Regional Corridor Study Projects

Route 1 Corridor Study Attleboro and North Attleborough

Project Background

In 2016, SRPEDD received a formal request from former Mayor Kevin Dumas (2003-2017) of the city of Attleboro to study the congestion and safety issues on Route 1 in Attleborough from the intersections of Highland Avenue & Newport Avenue (Route 123) and Route 1A north to the I-295 Interchange which is located in the town of North Attleborough. Any improvements on the Route 1 Corridor are the responsibility of MassDOT, as is the decision to proceed with any project. The study began at the close of 2017 with a public outreach plan and the start of the process of the collection of data (traffic counts, crash reports, levels of service, etc.) to determine the locations and the extent of both safety and congestion issues currently along the corridor. However, communities may prioritize necessary improvements as a wish list of separate projects and may initiate and expedite the process by contributing toward the initial cost of design. Any improvements on the Route 1 Corridor are the responsibility of MassDOT, as is the decision to proceed with any project.

Cover of route 1 study with pictures of streetscapes
Click Here to View the Final Route 1 Corridor Study Report

However, communities may prioritize necessary improvements as a wish list of separate projects and may initiate and expedite the process by contributing toward the initial cost of design. These efforts must be coordinated with MassDOT. Improvements along the corridor are eligible for construction funds through the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Funding for such projects would be 80% from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and 20% from MassDOT, provided that the project meets state, federal, and local design requirements. As always, SRPEDD staff is willing and available to assist communities in these efforts.

Public Outreach

Route 1 Public Outreach Strategy

Before the commencement of the Route 1 transportation study, a public outreach strategy was devised. This public outreach effort was developed to inform the public, including local residents, business owners, and any interested parties, of the study, and to encourage and garner feedback on the issues facing the corridor in both communities of Attleboro and North Attleborough. The initial strategy entailed holding two public outreach meetings, one in each community and to conduct a public survey.

Click Here to view Double-ACS News interview
Attleboro Public Meeting February 25 2019
North Attleboro Public Meeting February 26 2019
Attleboro Public Meeting April 25 2018
North Attleboro Public Meeting February 26 2019
North Attleboro Pub Meeting April 24 2018

Meeting notices were created and widely distributed before the meeting to inform as many residents and business owners as possible about the study and the public meetings being held. The unique experiences and insight from people who live, work, and travel in the area are invaluable while conducting a study such as this. Meeting notices were accessible to the public from the town clerks, local businesses, the SRPEDD website, and SRPEDD's social media accounts. In addition, a press release was sent out to alert the media, and over 250 notices were distributed.

There were eleven public meetings held from April 2018 to February 2019. These meetings gave the opportunity for participants to express their concerns, share experiences while traveling the corridor and share wishes for improvements. This resulted in numerous comments and first-hand information concerning the day-to-day travel on Route 1.

Public Outreach Route 1 Timeline
Click Here to View Public Outreach Timeline

Public Survey Results

Resources:

Appendix A - Public Outreach

Existing Conditions

Resources:

Route 1 Study Area

Appendix B - Existing Conditions

Roadway & Pavement

In general, Route 1 is a four-lane road consisting of 2 lanes in each direction throughout the study area. The study area is approximately 3.4 miles long. The study area is from starts at Hoppin Hill Road (Route 120) in North Attleborough to where  Route 1 meets the Route 1A connector and south to Irving Street in Attleboro. Along the corridor, the center dividers change from double yellow pavement markings to raised concrete dividers, to guardrails, to jersey barriers.

Rte 1 @ Cumberland Ave Poor Pavement Conditions
Poor pavement conditions in Attleboro Rte 1 at Cumberland Ave

Based on the latest pavement condition survey, Route 1 is classified as being in poor condition between Cumberland Avenue and just south of where Route 1 meets Route 1A at Highland Avenue (Route 123). The remainder of the area along Route 1 is classified as being in fair condition with visible pot holes and extensive cracking.

Crash Analysis

Safety has been a concern along the Route 1 corridor with several intersections being listed on SRPEDD’s Top 100 Most Dangerous Intersections in the region. The most recent listing appeared in the FFY 2020 Regional Transportation Plan and includes 5 intersections along the corridor. Since 2011 there have been six individual Road Safety Audits (RSA) conducted at numerous locations along the study area.

The Town of North Attleborough and City of Attlrboro Police Departments provided copies of 2014-2016 crash reports for the study. Data was compiled and analyzed, crash diagrams were created and crash rates were determined to measure the relative safety at each location. Both the Accidents per Million Entering Vehicles (ACC/MEV) rate and the Equivalent Property Damage Only (EPDO) index were calculated at each intersection. The Accidents per Million Vehicle Miles Traveled (ACC/MVMT) was calculated for roadway segments along the corridor. The average for both ACC/MEV rates is higher than the threshold for the SRPEDD region.

