7:00 PM Old/New Business
Shipyard Traffic Counts per Special Permit Condition
Minutes of March 10, 2011
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Present: Planning Board Members, Paul Healey, Judy Sneath, Gary Tondorf-Dick and
William Ramsey. Also present was Planner Katharine Lacy.
7:00 PM Old/New Business
Shipyard Traffic Counts per Special Permit Condition
Pursuant to Condition A.10 of the Site Plan Approval in Connection with Major Modifications to the Mixed-use Special Permit for the Hingham Shipyard, the developers of the Shipyard submitted the findings of the Traffic Monitoring Program, prepared by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, and dated December 2, 2010 (updated March 1, 2011).
Mike Fitzpatrick attended the hearing on behalf of Samuels and Associates, with Nicolette Hastings from VHB. Jeffrey Dirk of Vanasse and Associates provided peer review services for the Town, and was also in attendance at the hearing.
Mr. Dirk explained that Condition A.10 requires that post-development monitoring of traffic volumes and operating conditions be completed at specific intersections during defined time periods following 50 percent occupancy of the commercial component of the Project, and repeated at 75 percent occupancy. The 50% occupancy occurred in the summer of 2010; at this point the occupancy is at 72%.
In summary, the VHB report found (and Mr. Dirk concurred,) that the uses occurring at the Shipyard are generating between 22 and 50% less traffic on a daily and peak-hour basis than originally projected for the project. Further, the report determined that operating conditions (motorist delays and queuing) at the intersections included in the study area along Lincoln Street are acceptable, with additional reserve capacity to accommodate further build-out and occupancy of the uses approved for the project.
The Board focused on conditions at the Beal Street/Sergeant William B. Terry Drive intersection, which were shown as continuing to operate at a Level of Service (LOS) of F, as it did before the build-out of the Shipyard. As mitigation for growth anticipated from the build-out of the Shipyard, the developer has already installed a traffic signal at this intersection, but it has not yet been activated due to the fact that earlier data indicated that it did not meet the various warrants required by Mass Highway. Based on the traffic counts and monitoring done as a part of this traffic study, however, Mr. Dirk noted that it appears that the volumes may now be high enough to meet the State and Federal criteria for activation. Mr. Dirk recommended that a formal Traffic Signal Warrants Analysis be conducted for this intersection in accordance with accepted methodology in order to determine if the signal should be activated at this time.
Mr. Fitzpatrick noted that the cost and responsibility for conducting further traffic study and warrants analysis was the responsibility of the Town. Board members noted that Samuels would be required to conduct further monitoring studies in the near future at the project surpassed the 75% occupancy mark, and expressed the hope that the Town could use that information as part of their warrants analysis.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Katharine T. Lacy, Town Planner