Route 139 Corridor Study Stoughton Abington Pembroke Old Colony Planning Council, 70 School Street, Brockton, MA 02301 Www.ocpcrpa.org Prepared under MassDOT contract # 0052455 September, 2010 Old Colony Planning Council Route 139 Corridor Study STOUGHTON – ABINGTON - PEMBROKE September 2010 Old Colony Planning Council 70 School Street Brockton, MA. 02301 (508) 583-1833 www.ocpcrpa.org This report was prepared under Contract with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and with the cooperation of the Office of Transportation Planning, and the Federal Highway Administration 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. Route 139 Corridor Study 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. Project Manager Bill McNulty, Transportation Planner [email protected] Report Preparation Ray Guarino, Transportation Planner [email protected] Report Preparation Rodrigo Marion, Transportation Planner [email protected] Data Collection Eric Arbeene, Planner [email protected] Data Collection Jed Cornock, Transportation Planner [email protected] Mapping and Graphics Susan McGrath, GIS Coordinator [email protected] Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) OCPC Officers President Robert G. Moran, Jr. Treasurer Lee Hartmann Secretary 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 Dennis Randall Pembroke Gerard Dempsey Brian Van Riper Plymouth Lee Hartmann Valerie Massard 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 Pat Ciaramella Executive Director Janet McGinty Fiscal Officer Jacqueline Surette Fiscal Consultant Jane Linhares Grants Monitor/Secretary Patrick Hamilton AAA Administrator Lila Burgess Ombudsman Program Director Hazel Gauley Assistant Ombudsman Director Anne Nicholas Ombudsman Program Assistant Jim Watson Comprehensive Planning Supervisor Eric Arbeene Planner Bruce Hughes Economic Development/Community Planner Susan McGrath GIS Coordinator Andrew Vidal Communication/GIS/IT Specialist Charles Kilmer Transportation Program Manager Bill McNulty Transportation Planner Ray Guarino Transportation Planner Jed Cornock Transportation Planner Rodrigo Marion Transportation Planner Kyle Mowatt Transportation Intern Caleb Cornock Transportation Intern Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) OCPC Officers President Robert G. Moran, Jr. Treasurer Lee Hartmann Secretary 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 Dennis Randall Pembroke Gerard Dempsey Brian Van Riper Plymouth Lee Hartmann Valerie Massard 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 Pat Ciaramella Executive Director Janet McGinty Fiscal Officer Jacqueline Surette Fiscal Consultant Jane Linhares Grants Monitor/Secretary Patrick Hamilton AAA Administrator Lila Burgess Ombudsman Program Director Hazel Gauley Assistant Ombudsman Director Anne Nicholas Ombudsman Program Assistant Jim Watson Comprehensive Planning Supervisor Eric Arbeene Planner Bruce Hughes Economic Development/Community Planner Susan McGrath GIS Coordinator Andrew Vidal Communication/GIS/IT Specialist Charles Kilmer Transportation Program Manager Bill McNulty Transportation Planner Ray Guarino Transportation Planner Jed Cornock Transportation Planner Rodrigo Marion Transportation Planner Kyle Mowatt Transportation Intern Caleb Cornock Transportation Intern Old Colony Planning Council Contents I INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of Study ......................................................................................................................... 1 Methodology and Public Participation........................................................................................ 1 Study Area .................................................................................................................................. 1 II EXISTING CONDITIONS ................................................................................................ 4 Roadway Characteristics ............................................................................................................. 4 Land Use ..................................................................................................................................... 6 Route 139 Mainline Traffic ...................................................................................................... 11 Traffic Speed ............................................................................................................................. 13 Heavy Vehicle Data .................................................................................................................. 13 Pavement Conditions ................................................................................................................ 20 Crash Analysis .......................................................................................................................... 25 Existing Peak Hour Operations – Vehicular Traffic ................................................................. 31 Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations and Level of Service .............................................. 34 III FUTURE CONDITIONS ................................................................................................ 47 Planned Improvements .............................................................................................................. 47 Traffic Forecasts ....................................................................................................................... 52 Projected Intersection Operations ............................................................................................. 56 IV IDENTIFIED PROBLEM AREAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .......................... 58 Pleasant Street (Route 139) at Prospect Street, Stoughton ....................................................... 58 Pleasant Street (Route 139) at Lincoln Street, Stoughton ......................................................... 59 Pleasant Street (Route 139) at Central Street, Stoughton ......................................................... 61 Pleasant Street (Route 139) at Pine Street, Stoughton .............................................................. 63 Pleasant Street (Route 139) at Turnpike Street, Stoughton ...................................................... 65 Turnpike Street (Route 139) between Page Street and Pleasant Street Stoughton ................... 