A. Transportation Impact Study - Cambridge

1 79 John F. Kennedy Street Harvard Kennedy School Project Review Special Permit Application A. Transportation Impact Study 12622/ Transportation Impact Back of Front Cover Table of Contents 1 Introduction & Project Overview .. 1 1 Project 1 1 2 Planning Board Criteria Summary .. 2 1 3 Transportation Impact Study .. 3 1 Existing Conditions .. 3 1 Existing Harvard Kennedy School Conditions .. 3 1 Existing Study Area Conditions .. 3 4 Data Collection .. 3 10 2014 Existing Condition Data .. 3 10 Theoretical Data .. 3 12 Project Description .. 3 12 Project Population .. 3 12 Project Site Plan .. 3 13 Project Trip Generation .. 3 13 Trip Generation .. 3 13 Mode Splits.

2 3 14 Project Trips .. 3 15 Traffic Analysis Scenarios .. 3 17 2014 Existing Condition .. 3 17 2014 Theoretical Existing Condition .. 3 17 2014 Build Condition .. 3 17 2019 Future Condition .. 3 17 Vehicle Capacity Analysis .. 3 18 Capacity Analysis .. 3 18 Existing Transit Ridership .. 3 21 Bus System Capacity .. 3 22 Future Capacities .. 3 23 Pedestrian Analysis .. 3 25 4 Planning Board Special Permit Criteria .. 4 1 Criterion A Project Vehicle Trip Generation .. 4 1 Criterion B Vehicular LOS at Signalized Intersections .. 4 2 Criterion C Traffic on Residential Streets .. 4 2 Criterion D Lane Queue .. 4 3 Criterion E Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities .. 4 4 12622/ Transportation Impact This page intentionally left blank.

3 12622/ Transportation Impact List of Tables Table No. Description Page 1 HKS Employee Population .. 3-2 2 2014 HKS Parking Permit Locations .. 3-3 3 HKS Personal Vehicle Drop-off by Hour .. 3-4 5 Vehicular Crash Summary (2009 - 2011) Details .. 3-9 7 2014 Existing Hourly Traffic Summary .. 3-11 8 HKS 2019 Population .. 3-12 9 HKS Net-New Population .. 3-14 10 Harvard University Commute Mode Splits by Year .. 3-14 11 Project Generated Trips .. 3-15 12 Project Generated Trips Entering/Exiting Garages/Lots .. 3-16 13 Signalized Intersection Level of Service Results AM Peak Hour.

4 3-18 14 Signalized Intersection Level of Service Results PM Peak Hour .. 3-19 15 Unsignalized Intersection Level of Service Results AM Peak Hour .. 3-19 16 Unsignalized Intersection Level of Service Results PM Peak Hour .. 3-19 17 Signalized Intersection Queue Analysis - AM Peak Hour .. 3-20 18 Signalized Intersection Queue Analysis - PM Peak Hour .. 3-20 19 MBTA Subway Peak Hour Utilization (2014 Existing Condition) .. 3-21 20 MBTA Bus Route AM Peak Hour Utilization (2014 Existing Condition) .. 3-22 21 MBTA Bus Route PM Peak Hour Utilization (2014 Existing Condition) .. 3-23 22 Project Transit Trip Assignment .. 3-24 23 Red Line Capacity Analysis Peak Load/Peak Direction.

5 3-24 24 Signalized Intersection - Pedestrian Level of Service Summary .. 3-25 25 Unsignalized Intersection - Pedestrian Level of Service Summary .. 3-25 26 Conflicting Bicycle/Vehicle Movements at Study Intersections .. 3-26 A-1 Project Vehicle Trip Generation .. 4-1 B-2 Vehicular Level of Service .. 4-2 12622/ Transportation Impact D-2 Length of Vehicle Queues at Signalized Intersections .. 4-3 E- 1 Criterion: Pedestrian Level-of-Service Indicators .. 4-4 E-2 Pedestrian Level-of-Service Summary .. 4-4 E-3 Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities .. 4-5 12622/ Transportation Impact 1 1 Introduction & Project Overview 1 Introduction & Project Overview On behalf of Harvard University, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.

