The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2007-10-15 Application Exhibit K-Traffic Letter Design Consultants, Inc. 265 Medford Street Somerville, MA 02143 (617) 776-3350 MEMORANDUM DCI JOB NO. 2007-023.05 TO: Town of North Andover t` Planning Department �'' `•, ,� f k � Iroeus FROM: David R. Ivany, PE, PTOE Chief Engineer � � p �°� . SUBJECT: East Mill Phase I 7 t 6 Development 21 High Street j: a r, i DATE: August 17, 2007 This memorandum, prepared at the request of the project proponent, evaluates the traffic condition associated with the proposed East Mill Phase l development in North Andover. The project is located at 21 High Street, which is on the eastern side,just north of the High Street/Water Street intersection. The proposed development will convert a portion of the existing Mill office buildings (currently vacant)to 20 residential condominiums along Water Street and a combined 15,000 gross square footage (GSF) of Retail and Restaurant along the High Street frontage. In support of the proposed commercial use along High Street, associated streetscape improvements along the east side frontage include bulb-outs (6 foot expansion of the sidewalk) that effectively define proposed pedestrian crosswalks and the limits of proposed on-street parking. Access/egress will utilize the existing driveways off of High Street and Water Street. PA2007 Projects12007-023 High 5t No Andover\ Correspandence\Mentos\To North Andover Planning Beet 05-10-07.doc 1 i i k l.. 7 � High Street looking north along the Site frontage Roadway Network High Street is a Town-owned, north-south local/collector roadway that extends south as Elm Street from Water to Main Street, and north to Sutton Street, a total distance of approximately% mile. In the vicinity of the site, High Street is 33 feet-wide providing for one travel lane in each direction. Granite curb and cement concrete sidewalks are provided along both sides of the street. No parking is currently posted on both sides of High Street from Water Street to Prescott Street. On street parking (generally no curbing and bituminous sidewalks) is provided to the south(along Elm Street), and along High Street north of Prescott Street. Current average daily traffic is estimated to be 3,000 vehicles per day(Source MHD 2004). The posted speed limit is 30 MPH and stop control exists at the `T' intersections with Main Street and Sutton Street. Water Street is a Town-owned local/collector street traveling west/east from Main Street to High Street and extending east as a local residential street. To the west, granite curb and cement concrete sidewalks with on-street parking are provided along both sides of the 38 foot-wide pavement. Average daily traffic is estimated at 3,700 vehicles per day (Source MHD 2002). East of High Street, curbs and sidewalks are provided on both sides with on-street parking allowed on the south side only for the available 30 feet of road width. The intersection of High Street and Water Street is unsignalized with the eastbound and westbound Water Street approaches controlled by stop sign and painted stop bar. Painted crosswalks are provided for each leg of the intersection except for the east side crossing Water Street. A four-way stop control with upgraded crosswalks and wheelchair ramps PA2007 Projects12007-023 High St No Andover) Correspo)idence\Memos\ToNorth Andover Planning Dept 08-10-07.doc 2 meeting ADA requirements has been proposed for future implementation as part of the Town's Master Plan for the area. One concern raised for this proposal has been introduction of stop control for the steep upgrade (10%) for southbound High Street that would potentially affect vehicle operations during icy conditions. This concern will require further review relative to the anticipated cost and benefit in implementing the four-way stop control. f T Cs rS� yY� High Street looking south at Water Street intersection Land use in the vicinity is primarily residential to the south, east and north of the site and commercial to the west towards the Town Center. Trip Generation DCI has estimated vehicle trips that will be generated by the proposed mixed-use development by utilizing trip rates presented in the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generator Manual—7"' Edition. The following Tables I to 3 identify the established rates and vehicle trips for the proposed residential, restaurant and retail uses respectively. Table 4 represents the sum of the trip generation for the three separate land uses. It should be noted that the peak hour estimates for the restaurant and retail use do not coincide with the peak hours of the adjacent street traffic that typically occur between 7 to 9 AM and 4 to 6 PM. PA2007 Projects12007-023 High St No Andoverl_Correspoitdeitce\Me3ttosl'ro North Andover Planning Dept 08-10-07.doe 3 Table 1 20 Units Residential Condominium/Townhouse Land use 