Why update? A lot has happened over the past 10 years Significant - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Why update? A lot has happened over the past 10 years Significant - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Why update? A lot has happened over the past 10 years Significant growth in the region. Significant progress has been made on a few of the old nightmares MassDOT has been created MetroWest RTA was formed (#1


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Why update?

A lot has happened over the past 10 years

  • Significant growth in the region.
  • Significant progress has been made
  • n a few of the ‘old nightmares’
  • MassDOT has been ‘created’
  • MetroWest RTA was formed

(#1 “Nightmare” 10 years ago)

This has led to

New challenges… … and new opportunities

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Outreach and Selection Process

Outreach

  • Media Partner ~ MetroWest Daily News
  • 495/Partnership Investor and Member support
  • Word of mouth

Generating Interest

  • Series of articles focused on transportation-related

issues in the region

  • Transportation committee discussions
  • E-Blasts

One Thing is Clear

… you continue to have a lot of Nightmares!

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… so without further adieu… We present to you… The Top 10 Transportation Nightmares

  • f the 495/MetroWest Region

Insert maniacal laughter here

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Route 135 and 126 in Framingham

Issues

  • Conflicting traffic along Route

126 and Route 135

  • Multiple rail crossings
  • Substandard pedestrian

and bicycle network

This has led to

  • Underutilization of the

downtown area

  • Regular and recurring safety

and congestion issues that limit local and regional connections

  • Driver and community

frustration

Highway Safety Improvement Program ~ Eligible

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SLIDE 6

Route 16 Corridor

Issues

  • Alternative means of

traversing the region

  • Serves as a main street for

several communities and commuter route for others

  • Access management issues

This has led to

  • Regular and recurring safety

and congestion issues that limit local and regional connections

  • Inconsistent planning

approaches

Highway Safety Improvement Program ~ Eligible

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SLIDE 7

Route 1 and 1A

Issues

  • Significant economic

development over the past 10+ years

  • Special event congestion
  • No transit services

This has led to

  • Interchange is at capacity
  • Demand for more

economic development

  • Plainridge Park Casino
  • 200 acres of prime development land
  • ff Route 1A

“13 million people visit the Wrentham Mall each year, the interchange was designed to handle a fraction of that volume”

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I-495 and Route 9/Westborough

Issues

  • Continued growth

in the region

  • Substandard

highway design

  • Recurring backups
  • n both Route 9 and

along I-495

This has led to…

  • Safety issues
  • Significant congestion

and hindered development

  • pportunities

“All one has to do is come out at 5pm on a weekday to see how ridiculous this situation actually is.”

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SLIDE 9

I-495/I-90 (MassPike)

Issues

  • Substandard and unique design
  • Difficult weaving conditions
  • Toll plaza
  • ACEC

This has led to…

  • High crash trends
  • Frequent and consistent delays

for commuters AND commercial vehicles.

  • Overflow traffic diverting to

Route 9 and Route 126 “For the past 10 years, it’s silly to know that I’m going to wait at the same exact spot at this interchange regardless if I arrive between 5:30am and 9:00am or if I arrive between 4:30pm to 6:30pm.”

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SLIDE 10

I-495/I-290 Interchange

Issues

  • Substandard highway design.
  • Regional connection for drivers

who live and work in the area and super-regional connection for drivers moving north and south to other States.

This has led to…

  • Regular truck turn-overs
  • Recurring delays for

southbound and eastbound drivers on weekdays and

  • n weekends.
  • Gateway impacts to Hudson

and Marlborough “I’m surprised that there aren’t more fatalities on these ramps… ”

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SLIDE 11

Commuter Rail

Issues

  • Limited infrastructure

upgrades*

  • Poor maintenance of stations
  • Limited parking
  • Limited reverse

commute options

This has led to…

  • An inconsistent experience

for commuters

  • Reduced access for employers

to tap into the talent-rich employment market of Boston “I live in Ashland, which has all the parking we will ever need, but I’m forced to drive back to Westborough so I can get a decent seat on the train ~ something's not right with that scenario…”

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Suburban Mobility Challenges

First Mile, Last Mile, and a Few In-Between

Issues

  • Limited connections between

transportation infrastructure

  • Lack of integrated PUBLIC

transportation framework

Which has led to

  • Limited options for commuters,

especially in poor weather when walking and bicycling are difficult

  • Challenges attracting talented

employees into the region and effectively using Transit as a means to get around the region. “MetroWest is the land of dead end roads and limited transportation

  • ptions… the roads that connect are the ones that get congested.

We need to do a better job of connecting the dots…”

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The Turnpike

Issues

  • Continued rapid growth along

the corridor

  • Tolling remains in place

Which has led to

  • Regular and recurring

congestion at interchanges

  • Secondary arterials being used

as bypass roads

  • Unfair burden placed on

495/MetroWest commuters “Ten years ago, if you were on the Pike before 7am, it took 35 minutes to get into

  • Copley. Now, if I’m on the Pike after 6:30, it’s every minute of an hour ~ usually 90…

and for that “privilege”, I get to pay for $6.20 every day… Sweet.”

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SLIDE 14

Route 9 Corridor

Issues

  • 27 Mile segment that crosses

6 communities in the 495/MetroWest region

  • Provides access to major roadways; retail,

commercial, housing, higher education, and industrial properties

  • Spans multiple MPO districts
  • Has multiple RTA providers
  • No consistency between commmunities

Which has led to…

  • Different priorities in

each community…

  • Constant congestion

“Want to walk, forget it. Want to bike, forget it. Want to take the MWRTA, sure ~ just make sure you’re on the correct side of the street. Want to drive it? Enjoy!”

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SLIDE 15

Next Steps

We would like to thank the readers of the MetroWest Daily News, our regions employers, residents and employees for submitting their nominations… … We have heard your concerns and the Partnership is ready to work with both the public and private stakeholders to address these issues and insure a prosperous future for the 495/MetroWest Region… … We are now looking for people who could turn these nightmares into opportunities… Scott?