Transportation Master Plan for Route 28/Main Street
Prepared for Town of Falmouth
Prepared by McMahon Associates
April 2016
Responsive Client Solutions since 1976 www.mcmahonassociates.com
Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 5 INTRODUCTION ...... 6 STUDY AREA ...... 8 EXISTING CONDITIONS ...... 9
ROADWAY FEATURES ...... 9 Study Area Intersections ...... 10
Parking and Curb Space Allocation ...... 16
Pedestrian/Bicycle Amenities ...... 17
Transit ...... 19
TRAFFIC VOLUMES ...... 21 Traffic Count Data ...... 21
Seasonal Adjustment ...... 21
Traffic Count Summary ...... 22
CRASH ANALYSIS ...... 27 EXISTING TRAFFIC OPERATIONS ...... 28 SIGNAL WARRANT ANALYSIS ...... 29 PROJECTED TRAFFIC VOLUMES AND OPERATIONS...... 30 CORRIDOR ISSUES/DEFICIENCIES ...... 33
PEDESTRIANS/BICYCLES ...... 33 VEHICULAR INTERSECTIONS ...... 35 PARKING ISSUES ...... 40 SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING ...... 43 ALTERNATIVES ...... 45
PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ACCOMMODATIONS ...... 45 VEHICULAR CORRIDOR-BASED IMPROVEMENTS ...... 48 INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS ...... 50 BALL PARK COST ESTIMATES ...... 64 PARKING/CURB SPACE ...... 65 SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING ...... 68 DESIGNATED TRUCK ROUTE...... 70 SHAREHOLDER COORDINATION ...... 71 NEXT STEPS ...... 71 CONCLUSION ...... 72
Transportation Master Plan DRAFT – Route 28 2 April 2016 Town of Falmouth, MA McMahon Associates
List of Figures
FIGURE 1: SITE LOCATION MAP ...... 8 FIGURE 2: ROADWAY CLASSIFICATION MAP ...... 10 FIGURE 3: DOWNTOWN PUBLIC PARKING ...... 17 FIGURE 4: PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES...... 18 FIGURE 5: BICYCLE AMENITIES ...... 19 FIGURE 6: TRANSIT ROUTES ...... 20 FIGURE 7: ATR SUMMARY ...... 22 FIGURE 8: 2014 ROUTE 28 AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC (EAST OF SPRING BARS ROAD) ...... 23 FIGURE 9: 2014 WEEKDAY MORNING PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC VOLUMES ...... 24 FIGURE 10: 2014 WEEKDAY AFTERNOON PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC VOLUMES ...... 24 FIGURE 11: 2014 WEEKDAY MORNING PEDESTRIAN VOLUMES ...... 25 FIGURE 12: 2014 WEEKDAY AFTERNOON PEDESTRIAN VOLUMES ...... 25 FIGURE 13: 2014 WEEKDAY MORNING BICYCLE VOLUMES ...... 26 FIGURE 14: 2014 WEEKDAY AFTERNOON BICYCLE VOLUMES ...... 26 FIGURE 15: EXISTING TRAFFIC OPERATIONS ...... 29 FIGURE 16: 2024 PROJECTED FUTURE WEEKDAY MORNING PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC VOLUMES ...... 31 FIGURE 17: 2024 PROJECTED FUTURE WEEKDAY AFTERNOON PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC VOLUMES...... 31 FIGURE 18: 2024 FUTURE PROJECTED TRAFFIC OPERATIONS ...... 32 FIGURE 19: PARKING REGULATION ...... 41 FIGURE 20: DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR CONSTRAINTS ...... 45 FIGURE 21: DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 47 FIGURE 22: TEATICKET HIGHWAY BICYCLE LANE CONCEPT ...... 47 FIGURE 23: TEATICKET HIGHWAY MULTI-USE PATH CONCEPT ...... 48 FIGURE 24: TEATICKET HIGHWAY CONCEPT ...... 49 FIGURE 25: CORRIDOR WIDE IMPROVEMENT OVERVIEW ...... 50 FIGURE 26: PALMER (ROUTE 28) LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS ...... 52 FIGURE 27: GIFFORD STREET LONG TERM IMPROVEMENT ALTERNATIVE ...... 53 FIGURE 28: SCRANTON AVENUE LONG TERM IMPROVEMENT ALTERNATIVE ...... 54 FIGURE 29: ROUTE 28 AT FALMOUTH HEIGHTS ROAD LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS ...... 56 FIGURE 31: ROUTE 28 AT SANDWICH ROAD LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS ...... 59 FIGURE 32: ROUTE 28 AT MARAVISTA AVENUE EXTENSION LONG TERM RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 61 FIGURE 33: JONES ROAD AT GIFFORD STREET LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS ...... 64 FIGURE 34: PARKING MANAGEMENT PLAN ...... 66 FIGURE 35: WAYFINDING CORRIDOR DECISION POINTS ...... 69 FIGURE 36: WAYFINDING DOWNTOWN DECISION POINTS ...... 70
List of Tables
TABLE 1: HIGH CRASH LOCATIONS ...... 27 TABLE 2: CAPE COD COMMISSION TOP CORRIDOR CRASH LOCATIONS ...... 28 TABLE 3: SIGNAL WARRANT SUMMARY ...... 30 TABLE 4: PRELIMINARY COST ESTIMATES ...... 65
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List of Appendices
APPENDIX A: MANUAL TURNING MOVEMENT COUNT DATA APPENDIX B: AUTOMATIC TRAFFIC RECORDER COUNT DATA APPENDIX C: TRAFFIC VOLUME GRAPHICS APPENDIX D: CAPACITY ANALYSIS SUMMARY APPENDIX E: CRASH SUMMARY APPENDIX F: MUTCD SIGNAL WARRANTS APPENDIX G: SMART GROWTH/SMART ENERGY TOOLKIT’S SMART PARKING MODEL BYLAW
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Executive Summary
The Town of Falmouth Transportation Master Plan is a comprehensive study that provides short-term and long-term improvements for several intersections on the Route 28 corridor and surrounding areas. The study area that has been reviewed lies between Palmer Avenue (Route 28) to the west and Maravista Avenue Extension to the east, including Main Street, downtown Falmouth and the commercial areas adjacent to the Falmouth Mall, as well as other nearby intersections that may affect operations on Route 28. In total, there are ten intersections that were specifically analyzed as part of this project.
Existing conditions within the study area were reviewed and included roadway conditions for all modes of transportation, traffic operations, wayfinding, an inventory of parking availability, transit, and crash analysis. A list of deficiencies and issues was compiled following the existing conditions review including the following issues:
• Traffic Operations • Pedestrian Accommodations • Bicycle Accommodations • Sight Distance • Roadway Geometry • Signage and Pavement Markings • Missing Wayfinding
The existing traffic volumes were projected to future year traffic volumes through coordination with the Town of Falmouth Planning Department and the Cape Cod Commission. Future year analysis was performed to determine expected operational deficiencies. This report summarizes the findings of these analyses.
In a review of the existing conditions and operations within the study area, several alternatives to improve the corridor as a whole and the study area intersections within the corridor were reviewed. These alternatives are discussed in greater detail for each location in the report and include alternatives that experienced fatal flaws, short term improvements, and preferred long term improvements, including:
• Traffic Signal Improvements • Geometric Improvements • Improved Pedestrian/Bicycle Connections • Safety Improvements • Wayfinding Improvements • Parking Strategy
In conclusion, the report provides short-term and long-term mitigation to address the deficiencies and issues identified within the report. The Transportation Master Plan is a tool that can be utilized by the Town to implement improvements to this corridor.
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Introduction
Falmouth, Massachusetts is a town in Barnstable County on Cape Cod. Similar to several towns on Cape Cod, Falmouth is a recreational summer destination with heavy traffic peaks occurring during these summer months. Falmouth is also home to the Steamship Authority Ferry terminal in Woods Hole, servicing ferries to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Route 28 is a major arterial that travels in the north/south direction through eastern Massachusetts that provides connections to Boston and Orleans. Route 28 generally runs in the east-west direction through Falmouth and provides access to a variety of land uses including residential, commercial, and the downtown area. However, a portion of Route 28 does run in the north-south direction towards Bourne. As a primary route in the Town of Falmouth, Route 28 serves both through traffic and local traffic.
The Town of Falmouth has undertaken a Transportation Master Plan (TMP) focusing on the development of long and short term improvements for Route 28. The study area extends from Palmer Avenue to Maravista Avenue Extension and within those limits, Route 28 is commonly referred to as Main Street, Davis Straits, and Teaticket Highway. The TMP focuses on both corridor improvements as well as intersection improvement for ten key intersections in the study area, improving travel along Route 28 for all modes of transportation. The timeliness of the TMP creates an opportunity for the Town to implement improvements simultaneously with another project, as the Town of Falmouth is currently in the process of planning and designing the replacement of sewer and water main lines beneath Route 28. As these
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projects proceed concurrently, the Town seizes an opportunity to improve the transportation infrastructure along Route 28 through the Town of Falmouth.
The purpose of this Transportation Master Plan report is to summarize existing deficiencies and recommend potential improvements that can be implemented during the water and sewer line replacement projects to minimize cost and disruption. This report was developed in coordination with the Town of Falmouth Planning and Engineering departments, as well as the Planning Board and Board of Selectman, and will serve as a guide for capital planning and budgeting needs for potential future short term and long term transportation improvement projects on Route 28. The process for the TMP has included the following tasks:
Task 1: Existing Inventory and Data Collection
Task 2: Evaluate Existing Conditions and Identify Transportation Issues
Task 3: Alternatives Analysis and Recommended Improvements
Task 4: Transportation Master Plan Report
Task 5: Stakeholder Coordination
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Study Area
The study area that has been reviewed lies between Palmer Avenue (Route 28) to the west and Maravista Avenue Extension to the east, including Main Street, downtown Falmouth and the commercial areas adjacent to the Falmouth Mall, as well as other nearby intersections that may affect operations on Route 28. In total, there are ten intersections that were specifically analyzed as part of this project, as seen in Figure 1.
A Transportation Master Plan has been developed to summarize the existing amenities available for all modes of transportation traveling through the corridor, determine deficiencies, and provide recommendations and alternatives to improve traffic operations, circulation, signage, parking and pedestrian and bicycle amenities.
Figure 1: Site Location Map
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Existing Conditions
Roadway Features A field visit was conducted for the Route 28 corridor on Wednesday December 17, 2014 and Friday December 19, 2014 to review the physical and operations characteristics of the study area roadways and intersections. Attention to pedestrian accommodations, bicycle facilities, parking availability, and transit operations were reviewed corridor wide. Information from the field review was used to identify existing deficiencies within the corridor. Within the Town of Falmouth, Route 28 serves as both a north-south spine and an east-west spine connecting to the adjacent towns of Bourne and Mashpee. Route 28 is a vital corridor to the Town of Falmouth providing access to commerce, Falmouth Hospital, Woods Hole, the downtown and many of the town’s seasonal areas and beaches.
Within the project study area, Route 28 travels south via Palmer Avenue, then turns east onto Main Street where it travels through the downtown area. To the east of downtown Falmouth, Route 28 becomes Davis Straights at the intersection with Falmouth Heights Road. To the north Route 28 becomes Teaticket Highway through the remainder of the study area towards Mashpee. Route 28 generally provides two travel lanes in each direction with intermittent sidewalk throughout the corridor. Through the study area, Route 28 is classified as an urban principal arterial as seen in Figure 2.
The roadway can be divided into two major areas: the downtown corridor and the commercial area of Route 28 to the east. The downtown corridor that lies between Palmer Avenue (Route 28) to the west and Falmouth Heights Road is a Town owned roadway with a quaint village feel. The roadway serves as a link to downtown commerce. The speed limit on this segment of roadway is 25 miles per hour due to the dense commercial development and high volumes of pedestrian and bicycle traffic in this area.
