates as per current MassDOT standards. In addition, with only two mast arms over the intersection, only one signal housing per approach (except Temple Street eastbound) is located overhead with multiple lanes approaching these signal heads. Traffic Signal Controller and Cabinet Equipment Upon observation, most of the traffic signal equipment and the traffic signal controller are out-of-date or in poor condition. There are no police push-button or related controls for manual signal timing. Pedestrian Signal Heads All but one set of pedestrian signal heads were noncompliant with Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) standards. In addition, the pedestrian signal head on the southeast corner of the intersection facing across Mystic Avenue was not operational and not oriented to face the striped crosswalk. Although a striped crosswalk exists, no pedestrian signals are installed for the pedestrian movement north of the intersection across Mystic Avenue. No ADA accommodations are provided for the northerly crossing. Page 9

12 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. Image 2: Typical Pedestrian Signal Equipment at Intersection o Pedestrian Push Buttons Although the audible pedestrian push buttons at the intersection were generally compliant with MUTCD standards, multiple push buttons at the intersection are located more than ten (10) feet from the edge of curb for the desired crosswalk location [MUTCD Sect. 4E.08(06)]. Left-turn Traffic Signal Phasing The Mystic Avenue northbound approach operates with an advanced northbound phase to provide a protected left-turn for northbound vehicles. Subsequently, the signal phasing is designed to provide permitted left-turns on all four approaches in conjunction with the mainline through movements. Permitted leftturn phasing, although common, creates additional vehicle conflicts between left-turns and opposing through movements. As previously stated, twelve (12) angled / head-on collisions occurred at the intersection in which a left-turning vehicle was struck by an opposing through movement. Red-Light Running It was noted during the pre-audit meeting that red-light running is a consistent issue at the intersection and is generally the result of driver frustration with congestion during peak periods. The Massachusetts State Police representative noted the difficulty of enforcement of red-light running and other such roadway violations as there is no safe location to pull-over vehicles along Mystic Avenue without causing additional congestion. There are no notable locations along this area of the corridor to provide new areas for police vehicles to safely pull vehicles off of the side of the road. Only one (1) collision at the intersection noted the potential for red-light running as a cause of collision. Many red-light running vehicles include vehicles that enter the intersection on the green interval waiting to turn left and are caught in the intersection during the clearance interval past the all red phase. In addition, through vehicles tend to enter the intersection and block the box as a result of queues from downstream intersections. Upon further review, yellow and all red clearance intervals at the intersection are not consistent with current timing standards. A Massachusetts State Police representative noted that the all red interval was previously zero seconds and was adjusted up to one Page 10

13 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. second. Although still not to standard, this slight change in the all red interval has purportedly decreased the number of collisions at the intersection. Excessive Speed / Erratic and Aggressive Driving A representative of the Massachusetts State Police noted that during off-peak hours, vehicle speeds along Mystic Avenue, Interstate 93, and the Fellsway (Route 28) tend to increase significantly. However, due to the large coverage area for the Police Barrack and the lack of areas to provide adequate enforcement, many traffic infractions such as speeding and erratic driving along each major corridor are not able to be regularly patrolled or enforced. Four (4) collisions during the study period were directly related to excessive speed and erratic driving behavior. The high number of rear-end collisions that occurred during off-peak hours (9 of 11) further suggests that high travel speeds during off-peak hours may be a contributing factor to collisions at the intersection. As previously stated, the speed regulations state that the speed limit along Mystic Avenue at the intersection of Temple Street / Temple Road is 25 MPH. Current speed limit signage indicates a speed limit of 30 MPH, with vehicles travelling well in excess of that during off-peak periods. Pedestrian Accommodations - Several pedestrian accommodation deficiencies were observed during the field visit, including: o o o o Pedestrian Signal Timing and Clearance Interval The current pedestrian phase programmed at the intersection is an exclusive pedestrian phase. The programmed pedestrian clearance interval as part of the exclusive pedestrian phase is insufficient for the existing cross-sectional geometry of the intersection. The longest crossing distance at the intersection is approximately 75 feet, which requires a 22 second pedestrian clearance interval based on a 3.5 feet per second walking speed. The existing pedestrian clearance interval is timed at 13 seconds. Lack of Accessible Ramps No ramps are present for the northerly crosswalk across Mystic Avenue. In addition, curb ramps along the east side of the intersection are not ADA compliant and lack tactile warning devices. Crossing Distance Across Temple Street The westerly crosswalk across Temple Street is divided by a raised concrete delta island that channelizes right-turns from Mystic Avenue southbound onto Temple Street. This results in an excessive pedestrian crossing distance. In addition, the pedestrian area adjacent to the crosswalk near the channelized right-turn lane is partially blocked by vegetation from motorists travelling along Mystic Avenue southbound. This creates a hazard for pedestrians attempting to use this crosswalk. There are currently no pedestrian push-buttons of signals for the section of the crosswalk that crosses the channelized right-turn lane, which increases the danger of this crossing. Pedestrians must cross the channelized right-turn lane to the pedestrian refuge area to actuate the pedestrian phase. Sidewalk Conditions Subsequent to the Road Safety Audit meeting, concerns regarding corridor-wide sidewalk conditions were cited. Sidewalks along the western edge of Mystic Avenue adjacent to the Temple Street intersection are in above average condition due to recently completed work; however, minor cracking obstructions, and some locations or minor heaving appear along the corridor. Page 11

