Dedham Public Schools Traffic Circulation Study Presented by Laura Castelli May 22, 2019
Tonight’s Agenda • Overview of Project • Spring Data Collection Effort • Initial Thoughts • Community Feedback
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Why VHB ▪ Selected for local experience on similar projects – Weston, Wellesley, Cambridge, Arlington, Belmont, and more ▪ Experience working with communities to develop lasting solutions to transportation challenges ▪ Focus on multimodal access, design, and improved safety
Overview of Project ▪ FOCUS on the safety of getting children and staff to school ▪ Create a safer environment by addressing school circulation and congestion in neighborhood surrounding school campus ▪ Three data collection periods – Spring (April 25) Summer (TBD July) and Fall (TBD October) ▪ Analyze safety (crashes) and volume trends – By time of year as applicable ▪ Develop improvement alternatives – Focus on safety, congestion, access, drop-off/pick-up and bus ops – No impacts to property – Provide pros/cons and potential costs
Spring Data Collection Effort
Initial Thoughts – High School ▪ Travel speeds are high on Whiting outside of peak drop-off/pick up hours ▪ U-turning and jaywalking prevalent – kids hopping out while car in queue ▪ Illegal use of Recreation Road observed ▪ With older kids comes increase in distracted driving/walking
Initial Thoughts – Middle School ▪ Drop-off activity at Whiting/Mt. Vernon intersection ▪ Confusing/non-conforming signage ▪ Overall simplest circulation and most organized
Initial Thoughts – Elementary School ▪ Queuing along Recreation Road observed ▪ Difficult to exit campus to High Street ▪ Overlap with high school traffic
Initial Thoughts – Overall ▪ Queuing is a primary issue leading to drop-off of students in the middle of the roadway ▪ Congestion/operational issues limited to immediate drop-off and pick-up hours ▪ Poor intersection operations: – East/Whiting – Whiting/Mt. Vernon
Timeline and Next Steps ▪ Summer data collection (July) ▪ Meet with School Committee (September) – Spring/Summer data comparison – Preliminary development of alternatives ▪ Fall data collection (October) ▪ Evaluation of alternatives and consideration of recommendations ▪ Community Meeting 2 (November/December) – Presentation of findings and recommendations for comment ▪ Work with School Committee to finalize report and implementation plan
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