Transportation

Lenox Street
Location: Norwood, MA
Client: Town of Norwood

Lenox Street in Norwood is a two-lane collector road bordered on one side by residential development and on the other by commercial uses, including the MBTA Norwood Commuter Rail Station. The roadway had experienced pavement deterioration due to utility installations, gutter erosion from stormwater runoff, and loss of curb reveal at the sidewalks. The Town chose Nitsch Engineering to design roadway improvements to 3,400 linear feet of the street. We retraced the street layout and performed the site topographic survey, designed a roadway profile that regained full curb reveal along the sidewalk, improved stormwater management, and rehabilitated the pavement with an in-place recycling of existing pavement and installation of new bituminous pavement.

Vassar Street
Location: Cambridge, MA
Client: City of Cambridge

Nitsch Engineering provided highway design services for this one-mile long urban streetscape project. Vassar Street was originally the "back door" of the MIT Campus, and reflected the stark urban setting in which it is placed – industrial looking, bare, and dark. As MIT expands its campus across Vassar Street, Vassar Street becomes the new "backbone" of the larger campus. MIT is upgrading the streetscape, and incorporating many modern design elements including traffic calming measures, state-of-the art bikeways, and pedestrian accommodations – all the while beautifying the look and feel of the street itself with trees, architectural pavers and the like. Nitsch Engineering's work included drainage design, roadway design (horizontal and vertical design), and preparation of construction documents. Nitsch Engineering worked closely with MIT and the City of Cambridge to help implement MIT's vision for the Vassar Streetscape.

Route 9 (Belmont Street)/Skyline Drive
Location: Worcester, MA
Client: Lamoureaux Pagano Associates Architects

Working with the City of Worcester and a landscape architect, Nitsch Engineering staff completed the design of Skyline Drive from within Green Hill Park to its intersection with Belmont Street (Route 9). It is being reconstructed to accommodate increased traffic resulting from the new vocational high school adjacent to Green Hill Park and to enhance Green Hill Park itself. Prior to Nitsch Engineering's involvement, the roadway and intersection were sub-standard, with narrow travel lanes, lack of green space, and no accommodations for pedestrian or bicycle traffic. Nitsch Engineering staff developed the conceptual design scheme for the intersection upgrade. This upgrade included exclusive turn lanes, shifting of the horizontal alignment, and re-timing and phasing of the traffic signal. The roadway's alignment and grading was carefully fit to the topography of the park. The project also included wetland permitting.

To provide a new gateway to a newly reconstructed Christopher Columbus Elementary School and refurbished Columbus Park, the City of Medford engaged Nitsch Engineering to design improvements to East Albion Street. Nitsch Engineering redesigned over 1,000 feet of roadway, which included widening the existing lanes to provide travel lanes and parallel parking on both sides of the street, a new sidewalk for improved pedestrian access to the school and park, and parking lot to be used by both school and park patrons. Nitsch Engineering designed a storm drainage system that completely treats and infiltrates all runoff from the parking lot, prepared construction cost estimates throughout the design, and provided construction administration service during construction.

Route 20/Old Boston Road Signal Improvements
Location: Wilbraham, MA
Client: Valley Planning, Inc.

Nitsch Engineering is working with the developer of a planned 246-unit independent/assisted living community to provide intersection design services to the intersection of Route 20 and Old Boston Road. The facility's site drive will become the fourth leg of an existing three-leg signalized intersection. Roadway widening at the intersection to accommodate new turning lanes and installation of an upgraded traffic signal system are anticipated for this project. Nitsch Engineering also conducted a traffic study as part of the Environmental Impact Report filed with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office and has facilitated the environmental permitting for this project through MassHighway, who will be reviewing the traffic signal design for the project.

Main Street/Tonset Road Interim Improvements
Location: Orleans, MA

The Town of Orleans maintains one traffic signal in town, located at a four-way intersection in a historic district and along the route to Nauset Beach, a major summer destination within the town. When the antiquated traffic signal controller at the intersection ceased to work, Nitsch Engineering worked with the Town to secure a contractor to install a replacement controller at the intersection (which was previously purchased at the suggestion of Nitsch Engineering staff). Nitsch Engineering also developed interim improvements for the signal system, which included a new controller and cabinet and new loop detectors. Nitsch Engineering has also been asked to develop a more comprehensive design for intersection improvements at this location.

Mattapan Heights Traffic Signal Improvements
Location: Mattapan, MA
Client: Trinity Financia

The former Boston State Hospital site in Mattapan is undergoing a renovation in order to reuse the site as a mixed-income housing development. Along with the site development and permitting for this project, Nitsch Engineering is working with the site developer and the City of Boston to redesign the antiquated traffic signal at the site exit to better accommodate the expected increase in pedestrian and vehicular traffic. New signal equipment will be installed; pedestrian push buttons, signal heads, and wheelchair ramps will be upgraded to meet ADA requirements; and loop detection will be added to the site drive. These improvements will be made within the existing roadway footprint. Prior to design, Nitsch Engineering also conducted a traffic signal feasibility study for this project, which detailed current and forecasted traffic counts at the intersection, presented trip generation calculations for the development, and outlined a traffic signal warrant analysis at the intersection to determine the justification for a full-scale traffic signal at the site exit.

