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Home My WebLink About07/30/2020 - MassDOT Letter - - 1450 Osgood Street Charles D. Baker, Governor Karyn,E. Polito, Lieutenant Governor OT Ste hams Pollack, Secretary&CEO e� Jonathan L. Gulliver, HighwayAAdministrator �� u�u�� t," � � ��° �� o �� it°taut l" ' ghway Division July 30, 2020 Mr. Mac Utsey Hillwood Enterprises, LP 5050 West Tilgham Street, Suite 435 Allentown, PA 18104 Dear Mr. Utsey: The Massachusetts Department of Transportation(MassDOT) Highway Division has completed its initial review of the Design Justification Workbook(DJW), dated July 1, 2020, prepared and submitted by Langan Engineering & Environmental Services, Inc. (Langan), for the Osgood Street (Route 125) traffic signal and geometric improvements associated with the redevelopment of 1600 Osgood Street in North Andover, Massachusetts. This letter serves to confirm the general scope of the required mitigation and safety improvements associated with the project and to provide you and your engineering consultants with guidance going forward to complete the design development of the improvements in order to obtain the MassDOT access permit required for the proposed project. Overall, MassDOT is generally satisfied with the content and presentation of the technical information and accompanying narrative in the DJW. However, as described in the document and in our July 22, 2020 letter, there are a number of design exceptions that would be required to fully comply with MassDOT's Healthy Transportation Policy (HTP). Notwithstanding the right- of-way, physical, and land use constraints described in the DJW, MassDOT will require the following as conditions, in addition to those generally shown in the conceptual plans included with the DJW for the redevelopment project to more fully meet the HTP and to provide safe and efficient access to and from the site: • Construction of a 12-foot wide Shared Use Path (SUP) on the west side of Route 125 between the two existing signalized driveways with an appropriate 5-foot wide grassed buffer between the SUP and Route 125. To minimize the extent of construction impact, the existing 2-foot shoulders along Route 125 will remain. • Reconstruction of the northerly and southerly signalized intersections, including new traffic signal equipment, wiring, cabling, and other appurtenant equipment, with pedestrian accommodations across all approaches and coordination between the two traffic signals. • Provision of an exclusive left-turn lane on Route 125 southbound at the southerly signalized driveway. • Provision of an exclusive left-turn lane on Route 125 northbound at the northerly signalized driveway or prohibit the turning movement. 519 Appleton Strut,Arlington,MA 02476 Tel-® - - - - • Milling and resurfacing and new permanent pavement markings along Route 125 from the limit of work north of the northerly signalized driveway to limit of work south of the southerly signalized driveway. • Restriction of the southerly unsignalized driveway to right-turns in and out with an appropriate channelizing island within the driveway. • Provision of an on-site connection to/from Lot A from/to the southerly driveway within Lot B as generally shown in the traffic impact and access study submitted by Langan on March 30, 2020. • Restriction of the northerly unsignalized driveway to right-turns in and out with an appropriate channelizing island within the driveway.l • Provision of an on-site connection from Lot A to Lot B to the northerly signalized driveway.2 • Provision of land or rights necessary to construct the improvements noted above. • Provision of land or rights for a maximum I 0-foot wide strip of land parallel and adjacent to the State Highway Layout (SHLO) for Route 125 along the Lot A frontage north of the northern signalized driveway and along the Lot B frontage south of the southern signalized driveway to accommodate future improvements (such as an extension of the SUP) to be constructed by others. Hillwood Enterprises, LP and Langan can move forward and update the DJw and prepare the 25% design submission. A permit application can be filed once the 25% design submission is complete. The design of the improvements will be refined as the project moves through the 25%, 75%/100% and Final (Plans, Specifications and Estimate (PS&E)) review stages. Upon satisfactory design review of these improvements, MassDOT will issue a permit for the construction and/or modification of site highway access and associated off-site improvements in accordance with the regulations governing Approval of Access to State Highways at 720 CMR 13.00. It is MassDOT's determination that a Category II Vehicular Access Permit for the proposed project and these state highway improvements is required contingent on appropriate and acceptable documentation and engineering plans being provided in a timely manner with subsequent review and approval by MassDOT. Review of the application materials will occur in accordance with the timelines required by the regulations governing Approval of Access to State Highways at 720 CMR 13.00, including: o Completeness Pre-Review—within 10 business days from receipt of the application package. o Detailed Review of 1 st Submission (25% Design/Functional Design Report)— within 35 business days following Completeness Pre-Review. o Detailed Review of 2nd Submission (75%/100% Design)—within 20 business days following receipt. 1 This requirement will be waived upon the submission of documentation during the detailed design review process that demonstrates,to the satisfaction of MassDOT, left turns entering and/or exiting Lot A via the northerly unsignalized driveway will operate safely and efficiently. 2 This requirement will be waived upon the submission of documentation during the detailed design review process that demonstrates,to the satisfaction of MassDOT, left turns entering and/or exiting Lot A via the northerly unsignalized driveway will operate safely and efficiently. o Detailed Review of Final Submission(Plans, Specifications, & Estimates)— within 20 business days following receipt. o Issuance of Category II Vehicular Access Permit—within 5 business days of approval of the Final Submission. Construction activities for the redevelopment of the site can continue to be served by the existing driveways on Route 125 with the expectation that all of the foregoing state highway improvements be substantially completed prior to occupancy of the Amazon Fulfillment Center. We trust the foregoing information is sufficient for you to rely upon for the purposes of project development. We appreciate the ongoing collaboration and communication with your project team and look forward to our continued engagement as this process moves forward. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Digitally signed by Paul D. Paul D. StedmanStedman Date:2020.07.30 16:51:11-04'00' Paul D. Stedman District 4 Highway Director Xc: Jonathan L.Gulliver,MassDOT Highway Administrator Patricia A.Leavenworth,P.E.,MassDOT Highway Deputy Administrator&Chief Engineer John P.Martin,Lead Senior Counsel—Contracts,MassDOT/MBTA Frank Suszynski,P.E.,Deputy District 4 Highway Director Douglas L.Landry,AICP,Langan Engineering and Environmental Services