The remainder of Route 28 (from Falmouth Heights Road to Maravista Avenue Extension) is a state highway that serves an arterial providing north/south connections through Falmouth. Route 28 within the study area is abutted by several commercial shopping centers, and serves as the main thoroughfare to the downtown area and to the remainder of the Cape to the east. As Route 28 leaves the downtown area, the speed limit increases to 35 miles per hour to the north of Falmouth Heights Road. The speed limit increases again to 40 miles per hour to the east of Sandwich Road. In the westbound direction, the speed limit is 40 miles per hour between Maravista Road and Sandwich Road. In the corridor between Sandwich Road and Falmouth Heights Road, the speed limit is decreased to 35 miles per hour. From Falmouth Heights Road and through the downtown corridor, the speed limit is 25 miles per hour in the westbound direction.
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Figure 2: Roadway Classification Map
Study Area Intersections There are four existing signalized intersections and five existing unsignalized intersections with the project’s study area as summarized below. In addition, there is an existing pedestrian push-button activation traffic signal located in the vicinity of the Falmouth Mall and Maravista Avenue.
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Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Maravista Avenue Extension The signalized intersection of Route 28 at Maravista Avenue Extension provides a single multi-use lane on Route 28 in the eastbound and westbound directions. In the northbound direction on Maravista Avenue Extension, there is a single multi-use lane that widens at its intersection with Route 28 to allow right turns to bypass the left turn/through movement queue. In the southbound direction on Heritage Circle, there is a shared left turn/through lane and an exclusive right turn lane. The traffic signal operates with three phases for vehicular traffic including a lead westbound phase providing protected left turns, a phase for eastbound and westbound traffic with permissive left turns, and a phase for northbound and southbound traffic with permissive left turns. There is also an exclusive, push-button activated pedestrian phase with crosswalks spanning all approaches. Emergency pre-emption is provided at this intersection.
Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Sandwich Road Sandwich Road terminates at Route 28 as an unsignalized skewed intersection. Vehicles seeking to make a left turn onto Route 28 are directed to a T- intersection with Route 28 and right turns onto Route 28 are channelized as a straight yield movement onto Route 28. Route 28 lies on a horizontal curve at this location with a single multi-use lane in each direction.
Davis Straits (Route 28) at Jones Road/Worcester Court The signalized intersection of Route 28 at Jones Road/Worcester Court provides an exclusive left turn lane and a shared through/right turn lane in the northbound and southbound direction on Route 28. In the eastbound direction on Jones Road there are no pavement markings, however the approach is wide enough for through and right turning vehicles to bypass the left turn queue on the right. In the
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westbound direction, there is an exclusive left turn lane and a shared through/right turn lane. The signal operates with three phases for vehicular traffic including a lead northbound and southbound protected left turn phase, a phase for northbound and southbound traffic and a phase for eastbound and westbound traffic with permissive left turns. Emergency pre-emption is provided at this intersection. In addition, this intersection is currently under construction by MassDOT for improved traffic operations and safety. The project will include formalizing the eastbound approach on Jones Road to provide an exclusive eastbound left turn lane and providing crosswalks on all approaches. The proposed traffic signal phasing will provide four phases for vehicular traffic including a lead protected northbound and southbound left turn phase, a phase for northbound and southbound traffic, a lead eastbound and westbound left turn phase, and a phase for eastbound and westbound traffic. The traffic signal phasing will also incorporate an exclusive push-button activated pedestrian phase.
Davis Straits (Route 28) at Dillingham Avenue/Spring Bars Road The intersection of Route 28 at Dillingham Avenue/Spring Bars Road is a two-way stop controlled unsignalized intersection. The two minor roadway approaches of Dillingham Avenue and Spring Bars Road are both under stop control while Route 28 remains free flowing. There is a single multi-use travel lane in each direction on Route 28 and a single multi-use travel lane on both minor roadway approaches. At its intersection with Route 28, Dillingham Avenue has a small center island and widens to allow right turn vehicles to bypass a left or through movement.
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Main Street (Route 28) at Falmouth Heights Road Route 28 at Falmouth Heights Road is an unsignalized T-intersection. At this intersection, Route 28 lies on a horizontal curve and also changes jurisdiction from a state-owned roadway to a town-owned roadway. Route 28 is marked as a single multi-use lane in each direction, however, in the westbound direction Route 28 is wide enough to for left turn and through movements to travel separately. There is a small raised center median on Route 28 in both directions as well as on Falmouth Heights Road. Falmouth Heights Road is under stop control at its intersection with Route 28 and consists of one shared use travel lane.
Main Street (Route 28) at Scranton Avenue The unsignalized intersection of Route 28 at Scranton Avenue is a four-way intersection with Scranton Avenue as the stop controlled northbound approach and the Gus Canty Recreation Center/Falmouth Police Station driveway as the stop controlled southbound approach. Route 28 consists of an approximate 15-foot single multi-use lane in each direction. Scranton Avenue also consists of a single lane in each direction with a small center island median.
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Main Street (Route 28) at Gifford Street/King Street The unsignalized intersection of Route 28 at Gifford Street/King Street is a four-way offset intersection with the minor approaches of Gifford Street and King Street under stop control. Gifford Street and King Street are offset by approximately 100 feet from each other. In addition, there is a commercial driveway located directly across from Gifford Street that serves as an additional leg to this intersection. At this location, there is a single multi-use lane in each direction on Route 28 as well as one multi-use travel lane on both Gifford Street and King Street. On-street parking is present on Route 28 on both sides of the roadway and there is an emergency traffic signal associated with the Falmouth Fire Department Station at this intersection.
North Main Street (Route 28) at Palmer Avenue At this location, Route 28 runs in the north/south direction with Palmer Avenue intersecting from the east. There is a single multi-use lane in all three directions at this unsignalized T-intersection. Palmer Avenue is under stop control and has a warning beacon located in the center of the roadway warning vehicles to “Slow Keep Right”.
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Palmer Avenue (Route 28) at Jones Road/Ter Heun Drive The northbound, eastbound and southbound approaches of this signalized intersection all provide an exclusive left turn lane and a shared left turn/through lane, while the westbound approach on Jones Road provides a shared left turn/through lane and an exclusive right turn lane. This signal operates with three phases for vehicular traffic including a lead southbound phase providing a protected left turn with an overlapping protected westbound right turn phase, a phase for northbound and southbound traffic with permissive left turns, and a phase for eastbound and westbound traffic with permissive left turns. There is also an exclusive, push-button activated pedestrian phase with crosswalks spanning all intersection approaches. Stop line bicycle loop detection and emergency pre-emption is provided at this intersection.
Jones Road at Gifford Street The signalized intersection of Jones Road at Gifford Street provides a single multi-use lane in each direction and operates with two phases for vehicular traffic including an eastbound and westbound phase with permissive left turns and a northbound and southbound phase with permissive left turns. There is also an exclusive, push- button activated pedestrian phase with crosswalks spanning the northbound and eastbound approaches. Emergency pre-emption is provided at this intersection.
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Parking and Curb Space Allocation Parking in the study corridor primarily consists of site‐ specific, private off‐street parking lots. The Steamship Authority operates several park and ride lots, accessible via Route 28, to connect to ferry services in Woods Hole. On‐ street parking is concentrated in the downtown area of Falmouth Village, and is generally not permitted elsewhere along the Route 28 corridor study area. In an effort to help inform the planning of the Route 28 corridor, this parking Vehicles Park where space is available analysis focuses on parking in the downtown area of on Main Street in Downtown Falmouth Falmouth Village.
On‐street parallel parking is available in the downtown area on Main Street as well as in three designated public parking lots, as seen in Figure 3. The on‐street parking in the downtown area is primarily intended to serve the retail and commercial land uses in the area with approximately 125 parking spaces between Palmer Avenue to the west and King Street to the east. On‐street parking is free and generally is unregulated.
The three public parking lots also provide free unregulated parking. The public parking lots within the downtown corridor serve public parking as well as specific parking for the Falmouth town offices, Falmouth Public Library, Falmouth post office, and Falmouth Chamber of commerce. Collectively, these three public parking lots account for approximately 325 parking spaces. In a combination with the on‐ street parking available, there are approximately 450 parking spaces available in downtown Falmouth for public use.
In addition to the existing public parking, the town proposes to allow public parking ate th two schools adjacent to the downtown area, Lawrence Middle School and Mullen Hall Elementary School, during the summer when school is not in session. This additional seasonal parking would be available when parking demand is greatest in downtown Falmouth and would contribute approximately 160 additional spaces for public use in the summer months.
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Figure 3: Downtown Public Parking
Pedestrian/Bicycle Amenities There are several pedestrian amenities provided within the Route 28 corridor. The existing pedestrian amenities are shown in Figure 4. As shown at the intersection of Palmer Avenue at North Main Street, bituminous concrete sidewalks are provided on the northern side of the roadway continuing to the Village Green where they transition to concrete sidewalks into the downtown area. The concrete sidewalk within the downtown area is in good condition. The downtown Bike Route Marker on Shore Road corridor on Main Street between the Village Green and Falmouth Heights Road has concrete sidewalks present on both sides of the roadway with several crosswalk connections spanning Main Street (Route 28). This downtown area has the majority of pedestrian activity through the study area as it provides access to several local businesses abutting Main Street. To the north of Falmouth Heights Road, Route 28 has sidewalk present only on the eastern side of the roadway and the sidewalk transitions from concrete to bituminous concrete. The western sidewalk segment is missing between Falmouth Heights Road and the Stop & Shop and Admiralty Inn driveways located to the north of the Route 28 and Jones Road signalized intersection. To the north of the Stop &
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Shop driveway, there is bituminous concrete sidewalk present on both sides of Route 28 to Sandwich Road. To the east of Sandwich Road, sidewalk is present on either side of the road which the exception of a small segment of sidewalk between Sandwich Road and the Falmouth Superintendent of School administrative building driveway and continues through the signalized intersection of Route 28 and Maravista Avenue Extension. The sidewalk along Route 28 north of Falmouth Heights Road is generally in good condition. The segment between Sandwich Road and Maravista Avenue Extension is approximately four feet in width and in fair condition.
Figure 4: Pedestrian Amenities
Within the Town of Falmouth, there are several bicycle amenities to facilitate this mode of traffic. Within the vicinity of the study area, there are marked bicycle routes as well as the nearby Shining Sea Bike Path, as shown in Figure 5. The Bike path provides connection between Woods Hole North Falmouth, while passing the Downtown corridor. Main Street is not designated as a bicycle route, likely due to the high volume of vehicular traffic, pedestrians, and on-street parking. There are, however, several adjacent roadways that provide connectivity for bicyclists. Route 28 is designated as a bicycle route to the north of Falmouth Heights Road through Sandwich Road. Within this segment, there are no specific bicycle amenities and the shoulders are too narrow to be considered bicycle tolerant in either direction for the majority of the roadway. There is a bike route map available to the public from the Falmouth Bikeway Committee that provides information on bicycle routes, points of interest, and other amenities such as bike shops and racks.
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Figure 5: Bicycle Amenities
In addition to the existing bicycle amenities within the Town of Falmouth, the Cape Cod Commission has created a plan for an improved transportation network for bicycling.
Transit The corridor is serviced by the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (CCRTA) which provides bus services within the study area via two fixed route bus lines: The Sealine and the Woods Hole (WHOOSH) Trolley, as seen in Figure 6.
The Sealine provides year round bus services between the Woods Hole Steamship Authority in Falmouth and the Hyannis Transportation Center via Route 28. Within the A WHOOSH Trolley stop marked on study area, the bus has stops at the Bus Depot on Palmer Main Street Avenue (Route 28), then continues east on Main Street (Route 28) to the bus stop at the Falmouth Mall. The Bus Depot stop is a connection to several regional bus lines, including connections to Boston. The bus then continues northeast towards Hyannis. To the northeast, the Sealine connects to the Hyannis Transportation Center which provides service to the CapeFlyer train providing transit to Boston. The Sealine also connects with two other CCRTA bus lines: the Bourne Run, which connects via a mutual bus stop on Route 151 in Mashpee, and the Sandwich Line, which connects via a bus stop on Route 28 in Barnstable.
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The WHOOSH Trolley is a seasonal bus service that provides connections between Woods Hole and Downtown Falmouth. The bus service runs from late June through the beginning of September. The bus line provides several stops adjacent to and within the study area including a stop at the Shining Sea Bike Path, the Route 28 Bus Depot, the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce and the Falmouth library located on Main Street, Colonial Plaza located at the intersection of Main Street (Route 28) at Falmouth Heights Road, Falmouth Plaza, and the Falmouth Mall. The WHOOSH Trolley connects with the Sealine at the bus depot and Falmouth Mall.
