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CONTENTS CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................. I FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................... II TABLES ........................................................................................................................................ III APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................... IV I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of Study .......................................................................................................... 1 II. EXISTING CONDITIONS ...................................................................................................... 3 Traffic Study Area ......................................................................................................... 3 Geometry ....................................................................................................................... 3 Public Transportation ................................................................................................... 6 Environmental and Historical Concerns ..................................................................... 6 III. TRAFFIC VOLUMES ............................................................................................................. 8 Traffic Counts ................................................................................................................ 8 Seasonal Adjustments .................................................................................................. 9 Future Year Conditions ................................................................................................ 11 IV. SAFETY ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................... 18 Sight Distance ............................................................................................................... 18 Crash Data ..................................................................................................................... 19 General Safety Review ................................................................................................. 23 V. TRAFFIC WARRANTS ............................................................................................................ 29 MUTCD Signal Warrants .............................................................................................. 29 Left-Turn Lane Warrants ............................................................................................. 30 VI. TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS .............................................................................................. 31 Methodology .................................................................................................................. 31 Parameters for Traffic Impact Analysis ..................................................................... 32 Traffic Impact Analysis Results ................................................................................... 33 VII. PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS ............................................................................................ 36 Consistency with Road Safety Audit Findings ........................................................... 37 Design Exceptions ......................................................................................................... 38 Proposed Improvements.............................................................................................. 39 VIII. CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................... 43 T:\T0519\Docs\Various\Dunstable Road\Dunstable Road FDR\T0519.02_Functional Design Report.doc i FIGURES No. Title 1. Project Location Map & Study Area Intersections 2. 2017 Base Year Conditions - Weekday Morning and Weekday Evening Peak Hour Traffic Volumes 3. Specific Developments by Others - Weekday Morning and Weekday Evening Peak Hour Traffic Volumes 4. 2027 Future Year with Existing Geometry - Weekday Morning and Weekday Evening Peak Hour Traffic Volumes 5. Redistribution of Driveway Trips - Weekday Morning and Weekday Evening Peak Hour Traffic Volumes 6. 2027 Future Year with Proposed Geometry - Weekday Morning and Weekday Evening Peak Hour Traffic Volumes T:\T0519\Docs\Various\Dunstable Road\Dunstable Road FDR\T0519.02_Functional Design Report.doc ii TABLES No. Title 1. Existing Weekday Traffic Volume Summary 2. Stopping Sight Distance Measurements 3. Intersection Sight Distance Measurements 4. Crash Data Summary 5. Level-of-Service Criteria for Unsignalized Intersections 6. Level-of-Service Criteria for Signalized Intersections 7. Intersection Capacity and Queue Analysis Summary T:\T0519\Docs\Various\Dunstable Road\Dunstable Road FDR\T0519.02_Functional Design Report.doc iii APPENDICES No. Title A. Turning Movement Count (TMC) Data Sheets B. Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) Counts C. Seasonal Adjustment Data D. Annual Growth Rate Data E. Specific Development by Others F. Road Safety Audit G. Crash Data H. MUTCD Traffic Signal Warrant Analysis I. MassDOT Left-turn Lane Warrant Analysis J. Intersection Capacity and Queue Analysis K. Clearance Interval Calculations T:\T0519\Docs\Various\Dunstable Road\Dunstable Road FDR\T0519.02_Functional Design Report.doc iv I. INTRODUCTION PURPOSE OF STUDY TEC, Inc. has been retained by the Town of Westford, Massachusetts to prepare roadway and traffic improvement plans for Groton Road (Route 40) in the vicinity of the intersection of Groton Road / Dunstable Road in Westford, Massachusetts. The proposed improvements are needed to address existing safety and operational deficiencies regarding the intersection geometry, conflicting turning movements, multi-modal accommodations, and delays. The Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG), under Contract with the Massachusetts Highway Department (now the Massachusetts Department of Transportation [MassDOT]), previously completed a Route 40 Traffic Study1 in 2005, which examined traffic congestion and safety issues along the corridor to guide the Town of Westford in planning future growth and development in this area. Since 2005, intersection delays and congestion have increased due to population growth and the construction of various commercial and residential developments. This Functional Design Report (FDR) pertains to the following roadway and intersection improvements in the vicinity of the intersection of Groton Road / Dunstable Road: Installation of a fully-actuated traffic signal at the intersection of Groton Road / Dunstable Road with vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle control; Construction of exclusive left-turn lanes along both the Groton Road eastbound and westbound approaches at Dunstable Road to accommodate the 95th percentile queues; Realignment of Dunstable Road, south of Groton Road, to provide improved alignment across intersection; 1 Route 40 Traffic Study – Westford, Massachusetts; Northern Middlesex Council of Governments; Lowell, Massachusetts; 2005 T:\T0519\Docs\Various\Dunstable Road\Dunstable Road FDR\T0519.02_Functional Design Report.doc 1 Minor alterations to curb radii to accommodate improved Town of Westford emergency vehicle access and egress through the intersection of Groton Road / Dunstable Road; Minor box widening along Groton Road, within the limits-of-work, to provide a consistent cross-section along the corridor; Construction of a new 2,670-foot asphalt sidewalk along the southerly side of Groton Road, between Crocker Road to the west and the Long Sought-for Pond public access to the east; Construction of a new 235-foot asphalt sidewalk along the westerly side of Dunstable Road, north of the intersection; Installation of new subsurface stormwater drainage infrastructure within the project limits; Striping of new pavement markings and installation of new Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) compliant regulatory and warning signs throughout the project limits; Construction of a new mid-block crosswalk across Groton Road at the reconstructed Long Sought-for Pond parking area; Construction of new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) / Architecture Access Board (AAB) accessible curb ramps, where necessary, along Groton Road and Dunstable Road; and A mill and overlay of Groton Road and Dunstable Road within the project limits. This report satisfies the requirements for the 25 percent design process as specified by the MassDOT - Highway Division. Included are a review of existing and future traffic conditions with and without the proposed geometric and traffic signal improvements, a signal warrant analysis, a safety analyses, intersection capacity and queue analyses, and a description of the proposed improvements to the intersection of Groton Road / Dunstable Road. This study examines a 10-year design horizon from the date of the predicted project permitting (year 2027) for future traffic-volume projections and includes an evaluation of the future year conditions without improvements and with improvements. The findings and recommendations for the improvements are based on the detailed traffic impact analyses included in this report. T:\T0519\Docs\Various\Dunstable Road\Dunstable