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The following is a summary of findings and
recommendations the Salem Chamber has made regarding possible
improvements (short and long term) for the Highland Avenue commercial
corridor and surrounding area. Because the City shares responsibility
for and control over for the roadway with Mass Highway, we have
segregated our findings in accordance with what we believe to
be the current jurisdictional order.
In
2007 the Salem Chamber of Commerce formed a Task Force comprised
of concerned businesses and residents from the Highland Avenue
area. As we all know and appreciate, Highland Avenue is a major
commercial corridor; however, it also serves a large resident
population and is home to the region's largest medical center
as well as to the City's high school and middle school. Significant
commercial and residential growth and development has occurred
over the past decade along Highland Avenue, as well as on the
roads leading into and off of it, without any measurable improvements
(the recent turning lane at the Irving gas station notwithstanding)
to the roadway itself.
The goal
of the Task Force was to initiate a dialogue with businesses
and residents, to identify the issues impacting them, and to
work on proposed solutions for the Highland Avenue corridor
and the connector roads leading into it. In February of this
year members of the Task Force met with several city councilors
in an effort to begin the process of advancing the ideas the
Task Force had developed over the past year. While the Chamber
is aware that MassHighway will soon begin work on a project
that will upgrade the signalization and traffic controls on
Highland Avenue, a project the Chamber supports, additional
infrastructure work could dramatically improve safety as well
as traffic movement along, into and away from Highland Avenue.
In order
to begin the process of redesigning and reconstructing Highland
Avenue, the Chamber would strongly encourage and support a comprehensive
review of the entire Highland Avenue corridor, a view shared
by many councilors at our February meeting, and is hopeful that
you and the Council can make this a priority item. In the near
term, at the urging of several councilors, the Task Force met
recently to identify and recommend a limited number of high
priority action items for the City to focus attention on.
Following
are the items the Task Force has identified. Because the City
shares responsibility for and control over for the roadway with
MassHighway, we have segregated our findings in accordance with
what we believe to be the current
jurisdictional order. While we have gone beyond what the councilors
suggested, we have selected a limited number of action items
that the Task Force believes are manageable and would improve
public safety. Beginning at the traffic light at the intersection
of Boston Street, we divided the roadway into sections to better
identify the areas of concern and the possible short-term solutions
and quick fixes.
City
of Salem Jurisdiction
Essex
Street to Jackson Street:
Problem:
Northbound traffic waiting to turn left onto Boston Street backs
up traffic to the light at Jackson Street and beyond. The backup
is exacerbated by cars that would otherwise proceed down Essex
Street having to stay in the left lane in front of the Collins
Middle School because the right lane is right turn only. The
Essex Street bound traffic then has to cross over to the right
after going through the light, although there aren't two marked
lanes until you reach Warren Street at the second point. A number
of cars ignore the right turn only restriction and proceed straight
ahead through the intersection, creating a hazard for cars shifting
over from the left.
Proposed
Short-Term Solution: Eliminate right turn only lane restriction
in front of Middle School and mark the right lane with both
straight and turn arrows. Extend lane markings from Warren Street
to Jackson Street to allow two travel lanes, the left for traffic
bound for Boston Street and the right for traffic continuing
on Essex Street.
Priority:
High
Jackson
Street to Traffic Light at NSMC:
Problems:
While the northbound side has two travel lanes, the southbound
side has only one. There are no marked turning lanes for southbound
traffic waiting to turn into the Middle School or the lower
and the upper NSMC entrances, creating uncertainty for cars
waiting to turn left and those attempting to go around them.
Parking is allowed on this side of the road, however, no space
markings exist. Elderly residents from Fairweather Apartments
cannot safely cross the street to access the bus stop on opposite
side. Cars attempting to enter and exit Highland Place Mall
at Princeton Crossing are often blocked by cars ignoring the
stop line on the southbound side.