In addition to these fixed route bus lines, the CCRTA provides a Dial-a-Ride (DART) transportation services that provide door-to-door transportation around all of Cape Cod. The service is available to all residents and visitors upon prior reservation. Within the town of Falmouth, there are specific hours of operation for trips internal to the town and outside of the town.
As mentioned, the bus lines provide a connection to Woods Hole at the Steamship Authority docks, providing connections to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Additionally, there is a ferry connection at the Island Queen Ferry Marina located on Falmouth Heights Road that provides also provides connections to Martha’s Vineyard.
Figure 6: Transit Routes
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Traffic Volumes Traffic Count Data Manual turning movement count data was collected by the Cape Cod Commission in the summer of 2014 from 7:00AM to 9:00AM and 3:00PM to 6:00PM for the following study area intersections:
• Main Street (Route 28) at Palmer Avenue (Route 28) • Main Street (Route 28) at Gifford Street • Main Street (Rotue 28) at Scranton Avenue • Main Street (Route 28) Falmouth Heights Road • Davis Straits (Route 28) at Dillingham Avenue/Spring Bars Road • Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Sandwich Road • Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Maravista Avenue Extension • Palmer Avenue (Route 28) at Ter Heun Drive/Jones Road
Turning movement counts for the study area intersection of Davis straits (Route 28) at Jones Road/Worcester Court was taken from the MassDOT Functional Design Report dated May 2011. Since the traffic counts were conducted in 2010, the traffic volumes were adjusted to the base year 2014 for analysis purposes.
Turning movement counts were collected at the following two study area intersections by the Town of Falmouth in April 2015. In addition, the Cape Cod Commission conducted a weekday afternoon peak hour count in July 2015 for the intersection of Jones Road at Gifford Street.
• Jones Road at Gifford Street • Palmer Avenue (Route 28) at North Main Street
Nine Automatic Traffic Recorders (ATR) were also collected by the Cape Cod Commission in the summer of 2014 for various segments of Route 28 within the study area. The ATRs were collected for a period of 48-hours and provided average daily traffic (ADT) traffic volumes along Route 28.
Seasonal Adjustment The majority of the traffic counts were conducted during the summer months and do not require seasonal adjustment. The intersections of Palmer Avenue at North Main Street and Jones Road at Gifford Street were conducted in the spring and were seasonally adjusted based on historic traffic growth data maintained by the Cape Cod Commission by approximately 25%. A summary of the daily traffic volumes collected are shown in Figure 7.
Manual turning movement count data as well as ATR data are shown in Appendix A and Appendix B, respectively.
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Figure 7: ATR Summary
Traffic Count Summary Based on a review of daily traffic volumes, it is apparent that peak traffic volumes are consistently high throughout the day. Usually in a suburban area, there are two distinct peak periods for traffic volumes during the day which is typically during the morning and evening commute time periods. However, as seen below in Figure 8, traffic volumes are consistently high on Route 28 in Falmouth from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. This distinction is important factor such that any proposed traffic improvements will benefit the majority of the day and not just the typical morning and afternoon peak hours.
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Figure 8: 2014 Route 28 Average Daily Traffic (East of Spring Bars Road)
1400 RT 28 East of Spring Bars Rd 1200
1000
800
600
400 Average Daily Traffic (ADT) 200
0 1:00PM 2:00PM 3:00PM 4:00PM 5:00PM 6:00PM 7:00PM 8:00PM 9:00PM 1:00AM 2:00AM 3:00AM 4:00AM 5:00AM 6:00AM 7:00AM 8:00AM 9:00AM 12:00PM 10:00PM 11:00PM 12:00AM 10:00AM 11:00AM
Based on the traffic count data, the weekday morning peak hour on Route 28 occurs between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM. The weekday afternoon peak hour is shown to occur between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM. These volumes are shown graphically in Figure 9 and Figure 10 below for the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hour traffic volumes, respectively. In addition, detailed peak hour traffic volume graphics are provided in Appendix C.
In addition to the vehicular volumes, pedestrian and bicycle volumes were recorded in the manual turning movement counts and are shown in Figure 11 and Figure 12 for the weekday morning and weekday afternoon pedestrian volumes, and Figure 13 and Figure 14 for the weekday morning and weekday afternoon bicycle volumes, respectively.
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Figure 9: 2014 Weekday Morning Peak Hour Traffic Volumes
Figure 10: 2014 Weekday Afternoon Peak Hour Traffic Volumes
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Figure 11: 2014 Weekday Morning Pedestrian Volumes
Figure 12: 2014 Weekday Afternoon Pedestrian Volumes
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Figure 13: 2014 Weekday Morning Bicycle Volumes
Figure 14: 2014 Weekday Afternoon Bicycle Volumes
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Crash Analysis Crash data was reviewed within the Route 28 corridor and at each of the study area intersections and is summarized below. Detailed crash analysis for the study area intersections is attached in Appendix E. As shown, the majority of the study area intersections do not experience a significantly high crash rate. There are however, several intersections and segments that have a higher than average crash rate displayed in Table 1 below.
Table 1: High Crash Locations
Crash Statewide Intersections Rate Average Main Street (Route 28) at Gifford Street 0.62 0.60 Main Street (Route 28) at Scranton Avenue 1.32 0.60 Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Sandwich Road 0.79 0.60 Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Maravista Avenue Extension 0.94 0.80 Segments Main Street (Route 28): Palmer Avenue to Gifford Street 4.60 3.23 Main Street (Route 28): Gifford Road to Falmouth Heights Road 9.69 3.23 Route 28: Falmouth Heights Road to Dillingham Road 5.39 3.23 Route 28: Dillingham Road to Jones Road 4.48 3.23 Teaticket Highway (Route 28): Jones Road to Sandwich Road 15.17 3.23
Within the study area, the most common crash types at a signalized intersection were angle collisions and rear-end collisions. The most common crash type at an unsignalized intersection was an angle collision, which is consistent with intersections that allow permissive movements.
Within the study area, there were a total of 35 crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists within the study area. Of these crashes 27 involved personal injury and one crash was fatal. The fatal crash occurred during
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the weekday afternoon peak period in December 2011 under dark conditions. A pedestrian was struck be a vehicle approximately 100 feet east of John’s Liquor Store on Main Street. It is unclear if this pedestrian was crossing within the adjacent crosswalk based on the information provided. The Cape Cod Commission produces a report listing the top crash locations on Cape Cod for the most recent three year period. There are several intersections within the study area corridor that rank on the list, as seen in Table 2 below. The two highest locations within the corridor on this list, the Falmouth Mall and the Stop & Shop Plaza, lie within the same segment of Teaticket Highway (Route 28) between Jones Road and Sandwich Road, which would account for the high number of crashes within this segment.
Table 2: Cape Cod Commission Top Corridor Crash Locations
CCC Crash Crash Location EPDO Rank Count Rate 10 Route 28 (Teaticket Highway) at Falmouth Mall 62 114 3.4 18 Route 28 (Teaticket Highway) at Stop & Shop Plaza 46 70 2.5 22 Route 28 (Teaticket Highway) at Maravista Avenue 34 66 1.9 23 *Route 28 (Davis Straits) at Dillingham/Spring Bars Road 35 63 1.9 46 *Route 28 (Teaticket Highway) at Jones Road 19 39 0.9 47 Route 28 (Teaticket Highway) at Trotting Park Road 14 38 0.9 51 *Jones Road at Gifford Street 12 36 0.7 *Study Area Intersection
Based on a review of the MassDOT Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) map, several of the study area intersections are classified as HSIP crash clusters and may be eligible for federal safety improvement funding. These intersections include the following:
• Davis Straits (Route 28) at Dillingham Avenue/Spring Bars Road • Main Street (Route 28) at Scranton Avenue • Jones Road at Gifford Street • Teaticket Highway (Route 28) from the Falmouth Mall to Figuerido Way (Top 200 Bicycle Crash Cluster)
Existing Traffic Operations A total of ten intersections were included within the study area, including four signalized intersections and six unsignalized intersections. Eight of the intersections lie along the Route 28 corridor while an additional two intersections that are adjacent to the corridor have also been reviewed as they are critical to the operations of this corridor.
Capacity analysis was performed for each of the study area intersections in addition to the field observations of existing deficiencies to quantify the performance of each intersection. Figure 15 below shows the overall levels-of-service for each of the signalized intersections within the study area as well as
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the critical stop controlled approach of the unsignalized intersections. Detailed capacity analysis results for the study area intersections is shown in Appendix D.
Operating levels of service (LOS) are reported on a scale of A to F with A representing the best conditions (with little or no delay) and F representing the worst operating conditions (long delays). Typically in an urbanized area, LOS D is considered adequate.
Figure 15: Existing Traffic Operations
As seen in the graphic above, the unsignalized intersections of N. Main Street at Palmer Avenue (Route 28), Main Street at Gifford Street, Scranton Avenue, Dillingham Avenue, and Teaticket Highway at Sandwich Road at all operate at LOS E or F during both the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hours for the minor stop-controlled approach. This is largely due to high volumes of traffic on Route 28 that make access from the side streets difficult. Generally, the signalized intersections within the study area with acceptable operations at LOS C or LOS D, with the exception of the intersection of Gifford Street at Jones Road during the weekday afternoon peak hour which operates at LOS F.
Signal Warrant Analysis Signal warrant analyses were performed for the unsignalized study area intersections of based on procedures outlined in the latest edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The MUTCD establishes eight criteria, referred to as warrants, for the installation of traffic signals. The manual
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states that satisfaction of these warrants does not in itself require the installation of a traffic signal. However, a traffic signal should not be installed unless one or more of the warrants is met. The analyses performed for this report are based on the criteria for the eight-hour, four-hour, and peak hour volume warrants.
Eight-hour, four-hour and peak hour signal warrant analyses were performed using existing traffic volumes at each study area intersection reviewed. The results of the signal warrant analyses are provided in Appendix F, and summarized in Table 3 below.
Table 3: Signal Warrant Summary
Warrant 1 Warrant 2 Warrant 3 Intersection Eight- Hour Four-Hour Peak Hour Palmer Avenue at Main Street (Route 28) Y N N Gifford Street at Main Street (Route 28) Y Y Y Scranton Avenue at Main Street (Route 28) Y Y Y Falmouth Heights Road at Main Street (Route 28) Y Y Y Dillingham Avenue at Davis Straits (Route 28) Y Y Y Sandwich Road at Teaticket Highway (Route 28) Y Y Y
As shown in Table 3, five of the six unsignalized study area intersections reviewed meet the criteria to justify the installation of a new traffic control signal under Warrants 1, 2, and 3 based on the traffic volumes collected. The intersection of Main Street (Route 28) at Palmer Avenue does not meet the criteria for the eight-hour signal warrant.
Projected Traffic Volumes and Operations
To determine future traffic demands on the study area roadways and intersections, the 2014 existing traffic volumes were projected over a ten-year horizon to the future-year 2024. Traffic volumes on the roadways in 2024 are assumed to include all existing traffic, as well as new traffic resulting from general growth in the study area and from other planned development projects. Traffic growth is primarily a function of changes in motor vehicle use and expected land development in the region. Based on coordination with the Cape Cod Commission and the Town of Falmouth, a one-half percent growth rate over the ten year period was assumed and is consistent with the Cape Cod Commission’s future growth rates for the Upper Cape as seen in their 2014 Traffic Counting Report. This growth rate captures general changes in population and accounts for small developments in the vicinity of the study area. In addition, there were no other specified special generators that were noted to be included in the future traffic projections based on conversations with the Town of Falmouth. The 2024 future year traffic volumes are shown graphically in Figure 16 and Figure 17 below for the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hour traffic volumes, respectively.
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Figure 16: 2024 Projected Future Weekday Morning Peak Hour Traffic Volumes
Figure 17: 2024 Projected Future Weekday Afternoon Peak Hour Traffic Volumes
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A detailed capacity analysis was performed for each of the study area intersections during the 2024 projected year condition to determine additional deficiencies. Figure 18 below shows the overall levels- of-service for each of the signalized intersections within the study area as well as the critical stop controlled approach of the unsignalized intersections in the future 2024 condition. Detailed capacity analysis results for the study area intersections is shown in Appendix D.