14 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. Due to the proximity of the Interstate 93 viaduct and no development along the east side of Mystic Avenue, sidewalks along the east side of Mystic Avenue are limited to areas around MBTA bus stops. The current sidewalk just south of Temple Street along Mystic Avenue is in fair condition; however, the sidewalk is limited to approximately 40-feet in length, tapers into a gravel standing area, and lacks a bus shelter. Bicycle Accommodations Mystic Avenue, both north and south of the intersection, does not provide sufficient shoulder width to safely accommodate bicycle traffic. It was noted that there has been a sharp decrease in bicycle traffic along Mystic Avenue in the last few years due, in part, to the personal safety concerns of bicyclist traversing the Mystic Avenue corridor. Although no bicycle collisions occurred at the intersection, the lack of bicycle shoulders and pavement condition remains a bicyclist safety concern as noted by attendees who utilize this route by bicycle often. It was suggested by an audit participant that bicycles should be prohibited along the Mystic Avenue corridor. However this alternative was not found to be an appropriate solution to issues related to bicycle accommodations and general user safety as Mystic Avenue provides an important link between other bicycle facilities and the residential neighborhoods to the west. Therefore, this suggestion was not included as part of the potential future safety enhancements. Pavement Markings Pavement markings are severely faded along Mystic Avenue and Temple Road. This is also true of the crosswalk markings across all four approaches. The lack of uniform pavement markings decreases the visibility of defined lane use that experiences an increased amount of weaving and lane change movements, especially along the northbound approach where vehicles weave from the two-lane right-turn channel from Fellsway (Route 28) southbound. There is no centerline or edge line striping along Temple Road below the Interstate 93 viaduct. Image 5: Faded Pavement Marking Are Present Around the Intersection Page 12

15 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. Roadway Lighting Although ambient light and street lighting are present along Mystic Avenue, under-deck lighting along Temple Road below the Interstate 93 viaduct is insufficient for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Night-time observations showed that multiple street luminaries were not operational south of the intersection along Mystic Avenue. Eleven (11) collisions occurred at the intersection during the periods between late evening and early morning (6PM and 6AM) when the roadway is darkest. Transit Accommodations Bus Stops are provided on both the northbound and southbound approaches of Mystic Avenue south of Temple Street. Both bus stop locations force MBTA buses to stop for passengers within an active travel lane because there are no separate pull-outs. This causes immediate congestion within the intersection. Pavement Condition It was observed that the pavement is in poor condition along Mystic Avenue and along Temple Road below the Interstate 93 elevated roadway. These observations showed locations of heaving and rutting along the outside of the roadway near the curb lines, excessive cracking near drainage structures, and scattered pot-holes which have repeatedly filled-in. MassDOT noted that there is no visible evidence of alligator cracking, and therefore it is not anticipated that the pavement damage is a subsurface structural issue. The top-course damage could be corrected most likely by pavement milling and an overlay of asphalt using their current standards for pavement mix. Poor pavement conditions, such as rutting, may contribute to rear end collisions, especially during wet weather. Pot holes and severely damaged pavement, similar to debris, cause bicyclists and vehicles to swerve and operate in unpredictable paths. Image 3: Pavement Condition Around a Drainage Manhole Within Intersection Roadway Debris It was noted and observed that a large amount of roadway debris currently lines the face of granite curb along the Mystic Avenue corridor. This includes sand, beverage bottles, tree branches, and other litter. This debris creates obstacles for bicyclist utilizing the shoulders along Mystic Avenue. As cyclists approach debris, they may enter the vehicle paths to avoid it, which forces vehicles in the travel lanes to swerve or to unexpectedly stop or slow. Although no collisions were attributed to a bicyclist entering the travel lane, the potential for roadway debris remains a safety concern. Page 13

16 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. Signage Several roadway sign deficiencies or omissions were observed during the field visit, including: o o o o o Street Name Signage - Temple Street and Temple Road street sign plaques are absent from the intersection with Mystic Avenue. The only present street sign is connected to the chain link fence below the Interstate 93 viaduct. This has the potential to cause confusion for roadway users unfamiliar with the roadway. Left-Turn on Green Signage A Left-Turn Yield on Green (R10-12) sign is attached to the mast arm pole on the northeast corner of the intersection facing Mystic Avenue northbound. This sign is not clearly visible for vehicles attempting to turn left due to its height on the mast arm pole and its location on the far right side of the intersection. School Zone Signage A school zone crossing warning sign (S1-1) is present along Mystic Avenue northbound approach approximately 170 feet from the STOP line. However, there is no school zone or school zone crossing located near this sign. This sign is not appropriate at a signalized intersection. Pedestrian Crossing Signage A pedestrian crossing warning sign (W11-2) is present along Mystic Avenue southbound approach approximately 200 feet from the STOP line. Pedestrian crossing warning signage is not utilized at signalized intersection crossings. No mid-block crossing locations are present. No Turn on Red Signage No Turn on Red (R10-11b) signage is present for both the Temple Street and Temple Road approaches to the intersection. The No Turn on Red sign for the Temple Street eastbound approach, which is located on the signal post on the southeast corner of the intersection, is low on the pole and may not be noticeable to motorist approaching the intersection. In addition, the legends on these signs are partially worn off and may no longer be conveying the proper message. Image 4: Condition of No Turn on Red Signage on Southeast Corner of Intersection Page 14

17 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. o o Parking Signage under Interstate 93 It was observed that parking is currently allowed along Temple Road below the Interstate 93 viaduct. A Massachusetts State Police representative noted that federal and national security standards dictate that parking is prohibited in this location and that existing parking signage should be removed and replaced with No Parking signage. No Truck Signage on Temple Road A No Trucks sign (R5-2) is mounted on the post for a guide sign (No Access to Assembly Square) under the I-93 viaduct. Due to the setback nature of the sign and the adjacent chain link fence, the sign is not clearly visible to the Mystic Avenue approaches. Many issues discussed during the Road Safety Audit meeting and described above are related to larger corridor-wide safety deficiencies. Although not specifically described, items related to corridor-wide safety issues have been separated out in the following Potential Safety Enhancement section. Potential Safety Enhancements After the site visit, audit participants returned to the meeting location to discuss the safety issues and consider improvements. Audit participants were encouraged to consider both short and long term improvements for each issue. Each improvement considered has been categorized as short-term, midterm, or long-term. Additionally, a cost category has been assigned to each improvement based on the definitions shown in Table 3. Table 3. Estimated Time Frame and Cost Breakdown Time Frame Costs Short-Term <1 year Low <$10,000 Mid-Term 1-3 years Medium $10,000 - $50,000 Long-Term >3 years High >$50,000 The following improvements were suggested by audit participants to improve safety issues associated with the intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road. Consider improvement strategies related to roadway geometry and lane configurations. Four separate strategies were discussed during the audit: o In order to alleviate the left turn angle crashes, consider a Mystic Avenue southbound left-turn restriction at Temple Road and divert left-turning vehicles upstream to the existing left-turn movement and exclusive left-turn lane at the intersection of Mystic Avenue / Shore Drive. Although the leftturning volumes to Shore Drive would only slightly increase, further investigation should be completed to note potential safety issues for the leftturn along Mystic Avenue at Shore Drive to ensure that a left-turn prohibition at Temple Street would not just transfer safety deficiencies upstream. The exclusive left-turn lanes at Shore Drive are currently negatively-offset. The left-turn restriction is a short-term, low-cost improvement. Page 15

