Agenda Text
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Director of Traffic and Parking responding to items approved at the 1/26/17 meeting.
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Official Text
To the Honorable Board:
In response to Agenda Item:
Agenda Item 202717
That the City Solicitor and Director of Traffic and Parking advise what surrounding communities' best practices are regarding home addresses written on residential guest parking permits.
Traffic and Parking has surveyed Medford, Newton and Cambridge. Medford and Newton use the street name not the house number but are not citywide permit parking therefore the streets listed are very limited. Cambridge uses a map which allows folks to park by district. I researched in the beginning of citywide permit parking Somerville used a similar method to Cambridge. The district method did not work because folks would abuse the permit to park close to the T Stations. Traffic and Parking is not opposed to eliminating the house number on permits but this may propose a problem when streets intersect with different districts resulting in guest cards out of area and tickets. For example Broadway, Medford Street, Highland Ave would need a street number because it would confuse guests where to park. The guest permits states “the permit is valid in the direct vicinity of the address printed on the permit”
Agenda Item 202719
That the Director of Traffic and Parking paint the crosswalks at the Marshall Street Playground.
There are no existing crosswalks across Marshal St at the playground.
Traffic and Parking has conducted a site review of Marshall Street in this area relative to the installation of a new crosswalk across Marshall Street.
When Traffic and Parking surveys a location for a new crosswalk several conditions are reviewed. These conditions include adequate sight distance and stopping sight distance for a crosswalk in both directions approaching a crosswalk. A need for a crosswalk at a particular location i.e. sufficient number of pedestrians crossing the street at a location, location of nearby crosswalks and the presence of American With Disabilities Act (ADA) ramps.
The reviewed location did meet the criteria for sight distance and stopping sight distance for a crosswalk.
Notwithstanding the above, outside of Central Business Districts (CBD) crosswalks are generally not installed at mid-block locations. Marshall St in the vicinity of the playground would be considered a mid-block location. Studies have shown that when crosswalks are installed in mid-block locations pedestrian accidents increase. This phenomenon is caused by motorists not having proper perception reaction time to stop for a pedestrian at a location where generally a crosswalk is not expected.
In addition there must be a need for a crosswalk. Pedestrian crossings in an area must be apparent. Transportation Industry/Traffic Engineering Standards require either 20 pedestrian per hour or 60 pedestrians per four hour period for a new crosswalk. This figure must be documented by a valid survey.
To install a new crosswalk, a new crosswalk is mandated to comply with the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These standards mandate ADA ramps (in compliance with the latest ADA ramp specifications) at each end of the crosswalk. There are no ADA ramps for a crosswalk across Marshall St at the playground
Based on the above Traffic and Parking cannot install a new crosswalk at this location.
Agenda Item 202728
That the Director of Traffic and Parking report to the Ward 5 Alderman on whether large truck traffic can be curtailed or banned on Cedar Street to avoid disturbing residents’ peace and damaging their foundations.
In order to exclude through truck traffic from a street/roadway, a Heavy Commercial Vehicle/Truck (carrying capacity of 2 ½ tons or greater) Exclusion Study for the particular roadway must be prepared and submitted to MassDOT for review and approval.
Among other requirements, the submitted Study must have the following:
-A 24 consecutive vehicle count of the roadway. The volume of heavy commercial vehicles must be in the range of 5% - 8% of the total traffic.
-The condition of the pavement structure of the route to be excluded indicates that further repeated heavy wheel loads will result in severe deterioration of the roadway.
-There must be a suitable alternate truck route available for trucks to travel. This alternate route shall have an effective width and pavement structure which can safely accommodate the additional truck traffic. The alternate route must lie wholly within the community making the application or lie partially in an adjacent community but have the adjacent community’s written approval.
Other proposed Truck Exclusion Studies in recent years either did not meet the criteria where through truck traffic was not in the 5% - 8% range or did not provide the alternate truck route.
Traffic and Parking will prepare a Truck Exclusion Study and submit to MassDOT provided an alternate truck route is specified and all other of the above criteria is satisfied.
Agenda Item 202729
That the Director of Traffic and Parking repair the timer on the walkway lamps at Powder House Park on the College Avenue side.
The repair of “timers” is a DPW, Lights and Lines function.
Agenda Item 202734
That the Director of Traffic and Parking repaint the NO CYCLING sidewalk decals in all central business districts, as soon as weather permits.
No Cycling sidewalk decals in all central business districts will be repainted as weather permits. This activity will most likely occur in Mid to Late March, 2017
Agenda Item 202753
That the Director of Traffic and Parking install a blinking STOP sign on the corner of Mount Vernon and Pearl Streets.
A blinking Stop sign will be installed at this location.
Please contact me if I can be of further assistance.
Suzanne Rinfret
Director Traffic and Parking