Overlook Acres, LLC - Traffic Study Peer Review

In preparation for the Planning Board meeting on Thursday July 9, Overlook Acres has passed along the Traffic Study Peer Review. The Peer Review is required by the Planning Board. The firm is selected by the city in response to an advertisement asking for bids, and the developer pays for the Peer Review.

This review was done by Jacobs Engineering of Boston. Their task was to review the developer’s traffic study, and make sure everything is factual, based on industry standards, that the assumptions are correct and the conclusion is supported. As noted in the letter below, Jacobs was hired to independently review the traffic analysis the developer presented, where their traffic counts were measured in September 2019. You can find the Peer Review, and their presentation for this week’s Planning Board below.

In addition, the Fire Safety Marshall had written a letter a few weeks ago, stating that the ladder truck would not be able to negotiate the U-turn on Highland Avenue in order to enter the property from Cedar Road or the new entrance to the property. The letter mentioned that the new access road onto Barnes Road may be useful as an entry for emergency vehicles. In response, Daniel Dumais from MDM Transportation Consultants, working for the developer, supplied the Fire Marshall with AutoTurn diagrams for the dimensions of the ladder truck. In addition, Mr. Dumais offered to make the access road one-way to Barnes Road except for emergency vehicles. the AutoTurn information was provided for turns and cul-de-sacs throughout the property. Lt. Peter Schaeublin, the Fire Marshall changed his original opinion with regards to access for fire equipment, and now finds it acceptable.

Note: the developer is awaiting the results of the Civil Engineering Peer Review. If the review is completed in time, I will also make that available.