Agenda Text
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Traffic and Parking Director submitting responses to various Board Orders submitted 11/24/15.
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Official Text
To the Honorable Board:
Agenda Item 200223
That the Commissioner of Public Works create clearly defined lines along Walnut St, by Pearl Street and Broadway, to eliminate two lane traffic problems.
Crosswalks at the intersections of Walnut St and Pearl St and Broadway at Walnut St will be “repainted” during the upcoming pavement marking season (Spring to Fall 2016) by the City’s pavement marking vendor.
Vehicle lane assignments along both Pearl St and Broadway are obvious and require no additional pavement markings.
Agenda Item 200224
That the Director of Traffic and Parking replace the downed street signs at Patsy's Pastry.
Signs on East Broadway are still under the jurisdiction of the East Broadway reconstruction project. The MassDOT resident engineer will be notified of this Board Order.
Agenda Item 200232
That the Director of Traffic and Parking explore speed reducing measures on New Washington Street, behind Cobble Hill and by the dog park.
Traffic and Parking will review New Washington Street in the areas referenced in the above Board Order to determine if any speed reducing measures can be implemented.
Agenda Item 200234
That the Director of Traffic and Parking install blinking SLOW signs by the new Symphony Park.
The City does not install Slow signs. Traffic and Parking will install Pedestrian Crossing signs at this location in the Spring when sidewalk and sub surface conditions allow for the installation of these signs. A Pedestrian Impact Recovery System (Yield To Pedestrians sign) will be installed on Pearl St at Franklin St.
Agenda Item 200240
That the Director of Traffic and Parking install a sign on Cross Street East prohibiting cutoff traffic onto I-93.
Traffic and Parking will have the City’s sign vendor fabricate a sign that states “No Access to I-93”. After the sign is fabricated and delivered to the City, it will be installed.
Agenda Item 200241
That the Director of Traffic and Parking inform this Board of parking permit options for residents who rent cars for more than three days.
Somerville residents temporarily driving a rental car in place of their own is able to obtain a rental permit at no charge providing they are the permit and rental holder. Residents that do not have a resident permit may purchase a rental permit. The rental must be in the resident’s name. Both applications are available on the website.
Agenda Item 200247
That the Director of Traffic and Parking explain the policy of guest parking passes expiring on Saturdays.
Residential Guest permits follow the calendar week. Monday starting at 12:00am ending on Saturday 11:59pm. There are a variety of other guest permits which are issued by date ranging from seven days to thirty days. The special guest permits do not necessarily follow the calendar week.
Agenda Item 200250
That the Director of Traffic and Parking install a crosswalk at Central and Forster Streets.
Traffic and Parking has conducted a site review of Forster St at Central St relative to the installation of a new crosswalk across Central St.
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. Forster St at Central St 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 Central St at Forster St.
Based on the above Traffic and Parking does not support and cannot install a new crosswalk at this location
Agenda Item 200253
That the Director of Traffic and Parking enforce the NO PARKING HERE TO CORNER sign at the corner of Medford and Lowell Streets.
The intersection of Medford St and Lowell Street is on a defined Parking Control Officer’s route. All violations of the No Parking Here To Corner signs at this location will be issued citations.
Agenda Item 200262
That the Director of Traffic and Parking report to this Board on whether the use of mirrors to provide improved sight lines for exiting driveways or narrow streets has been considered here.
Traffic and Parking has considered the use of parabolic mirrors. Traffic and Parking has requested a legal opinion from the City’s Solicitors Office on the use and installation of these mirrors. When Traffic and Parking receives this opinion, it will be forwarded to the Board.
Agenda Item 200263
That the Director of Traffic and Parking consider the attached suggestions from Ward 5 residents to improve traffic flow during rush hours in Magoun Square and report back to this Board.