66 Turnpike Street (Route 139) at Page Street, Stoughton ............................................................ 67 Lindelof Avenue (Route 139) at Route 24, Stoughton ............................................................. 68 Lindelof Avenue (Route 139) at Technology Center Drive / Kay Way, Stoughton ................. 69 Randolph Street / Richard Fitts Drive (Route 139) at Hancock Street, Abington .................... 70 Randolph Street / Richard Fitts Drive (Route 139) at Chestnut Street, Abington .................... 71 Randolph Street (Route 139) at Lincoln Street, Abington ........................................................ 73 Old Colony Planning Council Randolph Street (Route 139) at Bedford Street (Route 18), Abington ..................................... 75 North Avenue (Route 139) at Adams Street (Route 58), Abington .......................................... 77 North Avenue (Route 139) at Railroad Crossing, Abington..................................................... 79 Columbia Road (Route 53/139) at Washington Street, Pembroke ........................................... 81 Washington Street (Route 53/139) at Schoosett Street (Route 139), Pembroke ...................... 83 Schoosett Street (Route 139) at Water Street, Pembroke ......................................................... 85 Church Street (Route 139) at Oak Street, Pembroke ................................................................ 86 Church Street (Route 139) at Route 3 Ramps, Pembroke ........................................................ 87 Church Street (Route 139) at Old Oak Street (Union Street), Pembroke ................................. 88 V PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND FUNDING ........................................................... 90 Old Colony Planning Council I INTRODUCTION Purpose of Study The Route 139 Corridor Study was initiated as part of the Old Colony Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). The purpose of the study is to identify traffic flow and circulation problems, safety deficiencies, and general problems and concerns within the Route 139 corridor in the Old Colony Planning Council (OCPC) communities of Stoughton, Abington, and Pembroke. Strategies and specific recommendations based on the study findings and stakeholder meetings have been developed to improve traffic flow efficiency within the corridor. This study focuses on key intersections, signalized and un-signalized, as well as on the road corridor itself, and includes data and analysis for non-motorized travel (pedestrian and bicycle). Methodology and Public Participation This study includes traffic data collection (48-hour counts and peak hour turning movements), an inventory of physical conditions (pavement width, lane use, traffic control, etc.), a review of land use and community goals, pavement conditions, pedestrian and bicycle accommodations, and a review and analysis of crash data within the corridor. In addition, traffic forecasts and level-of- service analyses for existing and future (five-year horizon) peak hour conditions were performed for this study. Traffic analyses were completed utilizing standard practices published in the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ Highway Capacity Manual. Traffic analysis software was used to complete this study including SYNCHRO, and SimTraffic. In addition to data collection completed by OCPC, crash information was obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). A public participation plan was developed to provide a cooperative study effort between OCPC, MassDOT, MassDOT Transportation Planning, the local communities, and the public. Periodic updates on the study progress were provided to the Old Colony Joint Transportation Committee (JTC) and the Old Colony Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). OCPC staff held stakeholder meetings in the Towns of Stoughton (May 5, 2010), Abington (April 7, 2010), and Pembroke (March 30, 2010) to provide input opportunities for the study area communities and the public. The alternatives, suggestions, and needs of the local communities, based on the stakeholder meetings have been incorporated in the final report. Study Area Route 139 extends east from Route 138 in Downtown Stoughton to Duxbury in southeastern Massachusetts. The geographic scope of this study includes Route 139 in the OCPC region only, which includes the Route 139 corridor in the communities of Stoughton, Abington and Pembroke. The study area is shown in Figure 1. Route 139 in Stoughton is an undivided, two lane highway under town jurisdiction from the town center to Hawes Way. At Hawes Way, Route 139 is a four lane highway with a center median to the Randolph line, where it intersects the ramps at Route 24 at Exit 20. It is under state Route 139 Corridor Study September 2010 Page 1 Old Colony Planning Council jurisdiction from Hawes Way east to the Randolph Town Line. Route 139 is classified as a principal arterial in Stoughton. In Abington, Route 139 is a two lane highway under town jurisdiction. It is classified as a principal arterial from the Randolph Town Line east to Route 18. East of Route 18, it is classified as a minor arterial to the Rockland Town Line. In Pembroke, Route 139 is under MassDOT jurisdiction and is classified as a principal arterial. It is mainly a two lane highway; however, it has four lanes between the Marshfield Town Line and Riverside Drive (Lowes Plaza). This four-lane section intersects with the Route 3 ramps at Exit 12. Route 139 provides east-west access in Southeastern Massachusetts intersecting two limited access highways, Route 24 at Exit 20 in Stoughton, and Route 3 at Exit 12 in Pembroke. Route 139 provides east-west access between Downtown Stoughton, where it intersects Route 27 and Route 138, to Route 24. Route 139 continues to the east beyond Route 24 Exit 20 to connect with Route 28 in Randolph, Route 18 and Route 58 in Abington, Route 53 in Hanover, Route 3 Exit 12 in Pembroke, and Route 3A in Marshfield and Duxbury. As an arterial road, Route 139 is eligible for funding under the federal statute. Federal funding programs require a state 20 percent funding match to an 80 percent federal funding. Route 139 in Pembroke comprises a portion of the National Highway System. Route 139 Corridor Study September 2010 Page 2