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Home My WebLink About03/06/2023 - 2nd Traffic & Parking Peer Review - - 149 MAIN STREET , 282 Merrimack Street,2nd IFIoor Lawrence Mrs►01 43 978.794.1792 Th&Engineerin Corp.com Create Design Innovate ' ''ll E,:'� S The Engineerg Corp Prog4Quuicaq,w��wrrrwa�rW °i( Jean Enright March 6, 2023 Planning Director Town of North Andover 120 Main Street North Andover, MA 01845 Ref. T 1295.02 Re: Proposed Mixed-Use Development— 149 Main Street— North Andover, MA Traffic & Parking Peer Review#2 Dear Ms. Enright: On behalf of the Town of North Andover's Planning Board, TEC, Inc./The Engineering Corp (TEC) reviewed supplemental documents as part of the traffic engineering peer review for the proposed mixed-use development project at 149 Main Street in North Andover, Massachusetts. Langan Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc. (Langan) submitted the following documents on behalf of the Applicant, which TEC reviewed for conformance with local and State regulations and generally accepted industry standards for traffic engineering: • Traffic & Parking Peer Review. Comment Response— Proposed Mixed-Use Development 149 Main Street - North Andover, Massachusetts; prepared by Langan Engineering & Environmental Services, Inc., prepared February 23, 2023; • Updated Traffic Assessment & Parking Utilization Study — 149 Main Street Mixed-Use Development - North Andover, Massachusetts; prepared by Langan Engineering & Environmental Services, Inc., revised February 23, 2023; and • Other application materials and related correspondence. Upon review of the documents and plans, TEC confirmed that a majority of our prior comments have been satisfactorily addressed. However, for the Planning Board's consideration, we offer an following important clarifying follow-up comment that may affect the position of the new building: 12. TEC's Original Comment 12/16/22: The study did not describe the sight distance characteristics for the intersection of Main Street at Second Street, which is currently obstructed by the existing building to the south and partially obscured by on-street parking to the north. The property is located on the "inside" of the horizontal curve on Main Street. TEC recommends that the proposed building edge be offset from the front property line to provide the AASHTO-recommended intersection sight distance of 280 feet for the 25-mph posted speed zone in front of the site. Applicant's Response 2/23/23: Acknowledged. We have revised the sight line figures to address the comments and include the intersection of Second Street and Main Street. It should be noted that the decision point of the departure sight triangle is made from the edge of the major road travel way as stated in section 9.5.3.2.1 of the AASHTO Green Book. This section also states that when needed, drivers will stop the front of their vehicle 6.5 feet or less from the edge of the major road travel way. In the case of the intersection of Second Street and Main Street, where parking is allowed on both sides (east and west of Second Street), the decision point will be the edge of the parking lane, allowing drivers a safe refuge and proper sight distance. Proposed Mixed-Use Development— 149 Main Street— North Andover, MA TEC;,' Traffic & Parking Peer Review#2 The EngineedrigCorp March 6, 2023 Page 2 of 3 TEC, Inc. Follow-up Comment: The Applicant's engineer (Langan) assumed an incorrect location for the side street driver's vantage point due to the shift in the through lane on Main Street southbound. Additionally, they reference a sight line position at the bumper of the vehicle that does not correctly account for the offset from the front of the vehicle to the actual position of the driver's eye. See below for the actual text from AASHTO. The proper sight line to fully address the recommended intersection sight distance parameters per AASHTO requirements is similar to what we had described in our original comment. See the attachment for redlined exhibit using the Applicant's Sight Line Figure (KT101), which was provided in the attachments of the updated traffic study. AASHTO's recommended minimum safe stopping sight distance for a 25 mph zone is 155 feet while the recommended intersection sight distance is 280 feet. If the actual, current 85t"percentile operating speeds are higher, the sight distance requirements would be greater. The sight line afforded by the position of the Applicant's building marginally exceeds the recommended minimum safety-related requirements with approximately 185 feet of reaction distance, but falls short of the preferable intersection sight line parameters. Excerpt from AASHTO's A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, 7t" Edition (2018), Section 9.5.3.2.1 (Case B 1 — Left Turn from Minor Road) The vertex (decision pint) of the departure sight triangle on the n-iinc r road should be 14.51) fit [4-4 rn] from the edge of the major-road traveled way. Mlis rep resents the typical position of the I'll1nor-r-eau ciriver,gs e� e�l�er� �el i��le is sty l lie l rel��ti�el� �l set tl�e r��r r��. Field ol ser-„ vations of' elide stopping positions f"OUnd that,where needed,drivers will stop with the front of' their vehicle 6.5 fit or less fr rr r the edge f the r r Prr-- oad tra ele�� y. Measurements 4passenger cars indicate that the distance frorrr the front of the vehicle to the d rr7erM s eye for t ae ass.CLtrrent .a. passenger carpopulation. is nearl ,��lwa 8 f�t �, lu � � . ��s [2.,4 r-n or less (.21). Where practical, it is clesira le toi.n.crease the distance from the ed, ,ge of the riiajor-road traveled way to the vertex of"the clear sight triangle from 14.) to 18 ft [4.4 m t .4 11-1]. "phis increase allows 10 ft [3.0 in] fi oin the edge of the ma*or road tray Bled wayr to the front of the stopped vehicle7 pro'viding a, larger-sight triangle. '.the length ofthe sight triangle along the mirror road ('distance a in Fi ttre 91 is the SLIM. :.f the distance f Boni the major road ph"I's V2 larre i*dtli for vehicles a p ro�:hin from the left, or 11/2 tare widths f r vehicles ap roachi g from the right. If there are no other mitigating changes to the intersection geometry, TEC continues to recommend that the face of the building be pulled back from the Main Street right-of-way to attain a sight line closer to AASHTO's recommended values. Town staff provided a concept plan for the intersection of Main Street/Second Street that was included as part of a presentation for the Downtown Improvements Master Plan (prepared by BETA Group in June 2021). The concept depicts curb extensions (bump-outs) that would foreseeably allow the stop line location for Second Street to be pulled to the east to afford more acceptable sight lines. As a potential alternative to shifting the proposed building location, as noted above, the Planning Board and the Applicant could consider a condition of approval that could afford the Applicant an opportunity to prepare a final design plan of a hybrid layout of curb extensions that blends with the current conditions. This intersection modification could involve the removal of the existing striped left-turn lane from Main Street southbound onto Water Street; widening the sidewalk in front of the Applicant's property; and adjusted curb T:\T1295\T1295.02\Docs\Letters\1295.02_149 Main Street—Peer Review Ltr 2.docx Proposed Mixed-Use Development— 149 Main Street— North Andover, MA TEC;,' Traffic & Parking Peer Review#2 The EngineeringCorp March 6, 2023 Page 3of3 extensions at the opening to Second Street. This plan, if prepared, should be reviewed with the Planning Department, Town Engineer, the Fire Department, and the Select Board as it will involve changes to curb lines, lane use and traffic control, and drainage. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you have any questions concerning our team follow-up peer review comments at (978) 794-1792. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, TEC, Inc. "The Engineering Corporation" Kevin R. Dandrade, PE, PTOE Principal Attachment A: TEC 3/6/23 Redline of Sight Line Figure KT101 T:\T1295\T1295.02\Docs\Letters\1295.02_149 Main Street—Peer Review Ltr 2.docx 2 3 4 5 7 A co) A 37, A 0K g ga MEMO&\ %% Im Hl 2i AMR _0 J t MOMMUM 110 la z INN N NUffil --------- MINEW JAIC"M 017N REWIRED' I qTE CE ER VEHIULL:�, so' \,\g z 280 ,g� Middle of _Q B N� k1k A 4 4 —7.A Illy, Z W % t M, tp 4 11 C WIN 01 gg JJJJJJJJJ,________JJ gg TEC, Inc. -up Revie Follow w P:ME%1 Comments 3/6/23 Dat Description No. e Revisions 11L L �q ISSUE,111PI a g A, -foot A Approx.280 k �_=R 121 W %& g�g�,g m D PA Approx.185-foot line based on WE '01 sight INK ag Ali[ LANGAN MAI'1411 Langan Engineering and OEM. Environmental Services,Inc. E llg��-Ka Al Approx.edge of 100 Cambridge Street,Suite 1310 Main Street travel Boston,MA 02114 A way due to shift of 16 M4, T:617.824.9100 F:617.824.9101 www.langan.com 4 k through lane �vl Proje t 'al NO "M I'M�t NORTH ANDOVER E "M NORTH ANDOVER Z�PR W ESSEX COUNTY MASSACHUSETTS RMUIRED D STANCE FOR -A AASHTO-specific Drawing Title 'RASSENGER VEH[C M P R), 280' V 14 5 ft offset from edge of travel way Pf,OVIDED 28, NOR SIZE for sight line v a n t a g a p o i n t MM ig k iffl A SIGHT LINE FIGURE M 7 Nk r Ilk M %AMEl qg:% Project No. Drawing No. R 2& E wk 151028501 J1 Date W7- 011 02/23/2023 101 I mog, INksggg, Drawn By p,\ W, t JSP 1`0 F ............ Checked By MGP Date 2/2 3/2023 Ti me 09 55 U se r:j park S tyl o Table:La nga n.stb Layout:KT 10 1 Docu ment Code:151028501-0201-KT 107-0101