North and Pearl

On Monday 11/13 I went to the MassHwy 25% design hearing for Phase III of the North Street / Pearl Street Project. I attended primarily to object to the plan to install a 4 way stop at this intersection. I asked a few question regarding the decision for a 4 way before the meeting.

The warrants for a 4 way can be met based on traffic counts, or collision history or combinations of the two. The number of traffic collisions in the most recent year for which data is available was three, two shy of the minimum for a 4 way stop. The most recent traffic counts I could find on MassHwys website were too old to be useful. The counts on North Street were too low for a 4 way and there were no counts for Pearl St. The engineers may have been able to meet the warrant using a combination of traffic counts including bicycle and pedestrian counts and other conditions. Unfortunately I won't have time to verify that before the 10 day comment period expires. In any case I strongly believe a roundabout would be a safer approach for this intersection and I suspect that the designers agree.

During the meeting I pointed out that 4 ways have negative affects including:

• higher approach and exit speeds
• promote rolling stops
• increased wear and tear on vehicles
• higher levels of air and noise polution

I also asked if the land required for a roundabout would be available. The land is there, no buildings on it, however the land is owned by FSC. Rather than stall the project while trying to get the land the recommendation is to install a 4 way stop.
If a roundabout is the best solution wouldn't you expect FSC to be on board with giving up the land? Wouldn't you expect the legislature to be quick in passing any special legislation required if FCS, MassHwy and Fitchburg proposed this together?

There were three public official at the hearing. Mylott, Boisvert and Conry all had something to say regarding the project. Mylott's comments merely indicated that the engineers had done the best they could with a difficult intersection. One of the councilors was to agree that drivers are likely to roll through the stop signs. I doubt they've made the connection that the reason drivers tend to roll through stops signs is that vast majority of stop signs approved by cities and towns are not needed, drivers have adapted to this. The problem is that it is difficult for drivers to tell which stop signs are legit and which are bogus.

Not surprisingly both councilors wanted signals at this intersection. Never mind that there is ample evidence that signals do not make intersections safer.

Update on 6/3/2007
Reply to Anonymous.

You're correct your are behind on this - you need to come up to speed on roundabouts before offering your opinion.

People don't know how to use a rotary - try using the one in Cleghorn. I used to have to use this rotary twice a day - the majority of the time, NO ONE yields to rotary traffic. I think this would cause many more accidents and would make it much more difficult for students and employees to cross the street.

The rotary in Cleghorn was most likely built in the 50s or earlier, before the rotary law was changed. Believe it or not the rotary law used to be that traffic entering a rotary had right of way.

For a roundabout to work well:

• each approach should have clear view of the rotary and other approaches.
• it should be well marked so that drivers have a clear understanding of where they want to exit before entering the roundabout
• there should be free access to the rotary.
• additional non-roadway entries near or at the rotary should be limited>

The rotary in Cleghorn is lacking on all four counts:

1. The view of the rotary and other approaches is blocked by a large brick building and by a railroad bridge.
2. markings are confusing. For example the approach from west Fitchburg is Rt 12 South, Rt 31 North and Rt2A East. The signs for each are separate and it is not clear where each will exit the rotary as drivers approach. The other approaches provide even less information.
3. The entrances/exits for the rotary are obstructed by stop signs and signals.
4. There are multiple extra entrances and exits at or near the rotary. IIRC at total of 4 businesses have entrance/exits at or near the rotary, Cumberland Farms, McDonalds, a gas station and an package (liquour) store.

As to driver behavior, roadway users (including pedestrians) adapt to the situation. Build a well design rotary at North and Pearl and both drivers and pedestrians will learn to negotiate it.

Attempting to compare this monstrosity with a modern well designed roundabout is ludicrous.