Proposed
Short-Term Solutions:
1. Provide a wide and clearly marked crosswalk at Fairweather
Apartments
2. Provide left turn lanes with painted arrows at the Middle
School and at the lower and upper NSMC entrances
3. Eliminate some parking to allow for turning lanes with adjacent
travel lanes at the Middle School and the lower NSMC entrance;
provide painted parking zones / spaces
4. Provide painted markings for stop line and lane separation
at Mall entrance
Priority:
High
Swampscott
Road:
Problems:
The road is only one lane in each direction with many curves
and blind spots, creating hazards for cars attempting to turn
into or exit from businesses along the road (e.g. Technology
Way). Traffic volume is heavy, notably truck traffic, and speed
limits are generally not followed and rarely enforced. A traffic
light is needed at the intersection with First Street to allow
traffic to safely exit onto Swampscott Road. Cars turning left
from Swampscott onto First Street are at risk from approaching
traffic, especially laden trucks, coming downgrade from Highland.
Proposed
Short-Term Solutions:
1. Lower the speed limit from Highland to First Street to 25
MPH, from First Street to Commerce Park to 30 MPH, and thereafter
to 35 MPH
2. Increase enforcement
3. Restrict right turns from Swampscott Road onto Highland during
peak traffic - see below under MassHighway Jurisdiction
Priority:
High
Proposed
Long-Term Solutions:
1. Install traffic light at intersection of First Street
2. Widen road to provide turn lanes for businesses at Technology
Way and Commerce Park
3. Widen road on both sides of the First Street intersection
to provide a safe left turn lane for traffic turning left onto
First and to include a right turn lane for traffic turning right
onto First
4. Add a sidewalk to the opposite side of the road where businesses
are located
Priority:
High
Combined
City / MassHighway Jurisdiction
Traffic
Light at NSMC to Willson Street:
Problem:
This section of roadway is prone to backups as cars stop to
make turn lefts at multiple points. Drivers often attempt get
out from behind stopped vehicles, creating a safety hazard for
oncoming traffic.
Proposed
Short-Term Solution: None as MassHighway jurisdiction begins.
Proposed
Long-Term Solution: Absent a widening of the road and the creation
of a center turn lane, southbound traffic could be restricted
to one lane (a continuation of what exists up to that point)
to the light at Willson and Cherry Hill. Northbound traffic
could remain two lanes and a turning lane (appropriately marked
with painted arrows and cross hatching) could be created from
the current left lane on the southbound side.
Priority:
Not determined
MassHighway
Jurisdiction
Willson
Street to Traders Way :
Problems:
The road narrows considerably starting at the guardrail (where
the road becomes divided) heading to Willson. Cars going north
toward Willson regularly attempt left turns onto Freeman, Crowdis
and Valley. Oftentimes drivers try to move from behind stopped
traffic into the right lane, creating a hazard for oncoming
traffic. Traffic heading to the High School causes backups in
the right lane. The guardrail restricts access and traffic movement
into and out of several businesses, including Hillcrest Chevrolet,
Tropical Products and the Veterinary Hospital. First Street
is inaccessible from the southbound side of the road. Drivers
are forced to double back (sometimes taking dangerous turns,
using side roads and driveways in the process) in order to reach
their destination point. Left turn lanes at the lights at Market
Basket and Traders Way are inadequate. Cars waiting at the light
to turn left often back up into the left travel lane when cars
wanting to go straight have the green light.
Proposed
Short-Term Solution: None as MassHighway has sole jurisdiction.
Proposed
Long-Term Solution:
1. Elimination of the center guardrail and the addition of a
center turn lane will open up First Street and provide direct
access to businesses on either side of the road. First Street
holds the potential for taking a significant amount of traffic
off Highland Avenue that is headed toward Swampscott Road, as
well as to the resident communities along and off of First Street,
thus bypassing the lights on Highland up as far as Swampscott
Road. A traffic signal is needed at the intersection of Swampscott
Road and First Street now, since oncoming traffic is not visible
to cars attempting to exit First Street, and would be critical
to the success of any increased use of First Street.
