FRAMINGHAM DOWNTOWN STUDY TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM ON EXISTING CONDITIONS TRANSPORTATION Prepared by: BETA Group, Inc. Prepared for: Town of Framingham March, 2008 FRAMINGHAM DOWNTOWN STUDY TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM ON EXISTING CONDITIONS TRANSPORTATION TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Overview ........................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1 Existing Conditions ....................................................................................................................... 3 Study Area Intersections ............................................................................................................. 3 Route 135 (Waverley Street) / Route 126 (Concord Street / Hollis Street)............................ 3 Route 126 (Concord Street) / Howard Street.......................................................................... 6 Route 126 (Hollis Street) / Irving Street................................................................................. 6 Route 126 (Concord Street) / Union Avenue.......................................................................... 7 Route 135 (Waverley Street) / Cedar Street ........................................................................... 7 Route 126 (Concord Street) / Lincoln Street .......................................................................... 8 Route 126 (Concord Street) / Everit Avenue / Dennison Avenue .......................................... 8 Bishop Street / Everit Avenue / Clarks Hill............................................................................ 9 Bishop Street / Howard Street ................................................................................................ 9 Route 135 (Waverley Street) / Bishop Street / Beaver Street............................................... 10 Beaver Street / Blandin Avenue............................................................................................ 10 Data Collection ......................................................................................................................... 11 Intersection Operations .............................................................................................................. 12 HCM Methodology................................................................................................................... 12 No Train Crossings ................................................................................................................... 15 Train Crossings ......................................................................................................................... 15 Typical Train Crossing ............................................................................................................. 16 Average Time Lost To Train Crossings.................................................................................... 19 Pedestrians ................................................................................................................................... 19 Origin / Destination Study .......................................................................................................... 25 Framingham Downtown Study Transportation BETA Group, Inc. Page ii Rail................................................................................................................................................ 25 Current Rail Operations ............................................................................................................ 31 CSX....................................................................................................................................... 31 MBTA................................................................................................................................... 35 Amtrak .................................................................................................................................. 35 Property Ownership .................................................................................................................. 35 Boston Line........................................................................................................................... 35 Yards and Secondary Tracks ................................................................................................ 35 Framingham Zoning Ordinance................................................................................................ 35 Grade Crossings........................................................................................................................ 36 The Concept of a Freight Village at the CSX Yard .................................................................. 39 Impacts of Relocation of North Yard Functions to CP Yard .................................................... 39 Relocation of CSX North Yard Functions For Public Access .................................................. 40 CSX/EOT/Harvard Negotiations .............................................................................................. 41 North Yard Enviromental Issues ............................................................................................... 41 Areas of Potential Environmental Concern............................................................................... 41 Applicable Environmental Regulations .................................................................................... 42 Regulatory Exemptions............................................................................................................. 43 Known Violations / Non-compliance ....................................................................................... 43 Environmental Database Search ............................................................................................... 43 Town Hall File Review............................................................................................................. 44 DEP File Review....................................................................................................................... 44 Wetlands and Habitats .............................................................................................................. 44 Urban Soil ................................................................................................................................. 45 Further Assessment / Field Sampling Program......................................................................... 45 Summary of North Yard Environmental Issues........................................................................ 45 References................................................................................................................................. 46 Framingham Downtown Study Transportation BETA Group, Inc. Page iii LIST OF TABLES 1 Level of Service Criteria ............................................................................................... 15 2 Existing (2007) Unsignalized Intersection Level of Service Analysis Results (No Train Crossing).......................................................................................... 16 3 Existing (2007) Signalized Intersection Level of Service Analysis Results (No Train Crossing).......................................................................................... 17 4 Existing (2007) Signalized Intersection Level of Service Analysis Results (Typical Train Crossing)................................................................................... 18 5 Existing (2007) Signalized Intersection Level of Service Analysis Results (Average Time Lost To Train Crossing) .......................................................... 20 Framingham Downtown Study Transportation BETA Group, Inc. Page iv LIST OF FIGURES 1 Core Downtown Study Area .......................................................................................... 2 2 Existing Intersection Lane-Use & Signalization, and Average Daily Volumes.............. 4 3 Intersection Modifications Concord St @ Waverly St ................................................... 5 4 Existing AM Peak Hour Volumes ................................................................................ 13 5 Existing PM Peak Hour Volumes ................................................................................. 14 6 Level of Service Analysis Results Existing (2007) AM Peak Hour ............................. 21 7 Level of Service Analysis Results Existing (2007) AM Peak Hour ............................. 22 8 Level of Service Analysis Results Existing (2007) PM Peak Hour ............................. 23 9 Level of Service Analysis Results Existing (2007) PM Peak Hour ............................. 24 10 Percentage of Downtown Traffic on Major Roadways ................................................ 26 11 AM Peak Hour Traffic Patterns .................................................................................... 27 12 AM Peak Hour Traffic Patterns .................................................................................... 28 13 PM Peak Hour Traffic Patterns .................................................................................... 29 14 PM Peak Hour Traffic Patterns .................................................................................... 30 15 Existing Regional Railroad Network ...........................................................................