Figure 18: 2024 Future Projected Traffic Operations
As seen in the graphic above, the study area intersections continue to operate with considerable vehicle delays and at poor levels-of-service. The LOS at the majority of the study area intersections is shown to remain the same from existing conditions, but operations are expected to continue to decline with longer expected delays. Two intersections do show a decline in level of service to poor operations. The signalized intersection of Route 28 at Maravista Avenue Extension is shown to decrease from an overall LOS C to a LOS E during the weekday afternoon peak hour under 2024 projected future conditions. The Falmouth Heights Road approach at its unsignalized intersection with Route 28 is shown to decrease from a LOS D to a LOS E during the weekday afternoon peak hour.
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Corridor Issues/Deficiencies
Several deficiencies were identified within the corridor both at the study area intersections and within the segments of Route 28. It was observed that there is a corridor wide issue with congestion and queueing, particularly due to the large number of curb cuts and stop controlled minor streets feeding into Route 28. Route 28 is generally congested through the corridor causing high delays and queueing on side streets. There are also aspects corridor wide that aid in driver confusion such as outdated or poorly placed signage and unmarked lanes. Advanced warning signage is often clustered with wayfinding/guide signage. This sign clutter can make it difficult for drivers to absorb the information presented. In several locations, the pavement markings that are present are faded.
Pedestrians/Bicycles Corridor wide, sidewalk connectivity is generally good, particularly within the downtown corridor. There are, however, several missing sidewalk segments on Route 28: Cluttered wayfinding • Western side of Route 28 between Falmouth Heights Road and the signage Stop & Shop Plaza • Western side of Route 28 from Sandwich Road to the School Administration Building • Southern portion of Palmer Avenue from North Main Street to Main Street (near Queens Byway)
In addition there are several areas where the existing sidewalk is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Route 28 segment between Sandwich Road and Maravista Avenue Extension on both sides of the roadway • Route 28 at Maravista Avenue Extension handicap ramps • Route 28 at Maravista Avenue handicap ramps • Route 28 at Dillingham Road handicap ramps • Route 28 at Palmer Avenue handicap ramps (Queens Byway)
Within the downtown area, it was observed that there are inconsistencies in the advanced warning signage for pedestrians as well as the type of crosswalk and handicap ramps. Additionally, there are few crossings that have bump-outs available to shorten the pedestrian crossing. As previously mentioned, there are three parking lots that serve the public in the downtown area. While the exact destination of each pedestrian varies, there are generally pedestrian desire lines to/from these parking areas to Main Street, however there are some missing or misplaced connections to facilitate pedestrian traffic to these areas.
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Generally, there is sufficient sidewalk space to accommodate pedestrians on Main Street in the downtown area, however it should be noted that in some locations abutting restaurants use adjacent sidewalk space for outdoor seating, limiting the available sidewalk width. Pedestrian walking from parking lot on Library Lane to Main Street A previous study was conducted by the Cape Cod Commission to analyze pedestrian and bicycle levels of service (LOS) in several downtown areas on Cape Cod including downtown Falmouth. Pedestrian levels of service are dependent upon the availability of sidewalk and the capacity of the sidewalk to service the volume of pedestrians utilizing it. Data was collected on Main Street east of King Street and the study revealed that the level of service for pedestrians traveling eastbound at this location is LOS F and westbound is LOS E.
There are also deficiencies within the downtown corridor in terms of bicycle accommodations. While the Town of Falmouth provides a bicycle map to help users navigate bicycle tolerant roadways, Main Street is not included as a bicycle route. While an alternative is provided via adjacent roadways, Main Street is often the destination of this traffic and will continue to be used by bicyclists. On Main Street, there are currently no bicycle accommodations. It is also a difficult roadway for bicycle traffic due to the on-street parking conflicts and congested roadway through this segment.
On the other roadways that are identified on the bicycle route map, the only bicycle accommodations provided are “sharrows” in the roadway to indicate the road must be shared between vehicular and bicycle traffic. On some of these roadways, there may be available space to further protect bicyclists by means of an exclusive bicycle lane or other accommodations.
The Cape Cod Commission has recently finalized a report titled a “Plan for an Improved Transportation Network for Bicycling” for the Town of Falmouth. The plan identified routes that are rideable and desirable, as well as problem areas. Recommendations from the Cape Cod Commission include installation of improved bicycle wayfinding signage, installation of “shared use” bicycle signage and pavement markings on bike routes, upgrade of crosswalks to “piano key” style, additional bike racks and several key projects at some of our study area intersections which will be discussed further.
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Vehicular Intersections North Main Street (Route 28) at Palmer Avenue (Route 28) At the intersection of North Main Street at Palmer Avenue (Queens Byway), it was noted that there is a long crosswalk spanning Palmer Avenue with inadequate handicap accessible ramps. The long crosswalk is uninviting for pedestrians with no median refuge. In addition there is a missing sidewalk segment on the southern portion of Palmer Missing crosswalk connection on northern side of Palmer Avenue Avenue east of the Queens Byway as well as a missing crosswalk with handicap accessible ramps to connect the Queens Byway shops with the parking lot on the northern side of Palmer Avenue.
The roadway geometry at this intersection promotes higher speed right turns from Palmer Avenue to connect to North Main Street with a large right turn radius. There are currently no bicycle accommodations at this intersection.
Main Street (Route 28) at Gifford Street During the field review, sight distance for the stop controlled approach from Gifford Street to Main Street was observed to be problematic as vehicles are obstructed by adjacent buildings and vegetation. This causes vehicles to encroach into the crosswalk spanning Gifford Street.
In addition, the roadway geometry causes additional problems at this intersection. Gifford Street is offset by approximately 100 feet with King Street to the east which causes additional vehicle conflicts and driver confusion. Sight distance is impaired on Gifford Street due to vegetation. There is also a commercial driveway opposite Gifford Street for Super Lube that introduces additional conflict points at this intersection.
As previously shown, the southbound approach from Gifford Street operates at LOS F during both the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hours. These operational problems as well as extensive queuing from both Gifford Street and King Street were observed. In addition, this unsignalized intersection had an above average crash rate.
There are sidewalks present on either side of the roadway with no crosswalk connection at Gifford Street spanning Main Street, but a crosswalk connection is present to the east of King Street. There is a crosswalk spanning Gifford Street that is faded and is striped inconsistently with the majority of the crosswalks adjacent to Main Street. No bicycle accommodations are currently provided at this intersection.
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Main Street (Route 28) at Scranton Avenue One of the existing handicapped accessible ramps at the intersection of Main Street at Scranton Avenue have been recently upgraded to include tactile warning pads, however, there are still two ramps that still need upgrading. The sidewalks along Main Street appear to be in good condition, however, the sidewalks along Scranton Avenue are inconsistent and substandard. No bicycle accommodations Inadequate ramps and center median are currently provided at this intersection. on Scranton Avenue.
In addition, there is a small center median located on Scranton Avenue that is in poor condition and appears to more of a hazard. Vegetation along the private commercial properties on the southern side of Main Street appear to be overgrown and may be impeding sight distance.
The existing operations on Scranton Avenue are shown to operate at LOS E and LOS F during the weekday morning and afternoon peak hours, respectively. Traffic volumes may drastically peak at this intersection as it provides direct access to the Island Queen and Falmouth Harbor, the police station and the recreation center.
Main Street (Route 28) at Falmouth Heights Road The unsignalized intersection of Main Street at Falmouth Heights Road is T-intersection with the northbound Falmouth Heights Road under stop control. As previously shown, operations are poor for the Falmouth Heights Road approach at this intersection during the weekday morning peak hour. It was observed during the field visit that significant queueing occurs as a result of these poor operations.
There is wayfinding signage present in the median on Falmouth Heights Road, however, much of the information is difficult for motorists to see and refer mainly to commercial businesses and not necessarily focal points of the town. Additional roadway signage at this intersection is obstructed by adjacent vegetation, or faded and difficult to see.
Route 28 at this location is median divided creating an expansive intersection that more difficult for left turning vehicles to and from Falmouth Heights Road to clear. In addition, the expansive intersection leads to higher vehicle travel speeds on Route 28. There are also sight distance issues as the intersection lies within a curve in Route 28. There are also several abutting commercial driveways at Pedestrian crossing out of the this intersection that add to the congestion issues and crosswalk on Falmouth Heights Road driver confusion.
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There are no crosswalks directly at the intersection, but there is a crosswalk approximately 200 feet to the west on Main Street and a crosswalk approximately 100 feet to the south on Falmouth Heights Road. Pedestrians at this location were observed to use the shortest available crossing instead of the nearest available crosswalk, which indicated that the existing crosswalks are not placed within the pedestrian desire lines. In addition, there are no bicycle accommodations at this intersection.
Davis Straits at Dillingham Avenue/Spring Bars Road The traffic analysis shows that the stop controlled approaches on Dillingham Avenue and Spring Bars Road currently operate at LOS F during the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hours. Queueing on the eastbound and westbound approaches was also observed to be an issue. There is additional confusion as this intersection is adjacent to several commercial driveways that also enter to Route 28. It was noted during the field observations that Dillingham Avenue and Spring Bars Road are used often as cut-through routes in the east/west direction, which adds to the traffic volumes at this intersection.
Dillingham Avenue is slightly offset with Spring Bars Road which can contribute angle and sideswipe Cyclist on Route 28 seeking refuge on collisions in the east/west directions. This intersection the sidewalk was noted to have an above average crash rate and was ranked as the 23rd top corridor crash locations in Barnstable County by the Cape Cod Commission. Dillingham Avenue also has a small median divider which contributes to driver confusion.
With regards to pedestrian accommodations, there is sidewalk along the eastern side of Route 28, but there is no sidewalk along western side of Route 28. There are also missing crosswalk connections along the western and northern sides of the roadway. As part of the Stop n’ Shop gas station development, the sidewalk and associated handicap accessible ramps were upgraded along the eastern side of the roadway along their property frontage. However, the handicap ramps on the opposing end of the eastern and southern crosswalks were not upgraded and are not ADA accessible. No bicycle accommodations are present at this intersection.
Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Jones Road/Worcester Court As previously mentioned, the Route 28 at Jones Road/Worcester Court intersection is currently under construction by MassDOT as part of an intersection improvement project and is expected to address existing operational and safety deficiencies. Currently there is no existing pedestrian signal phase and no bicycle accommodations, but improvements are slated to include an exclusive pedestrian phase to the traffic signal phasing and the installation of five foot bicycle lanes on Route 28.
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Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Sandwich Road The unsignalized intersection of Route 28 at Sandwich Road has a unique geometry as Route 28 lies on a horizontal curve. The southbound right turn from Sandwich Road aligns with Route 28 southbound at an angle, and the southbound left turn is channelized to meet Route 28 squarely. The southbound right turn alignment invites vehicles to continue free flow to Route Intersection geometry at Sandwich 28 in the southbound direction. While there is yield Road and Route 28 signage present for this movement, it is often ignored by motorists who continue free flow onto Route 28. The alignment also creates confusion where the northbound left turning vehicles to Sandwich Road enter. There are also sight distance constraints for both the left turn and right turn on Sandwich Road since the Route 28 lies on a curve.
As previously shown, the Sandwich Road approach operates at LOS F during the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hours. During the field review, congestion from Sandwich Road was observed to be a problem as well as queueing in the southbound direction. In addition, high vehicle speeds were observed at this intersection. There is a bus stop to the south of this intersection that adds to the congestion problems in the southbound direction. The intersection of Route 28 at Sandwich Road was noted to have an above average crash rate.
Several pavement markings at this location are faded such as the solid white edge line on the western side of the roadway and the southbound directional arrow from Sandwich Road to Route 28 southbound. Supplemental pavement markings should be present in the southbound direction to enforce the yield condition as the intersection geometry is unusual.
There is no sidewalk on the western portion of the roadway to the northeast of Sandwich Road and no crosswalk connection to cross Sandwich Road. Sandwich Road at the intersection with Route 28 creates a long crossing for pedestrians due to the separate channelized right and left turn lanes. There are no bicycle accommodations present at this intersection.
Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Maravista Avenue Extension One of the major contributing factors to congestion at this intersection is the lack of a left turn lane on Route 28 westbound. Left turning vehicles from Route 28 are often queued waiting for a safe gap in traffic. In return, Route 28 through vehicles are then observed to bypass the left turn queued vehicles on the right hand side, often Narrow sidewalks adjacent to entering the crosswalk on the minor approaches which Maravista Avenue Extension creates hazards and confusion. Additionally, operations for the northbound approach are poor, operating at LOS F during the weekday afternoon peak hour.
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With regards to pedestrian amenities, there is an exclusive, push-button activated pedestrian phase at this intersection, however, the pedestrian signal heads are outdated. Additionally, the sidewalks on Route 28 adjacent to this intersection are only four feet in width and are not ADA compliant. The pedestrian ramps at this location are also not ADA compliant. No bicycle accommodations are present at this intersection although Maravista Avenue Extension is signed as a bicycle route.
Palmer Avenue (Route 28) at Jones Road/Ter Huen Drive At this intersection, operational issues were observed in the field that may not be reflected in the existing capacity analysis. The analysis indicates that the intersection operates at an overall LOS C during the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hours, however, there can be extensive queues on Route 28 at varying points during the day related to when the ferry arrives in Woods Hole and with the shift change at the hospital. The intersection is directly adjacent to the Falmouth Hospital, so the intersection operations are routinely interrupted by emergency vehicles. There are also conflicts with left turning vehicles to adjacent driveways that result in queue spillback into the intersection of Palmer Avenue at Ter Heun Drive.
The intersection provides access from the north to the downtown area, Woods Hole, and other local attractions in Falmouth. The traffic volumes traveling through this intersection are very high and cause congestion problems at this location. The heavy traffic volumes have also cause pavement rutting on Route 28.
The signage at this intersection in several locations is obstructed by adjacent vegetation and much of the Queue spillback on Route 28 looking towards Woods Hole signage was observed to be cluttered or faded, making the signage difficult to see.
This intersection is also adjacent to the Shining Sea Bike Path, which crosses Ter Huen Drive approximately 100 feet west of Route 28. While warning signage is available, vehicles turning from Route 28 to the Ter Huen Drive have a short amount of time to react to bicycle traffic at the bike path crossing.
Jones Road at Gifford Street As previously discussed, the town-owned intersection of Jones Road at Gifford Street operates at an overall LOS F during the weekday afternoon peak hour. Congestion and queueing was observed during the field review for the eastbound, westbound, southbound approaches. This intersection provides a single multi-use lane in each direction, which results in left turning vehicles blocking the through and right turn movements, or these movements passing the left turn queues on the right.
In addition, this intersection was found to have an above average crash rate and was ranked as the 51st top crash location in Barnstable County by the Cape Cod Commission.
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Sidewalk is provided on both sides of Gifford Street north of Jones Road while sidewalk is only present on the western side of Gifford Street south of Jones Road. Sidewalk is also provided on the southern side of Jones Road. Crosswalks are provided on the southern and western approaches to the intersection along with adequate handicap accessible ramps. An exclusive pedestrian phase is provided via actuated push buttons at this intersection. No bicycle accommodations exist on Jones Road or Gifford Street.
Parking Issues It is important to consider the parking and circulation elements within the downtown Falmouth Village in the context of overall transportation along the Route 28 corridor. Streetscape improvements, wayfinding and associated efforts can contribute to a “park once and walk” environment that ultimately results in better use of a limited parking supply.
Falmouth’s population changes seasonally and so does the demand for downtown parking. However, on- street parking demand occurs throughout the calendar year as residents and visitors conduct business and seek shopping and services in Falmouth Village, such as Town Hall, Library, Post Office, and banks. The parking supply is currently free and mostly unregulated, as shown in Figure 19. The following issues were noted through the stakeholder outreach process, and conversations with Town officials:
• On-street parking that is prime for short-term customer use, is often used by employees and other long-term parkers. This may result in a misperception by customers and visitors that parking availability is limited. • The Town recently implemented a “no overnight parking” policy in Falmouth Village to discourage overflow, daily parking associated with the Steamship Authority but long-term parking potentially displacing customer parking remains an issue in the Village. • The off-street public parking lots are highly used, particularly south of Main Street near Town Hall, and parking west of the library.
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Figure 19: Parking Regulation
Field observations and discussions with Town officials imply there is limited capacity to accommodate growth in parking demand within the downtown area, particularly during the summer season. Therefore, optimal use of the existing parking supply is required through efficient management of parking regulations and wayfinding (discussed in the next section). A comprehensive parking management plan that accommodates future growth is far more effective than constructing new parking facilities – a solution some communities pursue prematurely when improved management of the existing supply may address the “parking problem.” A comprehensive parking management plan should be flexible and adaptable to address current issues, as well as to carry through downtown’s future. It takes only small changes in use to shift the way parking operates or is perceived in an area.
Issue: Prime parking spaces are difficult to find during peak demand
There is a natural tendency for people to want front door convenience to a destination when selecting a parking location. Given the local business focus of Falmouth Village, encouraging a park-once-and-walk environment is good for business and reduces the need for front door parking when visitors and customers have multiple Prime parking spaces in Downtown destinations. It also reduces traffic congestion when Falmouth vehicles are not circling the block in search of the ideal
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parking spot. Finally, long-term parkers such as employees, should be encouraged to use off-street parking, rather than the prime curbside parking.
Issue: Use of public lots and parking behind businesses may be an underutilized resource
There is likely to be more parking spaces available in off-street lots when on-street parking is near capacity. However, people may not know where these spaces are located nor how to access them from Main Street/Route 28. The pedestrian experience and wayfinding are important considerations to allow parkers to walk to their destination, rather than seeking the front door parking space.
Additional seasonal parking could be considered north of downtown, if sufficient pedestrian amenities and wayfinding are provided. The Town has expressed interest in using surface parking lots in the vicinity of Off-Street parking available adjacent to Shivericks Pond/Lawrence Middle School/Mullen Hall Downtown Main Street School, to accommodate high seasonal demand for parking in the downtown when schools are not in session and therefore not using the parking. It’s important to consider wayfinding between any parking location and key attractions, and the pedestrian environment with amenities such as consistent sidewalks, high-quality lighting and landscaping. The well- lit, level walkway adjacent to the pond, beginning at Katharine Lee Bates Road and Mullen Hall School, should be extended to the north and east to connect to Lawrence School to provide a pedestrian connection between remote parking and the downtown business district.
Issue: Business-friendly development policies may not be compatible with parking demand
Current policies and approaches to development regulation help maintain the thriving retail and restaurant environment and small town feel of downtown Falmouth Village. Parking is not required of new development, with the assumption that parking can be accommodated through shared resources in the downtown. Parking meters were removed many years ago to support economic development and encourage visitors to spend time in downtown Falmouth Village. The adequacy of publicly available parking should be reviewed periodically to ensure the available supply is retained as business development increases.
Management of the parking supply, both vehicular and bicycle, should be consistent with the business and Vehicles park in front of local service focus of the Village by shifting employee and long- businesses unrestricted term parking away from prime curbside spaces. It’s
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important to recognize that parking strategies are part of an integrated system that should be implemented simultaneously for the most effective outcomes. The Commonwealth’s Smart Growth/Smart Energy Toolkit’s Smart Parking Model Bylaw in Appendix G provides sample zoning regulations, shared parking arrangements, and development guidelines that could be considered by Falmouth.
If it is determined that additional parking supply is needed to meet future needs, fees-in-lieu of parking can be used to reduce the amount of parking required for private developments in a defined area. The intent is that fees are used for construction of new parking that meet the needs of the entire district the parking is intended to serve. Municipal finance laws and regulations for development mitigation need to be considered with this approach. Additional details and information are provided in the Commonwealth’s Smart Growth/Smart Energy Toolkit’s Smart Parking Model Bylaw in Appendix G. Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and Parking Betterment Districts are also strategies that allow for parking fees from meters and permits to be reinvested in the designated area generating that revenue.
Signage and Wayfinding Signs that provide wayfinding for vehicles and pedestrians are an important part of an effective circulation system. While roadway signage is important for all users, it plays an even more important role for visitors, tourists and other motorists unfamiliar with the area. Clear, consistent signage that provides recognizable destination and directional information to motorists helps guide motorists more safely and efficiently, and can reduce motorist frustration. When done effectively, a wayfinding system can also provide a recognizable brand for a community or destination.
There is a general lack and overall inconsistence for signage along Route 28 and in the downtown area as seen in the collection of photographs below.
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The Cape Cod Commission’s draft “Plan for an Improved Transportation Network for Bicycling,” June 2015 provides some prototype for wayfinding signs in Falmouth. Larger signs are designed for vehicular travel, using font sizes that are legible at faster speeds of travel. Smaller, pedestrian oriented signs are scaled for individuals who may stop and consider a range of options for direction of travel. Wayfinding signs provide information, direction and identification.
"Wayfinding is what people do when they travel to and through a space. Wayfinding systems involve the science and art of scripting people’s travel to and through that same space. Communities should strive to prevent the frustration people experience when they have trouble finding a destination, particularly a public destination. The broader goal should be to help people discover all of the community’s other assets. In other words, wayfinding should guide the movement of people into and through a town to its advantage by ‘scripting the theater’ of the community." - MainStreet.org
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Alternatives
After our review of the existing conditions and operations and identification of issues/deficiencies within the study area, several alternatives to improve the corridor as a whole and the study area intersections were developed. These alternatives are discussed in greater detail for each location below and include alternatives that experienced fatal flaws, short term improvements, and preferred long term improvements.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations In an effort to provide safe and efficient facilities for all roadway users, pedestrian and bicycle accommodations were reviewed as a whole. The study area corridor was broken into two specific areas on interest; downtown Main Street and Teaticket Highway. Within the downtown area, specific attention was paid to multi‐modal accommodations since the downtown area is destination within the corridor with a high volume of pedestrians. One alternative that was reviewed was the inclusion of bicycle lanes on either side of the roadway. Unfortunately, due to the physical right of way constraints with the buildings located close to the roadway, bicycle lanes cannot be added to the downtown corridor without the disruption of other existing critical amenities such as on‐street parking and sidewalks, as shown in Figure 20 below.
There is no opportunity for right of way acquisition since the downtown corridor has buildings abutting the sidewalk, and therefore bicycle lanes on Main Street are considered a fatal flaw. To accommodate bicycle traffic, it is recommended instead that bicycles be rerouted and encouraged to access parallel routes, such as Katharine Lee Bates Road and Dillingham Avenue instead of Main Street as shown in Figure 25. These routes provide a lower volume roadway with fewer conflicts with pedestrians and on‐street parking. In addition, these roadways appear to have available right‐of‐way for the installation of bicycle lanes.
Figure 20: Downtown Corridor Constraints
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Since there are several right of way constraints within the downtown corridor, long term improvements focused primarily on providing safety improvements. Downtown Falmouth is a retail destination with a high volume of pedestrians traveling through the area. While several crossings are provided for pedestrian users through the corridor, on-street parking obscures pedestrians crossing Main Street and vehicles often aren’t able to see pedestrians until they are in the travel lane. In an effort to improve this condition, curb extensions are An example of a raised crossing recommended at several key crossings through the corridor, as shown in Figure 21.
Curb extensions provide a safe location for pedestrians to begin their crossing where approaching vehicles are able to clearly see the pedestrian when on-street parking would otherwise have blocked visibility. The implementation of curb extensions also allows the crossing distance from the sidewalk to be shortened by extending the sidewalk onto the parking lane and serves as a traffic calming measure. Lighted Crosswalk In addition to the curb extensions, a raised crossing and lighted crossing is also proposed to the west of Library Lane. This crossing is heavily utilized as Library Lane accesses an off-street parking lot. The raised crossing further protects pedestrians by keeping motorists grade separated from crossing pedestrians and by requiring motorists to slow down to travel over the raised crossing. Raised crossings also improve accessibility by allowing a pedestrian to cross without a change in grade, eliminating the need for curb ramps. Lighted crossings are recommended at Library Lane and Academy Lane to provide additional visibility during nighttime.
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Figure 21: Downtown Improvement Recommendations
Teaticket Highway was also reviewed to provide corridor improvements. In an effort to provide additional bicycle amenities to this corridor, two concepts were reviewed: adding bicycle lanes to Teaticket Highway and introducing a multi-use path to one side of Teaticket Highway. Both alternatives are intended to better accommodate all roadway users within this corridor. Currently the roadway provides 50 feet of right-of-way.