2. Provide longer and safer left turn lanes at both sets of
lights, Market Basket and Traders Way
3. Possibly widen the road from Freeman to Valley to allow for
safer left turns
4. Create another access to the High School from Highland, possibly
near the tennis courts
Traders
Way to Swampscott Road:
Problems:
Inadequate turning lanes onto Marlborough Road and Swampscott
Road causes traffic to back up into travel lanes. Traffic turning
right from Swampscott Road exacerbates the problem and sometimes
blocks both northbound travel lanes. Northbound traffic on Highland
is often gridlocked approaching Swampscott Road because of the
congestion in the left turn lane for Marlborough Road.
Proposed
Short-Term Solution: City could restrict right turns from Swampscott
Road onto Highland between 4 P.M. and 6 P.M. Traffic bound for
Marlborough Road could turn right onto First, then left onto
Traders Way and cross over Highland to Marlborough at the light.
Priority:
High
Proposed
Long-Term Solution:
1. Eliminate the guardrail and substitute a narrow island divider
2. Widen the road and provide longer and safer turn lanes
Priority:
Not determined
Swampscott
Road to Barnes Road:
Problems:
The center guardrail is a major obstacle for businesses on the
northbound side of this section of road (Puritan Medical Center,
Hutchinson Medical, Northeast Animal Shelter and Highland Gardens)
and is an impediment to traffic flow. Access for these businesses
is especially problematic as anyone destined for these businesses
is forced to reverse direction at least once. Access to public
transportation is also an issue for anyone needing to cross
over to the other side of the road.
Proposed
Short-Term Solution: None as MassHighway has sole jurisdiction.
Proposed
Long-Term Solution:
Elimination of the center guardrail and the addition of a center
turn lane will provide much needed access for businesses and
will cut down on traffic that is currently forced to exit right.
An extended center lane would also allow traffic waiting to
turn left on Marlborough Road to queue up without blocking the
intersection or encroaching in the left travel lane.
Priority:
Not determined
Barnes
Road to Lynn Line:
Problems:
The center guardrail severely impedes truck deliveries to EASI
Self Storage and E. Amanti & Sons. Northbound traffic cannot
safely reverse direction at Barnes under current conditions.
Businesses on the northbound side after the light at Walmart
are similarly affected. Residents from the Highland Condominium
have voiced concern and frustration over the worsening traffic
congestion heading in both directions. Southbound traffic backs
up beyond Olde Village Drive as early as 3 P.M. on most days
due to high volume and the lane restriction, from two down to
one, after the guardrail ends.
Proposed
Short-Term Solution:
1. Confer with Lynn City Officials on ways to alleviate congestion
by eliminating crossing traffic at the intersection of Rt. 107,
Eastern Avenue and Stanwood Street.
Proposed
Long-Term Solution:
1. Elimination of the center guardrail and the addition of a
center turn lane will provide much needed access for businesses
and will cut down on traffic that is currently forced to exit
right
Priority:
Not determined
General:
Speed Limits:
Posted speeds vary from 30 MPH to 45 MPH. A single uniform speed
limit (35 MPH) would improve safety and allow for better and
more consistent enforcement.
Sidewalks:
Highland Avenue is not pedestrian friendly even though it is
used by many to access public transportation, shopping, etc.,
as well as for recreation. Sidewalks, where they exist, are
generally in disrepair. Any reconstruction of the road should
include new sidewalks on both sides of the roadway.
Aesthetic
Upgrades: Highland Avenue is a major entrance corridor to the
City and is severely lacking in visual appeal. Any plan for
the redesign and reconstruction of Highland Avenue should take
into consideration such things as entrance signage, lighting,
landscaping, etc. Businesses should also be engaged to implement
curbside improvements (access, signage, lighting, landscaping,
etc.) to maximize the benefit.
On behalf
of the Chamber, our members and others who participated in this
effort, we thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely
yours,
Rinus
Oosthoek, Executive Director & Patrick DeIulis, President
/ Task Force Chair
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