transportation resources - chapter 6

Route 116 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan July 2013

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Chapter 6: Transportation Resources

Transportation Resources C H A P T E R 6 Route 116 Scenic Byway

Introduction

The Transportation Resources Chapter contains an overview of the transportation

infrastructure on the Route 116 Scenic Byway in the Towns of Deerfield, Conway,

Ashfield, Plainfield, Savoy, Cheshire and Adams. The chapter includes descriptions of

the roadway infrastructure, bridges, public transportation services, railway, bicycle, and

pedestrian facilities. It also contains a detailed discussion of the operations of the

transportation systems and recommends needed improvements.

The information in this chapter is based on a thorough review of the data from state and

regional sources including the Massachusetts Geographical Information System

(MassGIS), the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the MassDOT

Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) and the United States Census Bureau. Additionally,

the regional planning agencies completing this project, the Berkshire Regional Planning

Commission (BRPC), Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG), and the

Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) reviewed previously collected data and

also completed site assessments in order to supplement and provide complete

transportation information.

Overall, this evaluation of the transportation system considered the safety and efficiency

of travel on the Byway while also seeking to maintain or enhance the character and

resources of the Byway. The descriptions of the Byway are documented from east to

west.

History of the Road Development

While researching the development of Route 116 there was not a detailed history

documented in any one source. This brief information about the road history was

gathered through local historical museum records and also an interview with a citizen

who is knowledgeable about local road and transportation history.

Originally, Route 116 served as the route of a Native American footpath along the river

valleys and passing into the Berkshire Hills where hunting and fishing camps were

located. Europeans later used these paths to settle the upland areas west of the

Connecticut River Valley. Over time the paths were changed and improved for use by

carriages, railroads, and automobiles. Today, Route 116 follows a route similar to the one

originally used by Native Americans to reach hunting and fishing areas. It travels through


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a landscape that varies from the flat river bottom lowlands to the forested uplands that are

spotted with open agricultural land.

Much of Route 116 as it exists today was laid out as County roads. While Route 116 is

maintained by either the State or Town (see the discussion of maintenance later in this

chapter), some sections of Route 116 are still under the jurisdiction of the County when

issues of relocations, alterations to the layout or discontinuances arise. In cases when

changes to the roadway are required, the jurisdiction has to be looked at on a cases by

case basis because it varies along the route.

During the 1960’s a bypass was constructed at the eastern end of the Byway in Deerfield.

Route 116 today bypasses South Deerfield center. This bypass road was built when

Interstate 91 (I-91) was constructed. As part of the I-91 highway construction the Route

116 Bypass in Deerfield was built, and traffic was diverted around the South Deerfield

Village Center.

Inventory of the Road Characteristics and Conditions

The total length of the Byway is 38.74 miles and the mileage within each town is:

Deerfield (4.99 miles), Conway (6.38 miles), Ashfield (9.98 miles), Plainfield (6.9

miles), Savoy (6.25 miles), Cheshire (2.5 miles) and Adams (1.74 miles). The eastern

terminus is at the Deerfield and Sunderland town border which is located on the

Deerfield-Sunderland Bridge over the Connecticut River. The western terminus of the

Byway is at the intersection of Routes 116 and 8 in downtown Adams, locally known as

Center Street, Commercial Street, Park Street, and Myrtle Street. The Byway provides a

scenic east-west route through Western Massachusetts.

Franklin County

The Franklin County section of the Byway is approximately 21 miles long, and travels

through varied landscapes and roadway features from the Sunderland/Deerfield Town

Line at the Connecticut River to the Ashfield/Plainfield Town Line. The Byway passes

through rural scenic landscapes as it undulates through wooded areas and scenic

farmland. The corridor also passes through quaint villages with activities and attractions

such as antique shops, small retail establishments, and coffee shops.

In Franklin County, Route 116 is an important roadway that provides critical regional

transportation network connections, particularly between the communities in western

Franklin County and major employers. Route 116 in Franklin County is an important

travel route for daily commuters who travel to the University of Massachusetts in

Amherst (UMass) from the western portion of the county. UMass is the largest employer

of Franklin County residents, and Route 116 is one of the primary routes to the campus.

The Yankee Candle Company, another of the region’s largest employers, is located on

the Route 5/10/116 near the Byway just south of the intersection with Elm Street in

Deerfield. Route 116 is a main access route for its employees.


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Hampshire County

The Route 116 Corridor through Hampshire County in the town of Plainfield is

approximately 7 miles in length. The majority of the Corridor traverses a mixture of

residential, forested and open farmland, providing an almost unlimited opportunity for

scenic views. The one exception to this is the center of Plainfield itself where the feel and

look is more of a small village.

