Maine Turnpike Needs Assessment Systemwide Traffic Operation and Safety Study Prepared for: Maine Turnpike Authority Prepared by: November 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................ 1 2 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................... 5 3 EXISTING CONDITIONS ....................................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Data Collection ...................................................................................................................................9 3.2 Traffic Characteristics .......................................................................................................................9 3.2.1 Average Annual Daily Traffic ..................................................................................................9 3.2.2 Seasonal Variation .................................................................................................................. 13 3.3 Existing Level of Service Analysis ................................................................................................. 14 3.3.1 LOS Analysis Assumptions ................................................................................................... 14 3.3.2 Interchange Merge Sections .................................................................................................. 15 3.3.3 Interchange Diverge Sections ............................................................................................... 19 3.3.4 Mainline Travel Sections ....................................................................................................... 23 3.3.5 Summary – Existing Level of Service Analysis ................................................................... 24 4 FUTURE CONDITIONS ........................................................................................................................ 25 4.1 Growth Rate Calculations .............................................................................................................. 25 4.2 Interchange Merge Sections........................................................................................................... 27 4.3 Interchange Diverge Sections ........................................................................................................ 30 4.4 Mainline Sections ............................................................................................................................ 32 4.5 Summary of Future Conditions .................................................................................................... 34 5 PARK AND RIDE ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................... 38 6 TOLL PLAZA ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................................... 42 6.1 Design-Hour Volume Summary ................................................................................................... 43 6.2 Toll Plaza Traffic Projections ........................................................................................................ 44 6.3 Toll Plaza Capacity Analysis .......................................................................................................... 47 6.4 Toll Plaza Analysis – Conclusions and Recommendations ....................................................... 51 7 SAFETY CONDITIONS ......................................................................................................................... 53 7.1 Crash Rate Comparison ................................................................................................................. 53 7.2 Current Safety Practices ................................................................................................................. 54 7.3 Current Safety Studies .................................................................................................................... 56 7.4 Other Studies ................................................................................................................................... 59 7.5 High Crash Locations ..................................................................................................................... 61 7.5.1 High Crash Locations 2003-2005 Update ........................................................................... 62 7.5.2 Current High Crash Locations of the Maine Turnpike and Ramp Intersections .......... 64 8 SAFETY AND SPEED EVALUATION – MILE 80 TO 102 .............................................................. 73 9 OFF SYSTEM NEEDS ............................................................................................................................. 77 10 COST ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................................... 81 11 RECOMMENDATIONS/SUMMARY OF FINDINGS ...................................................................... 83 Appendix A Level of Service Description ................................................................................................... 87 Appendix B Factors & Truck Percentages ................................................................................................. 91 Appendix C Non-Typical Diverge Calculations ........................................................................................ 93 Appendix D Forecasted Volumes & LOS ................................................................................................... 95 Appendix E Mainline High Crash Location Diagrams ..........................................................................103 Appendix F Ramp High Crash Location Diagrams ...............................................................................105 Appendix G Intersection High Crash Location Diagrams .....................................................................107 ii | Page LIST OF TABLES Table 1-1 – Cost of Proposed Improvements by Year ....................................................................................2 Table 3-1 – AADT Mainline Volumes (Vehicles/Day) ............................................................................... 12 Table 3-2– 2011 Volumes at Merge Sections ................................................................................................ 17 Table 3-3– 2011 LOS at Merge Sections ........................................................................................................ 18 Table 3-4– 2011 Volumes at Diverge Sections ............................................................................................. 22 Table 3-5– 2011 LOS at Diverge Sections ..................................................................................................... 23 Table 3-6 – 2011 Volumes and LOS for Mainline Sections ........................................................................ 24 Table 4-1 – Annual Peak Hour Growth Calculations .................................................................................. 26 Table 4-2 – Year When Merge Areas Reach LOS E and F .......................................................................... 28 Table 4-3 –Year When Merge Area Ramps Reach Capacity ...................................................................... 29 Table 4-4 – Year When Diverge Areas Reach LOS E and F ........................................................................ 31 Table 4-5 – Year When Diverge Area Ramps Reach Capacity ................................................................... 32 Table 4-6 - Year When Mainline Segments Reach LOS E and F................................................................ 34 Table 4-7 – Areas between Kittery & Exit 44 Reaching LOS F, 2011-2041 .............................................. 35 Table 4-8 – Areas between Exit 44 & Augusta Reaching LOS F during Years 2011-20411 .................... 36 Table 5-1– Park and Ride Locations, Capacities & Usage .......................................................................... 39 Table 5-2 – Surveyed Percent Usage of Park & Ride Lots ........................................................................... 40 Table 6-1 –Toll Plaza Location and Size Summary ...................................................................................... 42 Table 6-2 – Toll Plaza Design-Hour Volume Summary ............................................................................. 43 Table 6-3 - Mainline Toll Plaza Design Hour Traffic Projections ............................................................. 45 Table 6-4 – Entering Side Toll Plaza Design Hour Traffic Projections ..................................................... 46 Table 6-5 – Toll Plaza Capacity Analysis, Mainline Toll Plazas ................................................................. 49 Table 6-6 – Toll Plaza Capacity Analysis, Entering Side Toll Plazas ......................................................... 50 Table 7-1 – 2003-2005 HCLs on Mainline .................................................................................................... 62 Table 7-2 – 2009-2011 HCLs on Mainline .................................................................................................... 65 Table 7-3 - 2009-2011 HCLs on Turnpike Entrance