Exit 36 Study Area Existing and Future Conditions August 2014 A joint project of the Nashua Regional Planning Commission and the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments i Table of Contents I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................ 1 A. IMPROVE THE OPERATION OF THE MAJOR ROADS IN THE VICINITY OF THE PROPOSED EXIT 36 SOUTHBOUND RAMP .................................................................................................................................................. 2 B. ADDRESS ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION .............................................................................................. 2 C. IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL JOB CENTERS ................................................................... 4 D. GENERATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.................................. 4 E. INITIATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR INNOVATIVE FINANCING AND PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ..................... 5 F. DEMONSTRATE REDUCTION IN TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR. ..................................................................................................................... 5 II. EXISTING CONDITIONS ................................................................................................................................ 8 A. DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE ......................................................................................................................... 9 B. ZONING ............................................................................................................................................. 12 C. UTILITIES ............................................................................................................................................ 16 D. LAND USES ......................................................................................................................................... 17 E. TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ........................................................................................................................... 22 F. U.S. ROUTE 3/ F.E. EVERETT TURNPIKE .................................................................................................. 24 G. SPIT BROOK ROAD ............................................................................................................................... 29 H. DANIEL WEBSTER HIGHWAY .................................................................................................................. 32 I. MIDDLESEX ROAD................................................................................................................................ 36 J. KENDALL ROAD / ROUTE 113 ................................................................................................................ 39 K. TRAFFIC SAFETY ................................................................................................................................... 43 L. ACCESS MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................................ 48 M. BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES .................................................................................................. 50 N. TRANSIT ACCESS .................................................................................................................................. 56 III. FUTURE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ................................................................................................................... 61 A. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 61 IV. EXISTING CONDITIONS VS. 2022 NO BUILD ................................................................................................. 68 A. U.S. ROUTE 3/ F.E. EVERETT TURNPIKE .................................................................................................. 68 B. SPIT BROOK ROAD ............................................................................................................................... 73 Table of Contents ii C. DANIEL WEBSTER HIGHWAY .................................................................................................................. 79 D. MIDDLESEX ROAD................................................................................................................................ 82 E. KENDALL ROAD / ROUTE 113 ................................................................................................................ 86 V. 2022 NO BUILD VS 2022 BUILD FUTURE TRAFFIC VOLUME ANALYSIS ............................................................. 90 A. F.E. EVERETT TURNPIKE AND RAMPS TRAFFIC VOLUME ANALYSIS: .............................................................. 91 B. US 3/F.E. EVERETT TURNPIKE RAMP INTERSECTION LOS ANALYSES ............................................................ 93 C. SPIT BROOK ROAD: .............................................................................................................................. 98 D. DANIEL WEBSTER HIGHWAY ................................................................................................................ 103 E. COST OF CONGESTION ....................................................................................................................... 108 F. MIDDLESEX ROAD.............................................................................................................................. 110 G. KENDALL ROAD / ROUTE 113 .............................................................................................................. 113 VI. FUTURE LAND USE CONDITIONS ............................................................................................................... 116 A. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 116 B. NASHUA LAND USE OPPORTUNITIES ..................................................................................................... 116 C. TYNGSBOROUGH LAND USE OPPORTUNITIES .......................................................................................... 119 D. PASSENGER RAIL AND EXIT 36 SOUTHBOUND ........................................................................................ 125 E. ACCESS MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES ................................................................................................ 128 F. BICYCLE, PEDESTRIAN, TRANSIT OPPORTUNITIES ..................................................................................... 130 VII. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................... 144 A. CONCLUSION: ................................................................................................................................... 145 B. RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................................................................................... 145 C. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY ............................................................................................................... 148 APPENDIX 1 VHB TECHNICAL MEMO EXIT 36 RAMPS ......................................................................................... 150 APPENDIX 2 LEVEL OF SERVICE (LOS) SUMMARY SPREADSHEETS ........................................................................... 151 APPENDIX 3 KEY INTERSECTIONS AND INTERCHANGES EXIT 36 STUDY AREA ............................................................ 152 Table of Contents iii Tables TABLE 2.1: SHARE OF POPULATION AGE 25-34 ................................................................................................... 10 TABLE 2.2: RESIDENTS PER SQUARE MILE ........................................................................................................... 10 TABLE 2.3: EXISTING LAND USES, NASHUA ......................................................................................................... 17 TABLE 2.4: EXISTING LAND USES, TYNGSBOROUGH .............................................................................................. 19 TABLE 2.5: LOS CRITERIA FOR SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS* .................................................................................. 23 TABLE 2.6: LEVEL OF SERVICE CRITERIA FOR UNSIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS* ............................................................ 24 TABLE 2.7: U.S. ROUTE 3/F.E. EVERETT TURNPIKE TRAFFIC VOLUME COUNTS ........................................................ 25 TABLE 2.8: U.S. ROUTE 3/ F.E. EVERETT TURNPIKE INTERCHANGE LEVELS OF SERVICE .............................................. 27 TABLE 2.9: SPIT BROOK ROAD TRAFFIC VOLUME COUNTS ..................................................................................... 29 TABLE 2.10: SPIT BROOK ROAD INTERSECTIONS LEVELS OF SERVICE ....................................................................... 31 TABLE 2.11: DANIEL WEBSTER HIGHWAY TRAFFIC VOLUME COUNTS ..................................................................... 33 TABLE 2.12: DANIEL WEBSTER HIGHWAY LEVELS OF SERVICE ................................................................................ 35 TABLE 2.13: MIDDLESEX ROAD TRAFFIC VOLUME COUNTS ...................................................................................