WESTFIELD RIVER CROSSING STUDY Russell, MA August 2019 PREPARED FOR MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning PREPARED BY 226 Causeway Street, 6th Floor Boston, MA 02114 www.stantec.com ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The preparation of this report has been funded in part through grant[s] from the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, under the State Planning and Research Program, Section 505 [or Metropolitan Planning Program, Section 104(b)] of Title 23, U.S. Code. The contents of this report do not necessarily reflect the official view or policies of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation or the Federal Highway Administration. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Cover Image: Massachusetts Historic Commission Bridge Street Bridge (Woronoco Village, Russell) Inventory Form CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION 5 2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS 9 2.1 Population Trends and Forecasts 9 2.2 Housing Characteristics 11 2.3 Economic Conditions 11 2.4 Environmental Conditions 17 2.5 Traffic Conditions 17 2.6 Bridge Street Bridge History and Condition 21 2.7 Valley View Avenue Bridge History and Condition 22 3.0 WESTFIELD RIVER BRIDGE CROSSING SCENARIOS 23 3.1 Summary of Crossing Scenarios 25 4.0 REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES 27 4.1 Redevelopment Opportunities 27 4.2 Redevelopment Challenges 28 4.3 Necessary Infrastructure Improvements 29 4.4 Resources to Support Infrastructure Improvements 31 4.5 Potential Funding for Bridge Rehabilitation or Replacement 33 5.0 ECONOMIC AND TRAFFIC IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT 37 5.1 Economic Impact 37 5.2 Forecast Traffic Volumes 37 6.0 CONCLUSION 45 APPENDIX A: BRIDGE AND HIGHWAY MEMO 47 APPENDIX B: BRIDGE INSPECTION REPORTS 53 APPENDIX C: CONCEPTUAL COST ESTIMATES 83 APPENDIX D: POTENTIAL ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL BENEFITS OF THE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT 93 APPENDIX E: TRAFFIC DATA 115 FIGURES AND TABLES FIGURES Figure 1 Regional Location 6 Figure 2 Woronoco Village 7 Figure 3 Competitive Development Locations 13 Figure 4 Rare Species Habitat 16 Figure 5 Wetland and Water Resources 17 Figure 6 2018 Existing Daily Volume 19 Figure 7 2018 Existing Peak Hour Volumes 20 Figure 8 Potential Intersection Improvements 34 Figure 9 No Build Scenario 2038 Forecasted Peak Hour Volumes 39 Figure 10 Warehousing Scenario 2038 Forecasted Peak Hour Volumes 42 Figure 11 Manufacturing Scenario 2038 Forecasted Peak Hour Volumes 43 TABLES Table 1 Current and Forecast Population (2017 - 2035) 10 Table 2 Housing Units and Vacancy Rates 10 Table 4 Income 14 Table 5 Employment Trends, Hampden County (2015 - 2017) 15 Table 6 Employment Forecasts, Hampden County (2019 - 2023) 15 Table 7 Employment trends, Springfield ma-ct necta (2015 - 2018) 16 Table 8 Base Year (2018) Traffic Volumes 18 Table 9 Replacement Bridge Conceptual Cost Estimate 24 Table 10 Replacement Bridge Location Summary 26 Table 11 Potential Intersection Improvements 33 Table 12 Mill #2 Industry Development Opportunities 38 Table 13 Trip Generation Scenarios: Higher and Lower Generating Uses 41 4 1.0 INTRODUCTION This report summarizes the conceptual The Village of Woronoco is in the eastern side costs, potential economic benefits, and of Town of Russell (Figure 1) in Hampden environmental impact related to the County, Massachusetts. The village is north re‑establishment of a bridge crossing of of the Massachusetts Turnpike (I‑90), east the Westfield River in the Woronoco Village of Route 20, and is divided by the Westfield section of Russell. The Massachusetts River. The village dates back to 1872 when Legislature directed MassDOT to complete the Jessup & Laflin Paper Mill (Woronoco The historic arch bridge has been closed to the public since this study: Mill #1) was built on the west bank of the the 1980s. Westfield River to take advantage of available hydropower at Salmon Falls. A village, SECTION 66. (a) The Massachusetts complete with housing, stores, social clubs, Department of Transportation, in and a school, quickly developed around the conjunction with the executive office of mill. The village included a variety of housing housing and economic development, shall types, including company‑owned boarding conduct a feasibility study relative to the houses, single family homes, duplexes, and re‑establishment of a crossing over the row houses. Horace A. Moses later acquired Westfield river at the site of the former the business, which would eventually become Woronoco paper mill located in the town of known as the Strathmore Paper Company Russell. The study shall examine and evaluate and constructed a second mill (Woronoco the costs of and economic and redevelopment Mill #2) on the east bank of the