Design Considerations
During the design phase, the project team is tasked with weighing various constraints, including aspects like existing curb-to-curb width, locations of driveways, and public infrastructure needs.
Below are some of these design considerations:Road Reconfiguration: 4-Lane to 3-Lane Conversion
A roadway reconfiguration can improve safety, calm traffic, provide better mobility and access for all road users, and enhance overall quality of life. A road reconfiguration typically involves converting an existing four-lane undivided roadway, like Massachusetts Street, to a three-lane roadway consisting of two through lanes and a center two-way left-turn lane (TWLTL).
Safety benefits of a potential road reconfiguration include:
- Reduction of rear-end and left-turn crashes due to the dedicated left turn lane.
- Reduced right-angle crashes as side street motorists cross three versus four travel lanes.
- Shorter distances for pedestrians to cross traffic.
- Opportunity to install pedestrian refuge islands, bicycle lanes, on-street parking, and transit stops.
- Traffic calming and more consistent speeds.
- A more community-focused, Complete Streets environment that better accommodates the needs of all road uses.
The final approved Design Study is located here:Mass. St. Approved Design Study (PDF)(PDF, 83MB)
Design Adjustment: August 2025
Originally, the project team was proceeding with a design that would have solid waste collected from the bike lane median zone on Mass St. As of August 2025, the design now intends for solid waste to be collected behind the curb.
View an engineering diagram of the planned road profile for Mass. St.: Mass St. Planned Road Profile (PDF)(PDF, 459KB)
