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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-01-15 Planning Board Supplemental Materials (25) TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANTS,INC. MDMPlanners&Engineers PRINCIPALS Robert J.Michaud,P.E. Ronald D.Desrosiers,P.E.,PTOE Daniel J.Mills,P.E.,PTOE January 4, 2013 Mr.Joseph D. Peznola, P.E. Hancock Associates 315 Elm Street Marlborough, Massachusetts 01752 Subject: Transportation Peer Review Comments—Letter#2 Proposed Dunkin' Donuts Development 1018 Osgood Street—North.Andover,MA Dear Mr. Peznola: MDM transportation Consultants, Inc. (MDM) has received and reviewed the Response to Comments memorandum dated December 11, 2012 prepared by Greenman-Pedersen, Inc. (GPI) which was provided as a response to MDM's peer review letter of November 9, 2012 for the above project. As you are aware, several items presented in the original TIAS (August 13, 2012) for the subject project required further analysis or explanation in order to provide a comprehensive analysis of the project's potential traffic impacts. Based on our review, many of the outstanding issues have been appropriately addressed by the Applicant and do not require further. Issues that require additional clarification or explanation from the Applicant are described below. TRIP GENERATION We believe that the proposed Dunkin Donuts will serve the majority of customers currently patronizing the store at 982 Osgood Street. As such, we recommended that the Applicant collect trip generation and vehicle queuing data from the existing facility as we believe that this is this best data available for estimating peak hour operations at the proposed store. Specifically, trip generation and peak hour drive-thru queue lengths are critical components to the site operations with potential impact on the accessibility to the limit supply of parking spaces proposed. COLLISION HISTORY As recommended by MDM, the Applicant has reviewed additional crash data and has determined that, while there are a relatively high number of accidents occurring in the study area, the collisions do not indicate a particular pattern correctable by engineering measures. 28 Lord Road,Suite 280 -Marlborough,Massachusetts 01752 Phone(508)303-0370 - Fax(508)303-0371 -www.mdmtrans.com Mr.Joseph D. Peznola, P.E. January 4, 2013 Page: 2 Additionally, the Applicant has revised the site driveway layout,has removed a large tree along the site frontage and proposes to clear roadside vegetation to enhance safety for motorists exiting the site. Due to the close proximity of the entrance driveway to 1060 Osgood Street, MDM recommends that the Applicant modify the grading to the east of the proposed entrance driveway (within the State Highway layout) in order to improve sight distance for vehicles exiting from 1060 Osgood Street. DRIVE-THROUGH LANE VEHICLE QUEUING The Applicant has conducted an alternative drive-thru queue analysis which results in a maximum queue of 10 vehicles in the drive-thru lane during the weekday morning peak hour. This estimate is generally based on national trip generation statistics for coffee/donut shops and is not necessarily representative of the drive-thru queues generated by Dunkin Donuts in New England. In addition, the Applicant's prior traffic study indicated a peak vehicle queue of 13 vehicles. The Applicant should explain this discrepancy and identify measures that will be taken should the drive-thru queue lengths exceed the storage area and impact the on-site parking supply. SITE ACCESS The Applicant has modified the site layout and access design to include one-way counterclockwise circulation in and around the site with entrance-only movements at the northern site driveway and egress-only movements at the southern site driveway. MDM generally concurs with the revised site layout and access design and generally concurs that reducing the number of access/egress locations to one entrance-only driveway and one egress- only driveway will minimize vehicular conflicts and provide for more efficient on-site parking flow. MDM also generally concurs with the construction of exclusive turn lanes at the egress driveway which will better accommodate on-site vehicle queues. The Applicant states that the access has been designed to accommodate sidewalk construction along the site frontage should the Town or MassDOT construct sidewalk along the western side of Osgood Street in the future. MDM generally agrees that the construction of sidewalks along Osgood Street frontage is not necessary at this time since sidewalks are not currently provided along the western side of Osgood Street. However, MDM continues to recommend that the Applicant consider pedestrian connections between the site and the immediately adjacent parcels. MDM Mr.Joseph D. Peznola, P.E. January 4, 2013 Page: 3 TRUCK CIRCULATION MDM has reviewed the revised Truck Circulation Plan and notes that the Applicant has only reviewed the feasibility of trucks entering from the south. MDM recommends that the Applicant review trucks travel paths entering from the north to ensure that no encroachment into opposing travel lanes is required in order to access the site. MDM also recommends that signs located in grassed or landscaped areas be located so that they are not struck by the delivery vehicle. MDM also