18 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. o o o As an alternative, slightly widen Mystic Avenue to provide opposing or positive-offset left-turn lanes in both the northbound and southbound direction to assist in reducing left-turn angle collisions both in the northbound and southbound direction by improving the view for the leftturning vehicles. Based on the extremely low southbound left-turn volumes, the addition of an exclusive left-turn may not be warranted. Minor widening along Mystic Avenue is a long-term, high-cost improvement. Consider a slight realignment of existing lane striping to provide adequate width for an exclusive left-turn lane on the Mystic Avenue southbound approach to assist in the reduction of southbound left-turn angled collisions. Based on the extremely low southbound left-turn volumes, the addition of an exclusive left-turn may not be warranted. Slight roadway realignment by restriping travel lanes to provide improved alignment and a southbound leftturn lane is a mid-term, high-cost improvement. Consider extending the exclusive northbound left-turn lane to provide improved queue storage and reduce conflicts with northbound through vehicles. The extension of the exclusive northbound left-turn lane is a midterm, mid-cost improvement and may require the reduction of on-street parking along the west side of Mystic Avenue south of Temple Street. Consider the full reconstruction of the existing traffic signal including new pedestrian countdown audible signal heads, vibratory pushbutton, new mast arms, overhead traffic signal housings with retro-reflective back plates, and a coordination-ready traffic signal controller and cabinet. All traffic signal equipment should be compliant with MUTCD standards. Consider incorporating a flashing yellow arrow for permissive left turns. The flashing left yellow arrow has shown to reduce the number of angle crashes during permissive movements. Full reconstruction of the existing traffic signal is a long-term, high-cost improvement. Minor improvements including the installation of pedestrian signal equipment only is a short-term, mid-cost improvement Install new vehicle detection at the signalized intersection and adjust the traffic signal control to operate as fully-actuated as intended. Repair the pedestrian call in the traffic controller so that the pedestrian phase is not called every cycle. Minor improvements to the traffic signal control are a short-term and low-cost improvement that should be conducted by MassDOT immediately following the approval of the Road Safety Audit. Update signal timing and phasing plan based on current vehicular demand. In addition, recalculate vehicular and pedestrian clearance intervals based on the appropriate travel speeds and existing/future intersection geometry. Investigate the operational and safety impacts of converting the exclusive pedestrian phase to a concurrent pedestrian phase. If exclusive pedestrian phasing remains with proper clearances, it will likely result in high vehicle delay. The preparation of capacity and queue analyses to confirm and provide new signal timing and phasing is a short-term, low-cost improvement. Increase enforcement of traffic control measures at the intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road. Increase enforcement of the regulated 25 MPH speed limit along Mystic Avenue, red-light running, and aggressive driving. Enforcement of Page 16

