TO:              Mayor William F. Martin, Jr.

                             And

                   Members of the Lowell City Council

FROM:        Bernard F. Lynch, City Manager

DATE:                   May 10, 2007

RE:              Council Motion of 4/17/07 by Mayor Martin

Request the City Manager have the Traffic Engineer install a 4 way stop sign at the intersection of Market Street and Suffolk Street.”

Regarding the motion mentioned above, I have contacted Jeff Gomes, Transportation Engineer and he stated that he researched the traffic and accident data for the intersection of Market Street and Suffolk Street and made some conclusions.  The research and analysis was conducted in response to this motion, which was also accompanied by a “Petition for a Stop Sign” from the Youth Advisory Committee from the North Common Village Housing Development.  The petition asked for multiway stop control at Market/Suffolk as well as Market at Hanover/Lewis.

The warrants for traffic volumes are required to be about equal in number on each street in question, which in this case they are not.  In addition, there must be 5 or more accidents per year that are susceptible to correction by a multiway stop installation; the intersections do not meet this warrant requirement.  These intersections do not meet the warrant requirements for multiway stop control; however there is another solution that can reduce accident potential.  After reviewing the accident history, a number of accidents are occurring due to the impeded line of sight, which often happens when vehicles park illegally within twenty (20’) feet of an intersection.

Therefore, to reinforce Massachusetts General Law, Jeff Gomes will have the Sign Shop install “No Parking Here to Corner” signs at the corners of Market Street and Suffolk Street in the expectation that they will be self enforcing.  He would also encourage pedestrians at this location to use the crosswalks, which offer crossings of Market Street at the northwest and northeast corners of Suffolk.  The Sign and Paint Shop has started the annual marking program so this work should be completed in the coming month.  Hopefully this information satisfies the Youth Advisory Committee.  If they need additional information or details of the analysis, the Transportation Engineer would be happy to speak with them.

If you have any questions, please let me know.  Thank you.