Berkshire County

Route 116 Corridor continues from Plainfield into Berkshire County. This section of the

Byway is 10 miles, east to west, through the Towns of Savoy, Cheshire, and Adams. The

landscape through Savoy and Cheshire includes rolling hills, forest, wetlands, and fields.

Farms, homes, open spaces, and home-based businesses are the primary land uses

through Savoy and Cheshire. As the Byway descends into the Hoosic Valley in Adams, it

has a slightly more developed feel as buildings and driveways are much closer together.

The Route 116 study area ends at its intersection with Route 8 in downtown Adams with

a downtown feel and the Mount Greylock’s summit in the distance.

Route 116 provides Savoy and Cheshire access to Adams’ businesses, services, and

community activities. The western end of the Byway in the study area is bound by Route

8, the northern Berkshires’ major north-south corridor. Route 8 connects Adams to the

City of North Adams to the north and the City of Pittsfield to the south. Route 116 is one

of the many rural major collectors that connect ‘hilltowns’ to the more developed areas of

the Berkshires. Route 116 is an alternative to Route 2, northern Massachusetts’ main

east-west corridor.

Ownership and Maintenance

Franklin County

The majority of Route 116 in Franklin County is maintained by MassDOT. In Deerfield,

the Byway travels through South Deerfield center on the historic Route 116 which is on

Sugarloaf Street and Elm Street. The Byway reconnects with Route 116 at the western

end of Elm Street (at the junction of Routes 5/10/116). The ¼ mile section of the Byway

on Elm Street in South Deerfield center is one of two limited sections of Route 116 that

are maintained by the local communities. Elm Street is under the jurisdiction of the

Town of Deerfield. There is also a section of Route 116 in Ashfield east of the Plainfield

town line that is under the Town of Ashfield’s jurisdiction. This section is approximately

4.29 miles long.

Additionally, there are two sections of Route 116 that join with other major routes. In

Deerfield, Route 116 joins with Routes 5/10, and in Ashfield Route 116 joins with Route

112 for an approximately 1-mile long stretch. In addition, in Deerfield to the west of

South Deerfield Center, Route 116 intersects with Interstate 91.


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Hampshire County

Route 116 in the Hampshire County town of Plainfield is under the jurisdiction of the

town.

Berkshire County

MassDOT owns and maintains a portion of the highway in Adams from the Cheshire

town line to its intersection with Commonwealth Avenue (approximately 1.5 miles).

Route 116 intersects Route 8 in Adams, its western end. Route 116 joins Route 8A in

Savoy and continues west for approximately 3.5 miles east to the Plainfield town line.

Adams owns/maintains 0.30 miles, Cheshire owns/maintains 2.5 miles with the exception

of a couple of bridges, and Savoy owns/maintains 5.5 miles of Route 116.

Functional Classification

The functional classification of a roadway is the categorization of highways and

roadways in terms of the service (primarily access and mobility) it provides within the

regional network. Functional classification was mandated under the Intermodal Surface

Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991. This categorization has a hierarchy

beginning with the highest level at interstates, then arterials, collectors, and local roads.

Franklin County

In Franklin County, Route 116 consists of four (4) different functional classifications:

Rural Minor Arterial/Urban Principal Arterial, Urban Minor Arterial, Urban Principal

Arterial and Rural Major Collectors. Arterials primarily allow mobility through a

corridor, typically serving long-distance trips between activity centers (e.g. town centers).

Collectors provide the connection between local streets serving residential neighborhoods

and the arterial system. The functional classifications of the sections of Route 116 along

the Byway are defined in Table 6.1. In Deerfield, from the Sunderland Town Line to

River Road the functional classification is a Rural Minor Arterial. From River Road to

Sugarloaf Street, Route 116 is an Urban Principal Arterial. The section of the Byway that

is on Sugarloaf and Elm Streets, it is an Urban Minor Arterial. West of Elm Street, the

Byway travels on the merged section of Route 116 and Route 5/10 which is an Urban

Principal Arterial. At Conway Street, where Route 116 diverges from Route 5/10 and

crosses over Interstate 91, it is an Urban Minor Arterial for a short distance and then

Route 116 is a Rural Major Collector through the remainder of the study area.

Hampshire County

Route 116 in Plainfield is a rural major collector.