Resources:

Crash Diagram Attleboro Route 1 Washington Street and Route 123 Highland Avenue

Crash Diagram North Attleborough I-295 Interchange and Route 1

Bicycle & Pedestrian Accommodations

Route 1 is a busy commercial corridor with many destinations, including shopping, entertainment and for employment purposes. The transportation options along Route 1 include driving a vehicle, taking a bus, walking and bicycling. Walking and bicycling as a means of transportation is growing and are a viable option for people due to various reasons, including
choosing a more active lifestyle, for environmental concerns and as a very low-cost transportation option. Bus service is provided on Route 1 by the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA).

The majority of intersections do not have adequate crosswalks or curb ramps on the side streets
and/or across Route 1. Several of the signalized intersections do not have crosswalks where needed
and/or are integrated with the signal system. Of the ones that do have crosswalks integrated with the signal systems all but two are outdated, poorly functioning and do not meet modern standards. Many intersections have free right turn (or slip) lane configurations that are very dangerous to pedestrians due to the lack of sight distance, lack of adequate protection or stop control and the tendency of the geometry to encourage high vehicle speeds.

Pedestrian beaten path in North Attleboro near Quinn
Pedestrian beaten path in North Attleboro near Quinn Street
Poor sidewalk conditions on Route 1A south of Route 123
Poor sidewalk conditions on Route 1A south of Route 123

Resources:

Appendix C - Bicycle and Pedestrian Conditions

Traffic Volume & Speed

Automatic Traffic Recorders were used to record traffic data on Route 1 and surrounding roadways, including the volume, speed and classification of vehicles. The Average Daily Traffic (ADT) varies along the nearly 3 ½ miles of the study area on Route 1, as does the recorded speed and classification of vehicles. The volume of traffic on a roadway is calculated as Average Daily Traffic (ADT). Speed is calculated as 85th percentile speed. This is the speed which 85% of vehicles are traveling at, or below, under free flowing conditions. In other words, the speed that motorists tend to travel according to the road environment. Vehicles types are recorded into 13 classes, from motorcycles to multi-trailer trucks.

Traffic counting tube setup
Traffic Counting Tube Setup

Click here to learn more about SRPEDD'S Traffic Counting Program

Traffic Operations

In order to thoroughly analyze the operation of the corridor and the intersections, several site visits were conducted to document the physical characteristics. This fieldwork conducted by the reviewers looked at a wide variety of road characteristics A few of these characteristics include, but are not limited to, lane width, lane utilization (left, thru, right), bike lanes, sidewalk, and pavement conditions. In addition, Turning Movement Counts were conducted during the PM and Saturday peak periods to collect vehicle approach movements (left, thru, right), pedestrian and/or bicycle data through individual intersections. This data was used to examine the operation of the intersections and to calculate a Level of Service (LOS).

North Attleborough Route 1 South Washington Street and Allen Avenue
North Attleborough Route 1 South Washington Street and Allen Avenue
North Attleborough Route 1 South Washington Street entrance to Emerald Square Mall
North Attleborough Route 1 South Washington Street entrance to Emerald Square Mall

Future Conditions

Future Conditions

During the course of this study, an analysis was conducted using SRPEDD's Regional Travel Demand Model (TDM). The model analyzes existing traffic operations for the entire SRPEDD region and forecasts future traffic patterns based on projected growth in the region that considers population, households, employment, and development. The TDM makes projections for changes in LOS and Delay in the year 2040. This analysis is based off peak travel times during a weekday, 5PMto 6PM, and peak travel times during the weekend, 1PM to 2PM.

Traffic Queueing cause delays in service. Photo of Queue at intersection of Route 1 and Route 1A in Attleboro.
Traffic Queueing cause delays in service

Recommendations

Corridor Wide / Segment Recommendations & Considerations

Adaptive Signal Control Technology Installation

Adaptive signal control refers to technology that captures current traffic demand data and adjusts traffic signal timing to optimize traffic flow in coordinated traffic signal systems. Adaptive signal control technology adjusts the timing of red, yellow, and green lights to accommodate changing traffic patterns throughout the day. Based on the analysis, using Synchro software, it was determined that specific sections of the study area that would most benefit from the installation of adaptive signal control technology.

Based on the analysis, using Synchro software, it was determined that specific sections of roadway would most benefit from the installation of adaptive signal control technology.

