Route 5 Corridor Study West Springfield • Holyoke Analysis GOVERNMENT mtA£omprehemive coLiECTioN of Traffic and Land Use Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/route5corridorst01pion ROUTE 5 CORRIDOR STUDY A Comprehensive Analysis of Traffic and Land Use Within the Route 5 Transportation Corridor Interconnecting Holyoke and West Springfield, Massachusetts June 1993 Prepared for: City of Holyoke Town of West Springfield Massachusetts Highway Department Prepared by: Pioneer Valley Planning Commission 26 Central Street West Springfield, MA 01089 Prepared in cooperation with the Massachusetts Highway Department and the U.S. Department of Transportation-Federal Highway Administration and Urban Mass Transportation Administration ROUTE 5 CORRIDOR STUDY TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.10 Land Use Findings 1-1 1.20 Land Use Analysis 1-3 1.30 Alternative Land Use Strategies 1-5 1.40 Recommended Land Use Strategies 1-5 1.50 Transportation Findings 1-7 1.60 Transportation Analysis 1-8 1.70 Recommended Transportation Measures 1-9 1.80 Proposed Transportation Activities 1-10 2.0 LAND USE ANALYSIS 2.10 INTRODUCTION 2-1 2.11 Description of the Study Area 2-1 2.12 Purpose of Land Use Analysis 2-2 2.20 LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS 2-5 2.21 Soil Characteristics 2-5 2.22 Floodplain Areas 2-5 2.23 Groundwater 2-5 2.24 Wetlands 2-5 2.25 Steep Slopes 2-5 2.30 EXISTING LAND USE 2-6 2.31 Data Collection and Mapping Procedures 2-6 2.32 Existing Land Use and Land Use Change 1971-1985 2-6 2.33 Commercial Land Use Characteristics 2-15 2.34 Residential Land Use Characteristics 2-20 2.35 Undeveloped Land Characteristics 2-23 2.40 ZONING REVIEW 2-25 2.41 Summary of West Springfield Zoning in the Route 5 Corridor. 2-25 2.42 Summary of Holyoke Zoning in the Route 5 Corridor 2-33 2.43 Problem Areas in West Springfield Zoning Bylaw 2-42 2.44 Problem Areas in Holyoke Zoning Ordinance 2-44 2.50 DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS 2-49 2.51 Land Availability 2-49 2.52 Public Utilities 2-55 2.53 Environmental Constraints and Zoning Restrictions 2-57 i Page 2.60 DEVELOPMENT TRENDS 2-58 2.61 Recent or Current Development 2-58 2.62 Proposed Development 2-66 2.63 Parcels of Land Highly Suitable for Development 2-66 2.70 ROUTE 5 LAND USE BUILD-OUT ANALYSIS (1900-2010) 2-71 2.71 Purpose of Land Use Build-out Analysis 2-71 2.72 Description of Land Use Build-Out Scenarios 2-71 2.73 Build-Out Methodology for Scenarios #1 and #2 2-73 2.74 The Impact of Land Use Regulations on Future Traffic Volumes - Build-Out Methodology for Scenario #3 2-81 2.75 Conclusions 2-89 2.80 ALTERNATIVE LAND USE STRATEGIES 2-91 2.90 RECOMMENDED LAND USE STRATEGIES 2-98 2.91 Land Use Recommendations for Holyoke and West Springfield . 2-98 2.92 Land Use Recommendations for Holyoke 2-109 2.93 Land Use Recommendations for West Springfield 2-110 3.0 TRAFFIC OPERATIONS ANALYSIS 3.10 STUDY AREA CHARACTERISTICS 3-1 3.11 Study Area Limits 3-1 3.12 Study Area Geometries 3-1 3.20 DATA COLLECTION 3-5 3.21 Procedures 3-5 3.22 Daily Vehicle Volume 3-5 3.23 Hourly Vehicle Volume 3-5 3.24 Pedestrian and Transit Facilities 3-7 3.25 Accident Experience 3-7 3.30 ANALYSIS PROCEDURES 3-8 3.31 Arterial Analysis 3-8 3.32 Intersection Analysis 3-9 3.33 Segment Analysis 3-12 3.34 Ramp Junction Analysis 3-12 3.35 Pedestrian and Transit Interaction 3-12 3.36 Accident Experience 3-13 ii Page 3.40 DATA SUMMARY 3-14 3.41 1991 Traffic Volumes 3-14 3.42 Travel Speed Measurements 3-20 3.43 Pedestrian Facility Inventory 3-22 3.44 Transit Facility Inventory 3-24 3.45 Accident Experience 3-27 3.50 CORRIDOR OPERATIONS ANALYSIS 3-29 3.51 Intersection Analysis 3-29 3.52 Segment Analysis 3-32 3.53 Ramp Junction Analysis 3-33 3.54 Arterial Analysis 3-35 3.60 INTRODUCTION TO TRANSPORTATION BUILT-OUT ANALYSIS. 3-37 3.70 TRANSPORTATION BUILD-OUT SCENARIO #1 3-39 3.71 Intersection Analysis 3-39 3.72 Segment Analysis 3-44 3.73 Ramp Junction Analysis 3-44 3.74 Arterial Analysis 3-44 3.80 TRANSPORTATION BUILD-OUT SCENARIO #2 3-49 3.81 Intersection Analysis 3-49 3.82 Segment Analysis 3-53 3.83 Ramp Junction Analysis 3-53 3.84 Arterial Analysis 3-53 3.90 TRAFHC IMPACTS RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION BUILD-OUT SCENARIO #3 3-57 3.91 Intersection Analysis 3-57 3.92 Segment Analysis 3-61 3.93 Ramp Junction Analysis 3-61 3.94 Arterial Analysis 3-61 4.0 SUMMARY OF TRANSPORTATION BUILD-OUT SCENARIOS 4.01 Short-Term Improvements 4-1 4.02 Long-Term Improvements 4-1 4.03 