The first alternative is the addition of bicycle lanes to either side of Teaticket Highway as shown in the Figure 22 below. In order to provide minimum widths for all amenities on both sides of the roadway, an expected cross section of 58 feet would be required. This alternative would allow for a six foot shoulder that can be striped as a bicycle lane with 11 foot-wide travel lanes directly adjacent to the bicycle lane.
Figure 22: Teaticket Highway Bicycle Lane Concept
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Providing a bicycle lane with no buffer next to the travel lane is not ideal for a wide range of bicycle users, including novice users such as children. Field observations show that many of these users opt to use the sidewalk in an effort to separate from vehicular traffic. In an effort to better protect bicyclists of all skill levels, the recommended alternative for this corridor is to include a multi-use path, as shown in Figure 23 below. However, this option is still a desirable and feasible option for bicycle accommodations along Route 28 and can be weighed further at the design phase.
Based on MassDOT standards, the multi-use path would be a minimum of 10 feet in width with a five foot buffer away from the shoulder (seven feet away from the edge of travel). The path would provide two- way travel for both bicycle and pedestrian users and replace the sidewalk on one side of the roadway. While the multi-use path is depicted as being on the eastern side of Teaticket Highway, it can be designed for either side of the roadway. While advanced cyclists may opt to not use the multi-use path, cyclists of that skill level are typically comfortable with traveling in the roadway with vehicular traffic. The addition of the path would improve the safety and mobility for novice cyclists and pedestrians alike. The multi-use path on Route 28 is proposed to extend from Falmouth Heights Road to Maravista Avenue Extension. The proposed multi-use path is consistent with the Cape Cod Commission’s “Plan for an Improved Transportation Network for Bicycling,” June 2015 which recommended the installation of additional multi- use paths in a town wide consideration.
Figure 23: Teaticket Highway Multi-Use Path Concept
Vehicular Corridor-Based Improvements In a review of the existing conditions, it was determined that there is a vehicle and bicycle crash cluster on Route 28 between Jones Road and Sandwich Road due to the frequency of abutting properties and curb cuts along this segment of roadway. The crash cluster is classified by MassDOT as a HSIP eligible intersection and federal dollars may be available as funding for a safety improvement to address this crash cluster. To help reduce conflicts and protect vehicles accessing these various driveways, it is recommended that a Two Way Left Turn Lane (TWLTL) be added to this segment of roadway. Based on MassDOT standards, TWLTL are appropriate on roadways where the ADT is less than 25,000 vehicles per day with high left turning volumes in low density commercial areas. The TWLTL is expected to reduce rear
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end collisions within this segment of roadway by moving all left turning vehicles into the shared center turn lane. With the inclusion of the TWLTL with the proposed multi-use path, some right-of-way acquisition is expected. The TWLTL concept in conjunction with the multi-use path is shown in Figure 24 below. An overall plan of the corridor wide recommendations is shown in Figure 25.
Figure 24: Teaticket Highway Concept
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Figure 25: Corridor Wide Improvement Overview
Intersection Improvements Specific improvements for the study area intersections were reviewed. Similar to the corridor alternatives, several alternatives were considered and ultimately ruled out due to various fatal flaws, and short term and long term recommendations are provided for each intersection.
North Main Street (Route 28) at Palmer Avenue
The intersection of North Main Street (Route 28) at Palmer Avenue operates well with the critical minor approach operating at LOS D during both the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hours. Since Palmer Avenue operates well and the intersection does not meet the criteria for traffic signal warrants, installing at traffic signal was considered a fatal flaw. The southbound approach on Palmer Avenue does however have a high volume of left turns that warrant a left turn lane based on MassDOT standards and would benefit from allowing an exclusive lane in the southbound direction.
Several improvements are recommended as short term improvements to further improve the safety and efficiency of the intersection. The Palmer Avenue westbound approach currently has a wide right turn radius that promotes high speed right turns. This condition is hazardous in an area with a large volume of pedestrian and bicycle traffic. It is recommended that the radius of the right turn be improved by
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neckdown striping or extensions of the existing curbline. Reducing the width of the westbound approach also provides improved pedestrian facilities by shortening the crosswalk length.
This intersection is also a decision point for motorists accessing the downtown area. Advanced warning signage and wayfinding signage would be an improvement while reducing the existing sign clutter to provide a clear message.
The long term recommendations to this intersection build upon the short term improvements previously described. As shown in Figure 26, the intersection of North Main Street at Palmer Avenue would be realigned to improve the westbound right turn radius. The southbound left turn would also be included to help protect the high volume of left turns for this movement and facilitate the through traffic on Route 28. It is recommended that a small center median be installed on Palmer Avenue near the Queens Byway shops to protect A center median may be installed on the historic traffic buoy warning beacon and also provide a Palmer Ave to protect the warning beacon pedestrian refuge for the proposed crosswalk between the Queens Byway shops and the opposing parking lot.
Improvements were also extended north to the intersection of Route 28 at Katharine Lee Bates Road where an additional southbound left turn lane is provided. Installing a southbound left turn lane at Katharine Lee Bates Road would assist in directing motorists to the downtown area via a secondary parallel route to Main Street and direct them to the off-street parking lot on Library Lane. This would achieve reducing vehicle volumes on Main Street and making the area more pedestrian friendly.
Bicycle lanes were investigated for Route 28, but due to right of way constraints they were considered to be a fatal flow. The Shining Sea Bike Path runs parallel to Route 28 through this segment with a connection to/from the bike path through the Steamship Authority lot near Katharine Lee Bates Road, as shown in Figure 26. Sidewalks are proposed to be provided on both sides of Route 28 and extend down Palmer Avenue. Pedestrian connections are proposed to be provided on all approaches to the intersection of North Main Street at Palmer Avenue. The Cape Cod Commission recently recommended that solar powered bicycle crossing lights be installed on Route 28 at the Katharine Lee Bates Road bicycle connector as part of their “Plan for an Improved Transportation Network for Bicycling,” June 2015.
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Figure 26: Palmer (Route 28) Long Term Improvements
Main Street (Route 28) at Gifford Street
To improve operations from Gifford Street to Main Street, several alternatives were considered. A traffic signal at this location was warranted and would improve the stop controlled operations on Gifford Street, however, there are several complications that make this alternative undesirable. The traffic signal would have to include the offset King Street approach from the south as well as the Super Lube driveway approach. Since the two approaches are offset by approximately 100 feet, overall operations and operations on Main Street would decrease significantly as the two minor roads would have to each have their own signal phase. Impacts from queueing on Main Street are also a concern as the queues would be expected to extend into the downtown area and past the adjacent fire station to the east and potentially affect operations at several other driveways adjacent to this intersection. Ultimately the installation of a traffic signal was considered to be a fatal flaw due to these complications. A roundabout was also reviewed for this location to help improve Gifford Street operations. Due to right of way constraints and the unavailability for right of way acquisition, the alternative was considered to have fatal flaws and was not further analyzed.
It was noted during the field visit that sight distance for left turning vehicles from Gifford Street is poor. While this issue is partly due to adjacent buildings obstructing sight lines, there is also overgrown vegetation looking right (west) that contributes to the poor sight lines. It is recommended as a short
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term improvement to trim or eliminate this vegetation to help improve sight lines. There is a large right turn volume in the westbound direction from Main Street to Gifford Street during both the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hours which may benefit from an exclusive right turn lane for this movement as a short term improvement. However, the installation of the right turn lane would not compliment the long term solution discussed below.
The addition of curb extensions adjacent to Gifford Street was reviewed as a long term improvement for this intersection. As shown in Figure 27, the curb extensions come to the edge of the traveled way and allow the stop bar and crosswalk spanning Gifford Street to be moved forward since they are now protected by the curb extensions. This improves sight lines for left turning vehicles from Gifford Street. The addition of curb extensions at this location also allows for improved pedestrian connections crossing Main Street. Pedestrians are able to wait in a visible area next to the travel lane and cross with a shorter crossing distance.
Figure 27: Route 28 at Gifford Street Long Term Improvement Alternative
Main Street (Route 28) at Scranton Avenue
To address the existing operational and safety deficiencies noted at the Route 28 and Scranton Avenue intersection, a traffic signal warrant analysis was performed. With the inclusion of the right turns, a traffic
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signal is warranted at this intersection under the peak hour and four hour conditions. The long term improvement for the intersection of Main Street (Route 28) at Scranton Avenue is shown in Figure 28.
Several other concepts were explored including a roundabout and a one-way roadway conversion, but due to right-of-way constraints and potential negative impacts to local commercial businesses in the area, these concepts were not further investigated. With the installation of a traffic signal within the existing roadway layout, traffic operations have the potential to continue to operate well on Route 28 and improve on Scranton Avenue from a LOS E/F to LOS B. Similar to the pedestrian and bicycle amenities described within the corridor improvements, the multi-use path will travel through this intersection and provide improved pedestrian and bicycle connections.
In the short term to improve overall safety, the roadway should be reallocated to provide a marked shoulder. The existing 15-foot travel lanes on Route 28 should be re-striped to 11-foot lanes with 4-foot shoulders to allow a space for bicycles to ride. Although four feet is not wide enough to be classified as a bicycle lane, it is still an improvement for bicycle accommodations over what is there today. Decreasing the roadway width will also provide traffic calming along Route 28 and likely will assist in decreasing vehicle speeds and improving overall safety for vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists. In addition, sharrow pavement markings should be installed on Scranton Avenue. If possible, overgrown vegetation on the adjacent commercial properties should be maintained for improved sight distance and the existing handicapped accessible ramps should be upgraded to become ADA accessible.
Figure 28: Route 28 at Scranton Avenue Long Term Improvement Alternative
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Main Street (Route 28) at Falmouth Heights Road
To improve operation from Falmouth Heights Road to Route 28, several alternatives were considered. A traffic signal was reviewed, however, traffic signal warrants were not met due to the large volume of right turning vehicles from the minor approach. Additionally, there are several adjacent driveways that would be affected by queueing from a traffic signal. Due to these issues, the traffic signal concept was considered to have fatal flaws and was not further reviewed.
Several improvements that can be implemented in the short term were reviewed. The first is to improve the geometry to the conventional 90 degree T-intersection. Currently, this intersection provides very wide turns and the northbound Falmouth Heights Road approach connects to the intersection at a skewed angle. The geometric improvement would improve sight distance for vehicles exiting Falmouth Heights Road. Since the intersection is wide, there is room to stripe a westbound left turn lane to protect left turning vehicles to Falmouth Heights Road and minimize traffic impacts on Route 28 westbound. To provide additional neckdown improvements, the center medians on Route 28 are recommended to be removed as they provide an additional obstruction to motorists, and striping should be implemented to reduce the amount of travel space. In addition, it is recommended that the crosswalk on Falmouth Heights Road be relocated closer to the intersection as a short term improvement.
A roundabout concept was reviewed and is recommended as a long term improvement at the intersection of Route 28 at Falmouth Heights Road, as shown in Figure 29. This concept will allow for the Falmouth Heights Road approach to be improved from LOS C during the weekday morning peak hour and LOS E during the weekday afternoon peak hours to LOS A during both peak hours, while maintaining acceptable levels of service on Route 28. The roundabout concept will introduce the opportunity for access management for several of the commercial driveways in the close proximity to the roundabout by removing left turn conflicts. Left turning vehicles to/from the commercial driveways will be allowed to make a u-turn through the roundabout.
While traffic is currently free flowing for the Route 28 approaches, the roundabout alternative provides an opportunity to introduce a traffic calming measure as vehicles approach the downtown area. Roundabouts provide an opportunity to slow vehicles down, provide shorter pedestrian crossings and a gateway opportunity with the center island. The conceptual roundabout was designed to accommodate large trucks with the installation of a truck apron. Similar to the pedestrian and bicycle amenities described within the corridor improvements, the multi-use path will travel through this intersection and provide improved pedestrian connections to Falmouth Heights Road as well as a continuous bicycle connection along Route 28 that is separated from the travel way.