    • Route 1 (South Washington Street) at Whipple Street and Draper Avenue in North Attleborough; and
    • Route 1 (South Washington Street) at Emerald Square Mall North, Emerald Square Mall South and Allen Avenue in North Attleborough; and
    • Route 1 (Washington Street) at May Street, Angeline Street, Route 1A Connector, Route 123 (Highland Avenue), and Route 123 (Highland Avenue/Newport Ave) at Route 1A Connector.

Construction of a separate use paths along Route 1 to provide bicycle and pedestrian
accommodation

Currently, Route 1 does not provide adequate and/or consistent walking conditions for the majority of the corridor. Many of the sidewalks are in fair to poor condition. Several sidewalk segments end abruptly leaving pedestrians stranded with no safe travel path. In addition, There are several locations without sidewalks that show evidence of pedestrian demand
through the presence of worn and beaten paths There are several significant gaps in the sidewalk network:

  1. In North Attleborough, there is a small gap on the west side from Draper Avenue to Fuller Street.
  2. In North Attleborough, there is a large section of roadway from Draper Street to the Attleboro city line.
  3. In Attleboro, there is a sidepath on the east side of Route 1 that ends at a small patch of pavement. There is a wetland adjacent to the patch of pavement surrounded by a guardrail and a median leaving pedestrians to either turn around or risk walking in the road on a very narrow shoulder (less than 1-foot wide) next to high speed traffic.

Installation of a Two-Way Continuous Left Turn between Old Post Road and Quinn Street in North Attleborough

This section of roadway encompassed two of the three highest crash segments along the Route 1 corridor. Based on the high frequency of crashes that involved motorists attempting to enter a driveway, this segment of the roadway would benefit from the installation of a Two-way Continuous Left Turn Lane (TWLTL)

Consideration of constructing a raised median between Cumberland Avenue and May Street in Attleborough

The segment between Cumberland Avenue and Como Drive was identified as the second highest crash location along Route 1. There are 17 curb cuts along this segment, with two of those curb cuts offering a center left turn lane. The safety issue does not involve accessing driveways, but rather exiting them. Installation of a raised median will prevent these left-turns, as well as U-turns along this segment. It is recommended that the installation of the raised median start at Cumberland Avenue and ends at May Street. Motorists will be forced to travel up to a controlled intersection to reverse direction if their ultimate destination is located on the opposite side of the road from where they are traveling.

Consideration of Formal Bus Stops and Bus Pull-Outs Where Warranted

The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) currently runs 3 fixed bus routes that service the Route 1 corridor: Routes 10, 11, and 12. GATRA currently operates as a flag system with no designated bus stops or shelters. Therefore, a bus can be waved down by a rider anywhere along the route. Although the flag system provides flexibility, it lacks a level of safety for riders waiting for a bus. Ridership should be. analyzed to determine if designated bus stops and/or shelters are warranted to protect riders from inclement weather and offer a visible well-lit area to wait for the bus.

Consideration of Bypass Road Connections

Although Route 1 is classified as a minor arterial, the amount of daily traffic it carries far exceeds the thresholds (3,000 to 14,000 vehicles per day) for its classification. With that in mind, it is important to note that there are no bypass or adjacent roadways that currently exist between Route 123 and the Emerald Square Mall to assist in alleviating traffic from the Route 1 corridor. There are several different connection options that could be used to improved direct access to areas while also relieving traffic traveling on Route 1.

Access Management Plan

To address overall safety and congestion along the corridor, serious consideration needs to be given to an Access Management Plan by both communities, as well as with MassDOT. Access Management is a set of techniques that State and local governments can use to control access to highways, major arterials, and other roadways. The benefits of access management include improved movement of traffic, reduced crashes, and fewer vehicle conflicts, while still enabling
access to land uses and maintaining roadway safety and mobility. Planned development can coexist with good access management and can promote safe and efficient transportation for the general public.

Intersections Findings and Recommendations

Proposed Improvements

To address overall safety and congestion along the corridor, serious consideration needs to be given to an Access Management Plan by both communities, as well as with MassDOT. Access Management is a set of techniques that State and local governments can use to control access to highways, major arterials, and other roadways. The benefits of access management include improved movement of traffic, reduced crashes, and fewer vehicle conflicts, while still enabling access to land uses and maintaining roadway safety and mobility. Planned development can coexist with good access management and can promote safe and efficient transportation for the general public.

These improvements include, but are not limited to:

  • Create new left-turn lanes at high volume intersections.
  • Install adaptive and coordinated signal system for signal times optimization.
  • Widen intersections and creating bypasses
  • Implement pedestrian safety measures in order to improve overall safety and access to trip generators. Such as crosswalks at all intersections, pedestrian signals, and bike lanes.

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