Route 9 Corridor Study in Brookline Route 9 Corridor Study in Brookline Project Manager Chen-Yuan Wang Project Principal Mark Abbott Data Analysts Chen-Yuan Wang Benjamin Erban Graphics Kenneth Dumas Kate Parker-O'Toole Kim DeLauri Cover Design Jane Gillis The preparation of this document was supported by the Federal Highway Administration through MPO Planning Contract #105757 and MPO §5303 Contract #102694 and #106374. Central Transportation Planning Staff Directed by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization. The MPO is composed of state and regional agencies and authorities, and local governments. January 2020 (DRAFT) Route 9 Corridor Study in Brookline January 2020 To request additional copies of this document or copies in an accessible format, contact Central Transportation Planning Staff State Transportation Building Ten Park Plaza, Suite 2150 Boston, Massachusetts 02116 (857) 702-3700 (617) 570-9192 (fax) (617) 570-9193 (TTY) [email protected] ctps.org Page 2 of 92 Route 9 Corridor Study in Brookline January 2020 Abstract The Route 9 Corridor Study in Brookline is one in a series of studies supported by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization that address safety, mobility, and access on the Boston region’s roadways. This report identifies specific transportation issues and concerns in the Route 9 corridor in Brookline, Massachusetts; presents an in-depth analysis of multiple transportation-related factors, such as bicycle accommodation and safety at pedestrian crossings; proposes short- and long-term improvements to address the problems; and provides a vision for the corridor’s long-term development. Page 3 of 92 Route 9 Corridor Study in Brookline January 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Executive Summary .............................................................................. 9 Chapter 1—Introduction ....................................................................... 11 1.1 Study Background ................................................................... 11 1.2 Study Objectives ..................................................................... 11 1.3 Selection Procedure ................................................................. 12 1.4 Study Area and Data Collection ................................................... 13 1.5 Study Advisory Committee Meetings .............................................. 13 Chapter 2—Existing Conditions and Issues .............................................. 15 2.1 Corridor Overview .................................................................... 15 2.2 Transit Service ....................................................................... 15 2.3 Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities .................................................. 16 2.4 Issues and Concerns ................................................................ 17 2.4.1 Pedestrian Accommodation and Safety ................................ 17 2.4.2 Bicycle Accommodation and Safety..................................... 18 2.4.3 Transit Access and Safety ................................................ 18 2.4.4 Traffic Congestion and Safety ........................................... 19 2.4.5 On-Street Parking Issues ................................................. 19 2.4.6 Emergency Response and Operations ................................. 20 2.4.7 Potential Future Developments .......................................... 20 Chapter 3—Roadway Operations Analysis ............................................... 21 3.1 Daily Traffic Volumes ................................................................ 21 3.2 Intersection Traffic, Pedestrian, and Bicycle Volumes .......................... 21 3.2.1 Intersection Traffic and Pedestrian Volumes .......................... 22 3.2.2 Pedestrian Crossings on Route 9 ....................................... 23 3.2.3 On-Road Bicycle Volumes ............................................... 23 3.2.4 Heavy Vehicle Volumes................................................... 23 3.3 Intersection Capacity Analyses .................................................... 24 3.4 Roadway Travel Speeds ............................................................ 25 3.5 On-Street Parking Inventory and Analysis ....................................... 26 Chapter 4— Crash Data Analysis ........................................................... 29 4.1 Crash Locations and Crash Clusters .............................................. 29 Page 4 of 92 Route 9 Corridor Study in Brookline January 2020 4.2 Corridor and Intersection Crash Rates ............................................ 30 4.3 Collision Diagrams ................................................................... 31 4.4 Pedestrian and Bicycle Crashes ................................................... 