Transportation and Circulation Introduction Transportation and Circ Improved safety, accessibility, connectivity, and environmental awareness are important transportation priorities. This plan seeks to maintain, upgrade and expand the Town’s transportation systems in an efficient, cost effective and environmentally sound manner. The plan aims to develop strategies that 51 Miles of Roadway would improve traffic flow on major streets, promote traffic calming in 1.25 Miles of Rail Trail residential areas, expand commuter rail access and provide better parking in the downtown area. The plan encourages implementionof Complete Streets 8,000 Registered Vehicles concepts, the focus on walking and biking by improving the pedestrian and 22.3 Miles of Sidewalk bicycling infrastructure in Ayer. Finally, the plan will provide concepts for future transportation modes including autonomous vehicles, ride sharing and 2 Freight Rail Operators electric vehicles. 1 Truck to Rail Facility The Town of Ayer transportation systems and infrastructure, like many New 17 MBTA Trains England communities, covers a broad range of modes, services and 2 COA Buses responsibility. The road system includes town owned (and maintained) roads, private roads and state highways. In addition, the Town has commuter rail 1 Mart Bus service and numerous freight rail operations.findings. 5 Bridges The challenges for implementing transportation improvements and Complete Streets Policy enhancements in Ayer are funding, coordination with State Agencies • Safe pedestrian and (MassDOT, MBTA) and changing modes and uses. bicycle facilities • Smart Pricing Transportation Goals: • Multimodal 1. Adequately fund and maintain roadways, trails, sidewalks, public parking, and transporation commuter facilities to ensure universal access and reasonable transportation • Street geometry choices for residents, workers, and businesses. upgrades 2. Implement intersection and traffic calming improvements to improve circulation and public safety. Parking Management Plan 3. Implement Parking Management Plan to improve parking in the • Smart pricing based on downtown area. demand • Parking enforcement 4. Improve and enhance Ayer’s pedestrian and bicycle access by providing • Parking management a safe, scenic, interconnected system of roads, sidewalks and trails. during MBTA garage 5. Provide train commuters with parking and access improvements to construction for promote the use of commuter rail in the community displaced commuters 6. Ensure the operations of rail freight do not have a negative impact on the residents, natural resources and image of the community 7. Continue accepting private roads in Town Transportation and Circulation Ayer Master Plan Update 2017 Page | 2 Roadways Map TC-1 - Ayer Roadways Within Ayer’s 9.8 square miles, lies approximately 41 centerline miles of roadway.1 Note that this does not include the roads in the Devens Enterprise Zone. They are maintained by MassDevelopment Corporation. Of the 41 miles of road, they are owned / maintained as follows: Town of Ayer • 32 Miles MassDOT • 3.9 miles Private • 6.1 Miles Table TC-1: Ayer Traffic Counts (2016) The roads are largely maintained by the Ayer Department of Street Name Two-Way Count Public Works, with exception of state Route 2A (Littleton Road W. Main St. (at Park St.) 16,780 and Park St / Fitchburg Road), which is under the authority of Park St. 13,462 the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). Fitchburg Rd. 6,751 Private roads are maintained by the abutters or a Home Owners Groton School Rd. 5,423 association. The Town provides snow plowing on private roads Carleton Rotary Exits: Ayer Rd. (Rte. 111) 13,199 in Town but only provides minimal maintenance as required for Littleton Rd. (Rte. 2a) 13,392 emergency access. Sandy Pond Rd. 4,307 In addition to roadways, the town also provides and maintains Willow Rd. 4,401 Source: MassDOT 2017, Transportation Data Mgmt. System the sidewalks, crosswalks, curbing, traffic lights, and signage that are accessary and necessary to the operation of the roads. With roughly as many vehicles registered in Ayer as residents,2 the roads are of critical importance to both residents and businesses in Ayer. 1 Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Community Comparison Report, 2017 2 The Massachusetts Department of Revenue reported 7,992 vehicles registered in Ayer in 2012. Transportation and Circulatoin Ayer Master Plan Update 2017 Page | 3 Peak traffic volumes in Ayer generally coincide with the departures and arrivals of the MBTA Commuter Rail trains and nearly 17,000 vehicles pass through Downtown Ayer every day.3 During peak times, the Ayer Police Department assists by directing traffic through downtown at the intersection of Main Street and Park Street and