Arterial Analysis 4-2 5.0 CORRIDOR CONCLUSIONS 5.01 Intersection Recommendations 5-1 5.02 Ramp Junction Recommendations 5-5 5.03 Transit and Pedestrian Facility Recommendations 5-5 iii iv LIST OF TABLES Table Number Table Name Page 1.1-1 Projected Average Daily Trip Increase 1 -4 2.3-1 Land Use - 1985 2-9 2.3-2 Land Use Change 1971-1985 2-10 2.3-3 Generalized Land Use for the Route 5 Corridor Study Area in West Springfield 2-14 2.3-4 Generalized Land Use in West Springfield for Parcels which Abut Route 5 Along the Route 5 Corridor Study Area 2-14 2.3-5 Generalized Land Use for the Route 5 Corridor Study Area in Hoiyoke 2-15 2.3-6 Generalized Land Use in Holyoke for Parcels which Abut Route 5 Along the Route 5 Corridor Study Area 2-15 2.3-7 Commercial Land Use Characteristics for the Route 5 Corridor Study Area in West Springfield 2-17 2.3-8 Commercial Land Use Characteristics for Parcels which Abut Route 5 in West Springfield for the Route 5 Corridor Study Area 2-18 2.3-9 Commercial Land Use Characteristics for the Route 5 Corridor Study Area in Holyoke 2-19 2.3-10 Commercial Land Use Characteristics for Parcels which Abut Route 5 in Holyoke for the Route 5 Corridor Study Area 2-20 2.3-1 1 Residential Land Use Characteristics for the Route 5 Corridor Study Area in Holyoke 2-21 2.3- 12 Residential Land Use Characteristics for Parcels which Abut Route 5 Along the Route 5 Corridor Study Area in Holyoke 2-21 2.3-13 Residential Land Use Characteristics for the Route 5 Corridor Study Area in West Springfield 2-22 2.3-14 Residential Land Use Characteristics for Parcels which Abut Route 5 Along the Route 5 Corridor Study Area in West Springfield 2-22 2.3-15 Vacant Land in the Route 5 Corridor Study Area 2-23 2.3- 16 Vacant Land Characteristics for Parcels which Directly Abut Route 5 in the Route 5 Corridor Study Area 2-24 2.4- 1 Table of Principal Uses for the West Springfield Route 5 Corridor Study Area 2-26 2.4-2 Table of Dimensional Regulations for the West Springfield Route 5 Corridor Study Area 2-30 2.4-3 Table of Principal Uses of the Holyoke Route 5 Corridor Study Area 2-34 2.4-4 Table of Dimensional Regulations for the Holyoke Route 5 Corridor Study Area 2-38 2.5- 1 Land for Sale in the Route 5 Corridor Study Area (6/16/91) 2-50 2.5-2 Commercial Space for Lease - Route 5 Corridor Study Area (6/15/91) 2-51 V Table Number Table Name Page 2.6-1 Building Permit Activity 1980-1990 - The Town of West Springfield 2-59 2.6-2 Building Permit Activity 1980- 1990 - The City of Hoiyoke 2-60 2.6-3 Building Permit Activity 1980-1990 - Route 5 Corridor Study Area 2-61 2.6-4 Building Permit Activity 1980- 1990 - The Portion of the Route 5 Corridor Study Area in West Springfield 2-62 2.6-5 Building Permit Activity 1980- 1990 - The Portion of the Route 5 Corridor Study Area in Holyoke 2-63 2.6-6 Completed and Proposed Major Development Projects 1985-1991 2-64 2.7- 1 Average Daily Trips by Land Use 2-74 2.7-2 Existing Average Daily Trips by Zoning District 2-75 - 2.7-3 Scenario #1 . Constant Growth Rate Analysis West Springfield 2-77 - 2.7-4 Scenario #1 . Constant Growth Rate Analysis Holyoke 2-78 2.7-5 Scenario #2. High Growth Rate Analysis - West Springfield 2-79 2.7-6 Scenario #2. High Growth Rate Analysis - Holyoke 2-80 2.7-7 Floor Area Ratios for Selected Zoning Districts 2-83 2.7-8 Existing Development which Exceeds Proposed Threshold for Traffic Impact Statement Requirement .... 2-84 2.7-9 Scenario #3. Traffic Optimization Analysis - West Springfield 2-86 2.7-10 Scenario #3. Traffic Optimization Analysis - Holyoke 2-87 2.7- 1 1 Year 2000/2010 Projected Average Daily Trips 2-88 2.7- 12 Projected Average Daily Trip Increase 2-90 2.8- 1 Alternative Land Use Strategies 2-92 2.9- 1 Sign Dimensional Requirement for Commercial Uses 2-106 3.2- 1 Average Monthly Adjustment Factor 3-6 3.3- 1 Level of Service (LOS) Designations 3-10 3.3-2 Arterial Class According to Function and Design 3-11 3.3- 3 Arterial Level of Service Criteria 3-11 3.4- 1 Average Transit Passenger Demand for PVTA Routes 204, 205, and 217 3-26 3.4-2 Accident History Summary of Intersections Identified in the MHD Top 1000 List 3-28 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Number Table Name £a££ 3.5-1 1991 Existing Intersection LOS Summary 3-31 3.5-2 Segment Group Summary 3-32 3.5-3 Arterial Section Running Time Estimates 3-33 3.5-4 1991 Existing Ramp Junction LOS Summary 3-34 3.5-5 Arterial Analysis Summary 3-35 3.5-6 Route 5 Overall Arterial LOS Summary 3-36 3.7-1 Built-Out Scenario #1.