Traffic and Parking has reviewed the suggestion from Ward 5 residents and comments are as follows:
- A Do Not Block the Intersection pavement marking will be installed at the intersection of Lowell St and Medford St during the next pavement marking season (April thru September 2016)
- Attached is a memo from a Senior Transportation Engineer from Design Consultants, Inc. a consulting firm to the City of Somerville. Excerpts from this memo state the following: “A traffic signal inspection at the intersections of Broadway/Medford Street and Medford Street/Lowell Street was conducted on the morning of Monday, February 4, 2013… The primary purpose of this inspection was to verify that the traffic signal coordination issues noted during the January 18, 2013 inspection had been resolved…With the updated phase sequence, the coordinated operations between the two intersections were observed…As currently programmed, the coordination operation is generally acceptable and functioning properly.” Traffic and Parking concurs with this memo.
The traffic signal as reviewed by Traffic and Parking are still operating in the design parameters as noted in the memo. However it should be noted that this memo was written in February 2013 and traffic volumes and patterns could have altered. To review the current coordination between these two traffic signals, Traffic and Parking would hire a Traffic/Transportation consultant for this task and review.
- Traffic and Parking does not support the traffic signals on Lowell St at Medford St be placed on flash with flashing red for Lowell St and a flashing yellow for Medford St. Due to the volume of traffic on Medford St. a flashing yellow for this direction of traffic and a flashing red for Lowell St would prevent traffic from Lowell St to enter the intersection as efficiently and in a timely manner as a fully functioning traffic signal. All vehicles approaching Medford St from Lowell St would be required to come to a complete stop. Vehicles on Medford St would be required to travel through the intersection in a cautious manner and not be required to come to a full stop. The result would be vehicles on Lowell St would experience longer queues and larger delays. These queues and delays would far exceed queues and delays experienced during current peak hours with the fully operational traffic signal.
Agenda item 200266
That the Commissioner of Public Works re-paint the faded No Cycling markers on sidewalks and install No Bike Riding-Please Walk Your Bike signs in central business districts.
The faded No Cycling symbols will be “repainted” during the upcoming pavement marking season (Spring to Fall 2016). Faded, damaged or vandalized No Bike Riding-Please Walk Your Bike signs will be replaced at entrances to Central Business Districts.
Agenda Item 200280
That the Director of Traffic and Parking, the Supervisor of Inspectional Services and the Commissioner of Public Works collaborate address traffic issues on Washington Street from Union Square to the McGrath Highway, including unstable street plates, roadway depressions, orange traffic cones and other impediments.
Traffic and Parking will confer and collaborate with the Supervisor of Inspectional Services and the Commissioner of Public Works on traffic issues on Washington Street in Union Square.
Agenda Item 200281
That the Commissioner of Public Works and the Director of Traffic and Parking inform this Board how to petition for exemption from the new 2016 Snow Removal regulations, and post the process on the city’s website well in advance of the 2016 winter season.
Traffic and Parking will confer with DPW on the process to petition for exemption from the new 2016 Snow Removal regulations and inform the Board of the process. This process will then be posted on the City’s website.
Agenda Item 200285
That the Director of Traffic and Parking replace the faded STOP sign at the corner of Ten Hills Road and Governor Winthrop Road.
This Stop sign will be replaced.
Agenda Item 200287
That the Traffic Commission create a way to apply for an exemption from the change in the parking ban that will require parking on the even side of the street during snow emergencies.
The Traffic Commission will be notified of this Board Order.
Agenda Item 200290
That the Director of Traffic and Parking add an additional stop sign on Meacham Road facing Buena Vista Road to clarify that Buena Vista Road drivers must stop before turning onto Meacham Road.
There is a Stop sign properly located and in accordance with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices on Buena Vista Road at Meacham Road. This Stop sign is clearly visible to drivers approaching Meacham Road on Buena Vista Road. An additional Stop sign is not necessary and would be superfluous.
Agenda Item 200294
That the Director of Traffic and Parking repair the one way sign at the corner of Columbus and Stone Avenues.
The one way sign at the corner of Columbus and Stone Ave will be replaced.
Agenda Item 200295
That the Director of Traffic and Parking place a Stone Avenue sign on the corner of Columbus Avenue.
The sign blade for Stone Ave will be replaced.
Please contact me with any questions.
Suzanne Rinfret
Director of Traffic and Parking