Westford Center Traffic and Parking Study Northern Middlesex Council of Governments 12/4/13

Purpose and Goals Evaluate parking and transportation conditions within the Town Center ◦ Traffic Operations ◦ Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations ◦ Parking Demand and Supply Study Goals: ◦ Assess existing conditions ◦ Identify deficiencies and needs ◦ Develop improvement recommendations

Study Methodology Evaluate Existing Traffic Operations ◦ ATR Counts ◦ Turning Movements ◦ Crash Data ◦ Level of Service and Delay Analysis Inventory ◦ Sidewalks ◦ Crosswalks ◦ Parking ◦ Bicycle Facilities Formulate Improvement Recommendations

Public Outreach NMCOG and Town Staff conducted numerous meetings for the public and project stakeholders: ◦ General stakeholder meeting with Town staff and Town Manager – 11/15/12 ◦ Public meeting at the Fletcher Library – 3/11/13 ◦ Board of Selectmen Meeting – 3/26/13 ◦ Historical Commission – 4/4/13 ◦ Planning Board Meeting – 4/29/13 ◦ Library Trustees – 8/5/13 ◦ Board of Selectmen Meeting – 10/29/13

Study Area Key Roadways  Main Street  Boston Road  Lincoln Street  Depot Street  Graniteville Road Key Intersections  Boston Road at Main Street  Main Street at Graniteville Road  Main Street at Lincoln Street  Main Street at Depot Street  Boston Road/Lincoln Street/Hildreth Street

Traffic Volumes (2012) Location Average Daily Traffic (ADT) vehicles per day (vpd) P.M. Peak Hour VolumeA.M. Peak Hour Volume Boston Road south of Hildreth Street15,5001,7681,368 Boston Road south of Main Street10, ,140 Depot Street North of Main Street8,9001, Graniteville Road north of Bixby Lane3, Hildreth Street west of Boston Road1, Lincoln Street east of Boston Road5, Main Street east of Depot Street3, Main Street east of Lincoln Street12,5001,5461,242 Main Street west of Lincoln Street8, ,112 Main Street east of Graniteville Road7,

Crash Data ( ) Major Street Boston RoadMain St Minor Street Hildreth St./Lincoln St.Graniteville RdBoston RdLincoln StDepot St Year Total MassDOT District 3 Crash Rate 0.87 Calculated Crash Rate Higher than expected?no

Parking Inventory LocationPublic Parking Restricted Parking Handicap ParkingTotal Parking Roudenbush Fletcher Library First Parish Church Westford Museum6017 Police/ Fire Frost School2700 Town Hall On-street Parking Lincoln Street2200 Main Street7007 Connell Drive1800 Total

Pedestrian Facility Inventory

Traffic Operations Traffic Operations INTERSECTION LEVEL OF SERVICE IntersectionMinor Street Movement 1 Type of Control AM Control Delay (sec/veh) AM LOS PM Control Delay (sec/veh) PM Peak Main Street at Graniteville Road Graniteville Road SB Left TurnsStop60.4F18.1 C Graniteville Road SB Right TurnsStop10.3B10.7 B Main Street at Boston RoadBoston Road All TurnsStop-F- F Main Street at Lincoln St/Library Lincoln Street Through/Right TurnsYield11.0B30.4 D Library Entrance All TurnsStop26.3D- F Boston Road/Hildreth Street/Lincoln Hildreth Street Through/RightStop41.1E89.1 F Hildreth Street Left TurnsStop34.5D37.7 E Main Street at Depot Street Main Street WB Left TurnsStop58.1F- F Main Street WB Right TurnsStop10.2B18.5 C 1 For unsignalized intersections, the minor street movement with most control delay is considered the critical movement. HCM 2000.

Traffic Operations with Improvement Alternatives Table 9: Traffic Operations at Main Street/Boston Road Intersection with Traffic Control Options Traffic Control Option Minor Street Movement 1 Type of Control AM Control Delay (sec/veh)AM LOS PM Control Delay (sec/veh)PM Peak Modern Roundabout EB ApproachYield17.0C7.0A WB ApproachYield65.0F11.0B NB ApproachYield5.0A7.0A Multi-Way Stop Control EB ApproachStop45.0E12.1B WB ApproachStop65.3F18.6C NB ApproachStop15.5C23.2C Complete Intersection Stop51.6F18.4C Fully Actuated Traffic Signal EB ApproachTraffic Signal18.7B13.6B WB ApproachTraffic Signal12.2B12.1B NB ApproachTraffic Signal21.6C12.4B Complete IntersectionTraffic Signal15.9B12.5B

Traffic Improvement Recommendations Consider Installing a Fully Actuated Traffic Signal at Boston Road and Main Street Delineate/channelize Main Street at Graniteville Road intersection with pavement markings and/or median islands Install curb extension on Lincoln Street at Boston Road Reconfigure intersection at Depot/Main Street (realign Main Street westbound approach)

Parking Recommendations-Expansion of Library Parking Lot

Parking Recommendations – Create Overflow Parking Area on Fisher Way Potential Town Center Overflow Parking Area

Other Parking Issues to Consider Do the public safety departments need 63 reserved spaces during every shift? Can backup and unused public safety vehicles be stored at another location? Should the Farmer’s Market be held on the weekend?

Pedestrian Recommendations Add curb extension to slow vehicles making a right turn on to Lincoln Street Address ADA compliance issues along sidewalk network and at crosswalks Realign the crosswalk on Depot St. at Abbot School; add walkway on school grounds Complete sidewalk network on Depot Street

Pedestrian Recommendations Participate in the Safe Routes to School Program Address sidewalk snow removal Promote the Tom Paul Trail Install pedestrian-scale ornamental lighting Repair sidewalk damage created by tree roots and address sidewalk and crosswalk deficiencies (insufficient sidewalk width and poor pavement condition in some locations)

Bicycle Facility Recommendations Candidate roadways for bicycle lanes include Lincoln Street, and Main Street within the Center (would eliminate on-street parking in front of Fletcher Library) Candidates for Sharrows and signage  Main Street (Graniteville Road to Depot Street)  Depot Street (Abbot School to Main Street)  Boston Road (Crown Road to Main Street) Install bike racks: Town Hall, Library, Roudenbush Community Center, Abbot School, Parish Center for the Arts

Bicycle Recommendations

Thank You. Questions? Contact information: ◦ NMCOG:  Beverly Woods:  Justin Howard: ◦ Town of Westford:  Paul Starratt: