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LEXINGTON DESIGN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MARRETT ROAD SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
Notes of Meeting held In the Town Hall offices 19 January 1994
Present: John Frey Lexington Design Advisory Committee
Hubert Murray Lexington Design Advisory Committee
Lance Neumann Transportation Consuftant, Lexington resident
Dick Cook BSC Group
Charge to the Design Advlaoy Committee members' to listen to a presentation try the Town's
Consulting Engineer (Dick Cook of the BSC Group) and present the Committee's concerns (with
service from Lance Neumann)
Dick Cook summarized the history of the design development explaining the rationale behind the
plan as currently shown in the FEIR drawings, Key Issues addressed were:
1 EroposeLMHD_MadnterianottlyhaL
Having listened to the rationale for the proposed alignment parallel with Marten Road, committee
members felt that this was not an optimum design solution. JF and HM will request that the Town
Engineer consider the possibIlity of rerouting the access to the MIlD Maintenance Yard through
the Forbes Road development.
Advantages: • Improved access at Forbes Road/Marren Road
• reduced risk of salt /chemical spills upgrade of wetlands
• improved appearance of roadside edge adjacent to Rte 128 SB on•ramp.
A reasonable afternative would be to leave the access junction where It is, but Increasing the
radius to facilitate a right turn into Marrett Road.
2. Eiranstiab pt,waayjng lana or 1nj tairnm Forties Road into Marret{od;
BSC Is Currently studying an alignment which eliminates the weaving lane. This would have the
effect of further enhancing the roadside edge on the south side of the approach to Lexington.
3. Reduction of Wetlands encroachment
On the south side of Marren Road between the High School Drive and Forbes Road, it Is
proposed to employ a vertical retaining wail rather than an embankment, thereby reducing to the
bare minimum the enctoadlment on wetlands. The committee members welcomed this feature
and encouraged the incorporation of a sidewalk along the top of the wall.
4. Ree>Saminatlnn et the Ratoflen lady@;
it was explained that lights are required for the Mass. Ave./High School Drive/Marren Road
intersection and for the Forbes Road /Marren Road intersection. In the latter case It is the a.m. left
turn movement into Forbes Road that Is the critical Issue. The position of the relocated Sheraton
Drive is not the determinant for this set of lights.
Dick Cook explained that the current position of the relocated Sheraton Drive had been
determined by:
a. the assumption that a Sheraton access to Marren Road be replicated
b. the area for the proposed wetland replication, the proposed retention basin and the existing
stand of whfe pines !Vatted the possibilities of alternative alignments, including the existing
alignment.
Committee members were seriously concerned with the effect on the Sheraton foreground of the
realigned aorets. JF and HM will ask that the Town Engineer reconsider two alternative
alignments for Sheraton access and assess the effect on traffic flow hi relation to potential
benefits:
a. to eliminate all access to Marren Road and to relocate the access onto Massachusetts
Avenue. Dick Cook explained that this was feasible but would gNe a reduced level of service.
It was felt that the environmental and aesthete advantages would be great and may Indeed
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outweigh the lower level of service. Obviously the owners of the property should be
consulted too.
b. to leave the Sheraton access as existing, allowing only right turn access and egress to Marrett
Road and making an access and egress from Massachusetts Avenue. This would have the
advantage of requiring no realignment from the existing situation and might improve the
queuing ettuation at the Mass.Ave /Marren Road lights, but would require rethinking the
wetland replication area and would be less aesthetically pleasing than alternative a. above.
5. Lana Widths:
It was generally agreed and understood that 12' lane widths are a Federal Highway Administration
and MHD standard and tt would be inopportune to request that lane widths be reduced. Besides,
the Boston Area Bicycle Coalition was in favor of the wider lane w$dtft in that It was considered
safer for cyclists.
6. Sidewalks;
After Dick Cook had left the meeting the Issue of pedestrian sidewalk routing and pedestrian
crosswalks wet discussed. Title Is en Impodant Issue and needs to be clarified In the proposals.
The walkway between Forbes Road and the High School Drive as well as routes to the National
Park and along Mass. Ave appear to be of greatest Importance. JF and HM will bring this Issue to
the attention of the Town Engineer
Dick Cook of BSC has been most helpful in explaining current design proposals. Lance Neumann
continues to be very helpful in acting as an informed guide to Committee members, assisting
greatly in focusing onthe key questions. John Frey and Hubert Murray will represent the
concerns noted above through the appropriate channels.
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