notes that the WB-50 delivery vehicle is expected to be obstructed by vehicles queued in the drive-thru lane and conversely, the WB-50 delivery vehicle is expected to block access to the drive-thru lane and exit driveway during deliveries. We also note that the "Soffit Sentry height Limitation Bar" is expected to be struck by the delivery truck. MDM recommends that the Applicant review these issues and provide feasible solutions to limit the impact to site circulation during delivery tunes. Given the narrow width of the drive-thru lane and by-pass lane, it appears from the Fire Truck Plan (see Sheet 11) that fire apparatus may be obstructed by vehicles queued in the drive-thru lanes. The Applicant should provide correspondence from the North Andover Fire Department relative to accepting this condition. SIGHT DISTANCE The tree located just south of the exit driveway has been removed and should be referenced as such on the site plan. While the intersection sight lines exceed minimum sight distance criteria established by AASHTO, MDM recommends that the roadside vegetation in the area of utility pole #3007 (opposite the Shell service station) should be removed in order to further enhance sight distance to and from the exit driveway. MDM recommends that any proposed planting or physical landscape features should be located outside the driveway sight lines to ensure unobstructed driver visibility. TRIP DISTRIBUTION As stated above, we believe that the proposed Dunkin Donuts will serve the majority of customers currently patronizing the store at 982 Osgood Street. While we recommend that the Applicant conduct turning movement counts at the existing store to determine the expected trip distribution (percentage of left- and right-turns to and from the site), the revised site plan incorporates a separate left- and right- turn lane to accommodate exiting movements regardless of the estimated trip distribution. As such, no further review of trip distribution is required at this time. Mr.Joseph D. Peznola, P.E. January 4, 2013 Page: 4 CAPACITY ANALYSIS MDM has reviewed the updated capacity analysis and is in general agreement with the findings; specifically, that left-turn movements exiting the site will experience long delays during peak hours with minor impact to operations along Osgood Street. MDM notes that although vehicle delays may be extensive (exceeding 50 seconds during peak hours), vehicle queues at the exit driveway will generally be accommodated without impacting the drive- through lane. However, the analysis does indicate that queues forming at the exit driveway may occasionally extend back to the drive-thru window resulting in a potentially longer than expected drive-thru queue. As stated above, the Applicant should identify measures to be taken should the drive-thru queue lengths exceed the storage area and impact the on-site parking supply. ON-SITE PARKING MDM had previously recommended that the Applicant conduct a parking study at a nearby similar Dunkin' Donuts since the Applicant does not meet the zoning requirements for the number of required parking spaces. MDM has reviewed the latest parking evaluation provided which is based on observations made a Dunkin' Donuts in Methuen, MA. The parking study indicates that the Dunkin Donuts experienced a peak parking demand of 17 parked vehicles during the 11 AM — 2 PM period on a Saturday. MDM notes that the peak parking demand observed on Saturday occurred during the first time interval observed and parking demand may have been higher prior to the start of the parking observations. MDM also notes that the peak demand of 17 vehicles is close to the proposed parking supply of 19 parking spaces. As such,we note that the parking supply may not be sufficient for the proposed use. MITIGATION MEASURES The Applicant indicates that site access has been designed as to minimize off-site vehicular conflicts. MDM has reviewed the revised access design and proposed roadside vegetation clearing and is in general agreement with the proposed design. Additionally, based on the Applicant's correspondence with the Town and MassDOT, traffic signal improvements at the Route 125/Sutton Street and Route 125/Great Pond Road intersections are expected to begin construction this winter. These improvements are not anticipated to add any additional capacity to the roadway system but may improve overall traffic flow within the study area. Mr.Joseph D. Peznola, P.E. January 4, 2013 Page: 5 SUMMARY It is MDM's opinion that the Response to Comments memorandum adequately addresses many of the comments and recommendations made in our initial review letter. However, there are some outstanding issues that require further discussion. In particular, MDM still has some reservations regarding the feasibility of truck maneuverability in and around the site and the impact that the drive-thru queue will have on the limited supply of parking spaces. We are available to discuss these comments in greater detail at your request. We appreciate the opportunity to provide Transportation Planning & Engineering Services to Hancock Associates and the Town of North Andover. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact this office. Sincerely, 14AA;� Daniel J. Mills,P.E., PTOE Principal G:\Projects\695-North Andover(Dunkins Review)\Correspondence\695LT02.doc