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Figure 29: Route 28 at Falmouth Heights Road Long Term Improvements
Davis Straits (Route 28) at Dillingham Avenue/Spring Bars Road
To improve operations from the minor approaches of Dillingham Avenue and Spring Bars Road, several alternatives were considered. A roundabout alternative was considered, but was determined to have a fatal flaw with right-of-way constraints. The addition of left turn lanes on Davis Straits was also investigated. It was determined that the intersection is not greatly improved by the addition of these lanes without additional improvements.
The eastbound approach from Dillingham Avenue is offset from the Spring Bars Road approach and provides a wide approach with large turning radii. Additionally there is a median that creates an additional obstruction for vehicles turning onto Dillingham Avenue. A short term improvement would be to eliminate the existing median and stripe neckdowns on Dillingham Avenue to tighten the roadway geometry.
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It was ultimately determined that the signalization of this intersection was required to improve traffic signal operations. This intersection satisfies the MUTCD traffic signal warrant criteria for the installation of a traffic signal. Several signal alternatives were considered including:
• Providing an exclusive or concurrent pedestrian phase • Providing split phasing between eastbound/westbound approaches • Providing protected/permissive traffic signal phasing for northbound/southbound left turns • Providing permissive only traffic signal phasing for northbound/southbound left turns
After an analysis of each of these alternatives, it is recommended that the traffic signal operate with two phases for vehicular traffic, including a northbound and southbound phase with permissive left turns, and an eastbound and westbound phase with permissive left turns. Pedestrians will be accommodated with concurrent pedestrian phasing with crosswalk connections spanning each approach. The intersection additionally provides sidewalks on the western side of Route 28 and the multi-use path on the east side of Route 28, which will accommodate pedestrians and bicycles, as shown in Figure 30. Sidewalks are also provided on Dillingham Road and Spring Bars Road. Additional right-of-way is also available on Dillingham Road for bicycle improvements if this roadway were designated as an alternate bicycle route, which is consistent with the Cape Cod Commission’s “Plan for an Improved Transportation Network for Bicycling,” June 2015 which recommended to install bike lanes or wider shoulders on Dillingham Avenue. This intersection is classified as a MassDOT HSIP crash cluster intersection and the long term improvements may be eligible for federal safety funding.
Figure 30: Route 28 at Dillingham Avenue/Spring Bars Road Long Term Improvements
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Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Jones Road/Worcester Court
As previously described in this report, a long term improvement is currently under construction by MassDOT at this intersection. The improvements will include a new traffic signal system that will provide formalized eastbound and westbound left turn lanes and an exclusive push button activated pedestrian phase as well as bicycle lanes on Route 28.
We recommend the following additional long term improvements to supplement the improvements currently under construction. As previously noted, it is a long term improvement to signalize the intersection of Route 28 at Dillingham Avenue/Spring Bars Road. It is recommended that these two intersections be coordinated to improve traffic flows for vehicles traveling along the Route 28 corridor. Additionally, to further improve traffic operations at this intersection, concurrent pedestrian phasing could replace the exclusive pedestrian phase to be installed at this intersection.
Based on the MassDOT plans, bikes lanes will be provided on Route 28 in either direction at this intersection. However for consistency, we recommend the proposed multi-use path to extend through this intersection along Route 28 to provide a consistent bicycle and pedestrian facilities on Route 28. Should the multi-use path not be implemented as a long term solution, we would recommend bike boxes be installed on Route 28 where the proposed bicycle lanes Bike Boxes help to increase cyclist will be constructed. The bike boxes will further protect visibility to motorists cyclists and allow cyclist to safely bypass the vehicle queue and provide an area of refuge where they are visible to motorists.
Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Sandwich Road
To help alleviate delays from the minor approach on Sandwich Road, the alternative of a traffic signal was investigated to be implemented at this intersection. Upon further investigation it was determined that the majority of the delay is only incurred by the low volume of left turns exiting from Sandwich Road to Route 28 and that a traffic signal would not be warranted due to the high right turning volume and would cause unnecessary delays to Route 28.
It was noted that the higher volume right turn from Sandwich Road to Route 28 southbound operates more as a merge as the Sandwich Road aligns with Route 28 southbound after the curve in the roadway. While yield signage and supplemental pavement markings are provided, vehicles still are observed to continue to Route 28 southbound without yielding to traffic.
Several short term improvements have been investigated to help mitigate safety concerns with this right turn yield condition. The first is to realign the right turn lane to a 90 degree with Route 28, similar to the alignment of the existing left turn lane. This will require drivers to stop for traffic on Route 28. The realignment will also improve sight distance for right turning vehicle, slow speeds on Sandwich Road, and
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allow for additional gaps in traffic at Trotting Park Road to the south by relocating the right turns further back from this downstream intersection.
A roundabout concept was reviewed and is recommended as a long term improvement at the intersection of Route 28 at Sandwich Road, as shown in Figure 31. This concept will allow for the Sandwich Road approach to be improved from LOS F during the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hours to LOS D during the weekday morning and LOS C during the weekday afternoon peak hour, while maintaining acceptable levels of service on Route 28.
While traffic is currently free flowing for the Route 28 approaches, the roundabout alternative provides an opportunity to introduce a traffic calming measure as vehicles approach the commercial high crash cluster on Route 28 where a TWLTL is recommended. Roundabouts provide an opportunity to slow vehicles down, provide shorter pedestrian crossings and a gateway opportunity with the center island. Similar to the pedestrian and bicycle amenities described within the corridor improvements, the multi- use path will travel through this intersection and provide improved pedestrian connections to Sandwich Road as well as a continuous bicycle connection along Route 28 that is separated from the travel way.
Figure 30: Route 28 at Sandwich Road Long Term Improvements
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Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Maravista Avenue Extension
In an effort to mitigate the congestion issue at this intersection, traffic signal timing modifications were investigated as a short term alternative. Due to geometric constraints, retiming alone did little to mitigate overall operations. Additionally, retiming does not provide any additional safety benefits. Since the northbound movement is currently operating with poor levels of service, the inclusion of a northbound right turn lane was also reviewed. Without additional lane improvement on Route 28, however, the inclusion of this turn lane alone does not greatly improve traffic operations overall.
Another alternative that was considered and ultimately ruled out was a roundabout solution. The limited right of way does not allow for proper design of a roundabout at this location, and the traffic volumes on Route 28 as opposed to the minor street do not make this an ideal location. Pedestrian Countdown Timers It was noted during the field review that the current pedestrian traffic signal heads are outdated, with the written “Walk” and “Don’t Walk” indications rather than the current standard for the walk and don’t walk symbols. It is recommended as a short term improvement that these signal heads be updated and that the implementation of countdown timers also be used.
Another short term improvement recommendation is the flashing yellow arrow signal indications. MassDOT has implemented an initiative to replace the signal indications for protected-permissive left turn phases from solid green circular indication to the flashing yellow arrow indication. Protected-permissive signal phasing is present in the westbound direction on Route 28 to Maravista Avenue Extension. Instead of transitioning to a green circular indication for a permissive movement, the light will transition to a flashing yellow arrow that indicated to motorists more effectively that they are required to yield to on- coming traffic. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) research flashing yellow arrows indicates that left turn collisions can be reduced by 20% on average.
Other short term safety improvements at this intersection include vegetation management to increase sight lines for the minor approaches and the addition of retro-reflective backplates to increase traffic signal head visibility. While no bicycle lanes are currently provided on Teaticket Highway, it is recommended that bicycle detection be added on Route 28 to allow bicycle traffic to be detected by the traffic signal.
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The long term improvement for the intersection of Teaticket Highway (Route 28) at Maravista Avenue Extension is shown in Figure 32.
Figure 31: Route 28 at Maravista Avenue Extension Long Term Recommendations
The analysis indicates that there is a need for both a northbound right turn lane and westbound left turn lane to improve traffic operations overall for the study area. With the lane improvements, the intersection is expected to improve from overall LOS E during the critical weekday afternoon peak hour to LOS B overall. The northbound approach is expected to operate at LOS F and over capacity during 2024 no build conditions, but with the addition of the northbound right turn lane, it is expected to operate at LOS C for the left turn and through lane and LOS A for the northbound right turn lane with this long term improvement.
The inclusion of the westbound left not only improves intersection operations, but is a benefit to safety operations as the westbound left turn queue will no longer interfere with the westbound through and right turn movements. The eastbound through movement will also have a clear indication of which vehicles are turning left.
The multi-use path previously described as part of the Teaticket Highway corridor improvement plan will continue through this segment of Teaticket Highway, allowing for improved pedestrian and bicycle access
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through this intersection. Upgraded sidewalks and crosswalks will be provided on all approaches at this location.
Palmer Avenue (Route 28) at Ter Heun Drive/Jones Road
The capacity analysis at the intersection of Route 28 at Ter Heun Drive/Jones Road indicates that overall the intersection is expected to operate at LOS D during the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hours during 2024 No Build conditions. During the weekday afternoon peak hour, the eastbound left turn movement is the only movement expected to operate at LOS F and over capacity. Feedback from town officials, however, indicated that this intersection is more of a concern than what the hourly capacity analysis indicates. There are several traffic generators in close proximity to this intersection that cause fluctuations in traffic patterns for short periods throughout the day of time such as the Falmouth Hospital and the Steamship Authority in Woods Hole.
Traffic signal retiming was investigated as a short term improvement. While retiming does help to improve operations overall, additional improvements to add lanes and phasing would help to further improve the intersection. The westbound approach is missing a left turn lane and has a high left turn volume that warrants the addition of a lane. Due to right of way constraints, however, it was determined that the addition of a lane to this approach is not feasible. The addition of a leading Example of an RRFB at a multi-use path eastbound left turn phase was also investigated after crossing concerns were expressed over conflicts between the high volume westbound right turn movement running concurrently with the eastbound left turn movement. It was determined that this phasing option could be implemented, but at the cost of operations for other movements as exclusive time would be dedicated to a new signal phase. Traffic signal retiming and phasing would also not mitigate the short intervals of high volume generators.
To the west of the intersection on Ter Heun Drive is the Shining Sea Bikeway. Currently, there is only static bike path signage as vehicles approach the crossing. Since Ter Heun Drive is a higher volume roadway than most crossings for the bike path, a short term improvement to improve the safety for cyclists and pedestrians crossing at this location would be to add a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB). An RRFB is push button activated and provides a flashing indication to motorists that bike path users are crossing and was recently installed at a similar high volume crossing on Route 28 with the Shining Sea Bikeway. Other suggestions to improve the bike path crossing were provided from the Town during the stakeholder process including the relocation of the bike path crossing further downstream from the Route 28 intersection and the installation of a bicycle traffic signal at this location.
It was noted under existing conditions that several of the pavement markings at this intersection are faded or not visible and that this intersection has several signs that clutter the intersection. The crosswalk is also currently painted red to simulate a brick crossing. A short term improvement would be to restripe the
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lane lines to increase visibility and to restripe each crossing for consistency and visibility purposes. The existing signage should also be evaluated to determine what signs can be removed to provide a more concise message to motorists.
Other short term improvements were considered to improve capacity and safety at this intersection. The flashing yellow arrow would benefit the protected-permissive left turn movements on Route 28. Pedestrian countdown signals for the exclusive pedestrian phase would also help to improve pedestrian safety at this intersection. Retroreflective backplates on the traffic signal heads would also improve signal visibility for motorists.
Adaptive traffic signal control was reviewed as a long term improvement to the intersection of Route 28 at Ter Heun Drive. Adaptive traffic signal control receives and processes data collected by sensors at the intersection and continuously adjusts the traffic signal timings to accommodate actual field conditions. This technology is a benefit in locations where conditions change for a short duration of time, such as a shift change at the hospital or the arrival or departure of the steamship.
Jones Road at Gifford Street
The intersection of Jones Road and Gifford Street currently operates at an overall LOS F and over capacity during weekday afternoon peak hour and overall LOS E during the weekday morning peak hour. Improvements to improve capacity at this location were reviewed as the intersection operations are expected to continue to decline into the future conditions. The intersection was also noted to have an above average crash rate and is denoted by MassDOT as a HSIP crash cluster. The long term solution may be eligible for HSIP federal funding to address the crash cluster.
Traffic signal retiming was investigated as a short term improvement. The intersection, however, currently operates with two phases for vehicular traffic, so retiming alone does little to improve overall operations and was considered a fatal flaw. A roundabout was also investigated for this intersection, but ultimately was considered a fatal flaw due to right-of-way constraints, cost, and operations.