The parking lot at the Verizon office building, located in Myles Standish Industrial Park, was originally constructed beyond Verizon's property line and onto the adjacent owner's property. In addition, the existing layout promoted cut-through traffic between roadways at the front and rear of the site. These parking issues were compounded when Verizon consolidated their offices, increasing the office population and requiring the maximization of on-site parking. Nitsch Engineering assessed the existing parking area and local (Town and Park) guidelines for site and parking design to create a parking layout that would best accommodate the Client's needs. Following the reduction in lot size, the resulting plan increased the parking supply by 7%, while maintaining green space requirements, improving on-site circulation and safety, and reducing cut-through traffic.

Orleans Town Center Transportation Study
Location: Orleans, MA
Client: Town of Orleans

Nitsch Engineering conducted a comprehensive transportation study throughout the Town Center in Orleans; the study's focus was to improve vehicle traffic circulation and make the Town Center more pedestrian and bicycle friendly. The study area included 10 intersections, the connecting roadway links, and the Cape Cod Rail Trail. The Orleans Town Center serves as a hub of activity within the Town, especially during the summer months. A massive data collection effort was undertaken during the summer of 2003 to represent 'peak' summer conditions. The study reviewed traffic patterns throughout the area, including traffic volumes, pedestrian and bicycle activity, on and off-street parking observations, bus activity, sidewalk locations, crosswalk placement, traffic signal inventory, intersection geometry, lane usage, and curb cut locations and placement. Recommendations were summarized, and many were included in the Town's Capital Plan.

Working with a number of other consultants, Nitsch Engineering undertook the traffic impact study of a 127-acre parcel of town-owned land to be used for the Town of Eastham's proposed Oceanside beach. This vacant parcel, a habitat for various insect and animal species, was given back to the Town after the National Park Services took the coastal area for the Cape Cod National Seashore. The site is located between Coast Guard and Nauset Light Beaches. The study area for this project consisted of 13 intersections, defined by the Cape Cod Commission (CCC). In addition to vehicle traffic counts, Nitsch Engineering analyzed bicycle and pedestrian traffic, estimated peak beach usage, and developed measures to mitigate traffic impacts. This study was used in the permitting process with the CCC. This project will be the first ocean-side beach in the Town of Eastham.

Dean College Transportation Master Plan
Location: Franklin, MA

Nitsch Engineering prepared the original Dean College Transportation Master Plan, which outlined traffic and parking issues throughout the suburban campus, including off-campus parking supply and demand. Nitsch Engineering evaluated the relocation of a new pedestrian crosswalk, as well as signage that connects the campus across Main Street, which has been a site of safety concerns due to pedestrian/vehicular conflicts. Off-site traffic operations and safety at nearby intersections were also evaluated, as they affected student mobility.

The Master Plan also provided the framework for campus expansion in relation to parking demand and supply, and pedestrian and bicycle accessibility. This framework was based on a significant existing conditions data collection effort. Transportation and parking needs that arose as a result of campus upgrades were coordinated with the project team. In order to ensure safe traffic flow, Nitsch Engineering also recommended that the Town determine future area traffic changes and review potential property acquisitions near the College.

Central Artery/Tunnel
Location: Boston, MA

The Central Artery/Tunnel project, commonly known as "The Big Dig," is the largest public works project in U.S. history. Enormous and complex in scope, involving hundreds of contractors and costing billions of dollars, the project is building 161 lane miles of highway (about half in tunnels and including four major highway interchanges) and more than 150 acres of new parks and open space. As a subconsultant to several different firms, Nitsch Engineering has provided civil engineering and land surveying services under the following contracts.

• South Boston Interchange: Nitsch Engineering ensured that utility designs for several miles of streets connecting the new Ted Williams Tunnel with the Fort Point Channel Crossing coordinated closely with other highway, bridge, tunnel, and utility designs in South Boston. We provided hydrology and hydraulic design, plans, specifications, and quantity estimates for several miles of pipeline ranging from 8-inch subdrains to 48-inch stormwater trunk lines.
• I-93/Massachusetts Avenue Interchange: For design of this interchange, Nitsch Engineering generated 140 roadway cross-section plans, prepared 45 right-of-way plans, calculated volumes of cut-and-fill, performed supplemental surveys, and prepared parcel taking sheets.
• Viaducts and Ramps North of the Charles River: On MBTA, AMTRAK, MHD, MWRA, and Boston Sand and Gravel properties, Nitsch Engineering completed topographic, utility, bathymetric, and bridge surveys. We also provided final design of the pumping and controls of a 45-mgd stormwater pumping station, and construction administration services.
• I-93 Leverett Circle/Storrow Drive Connectors: We redesigned the surface roadways of Nashua Street, Martha Road, Charles Street, Monsignor O'Brien Highway, and Leverett Circle; designed two innovative stormwater pumping stations that featured vertical turbine and submersible pumps; and conducted utility surveys, hydrographic surveys of the Charles River, and a complete survey of North Station's tracks and platforms.
• Route 1A Interchange: As part of the Central Artery/Tunnel final designs, Nitsch Engineering's right-of-way plans and topographic surveys were used to prepare a contract for demolition of six buildings, underground structures, and a fuel farm. In addition, our survey enabled the design of a new 10-acre park at Bremen Street, as well as the expansion of Memorial Park by seven acres.
• Surface Artery Restoration: For the final alignment of the proposed surface roadways along the Surface Artery from Kneeland Street to Causeway Street, Nitsch Engineering established the limits of the proposed rights-of way based on the locations of proposed curbs throughout the corridor. In addition, Nitsch Engineering calculated the areas of both the development parcels and the open space parcels created by the roadway layouts.