2012-01-11CITY OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS
PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OR COMMISSION:
Parking and Traffic Commission
SUBCOMMITTEE:
DATE:
January 11, 2012
LOCATION:
City Hall Conference Room B, Third Floor
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Chair Rich Benevento, Bill Bent, Tina Cassidy, Russ
Rollins, Rich Hutchinson, Mike McCadden (for Bill
Fiore)
MEMBERS ABSENT:
John Somes
OTHERS PRESENT:
Councilors Scott Houseman, Brett Schetzsle and
Wes Slate, Police Officer Bill Barror
RECORDER:
Tina Cassidy
Benevento calls the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. and suggests taking agenda items out
of order to accommodate late arrivals.
1. Update on Street Signs in the Chapman's Corner Subdivision
Cassidy updates members regarding last month's Order #194. During discussion of that
Order a resident of the neighborhood lodged a complaint regarding traffic and parking
in the new Chapman s Corner subdivision. She said motorists were traveling in both
directions on what was supposed to be a one -way street and construction vehicles are
often parked across roadways or left wheel to the curb.
After the last meeting Cassidy says she brought the matter to the attention of the
Assistant Planning Director Leah Zambernardi. Zambernardi identified a regulation in
the subdivision rules which requires developers to erect all required street signage in a
project prior to the issuance of an occupancy permit. She has informed the project
engineer of the requirement and is in the process of scheduling a meeting with the
engineer and City representatives. Cassidy will update members on this issue at the
next meeting.
2. Discussion /recommendation to Planning Board: Site Plan Review Application
#129 -11: Razing of existing commercial building and construction of new
Walgreen's Pharmacy at 48 Dodge Street
Attorney Tom Alexander addresses the Board and introduces the development team for
Walgreen's which consists of Jeff Rhuda of Symes Development, Josh Swerling of Bohler
Engineering, traffic engineer Jeffrey Dirk from VAI, Inc., and Doug Benoit of Bohler
Engineering. Alexander first summarizes the parking situation by explaining how many
parking spaces are required by zoning for both the new use and the existing
Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes January 10, 2012 meeting
Page 1 of 7
businesses /space that will remain; then explains the number of parking spaces that will
be provided. In summary he says the zoning ordinance requires 102 parking spaces and
they will be providing 120. Benevento questions those numbers, saying he reached a
parking requirement of 150 spaces based on the square footage figures contained /cited
in the submitted traffic study. A discrepancy /misunderstanding remains, and the
applicants will provide a clearer summary of parking requirements /supply for the next
meeting.
Members ask general questions and express the following concerns:
a. How long of a queue is expected at the drive - through? Answer: two cars.
b. Did the developer contemplate alternative site layouts? Answer: no.
C. Where will loading /shipping take place (concern expressed about possibilities of
conflict between delivery trucks, drive - through customers, and entering /exiting
traffic from Conant and Dodge Streets)
d. Does Walgreen's have an analysis it can share with the Board to support its
contention that Walgreen's stores actually need less parking than what a local
community requires through zoning? Answer: Yes, and they will provide a
summary to the Commission for the next meeting.
Dirk states that the traffic counts showed volumes of 8,000 -9,000 cars per day on Conant
Street traveling at an ambient speed of 30 miles per hour, and about 26,000 cars per day
on Dodge Street at an ambient speed of 35 miles per hour. On Saturdays there are
approximately 23,000- 24,000 cars traveling on Dodge Street. He also states that they
analyzed crash data from the State and found that no crash rates exceeded State
averages. DOT /Registry of Motor Vehicles data was used, not local information from
the local Police Department.
Peak times for the new store are expected to be 4 -6 p.m. on weekdays and from 11 a.m.
to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The traffic analysis also projected five years of future traffic
growth and included traffic increases expected from other projects in the area that are
either under construction or planned in the near future.
The new Walgreen's is expected to generate 1,100 vehicle trips per day with half (550
trips) coming from existing traffic already traveling by the site. The study assumed a
more conservative 800 "new' trips per day would be generated, with 100 new trips per
hour generated during the weekday peak hours and 85 +/- trips per hour generated
during the Saturday peak hours. 30% of the new trips are assumed to come from the
north, 30% from the south, and 20% from the Route 128 on -off ramps. Dirk also
mentions that there is insufficient room within the roadway layout to stripe a formal
turn lane on Conant Street, though there is physically enough room for a car to pass one
turning left.
Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes January 10, 2012 meeting
Page 2 of 7
The applicants state that the plans and traffic study have been submitted to MassDOT's
District 4 offices but the applicants have not yet received any feedback. They state in
response to a question that the new Walgreen's will not be open 24 hours per day. Slate
respects that answer but says that because the CVS across the road is open 24 hours, it is
reasonable to assume that Walgreen's will want to do the same.
Bent asks Dirk if VAI evaluated the Dodge /Conant /N. Beverly Plaza intersection as a 4
way intersection with a split phase. Dirk says they have not, and Bent encourages him
to do so.
Rollins expresses concern about the age and utility of the traffic signals at the
intersection of Conant and Cabot Streets. That intersection will be affected greatly by
the new Walgreen s especially in light of the fact that a 173 -unit elderly housing project
has just been completed on Conant Street. Cassidy states that she made sure VAI knew
about that project, and Dirk confirms that he factored it into the traffic analyses.
Cassidy expresses concern about the proposal to allow left turns into the Conant Street
driveway and left turns out of that same driveway.
Members and the applicant discuss the main driveway which currently services all uses
on this site. No improvements are currently planned for this driveway but Rollins and
Bent suggest the applicant consider either widening the driveway to incorporate a turn
lane for exiting traffic and /or elongating the existing median on Dodge Street to prevent
motorists on the Route 128 ramps from shooting across 3 -4 lanes of traffic in an attempt
to enter the site. Dirk mentions that the existing monument sign for Appleseed's
impedes site distances presently, and relocation of that sign will help. He will also
review the existing driveway to see if changes /improvements are possible. Alexander
explains that the applicant does not have the legal authority to accept limitations of the
main driveway's function because the other businesses on the site have mutual rights to
use it.
Bent states that this proposal (involving on one portion of a larger site) is not an ideal
situation. He would very much like to see the applicants consider the access issues not
in a narrow way but rather on a broader scope (i.e. the entire site). He points out the
myriad driveways, noting that the one servicing Fast Freddie's is almost literally on the
Route 128 access ramp. He sees potential for greater conflicts on the site (Fast Freddie's
driveway, motorists lined up for gas pumps, restaurant traffic, etc.) in addition to
potential conflicts at the proposed drive - through lane for the new Walgreen's. He
would like to see the site designed to address all of the current and future deficiencies
and issues as part of this project.
Benoit informs members that this proposed Walgreen's, at approximately 13,000 sq. ft.,
is smaller than the facilities Walgreen s usually builds (14,500 — 15,000 sq. ft.).
Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes January 10, 2012 meeting
Page 3 of 7
Benevento suggests that further discussion be tabled to the Commission's February
meeting and summarizes the outstanding issues /comments for next month:
a. Double -check analytical techniques;
b. The study showed that operations at the main driveway degrade from LOS E to
LOS F, which is an impact and an issue;
C. Analyze the existing main driveway to identify potential improvements;
d. Look at creating a better parkingibuilding layout and better circulation;
e. Long queues on Dodge Street and inadequate gaps exiting off Route 128
southbound are of concern;
f. The impact of prohibiting left turns out of the Conant Street driveway and the
impact of prohibiting left hand turns into the Conant Street driveway should be
studied;
g. Current timing on existing signal at the North Beverly Plaza entrance /Conant
Street intersection should be evaluated; and
h. The Fire Department will be concerned about access onto Conant Street from the
site.
McCadden adds that the Fire Department would not be in favor of extending the length
of the existing median on Dodge Street since it would make access by emergency
vehicles more difficult.
3. Discussion /next steps: Possible truck exclusion for Cole Street
Rollins states that since the last meeting he contacted a Mr. Robinson at MassDOT's
offices in Boston regarding the question of where the State's jurisdiction over Route 127
begins and ends, relative to the possibility the City might impose a truck exclusion on
Cole Street. Robinson saw no issues relative to the State's highway jurisdiction that
would affect such a request.
Members discuss what is needed to pursue a truck exclusion route. Rollins says 24 hour
counts of traffic that classify vehicles is needed and at least one other route must be
identified as an alternative route for trucks to take. Bent explains that certain data
regarding the roadway's physical condition (i.e. geometry and width of pavement) will
be needed. Much of that data can probably be provided by the City's engineering
department. The traffic counts will likely need to be completed by hired labor.
Houseman reminds members that concerns have recently been raised about the safety of
the intersection of Hale and Corning Streets. Since Corning Street is very likely the
alternate route that trucks would use if Cole Street was not available, he wonders if the
Commission would be concerned about safety on Coming Street as a result.
Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes January 10, 2012 meeting
Page 4 of 7
Rollins recommends pursuing the next steps toward designating Cole Street as a truck
exclusion route. Bent suggests that MassDOT may be available to do the required traffic
counts for free. Cassidy says that might be a more difficult route (or longer route) than
simply asking the City's Finance Director whether City money is available. The counts
are expected to cost around $250 each, and if three are needed the total cost would be
less than $1,000. That amount of money may be available in the current City budget.
Bent offers to contact a colleague at MassDOT to find out exactly what must be included
in a truck exclusion request and hopes to be able to provide a list of engineering- related
information that will be needed. The Engineering Department will then be contacted to
see if they can provide it.
4. Continued discussion: Citizen request to add stop signs on Parramatta Road
(by relocating existing xisting stop signs that are now on the intersecting side streets)
Rollins updates the members by explaining that he and officer Bill Barror set up a speed
analyzer on Parramatta Road as promised at the last meeting. Though data is brief
(copies distributed to members) it shows that nearly all vehicles are traveling at or below
the speed limit of 30 miles per hour and that only 2% of all vehicles exceeded the speed
limit. Only one vehicle was traveling at a speed likely to prompt enforcement during
the study period.
This information, coupled with the fact that stop signs are not permitted to be used as
speed control devices, lead the commission to the conclusion that the suggestion should
not be advanced.
On a somewhat unrelated note, Benevento reminds members and those in the audience
that he will be making his annual address to the City Council on the Commissions
behalf within the next month or so. He asks Cassidy to contact Council President Paul
Guanci and the City Clerk to schedule it.
5. Discussion: City Council Order from Wes Slate re: conduct of traffic and
parkin study tudy in the vicinity of the proposed commuter rail parking ag�rag_e
Members briefly discuss this Order which has been reintroduced as a formal Council
Order for discussion in 2012.
Cassidy reports that she conveyed to the Mayor the Commission's desire and intent to
schedule a meeting between MBTA traffic consultants, City staff, Commission members
and the City's Route 1A consultants to discuss the potential impacts of the planned
commuter rail garage. He is supportive.
Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes January 10, 2012 meeting
Pagc5of7
She is working with MBTA Project Manager George Doherty to schedule that meeting.
A meeting also needs to be scheduled at some point between Commission
representatives and the City personnel working on general parking and parking meter
issues in the general vicinity of the garage.
Benevento asks that he and Bent be given copies of the 25% design plans for the Rantoul
Street project. The matter will be discussed again at the next Commission meeting.
6. Discussion of citizen's request to consider (a) designating one side of certain
streets for parking during snow emergencies and (b) amending winter parking
regulations by suspending meter enforcement and off - street parking lot
enforcement during snow emergencies
Cassidy and Houseman briefly explain the two suggestions sent to Houseman by a
constituent. Benevento believes discussion of either idea should include Public Works
Commissioner Mike Collins. He suggests that further discussion be tabled until next
month and Collins invited to the meeting. Rollins states that he doubts the Department
would be in favor of the "one side of the street" idea, since it would automatically
dictate two days' of snow removal on those streets instead of one.
Cassidy will invite Collins to the next meeting.
7. Approval of Minutes: December 6, 2011 meeting
Benevento asks if everyone has read the draft minutes for the last meeting and whether
there are any corrections that need to be made. There are none.
Hutchinson: motion to approve the draft minutes of the Commission's December 6,
2011 meeting, seconded by Rollins. Benevento, Cassidy, Rollins,
Hutchinson in favor, no one against, Bent in absention, McCadden does
not vote. The motion carries 4 -0 -1.
8. New or Other Business
Hutchinson states that he's noticed an unnecessarily dangerous situation at the
southbound on -ramp to Route 128 at Brimbal Avenue. Though there is an acceleration
lane motorists don't use it because it is not properly striped.
Benevento suggests the City might want to author a letter from the Mayor to MassDOT
District 4 Chief Engineer Patty Leavenworth asking for a review of all Route 128
interchanges in Beverly to assess adequacy and safety of traffic operations. The
Commission and Mike Collins should be copied on that letter.
Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes January 10, 2012 meeting
Page 6 of 7
Benevento asks if there is any other business for the Commission to conduct. There is
none.
Bent: motion to adjourn, seconded by Hutchinson. All members in favor, motion
carries.
The meeting is adjourned at 11:05 a.m.
Final Parking & Traffic Commission minutes January 10, 2012 meeting
Pagc7of7