Traffic Mitigation Plan for the Hartwell Avenue Transportation Management Overlay District Lexington, Massachusetts Submitted to: Town of Lexington July 2, 2010 Table of Contents Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................... i 1.0 Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Traffic Study Area ..............................................................................................................2 2.0 Existing Conditions.......................................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Roadway Segments............................................................................................................. 2 2.2 Traffic Volumes.................................................................................................................. 5 2.2.1 Peak Hour Volumes............................................................................................... 5 2.2.2 Daily Traffic Volumes........................................................................................... 6 2.2.3 Alternative Modes.................................................................................................. 8 2.3 Traffic Safety .................................................................................................................... 10 2.4 Traffic Operations Analysis.............................................................................................. 12 2.4.1 Level of Service Criteria...................................................................................... 12 2.4.2 Capacity Analysis ................................................................................................ 13 2.5 Parking.............................................................................................................................. 15 2.6 Public Hearing ..................................................................................................................15 2.7 Existing Conditions Summary .......................................................................................... 15 3.0 Future Conditions .......................................................................................................................... 16 3.1 Land Use Assumptions ..................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Trip Generation Rates....................................................................................................... 18 3.2.1 Trip Generation and Distribution......................................................................... 19 3.2.2 Traffic Increases .................................................................................................. 20 3.3 Future Transportation System Improvements................................................................... 22 3.4 Future Traffic Operations ................................................................................................. 22 3.5 Suggested Mitigation Strategies ....................................................................................... 25 4.0 Alternative Transportation Improvement Plans............................................................................. 25 4.1 Bedford Street................................................................................................................... 25 4.1.1 Do Nothing Alternative ....................................................................................... 26 4.1.2 Four-Lane Divided with Bike Lanes.................................................................... 26 4.1.3 Four-Lane Divided with No Bike Lanes.............................................................. 27 4.1.4 Five-Lane Undivided with No Bike Lanes .......................................................... 28 4.1.5 Comparison of Bedford Street Alternatives......................................................... 28 4.2 Bedford Street/Hartwell Avenue Intersection................................................................... 29 Tetra Tech Rizzo 4.2.1 Do Nothing Alternative ....................................................................................... 29 4.2.2 Fly-under.............................................................................................................. 30 4.2.3 Roundabout.......................................................................................................... 31 4.2.4 Modified Signal ................................................................................................... 31 4.2.5 Comparison of Bedford Street/Hartwell Avenue Intersection Alternatives ........ 32 4.3 Hartwell Avenue – North Section..................................................................................... 33 4.3.1 Do Nothing Alternative ....................................................................................... 33 4.3.2 Three-Lane Undivided with Bike Lanes.............................................................. 33 4.3.3 Four-Lane Undivided with Bike Lanes................................................................ 34 4.3.4 Five-Lane Undivided with No Bike Lanes .......................................................... 34 4.3.5 Five-Lane Divided with No Bike Lanes .............................................................. 35 4.3.6 Four-Lane Divided with Bike Lanes.................................................................... 36 4.3.7 Comparison of Hartwell Avenue North Alternatives .......................................... 36 4.4 Hartwell Avenue – South Section..................................................................................... 37 4.4.1 Do Nothing Alternative ....................................................................................... 37 4.4.2 Three-Lane with Sidewalk................................................................................... 38 4.4.3 Four-Lane with Multi-Use Path........................................................................... 38 4.4.4 Five-Lane with Multi-Use Path ........................................................................... 39 4.4.5 Comparison of Hartwell Avenue South Alternatives .......................................... 40 4.5 Wood Street ...................................................................................................................... 40 4.5.1 Do Nothing Alternative ....................................................................................... 40 4.5.2 Truck Restrictions................................................................................................ 41 4.5.3 Turn Restrictions.................................................................................................. 42 4.5.4 Airport Road Access............................................................................................ 43 4.5.5 Traffic Calming.................................................................................................... 44 4.5.6 Comparison of Wood Street Alternatives............................................................ 45 5.0 Recommendations.......................................................................................................................... 46 5.1 Infrastructure Plan.............................................................................................................46 5.1.1 State Components ................................................................................................ 46 5.1.2 Local Components ............................................................................................... 48 5.1.3 Implementation .................................................................................................... 48 5.1.4 Timing.................................................................................................................. 49 5.1.5 Cost...................................................................................................................... 49 5.1.6 Funding................................................................................................................ 49 5.2 Policy Plan ........................................................................................................................ 49 Tetra Tech Rizzo 5.2.1 Traffic Mitigation Fees ........................................................................................ 50 5.2.2 Parking and Travel Demand Management .......................................................... 50 5.2.3 Truck Restrictions on Wood Street...................................................................... 50 5.2.4 Coordinate TDM Strategies with Hanscom and Lincoln Labs............................ 50 5.2.5 Coordinate with the MBTA ................................................................................. 50 5.2.6 Promote the Hartwell Avenue TMA.................................................................... 51 5.2.7 Curb Cut Consolidation ....................................................................................... 51 5.2.8 Summary.............................................................................................................. 51 5.3 Outstanding Items............................................................................................................