6 (VHB) has conducted a Transportation Impact Study (TIS) for the proposed expansion of the existing Harvard Kennedy School of Government (HKS) at 79 John F. Kennedy Street in Cambridge , MA. The TIS responds to the scope dated May 22, 2014 defined by the City of Cambridge Traffic, Parking and Transportation (TP&T) Department in response to VHB s Request for Scoping dated April 24, 2014. A copy of the City s scoping letter is included in the Appendix. The TIS has been prepared in conformance with the current City of Cambridge guidelines for Transportation Impact Study required under the Article 19 Special Permit Project Review. This document comprises three components, as follows: Introduction and Project Overview, describing the framework in which the Transportation component of this Project was evaluated; Transportation Impact Study , presenting the technical information and analysis results as required under the guidelines ; and, Planning Board Special Permit Criteria, summarizing the evaluation of the proposed Project as defined under the guidelines .

7 The required TIS Summary Sheets and Planning Board Criteria Performance Summary are included. Supplementary data and analysis worksheets are provided in the Appendix. Electronic files for Turning Movement Counts (TMC), Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR), and Synchro analyses are included on an accompanying CD. Project Overview The proposed Project consists of approximately 91,200 SF of administrative offices and classroom space. The Project will primarily allow for decompression of existing space and improve constraints on the campus today. The existing 13 on site parking spaces will be removed with this expansion and no new parking will be constructed. A secure arrival/departure area will be provided on site (within the proposed loading facility) for 12622/ Transportation Impact 1 2 Introduction & Project Overview visiting dignitaries.

8 Existing on site parking will be relocated to other existing lots/garages on the Harvard Campus. Harvard will allocate the required number of parking spaces for the Project which meets the requirements of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance from existing available spaces in the University s parking pool. Based on the school s existing parking permit data, the Project will generate the demand for approximately 17 additional parking permits. A new off street loading dock will be created with access/egress to Eliot Street, as illustrated in the relevant figures. As shown in Figures A and B, the Project site is located between Harvard Square and the Charles River on John F. Kennedy (JFK) Street.

9 The Project s building parcel is bounded by Eliot Street to the north, JFK Street to the east, the JFK Park and Memorial Drive to the south, and the Charles Hotel and supporting retail to the west. The following graphics have been provided as an overview of the Project location, existing and proposed site plan conditions and the traffic Study area analyzed: Figure A presents a site location map Figure B presents an aerial view of the proposed site and its neighborhood context Figure C presents the existing site plan Figure D presents the proposed Project site plan Figure E presents the TIS Study area \\vhb\proj\Boston\ \graphics\FIGURES\TIS-lett p1 07/02/14 Figure ASource: ArcMAP Street Map datasetSiteSite Location MapHarvard Kennedy School TISC ambridge, MA0 2000 4000 FeetVanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.

10 Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. \\vhb\proj\Boston\ \graphics\FIGURES\TIS-lett p2 07/02/14 Figure BSource: MassGIS 2008 aerialSiteNeighborhood ContextHarvard Kennedy School TISC ambridge, MA0 1000 2000 FeetVanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. HarvardKennedy SchoolExisting SurfaceParking PrimaryPedestrianEntrancePrimaryPedestri anEntranceLoadingSite DrivewayFigure CExisting Conditions PlanHarvard Kennedy School TISC ambridge, MA0 12 24 Feet\\vhb\proj\Boston\ \graphics\FIGURES\ p1 07/21/14 Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. Pedestrian EntranceBicycle RackHubwayHarvardKennedy SchoolPrimaryPedestrianEntrancePedestria nEntranceMainPedestrianEntranceBelow-Gra deLoading DockFigure DTransportation Improvement Summary PlanHarvard Kennedy School TISC ambridge, MA0 12 24 Feet\\vhb\proj\Boston\ \graphics\FIGURES\ p2 07/21/14 Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.