River in 1913. opportunities related to re‑establishing a The Strathmore name has remained and in crossing over Westfield river including, but addition to being called Woronoco Mill #1 not limited to: (i) the projected capital costs; (ii) the projected operating costs; (iii) the projected use levels; (iv) the environmental and community impact estimates; (v) the availability of federal, state, local and private sector funding sources; and (vi) the resulting economic, social and cultural benefits to the town of Russell and the surrounding region. (b) The department shall file a report of the results of its study with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the senate and house committees on ways and means and the joint committee on transportation not later than September 31, 2019. 5 FIGURE 1 and Woronoco Mill #2, they are often referred REGIONAL LOCATION to as the Strathmore Mills. To support the expanded plant operations, worker housing and other community facilities were also constructed on the east side of the river ¤£3 §¨¦93 ¤£7 õÅ128 along Tekoa Avenue and Valley View Avenue ¤£5 )"2 (Figure 2). ¤£1 ¤£202 §¨¦190 §¨¦91 Like many New England communities, £ 290 495 )"9 transportation and technological changes [20 ¤£20 §¨¦ §¨¦ in the second half of the 20th century led to 90 )"8 §¨¦ §¨¦391 §¨¦90 reduced economic activity in Woronoco and õÅ112 )"3 395 the two mills eventually ceased operation. Mill §¨¦84 §¨¦ §¨¦95 " )18 #1 ended all papermaking operations in 1993 295 and Mill #2 followed in 1999. No commercial §¨¦ )"24 [£20 HUNTINGTON activity currently takes place at Mill #1, while [£20 ¤£44 §¨¦90 limited lumber sorting operations occur in )"25 the area surrounding Mill #2 (no activities )"10 ¤£6 occur within the building itself). Many of the §¨¦195 )"28 surrounding homes, stores, and community facilities have been demolished. The once‑ [£ bustling portion of the village east of the river 20 MONTGOMERY now is now home to only about seventeen RUSSELL families. CENTER BLANDFORD [£202 Prior to the mills closing, the historic )"23 Westfield River Strathmore Mill Bridge (also known as 90 §¨¦ )"10 the Woronoco Bridge or the Bridge Street WORONOCO Barnes Crossing), which connects the east and VILLAGE Municipal §¨¦90 Airport west sides of Woronoco Village across the Westfield River, was closed in 1986 due to 3 ± WESTFIELD ³ structural deficiencies. Though it has been closed for more than 30 years, the Bridge RUSSELL Westfield State [£202 Street Bridge holds the sewer and water pipes University that service residents on the east side of the river. To ensure continued access across )"10 GRANVILLE the Westfield River for mill workers and [£ 20 residents, MassDOT constructed a single‑ 0 1 [£202 N lane temporary bridge a quarter‑mile north Mile of Bridge Street at Valley View Avenue in 1986. Today, this bridge is the only roadway )"57 access point to the eastern side of the river )"57 in Woronoco Village. Since this bridge was 6 er v i R d d l a ie o tf R s e er d v l W i e R i f t d s d l e a ie o f W t V R s e a l d l l W e e y i f ¤£20 V er t s i v e i e w R C W A S V d v X d a e l R l a n e Valleyl View Avenue Bridge A i e u o f I t y e L R s R ¤£ V e 20 O d i l e A W D e w i C T f A S R t A s v X e C e 3 R n K Valley View Avenue Bridge 2 A u S W I V e e L t P a R u o O c l o h l d A e r )"23 a fo R nd D ss y la i B d T c d l ¤£20 V oa R R R MILL 1A o i O e C a w 3 K d C 2 S MILL 2 A S e v X t Potash Brook P Hydro e u o R c Valley View Avenue Bridge n o h rd )"23 A Electrica u fo I R s nd e L in s la £ ta Vie i Tekoa Avenue d ¤ B R 20 n w Plantc a d l u R Ro O o MILL 1 M T o e A O Bridge Streeta ridg e B D d eet r t r T e S r MILLr i d2g R a B Potash Brook A H W Hydro c C i 3 e l o K l r 2 S Electric o La S n e tain Vie u t o t ¤£20 n P Plant Tekoar Avenuer u w e e c u o o l c e o o M R h T ge rd )"23 a Bridge Street rid oa d t R fo R e B nd ss eet o W la ir St r a d c e B r dg d l r i d e oa a R B R MILL 1 o H W s O c a i t e d l o f l r i o e MILL 2 L S a n l Potash Brook u t o d Hydro re r c l e o M Electric R e a ss R oa d t R a c i ain V o hu W v ¤£ nt ie Tekoa Avenue a s e 20 u w Plant e S:\1794\Active\179410572\GIS\mxd\Figure-2_Worono Village Map.mxd R evised:2019-05-08 By: woduwole d e o tts r M T e T s Bridge Street ridg u t e B eet rn f r r p i e St i e r r idg ke a B l H W d c i e l o M l r a R o ss S a i La n ch v u t o u r r s e e e c e l S:\1794\Active\179410572\GIS\mxd\Figure-2_Worono Village Map.mxd R evised:2019-05-08 By: woduwole o tts r R e T §¨¦90 oa d t R u o W rn a pi d e ke s t f i e l d M a ss R §¨¦90 a c i hu Figurev 2: Woronoco Village Map se e 0 125 250 500 $$ S:\1794\Active\179410572\GIS\mxd\Figure-2_Worono Village Map.mxd R evised:2019-05-08 By: woduwole t ts r (¯ T r Legend Feet ur FIGURE 2 np e i v Bridge Street Bridge (Closed) Interstate kei R Valley View Avenue Bridge WORONOCOU.S.