Short term improvements to help increase safety and efficiency were reviewed, including providing bicycle detection since Jones Road is designated as a parallel bicycle route to Main Street, pedestrian countdown signals, vegetation trimming to improve sight distance and retroreflective backplates to improve signal head visibility. Neckdown striping was also investigated as a short term improvement. Currently each approach provides a wide right turn radius and the intersection is overall very wide. Reducing the right turn radii will help to reduce right turn speeds and create a safer crossing for pedestrians.
To improve traffic operations in a long term scenario, additional travel lanes and signal phasing were investigated. Due to the high left turn volumes on each approach, it was determined that an exclusive left turn lane is warranted in each direction. The addition of these left turn lanes with permissive phasing improves overall operations to a LOS C during both the weekday morning and weekday afternoon peak hours.
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Sidewalks and crosswalks are recommended on all four approaches for improved pedestrian connections, as shown in Figure 33. Concurrent pedestrian phasing is recommended at this intersection. The decreased right turn radii for each approach will help to slow right turns and improve safety for crossing pedestrians. Bicycles will continue to be accommodated within the travel lane.
Figure 32: Jones Road at Gifford Street Long Term Improvements
Ball Park Cost Estimates Preliminary ball park cost estimates to assist the Town of Falmouth to understand the potential construction costs associated with the above recommended long term alternatives are detailed below in Table 4.
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Table 4: Preliminary Cost Estimates
Potential Improvements Cost Turn lane at an intersection (per approach)* $250,000-$300,000/each Convert intersection to single lane roundabout* $600,000-$700,000/each Two-way left-turn lane* $650-$750/linear foot of roadway Raised crosswalk $10,000-$30,000/each Curb extension at a crosswalk $15,000-$40,000/each Traffic signal at an intersection $200,000-$250,000/intersection Adaptive signal control $50,000-$80,000/intersection Multi-use path (10' wide with 5' buffer) $150-$175/linear foot of path * Estimated cost assumes a cold plane/overlay with full depth box widening, curb and sidewalk installation. Note: Estimated costs do not include design, right-of-way or utility relocation costs. Estimated prices were obtained from Costs for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Infrastructure Improvements - A Resource for Researchers, Engineers, Planners, and the General Public by UNC Highway Safety Research Center
Parking/Curb Space Parking management plans should be relatively simple. Multiple regulations for a single area add unnecessary complexity to the parking system. The parking management plan must be designed to improve the customer environment, improve enforcement capacity, reduce sign clutter, and potentially reduce downtown traffic. In particular, customer confusion and the resulting potential for unexpected tickets could create a negative experience for downtown’s customer base.
One potential management approach is to prioritize convenient, short-term parking for customers and to prioritize locations where frequent turnover is desired. Longer-term parking, such as for employees, could be shifted to underutilized locations. This could potentially encourage a shift of longer-term parkers from high utilization areas on Main Street to parking with additional capacity in off-street lots or Katharine Lee Bates Road. Reports of evening and weekend peak utilization of on-street parking may be caused by customers of restaurants and retail locations who are seeking parking close to the business entrances, and are either unaware or unwilling to walk from off-street lots and other locations.
However, with improved wayfinding, the likelihood that a customer of a restaurant will extend their stay by getting dessert at a second establishment and a gift at a boutique is increased, with more spending in the downtown and no change in parking demand for those additional trips. An example of this approach is provided in Figure 34.
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Figure 33: Parking Management Plan
The way to accomplish this type of parking management is primarily through (1) time limits for specific parking areas or; (2) a pricing program based on demand and the desire to encourage turnover.
Time limits: The intent of time limits is to encourage turnover of prime parking spaces and prevent overnight parking. However, this approach is difficult to enforce, particularly without parking meters to alert an enforcement officer that a vehicle has parked in excess of the time allowed. In addition, having numerous zones in a given area such as Falmouth Village can create confusion for visitors. Finally, time limits send an unintended message for a visitor to leave downtown when the meter time expires.
Pricing: Pricing strategies can be used without specific time limits yet assist with parking management. A tiered pricing program such as a higher price for “premium” locations (such as on- street on Main Street), combined with free or modestly priced parking permits for longer-term parking in off-street lots, could free up parking in desirable locations where the spaces are most needed. This approach relies less on time limits and more on parking fees in exchange for convenience, allowing for more self-enforcement of parking time at a given area. This allows a visitor to have front door parking without rushing them from downtown for fear of a parking ticket. Instead, the visitor has dessert at a second establishment following dinner, contributing to the local economy, while the parking fees can be used to invest in streetscape amenities.
There are a wide range of technology options for parking payment and enforcement. Parking kiosks can be used on a block-by-block basis rather than using individual meters that clutter the sidewalk. The parking
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pay stations also aid in enforcement as parking control can print reports and seek only those vehicles that are in violation, rather than patrolling each space. Parking payment can be by parking space or license plate and allow greater flexibility for paid parking on a seasonal basis, as well as provide options for tiered payment to assist full-time residents or the elderly.
Bicycle parking is also important to encourage modes of travel other than driving, and to take advantage of existing bicycle trails in Falmouth that can support economic development. Bicycle parking space on sidewalk or on-street can assist with short-term bicycle parking. Bicycle corrals can provide on-street bicycle parking in place of a vehicle parking space.
In order to encourage longer term bicycle parking (such as by employees), should include covered and/or secure parking facilities. Potential options include sheltered bicycle racks and lockers.
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Finally, when people pay to park via meters, simple signage indicating that their payment is being invested into Village improvements, such as benches, street trees, crossings, sidewalks, and other amenities, may assist in compliance.
It is important to note that shifting some of the parking demand from Main Street to spaces in underutilized areas will require coordination between the Town and abutting property owners. There could be some resistance from abutters as currently unregulated spaces are converted to encourage longer-term parking solutions. Falmouth Village Association will be an important partner in encouraging business owners to direct employees to longer-term parking and free up prime locations on Main Street. Direct in-person and telephone conversations with key business owners, government partners and institutional stakeholders is a valuable method for determining the sensitivity to parking management changes, as well as determining existing parking practices and preferences. Typically, the largest user groups should be consulted to understand their impacts. It is also useful to gather information from a number of stakeholders to determine the extent to which there is any disparity between the summary of existing conditions in this report and “understood” parking issues. The following recommendations are provided for parking:
• Implement a tiered approach to parking management plan that includes payment for prime spaces to encourage turnover. • Explore options for parking payment kiosks that provide flexibility in pricing, seasonality and types of parkers (employees, residents, visitors). • Provide additional bicycle parking
Signage and Wayfinding An integrated approach to parking wayfinding and hierarchy should be developed to efficiently guide cars to parking areas and pedestrians to their destinations. The examples created by the Cape Cod Commission are a strong starting point for this type of system.
Key decision-making points along the Route 28 corridor where wayfinding signage should be considered, are identified in Figure 35.
Transportation Master Plan DRAFT – Route 28 68 April 2016 Town of Falmouth, MA McMahon Associates
Figure 34: Wayfinding Corridor Decision Points
Key locations for wayfinding in the Village are provided in Figure 36. Wayfinding signs will assist in connecting parking and key destinations, and assist in reducing traffic congestion because vehicles will not need to circle the downtown in search of parking.
Transportation Master Plan DRAFT – Route 28 69 April 2016 Town of Falmouth, MA McMahon Associates
Figure 35: Wayfinding Downtown Decision Points
Designated Truck Route In an effort to alleviate traffic congestion in the downtown corridor that results from truck traffic, the implementation of excluding truck travel was reviewed. Truck exclusion requirements are outlined in the Massachusetts amendments to the MUTCD in Section 11A-9 and require the following:
• If there is an alternate route available that has the roadway width and pavement structure to accommodate heavy vehicles. • An engineering study must be done to see if the roadway meets the following warrants: o Volumes: Truck volume reduction will substantially improve capacity or safety o Truck use causes deterioration to pavement o Night Exclusion: in residential areas Based on the findings of the engineering study, the Town of Falmouth would need to submit a written statement to MassDOT as well as provide the installation and maintenance of the appropriate truck exclusion signage.
Based on a review of the study area, there is not a parallel route adjacent that meets the requirements. Therefore, an alternate truck route to the downtown area was considered a fatal flaw and not further reviewed.
Transportation Master Plan DRAFT – Route 28 70 April 2016 Town of Falmouth, MA McMahon Associates
Shareholder Coordination
Throughout the Transportation Master Plan process, Town of Falmouth personnel including the Planning and Engineering departments were consulted through the duration of the project, including two public meetings with the Planning Board and Board of Selectmen to present on the findings within the study area and suggested improvements.
A public meeting was held on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 with the Town of Falmouth Board of Selectmen and Planning Board. This first public meeting presented the analysis of existing conditions and identification of deficiencies at the study area intersections and within the corridor.
A second joint meeting with the Planning Board and Board of Selectmen was held on September 22, 2015 to discuss the recommended improvements for the corridor and study area intersections. The second public meeting discussed short-term and long-term improvements as well as improvements that were considered, but ultimately were determined to have fatal flaws.
A third joint meeting with the Planning Board and Board of Selectman was held on March 12, 2016 to discuss the intersections Main Street at Scranton Avenue and Main Street at Falmouth Heights Road. At the meeting, the Board of Selectman voted to implement short-term striping improvements at Scranton Avenue and the long-term roundabout solution at Falmouth Heights Road.
Next Steps
There are several next steps the Town should look to implement following the completion of the Route 28/Main Street Transportation Master Plan. As the water line replacement project nears, the Town should begin to coordinate with MassDOT on the potential improvements that could be implemented during the water line construction. The likely next steps will require securing funding for the final design and construction of the recommended long term corridor and intersection improvement projects. The Town of Falmouth can look to implement several of the short term recommendations immediately if funding and resources are available. Some of the larger next steps that we recommend the Town to investigate include the following:
- Initiate a study for the development and design of a signage & wayfinding plan for Route 28/Main Street. - Develop a parking management plan to implement the parking management recommendations in the downtown. - Coordinate with the Cape Cod Commission and MassDOT to start the project development process (i.e. Project Need Forms) for the identified intersection improvement concepts. - Investigate federal funding for safety improvements at three identified locations through the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) for HSIP-eligible crash clusters. - Seek funding for bicycle racks through a proposed Cape Cod Commission Bicycle Rack Program.
Transportation Master Plan DRAFT – Route 28 71 April 2016 Town of Falmouth, MA McMahon Associates
Conclusion
Route 28 in Falmouth serves many functions. It is both a state road and local Main Street. As Falmouth’s north‐south spine, the roadway is a link between commerce and local tourism. Upon an assessment of the existing conditions, Route 28 has both valuable features and great potential. The purpose of the Route 28/Main Street Transportation Master Plan is to document the existing features, identify deficiencies and develop short and long term recommendations. The project goals were to develop recommendations that could:
improve the safety and operations along the corridor; serve the corridor into the future and with its seasonal variations in terms of users; transform the corridor to be multi‐modal in nature by providing amenities for pedestrians and bicyclists; be implemented during the water and sewer line replacement projects on Route 28 to minimize cost and disruption; improve parking; improve signage and wayfinding; and change the atmosphere of the corridor to a more friendly, inviting and inclusive transportation corridor
The recommended improvements identified in this report offer corridor based solutions as well as particular solutions to specific intersection issues. Similarly, policy based parking recommendations were made as well as specific downtown parking recommendations. The recommendations were developed in a holistic manner with consideration given to each user. For example, while today Route 28 serves primarily vehicular traffic, pedestrian and bicycle amenities have been proposed on a corridor wide basis. The parking recommendations were made with consideration to both the tourist and the year round .user Wayfinding is recommended to allow the roadway system to operate more efficiently and to guide the seasonal traffic to their desired destinations via appropriate routes. The existing conditions assessment and the recommended improvements were vetted through a public process that included three public meetings. Overall, the Transportation Master Plan lays out a vision for a multi‐modal corridor and serves as a guide for capital planning and budgeting needs for potential future short term and long term transportation improvement projects on Route 28.
Transportation Master Plan DRAFT – Route 28 72 April 2016 Town of Falmouth, MA McMahon Associates