Groton and Park Streets. According to MassDOT, traffic counts in Ayer are increasing at approximately 1 percent per year. Increased volumes on the roadway require creative design solutions and increased use of multi-modal transportation options to offset impacts. Problem Intersections Map TC-2 - Dangerous Intersections Most of Ayer’s traffic is funneled through the downtown (Main Street and Park Street) including a significant amount of truck traffic. The seven intersections and pedestrian crossings on Main Street, including the intersections with Park, Pleasant, Columbia and Washington Streets, and are among Ayer’s most difficult intersections for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists to navigate. Peak demands for downtown street parking result in vehicles parked adjacent to intersections blocking critical sight lines needed to make safe turning maneuvers from side streets entering onto Main Street. Parked vehicles also prevent drivers from seeing pedestrians in crosswalks and create unsafe conditions for both road users. Further, the lack of signal at West Main Street and Park Streets and wide crosswalk (pictured below) can create a “no man’s land” for pedestrians. The intersections at Groton-Harvard Road and Central Avenue and East Main Street also present challenges and tend to yield the highest number and most serious accidents in Ayer. As these 3 Massachusetts Department of Transportation, 2016. Figure includes two-way trips; there were 9,928 eastbound trips, and 6,853 westbound trips measured at Main Street and Park Street by DOT in 2016. The intersection at W. Main Street and Park Street provides access betweenTransportatio the MBTA Commutern and Rail Station Circulation and Parking Lot. Crossing can be a challenge for both pedestrians and motorists to navigate. Ayer Master Plan Update 2017 Page | 4 intersections are not signalized, heavy traffic may prompt motorists to make riskier maneuvers in order to complete turning sequences resulting in accidents. Other problematic intersections include the confluence of Park Street, Fitchburg Road, and Groton School Road and intersections along Pleasant Street at Pearl and Groton Streets, and Washington Street and Groton-Harvard Road. Frederick Carlton Circle on Route 2A is the largest intersection in Ayer. This is the main point of entry into Ayer from the south is via Harvard Road (Route 110/111) and from the east is via Littleton Road (Route 110/2A). These two roads converge at this rotary, a five-way junction that also includes Barnum Road, Sandy Pond Road and East Main Street (Route 111/2A). All three numbered routes are designated as minor arterial/major collectors. The large heavily landscaped circle, located just east of the downtown area, is an important gateway to the town and has several commercial developments on the perimeter. There have been past discussions about changing this from a rotary to a signalized intersection, however the rotary functions well and MassDOT is proposing some minor improvements to improve the efficiency. Ayer maintains approximately 22.3 miles of sidewalk. Sidewalks are a critical component to providing a safe mechanism for pedestrian circulation and reducing automobile reliance within a community by providing access from residential areas to places of interest. Transportation and Circulation Ayer Master Plan Update 2017 Page | 5 Ayer completer a Complete Streets prioritization plan in 2017. This plan identifies gaps in the sidewalk network and will be used as a basis for implementing improvements. Currently, there are three key locations within Ayer that are not completely accessible by sidewalk – Sandy Pond Beach, Perone Park and Complete Streets are streets the Shop N Save grocery store. Connections between these locations, for everyone. They are Map TC-3 - Downtown Ayer Sidewalks the Nashua River Rail Trail and the designed and operated to commuter rail stop should be a priority in enable safe access for all upcoming years, as well as the installation of sidewalks in all new users, including pedestrians, developments. bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and Truck Routes abilities. Truck routes through Ayer are a major traffic related issue and requires striking a balance between the needs and desires of residential abutters, Complete Streets feature: local businesses and the businesses the rely upon trucking as part of their • Sidewalks & pedestrian operations for shipping and receiving purposes. Ayer’s Board of signals Selectmen has the authority to exclude truck traffic from local roads and • Safe, accessible, establish truck routes. Changes to truck routes or new exclusions can be crosswalks requested by residents to the Board of Selectmen; however, any • Curb extensions & consideration of such changes