31 4.5 Highway Safety Manual Methodology: Expected Crashes ..................... 33 Chapter 5—Proposed Improvements ....................................................... 37 5.1 Corridor Accommodation Analysis and Proposed Improvement Alternatives .......................................................................................... 37 5.1.1 Corridor Accommodation Objectives and Design Strategies ........ 37 5.1.2 Separated Bike Lane Design Options .................................. 38 5.1.3 Corridor Improvement Alternatives ...................................... 40 5.2 Route 9 from Washington Street To Sumner Road ............................. 42 5.2.1 Issues and Concerns ...................................................... 43 5.2.2 Proposed Short-Term Improvements ................................... 44 5.2.3 Proposed Long-Term Improvements ................................... 45 5.3 Route 9 from Sumner Road to Chestnut Hill Avenue ........................... 46 5.3.1 Issues and Concerns ...................................................... 47 5.3.2 Proposed Short-Term Improvements ................................... 48 5.3.3 Proposed Long-Term Improvements ................................... 48 5.4 Route 9 from Chestnut Hill Avenue to Reservoir Road ......................... 49 5.4.1 Issues and Concerns ...................................................... 50 5.4.2 Proposed Short-Term Improvements ................................... 51 5.4.3 Proposed Long-Term Improvements ................................... 51 5.5 Route 9 from Reservoir Road to Hammond Street .............................. 52 5.5.1 Issues and Concerns ...................................................... 52 5.5.2 Proposed Short-Term Improvements ................................... 53 5.5.3 Proposed Long-Term Improvements ................................... 54 5.6 Route 9 from Hammond Street to Newton City Line ............................ 55 5.6.1 Issues and Concerns ...................................................... 55 5.6.2 Proposed Short-Term Improvements ................................... 57 5.6.3 Proposed Long-Term Improvements ................................... 57 5.7 Overview of Proposed Long-Term Improvements Under Projected 2030 Traffic Conditions .................................................................... 59 Chapter 6— Summary and Recommendations ........................................... 61 Page 5 of 92 Route 9 Corridor Study in Brookline January 2020 TABLES Table 1 Potential for Safety Improvement ............................................... 35 Table 2 Comprehensive Costs of Crashes .............................................. 36 Table 3 Feasibility Analysis of Separated Bike Lane Design Options ............... 40 Table 4 Proposed Components in Corridor Improvement Alternatives ............. 41 FIGURES Figure 1 Study Area Map ................................................................... 63 Figure 2 Transit Services and Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities ...................... 64 Figure 3 Daily Traffic Volumes ............................................................. 65 Figure 4 Weekday AM Peak Hour Traffic and Pedestrian Volumes at Major Intersections ....................................................................... 66 Figure 5 Weekday PM Peak Hour Traffic and Pedestrian Volumes at Major Intersections ....................................................................... 67 Figure 6 Saturday Peak Hour Traffic and Pedestrian Volumes at Major Intersections ....................................................................... 68 Figure 7 Pedestrian Crossings during Peak Traffic Periods ........................... 69 Figure 8 On-Road Bicycle Volumes during Peak Traffic Periods ..................... 70 Figure 9 Heavy Vehicle Percentage during Peak Traffic Periods ..................... 71 Figure 10 Weekday AM Peak Hour Intersection Capacity Analyses .................. 72 Figure 11 Weekday PM Peak Hour Intersection Capacity Analyses .................. 73 Figure 12 Saturday Peak Hour Intersection Capacity Analyses ........................ 74 Figure 13 Speed Regulations and Estimated 85th Percentile Speeds ................ 75 Figure 14 Crash Locations and Crash Clusters (MassDOT Crash Data 2013-15) .. 76 Figure 15 Separated Bike Lane Design Options .......................................... 77 Figure 16 Roadway Accommodation Improvement Alternatives: Route 9 between Washington Street and Cypress Street ........................................ 78 Figure 17 Roadway Accommodation Improvement Alternatives: Route 9 between Cypress Street and Sumner Road .............................................. 79 Figure 18-1 Roadway Accommodation Improvement Alternatives: Route 9 between Sumner Road and