19 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. traffic controls is a short-term, low cost improvement and should be conducted by the Massachusetts State Police who have jurisdiction along Mystic Avenue. Review MassDOT speed regulations for Mystic Avenue and repost the nearby speed limit signage to comply with current MassDOT speed regulations. Conduct a speed study to reestablish a legal speed limit on Mystic Avenue to allow for easier enforcement. Conducting a speed study is a short-term, low-cost measure and should be conducted by the Massachusetts State Police who have jurisdiction along Mystic Avenue. Consider the addition of XX MPH word pavement markings on the Mystic Avenue approaches to the intersection to convey the proper speed limit and to complement speed limit signage. Any such markings would require approval by MassDOT and should be adjusted based on a current speed study to update the MassDOT Speed Regulations. Installation of word pavement markings is a short-term, low-cost improvement. Consider removing the Mystic Avenue southbound channelized right-turn lane to create a wider pedestrian standing zone, a shorter crossing distance across Temple Street, and improve vehicle sight lines for pedestrians crossing Temple Street. The removal of a southbound channelized right-turn lane is a long-term, high-cost improvement. Construct ADA accessible wheelchair ramps at each corner of the signalized intersection with proper transition lengths and slope, tactile warning devices, and install accessible push buttons. Consideration shall be given to installing a pedestrian crossing across Mystic Avenue north of the intersection where a crosswalk is currently striped, but no ramps or pedestrian signal equipment is present. The construction of ADA accessible wheelchair ramps is a short-term, mid-cost improvement. Reconstruct the sidewalk along the easterly edge of Mystic Avenue, south of Temple Street to provide improved connectivity between the curb ramps at the intersection and the MBTA bus stop along the nearside approach. Install a bus shelter along the sidewalk, being mindful of minimum horizontal sidewalk clearance requirements. The reconstruction of sidewalk and bus shelter in this area is a mid-term, mid-cost improvement. Consider slight widening along Mystic Avenue or restriping of existing travel lanes along Mystic Avenue to provide improved bicycle shoulders or bike lanes along both the western and eastern edges of Mystic Avenue. Any adjustment to corridor-wide lane geometrics will likely impact the westerly side of Mystic Avenue due to the Interstate 93 viaduct retaining wall. Corridor wide lane geometric alterations are a long-term, highcost improvement. Consider striping shared-lane pavement markings, sharrows along both the Mystic Avenue northbound and southbound approaches. Appropriate signage, such as Share the Road signs (W16-1) should be installed with the application of sharrows along the corridor. Striping of sharrows and share the road signage is a short-term, low-cost improvement. Restripe pavement markings, including: lane lines, stop bars, and crosswalks along all four approaches to the intersection to provide improved clarity of lane delineation and pedestrian access routes. Supplement lane markings with lane designation signage on the Mystic Avenue approaches. Restriping of pavement markings and associated lane designation signage in the vicinity of the intersection is a short-term, mid-cost improvement. Page 17

20 Road Safety Audit Mystic Temple Street / Temple Road - Somerville, Massachusetts Prepared by TEC, Inc. Repair or install under-deck lighting along Temple Road below the Interstate 93 viaduct to increase visibility and safety for vehicles and pedestrians traveling below the bridge. Installation of underdeck lighting is a short-term, mid-cost improvement. Check and repair street lighting along Mystic Avenue along entire corridor to restore full operation of all street lighting. This may only require bulb replacement. Minor repairs to street lighting are a short-term, low-cost improvement and should be coordinated by MassDOT and the electric utility company. Consider the construction of bus bays along both the Mystic Avenue northbound and southbound bus stops to remove bus blockages from the through lanes along Mystic Avenue. Consider the potential for new pedestrian desire lines with the creation of bus bays. The construction of bus bays will require improvements and potential accessible ramps on the adjacent sidewalks and may require the removal of trees, the potential relocation of utilities, and permanent easements to abutting properties to provide proper clearance around obstructions. Construction of bus bays is a long-term, mid-cost improvement. Complete a milling and overlay of the pavement at the intersection of Mystic Avenue / Temple Street / Temple Road and the adjacent intersection approaches to improve the travel experience and safety for bicyclists and motorists. Repair any sections of the roadways which may require more substantial structural improvements. Milling and overlay of the intersection is a short-term, mid-cost improvement. Clear roadway debris and street sweep along the gutter lines of Mystic Avenue, Temple Street, and Temple Road to improve the travel experience and safety for bicyclists and motorists. Clearing roadway debris and street sweeping along the Mystic Avenue corridor and Temple Street / Temple Road is a short-term, low-cost improvement and shall be conducted by the entity which holds jurisdiction on each roadway. Increase school and neighborhood education for proper driving, walking, and bicycling laws and regulations to improve safety of vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists along Mystic Avenue and the adjacent busy corridors. Increasing education materials may include pamphlets or school based safety sessions to discuss distracted driving or general pedestrian and bicyclist safety. Increase public awareness through education is a shortterm, low-cost improvement. Install street name signage for Mystic Avenue, Temple Street, and Temple Road on all approaches to the intersection to provide guidance to unfamiliar roadway users. Installation of street name signage is a short-term, low-cost improvement. Install new No Right Turn of Red (R10-11b) signage for the Temple Street and Temple Road approaches at standard heights. Consider installation of electronic No Turn on Red blank-out signage, which activates only during red intervals to maximize compliance. Installation of new No Right Turn on Red signage is a short-term, low-cost improvement. Install new Left-Turn on Green (R10-12) signage for the Mystic Avenue northbound approach (pending the continuation of permitted phasing) at standard height. Installation of new Left-Turn on Green signage is a short-term, low-cost improvement. Page 18