230 Vehicle Trips Daily AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour In-- 59 In-W-2 In-7 Out- 59 Out- 7 Out--3 Total- 118 Total -9 Total --- 10 Table 2 3,000 GSF-Qualijy Restaurant Land use 931 Vehicle Trips Daily AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour In- 135 In- 14 In-- 10 Out- 135 Out- 3 Out--5 Total-270 Total - 17 Total - 15 Table 3 12,000 GSF Specialty Retail Land use 814 Vehicle Trips Daily AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour In-266 In-39 In- 34 Out-266 Out-43 Out-26 Total- 532 Total-82 Total -60 Table 4 Total Phase I East Mill Devela ment Unadjusted Vehicle Trips Daily AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour In-460 In-55 In- 58 Out-460 Out- 53 Out-39 Total-920 Total- 108 Total -97 PA12007 Projects12007-023 High 3t No Airdoverl CorrespoadencellviecnostTo North Andover Planning Dept 08-10-07.doc i i I I ' Mixed Use Development ITE studies have documented that the total generation of vehicle trips entering and exiting multi-use sites may be reduced from simply a sum of the individual, discrete trips generated by each land use. The East Mill site with its existing office and proposed retail and residential development will generate internal trips that will be made either by walking or by vehicles entirely on internal roadways or paths without using streets external to the site. Utilizing Tables 7.1 and 7.2 of the ITE Trip Generation Handbook, the daily internal trips were calculated to be approximately 96 trips between the retail and the office or residential uses on the site. This represents an approximate 10.4 % reduction in the total vehicle trip generation of 920 vehicles per day identified in Table 4. Pass-by Trips Not all of the traffic attracted to the site will be new traffic on study area roadways. A portion of the vehicle-trips generated by the proposed development will be drawn from the existing traffic streams passing the site in the form of pass-by traffic, or from streets in the vicinity of the site in the form of diverted-Iink traffic. Pass-by trips are closely linked to the size of the development and to the volume of traffic on the adjacent street that can deliver the pass-by trip. Due to the relatively low traffic volumes on the adjacent streets (less than 4,000 ADT), the East Mill site is not anticipated to experience a significant number of pass-by trips. A pass-by rate of up to 10%would be considered to be appropriate for the retail and restaurant components of site-generated traffic. Trip Generation Summary Based on the above discussion of mixed use and pass-by trips, the Phase I development is estimated to generate approximately 750 vehicles per day onto the surrounding road system. This level of traffic (approximately one vehicle per minute during a peak travel period) is anticipated to have little measurable impact on traffic delays/level of service along High or Water Streets. Parking Required parking for the Phase I site development will be provided by the allocation of 157 available spaces on site as shown on the following Table 5. Total parking available (not allocated to existing usage) is 332 spaces out of a total 1,018 spaces. In addition, proposed High Street Improvements will add on-street parking (27 stalls) in support of the proposed restaurant/retail development. PA12007 ProicctsM07-023 High St No A idoverl_CorrespotidencelMemoslTo Nortki Andover Planning Dept 08-10-07.doe 5 Table 5 East Mill Site Parking---Phase I Proposed Use GFA Parking Spaces 20 Residential Units n/a 40 Restaurant 3,000 45 Retail 12,000 72 Total 157 Proposed Hi h Street Improvements In support of the proposed commercial use along High Street, associated streetscape improvements along the east side frontage include bulb-outs (6 foot expansion of the sidewalk) that effectively define proposed pedestrian crosswalks and the limits of proposed on-street parking. These improvements are shown on the submitted Preliminary Permit Plan for the Phase I Development. The combination of on-street parking, along with the prominent pedestrian crossings will contribute to the overall reduction in vehicle operating speeds along High Street and thereby promote an overall safer traffic condition and more desirable pedestrian environment. It is recommended that the Town of North Andover consider lowering the speed limits along High Street (to 25 MPH) to further support the proposed street improvements. The proposed High Street improvements are limited at this time to maintaining the existing two-way traffic control at the intersection of Water and High Street. The addition of the proposed bulb-out at the northeast corder is consistent with the future implementation of a four--way stop control for the intersection, as proposed in the Town's Master Plan for the area. PA\2007 ProjectsM07-023 High St No Andover\ Correspondeiice\Mcnios\To North Andover Planning Dept 08-10.07.doe