Boston Road corridor study : final report

138 Pages·1995·8 MB·English

by  Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (Mass.)

Digitized by the Internet Archive
2015
in
https://archive.org/details/bostonroadcorridOOpion
BOSTON ROAD CORRIDOR STUDY
FINAL REPORT
September 1995
Prepared for:
City ofSpringfield and the Town ofWilbraham
Massachusetts Highway Department
Prepared by:
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
26 Central Street
West Springfield, Massachusetts 01089
This rqx)rt was prepared in cooperation with the Executive OfficeofTransportation and Construction,
the Federal Highway Administration andthe Federal Transit Administration.

PREFACE
A Corridor Planning Study is a process that identifies existing transportation deficiencies. It analyzes
and evaluates alternative solutions to the problem in terms oftheir social, environmental, economic,
and land use impact. Corridor Planning Studies must result in a clear set ofdecisions tomarkthe end
ofthe planning stage andthe beginning ofthe project implementation stage. They make
recommendations onthe furtheranalysis ofproject alternatives and identifythoseworthy ofmore
detailed evaluation. The entire Corridor Study Planning Process is basedonthe early involvement ofa
CorridorAdvisory Committeeto add local perspectivetothe study. Extensive input from local
officials andthegeneral public is encouraged overthe full duraticMi ofthe studyprocess.
The Boston Road Corridor study began in June of1994 in resp<»isetoexistingtransportation and
safetyproblems resulting frcxnthe intensedevelopment alongthe corridor. The studywas conducted in
phases and presented in a series oftechnical reports. The firsttwo phases consisted ofexamining the
existing conditions, bothtransportation and landuse. The second phaseexamined the future conditions
along the corridorthroughthegeneration offuturebuild-out scenarios and identified preferred
improvement alternatives. The final phaseofthe studywas to combinethethreetechnical
memorandimis and incorporatethe local ccMnments into a final report. Presentations and
communications with local ccwnmitteegroups and the Massachusetts Highway Department were
conducted to ensurethe reportwas consistent with both local and regionaltransportation plans.
The PicwieerValley Planning Commission would liketo acknowledgethe participation ofthe members
ofthe Boston Road CorridorAdvisory Committee whose input and comments were vital tothe
completion ofthis study. All committeemembers were ^pointed bythe chiefelected officials ofthe
CityofSpringfield orTown ofWilbraham.
Member
Affiliation
James Staples Pine Point Community Council
David Moriarty Springfield Planning Department
Al Chwalek Springfield Department ofPublicWorks
Captain Joseph Parylak Springfield Police Department
John Pearsall Wilbraham PlanningAdministrator
Gale Candaras Wilbraham Board ofSelectman
Frederick Fuller III Wilbraham Planning Board
Edmund Miga, Jr. Wilbraham Department ofPublicWorks
ChiefDaniel Merritt Wilbraham Fire Department
Richard Butler Wilbraham Planning Board/PVPC Chairman

BOSTON ROAD CORRTOOR STUDY
FINAL REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1-1
1.10 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA 1-1
2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS 2-1
2.10 PURPOSE OF LAND USE ANALYSIS 2-1
2.20 LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS 2-2
2.21 Soil Characteristics 2-2
2.22 Wetlands 2-2
2.23 Floodplain Areas 2-3
2.24 Steep Slopes 2-3
2.30 EXISTING LAND USE 2-5
2.31 Data Collection and Mapping Procedures 2-5
2.32 Existing Land Use (1993) 2-5
2.33 Commercial Land Use Characteristics 2-6
2.34 Residential Land Use Characteristics 2-7
2.35 Industrial Land Use Characteristics 2-9
2.36 Governmental and Institutional Land Use Characteristics 2-9
2.37 UndevelopedLand Characteristics 2-9
2.40 ZONING REVIEW 2-12
2.41 Summary ofthe SpringfieldZoning Ordinance 2-12
2.42 Problem Areas inthe Springfield Zoning Ordinance 2-12
2.43 Summary ofWilbraham Zoning Bylaw inthe Boston Road Corridor 2-16
2.44 Problem Areas intheWilbraham Zoning Bylaw 2-16
2.50 DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS 2-20
2.51 Public Utihties 2-20
2.52 Land Availability 2-23
2.60 DEVELOPMENTTRENDS 2-26
2.61 Building PermitActivity 2-26
2.62 Proposed Development 2-31
2.63 Visual Characteristics 2-32
2.64 Development Suitabihty ofUndeveloped Land 2-34
2.70 ALTERNATE LAND USE STRATEGIES 2-38
2 80 INTRODUCTION TO EXISTINGTRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 2-48
2.81 Study Area Geometries 2-48
2.90 DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES 2-51
2.91 Daily Vehicle Volume 2-51
2.92 Hourly Vehicle Volume 2-52
2.93 Travel Speed 2-52
2.94 Pedestrian and TransitVehicles 2-52
2.95 Accident Experience 2-53
DATA SUMMARY
2.100 2-54
2.101 Average Daily Traffic Volumes 2-54
2.102 Peak Hour Traffic Volumes 2-54
2.103 Travel Speed Measurements 2-59
2.104 Pedestrian Facility Inventory 2-60
2.105 Transit Facility Inventory 2-60
2.106 Accident Experience 2-66
2.110 ANALYSIS PROCEDURES 2-69
2.111 Intersection Analysis 2-69
2.112 Analysis Summary 2-70
3.0 CORRIDOR BUILD-OUT ANALYSIS 3-1
3.10 INTRODUCTION TO BUILD-OUT ANALYSIS 3-1
3.20 OVERVIEW OF BUILD-OUT SCENARIO METHODOLOGY 3-1
3.21 Description ofLand use Building-Out Scenario 3-1
3.22 Build-out Methodology for Build-Out Scenario #1 3-2
(Existing Conditions)
3.23 Build-Out Methodology for Build-Out Scenario #2 3-2
(Modified Conditions)
3.30 LAND USE CONCLUSIONS 3-3
3.40 TRANSPORTATION BUILD-OUT ANALYSIS 3-5
3.41 Background Traffic Growth 3-5
3.42 Build-Out Traffic Assignment 3-5
3.43 Future Roadway Conditions 3-6
3.44 Level ofService Analysis 3-13
3.45 Safety Analysis 3-15
4.0 RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES 4-1
4.10 RECOMMENDED LAND USE STRATEGIES 4-1
4.11 Summary ofLand Use Recommendations 4-1
4.12 Land Use Recommendations for Springfield andWilbraham 4-1
4.13 Land Use Recommendations for Springfield 4-13
4.14 Land Use Recommendations forWilbraham 4-14
4.20 IMPROVEMENTS TO ADDRESS FUTURE TRAFFIC GROWTH 4-17
4.21 Short Term Improvements 4-17
4.22 Long Term Improvements 4-18
4.30 RECOMMENDED TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS 4-30
4.31 PVPC's Recommendations from the Route 107-Origm-Destination Survey 4-30
4.32 Consultant - Comprehensive Operational Analysis Recommendations 4-32
LIST OF FIGURES
Page
Section 1.0
Figure 1.1-1 Boston Road Corridor Study AreaMap 1-2
Section 2.0
Figure 2.2-1 Boston Road Corridor Study Environmental Constraints Map 2-4
Figure 2.3-1 Boston Road Corridor Study Generalized Land Use 2-11
Figure 2.4-1 Boston Road Corridor Study GeneralizedZoning 2-19
Figure 2.5-1 Boston Road Corridor Study Public Utilities 2-24
Figure 2.6-1 Boston Road Corridor StudyBuilding Activities, 1984-93 2-36
Figure 2.6-2 Boston Road Corridor Study Development Suitability 2-37
Figure 2.10-1 1994 Average Daily Traffic 2-55
Figure 2.10-2 Hourlv Volume Summarv 2-56
Figure 2.10-3 Turning Movements - Weekday 2-57
Figure 2.10-4 Turning Movements - Weekend 2-58
Figure 2.10-5 Travel Speed Measurements 2-59
Figure 2-10-6 Sidewalk Facilities 2-61
Figure 2.10-7 JT V X/\ j.i<uioii oCIvice 9-63
Figure 2.10-8 Route 107 Ridership by Purpose 2-65
Figure 2.10-9 Route 107 Ridership by Frequency 2-65
Section 3.0
Figure 3.4-1 Build-OutTrip Distribution 3-7
Figure 3.4-2 Turning Movements 2010 Build-Out#1 3-8
Figure 3.4-3 Turning Movements 2010 Build-Out #2 3-9
Section 4.0
Figure 4.1-1 Boston Road Corridor Study ProposedPlannedMixed Use 4-4
DevelopmentZone
Figure 4.2-1 Boston Road at Bay Street and BreckwoodBlvd. 4-21
Figure 4.2-2 Boston Road atHarvey Street 4-22
Figure 4.2-3 Boston Road atBig Y and Wilkes Street 4-23
Figure 4.2-4 Boston Road at Pasco Road 4-24
Figure 4.2-5 Boston Road at Parker Street 4-25
Figure 4.2-6 Boston Road at Stony Hill Road 4-26
Figure 4.2-7 Boston Road at Old Boston Road 4-27
Figure 4.2-8 Boston Road atMain Street and M^le Street 4-28
Figure 4.2-9 Boston Road at Cottage Street 4-29