Berkshire County

Route 116 in Berkshire County is a rural major collector in Savoy and Cheshire and an

urban minor arterial in Adams. The corridor is considered a Class II roadway (a scenic or

recreational route) in Savoy and Cheshire and a Class III roadway (serving moderately


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developed areas of Class I or Class II roads) in Adams. Route 116 is the principal east-

west road through Savoy and Cheshire.

General Description and Characteristics of the Roadway by County

The primary source of information is the MassDOT Road Inventory File (RIF) database

and this information was verified and supplemented with information that was collected

during site assessments. The layout, character, geometry and road use of Route 116 varies

along the length.

Franklin County

Between the Sunderland town line and Sugarloaf Street carries a high volume of regional

traffic with the most recent count conducted of nearly 20,000 vehicles per day in 2004.

The roadway in this section is characterized by large shoulders and a sidewalk along the

northern side of the roadway.

The Route 116 Scenic Byway route travels onto Sugarloaf Street towards the South

Deerfield Village Center (continuing straight takes travelers onto the newer Route 116

bypass). Much of the traffic volumes in this area remain on the Route 116 bypass

(Sunderland Road) rather than following the Byway route onto Sugarloaf Street. There

are approximately 7,800 vehicles per day that travel along Sugarloaf Street. Sugarloaf

Street is a wide, straight and level roadway with sidewalks on both sides of the road,

large shoulders and on-street parking. The posted speed limit along Sugarloaf Street is 35

mile per hour (mph). In the vicinity of the intersection of Route 116/Sunderland Road

and Sugarloaf Street there are two recreational facilities, the Mount Sugarloaf State

Reservation and a municipal baseball field. The Mount Sugarloaf parking lot is also an

Route 116/Sunderland Road

in Deerfield looking east.

Route 116/Sunderland Road

in Deerfield looking west.


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informal park and ride lot, as well as a popular gathering location for cycling and hiking

group rides and hikes.

Sugarloaf Street is also a connection point for regional transit services. It is served by the

Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) Route 31 and the Pioneer Valley Transit

Authority (PVTA) Route 46. There is also pedestrian and bicyclist activity on this route.

In Deerfield the Byway is a popular bicycling route as the road has wide shoulders and

serves to connect South Deerfield village to the Franklin County bikeway route on River

Road which crosses Route 116 near the Deerfield Sunderland Bridge. Residential

properties account for the majority of land uses along this section of the Byway.

However, the Oxford Pickle Priority Development Site is located directly to the west and

within the primarily residential area along this corridor. The site has been identified for a

future mixed use or commercial office space development.

Elm Street on the Byway connects Sugarloaf Street to Route 5/10. Elm Street is under

the jurisdiction of the Town. There are sidewalks that are discontinuous in some

locations, and crosses the Connecticut River Railroad line. The section of the road that is

between the intersection of Elm, Sugarloaf, South Main and North Main Streets and the

railroad tracks has wide shoulders, on-street parking, and a lot of pedestrian activity. The

section of Elm Street from the railroad crossing to the intersection of Routes 116/5/10

and Elm Street has wide lanes with no shoulders and a narrow asphalt sidewalk only on

the north side of the road. Adjacent land uses along this small section are primarily

commercial and retail. There have been some discussions about completing sidewalk

improvements in the area of the railroad crossing as part of the at-grade crossing

improvements for the reinstatement of Amtrak’s passenger rail service to the Connecticut

River Valley railroad line. The proposed improvements would include pedestrian

crossing safety gates and also the construction of extension of the sidewalk on Elm Street

to better connect the existing sidewalks.

The Byway reconnects with Route

5/10/116 at the western end of Elm

Street. Route 5/10 is a regional

corridor that parallels Interstate 91

through Franklin County. This

section of the Byway

accommodates a heavy volume of

traffic (nearly 15,000 vehicles per

day). There are 12-foot lanes and

10-foot shoulders. This segment of

Route 116 is straight and flat. The

FRTA Route 31 bus route that

travels between Greenfield and

Northampton serves this corridor.

The road is a connection from I-91

with auto related services.

A view of Elm Street looking west.


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Route 116 splits from Route 5/10, and continues west on Conway Road. Route 116

passes over I-91 and its northbound on-ramp and the southbound off–ramp accesses.

Continuing west the speed limit in this section increases to 45 mph. The terrain is flat and

the road layout is straight. There are substantially lower traffic volumes on this section of

the road. The most recent traffic count, conducted in 2011, measured an average daily

traffic volume of approximately 3,000 vehicles per day. There are no sidewalks and the

shoulder width narrows to three-feet on average.

To the west the roadway geometry changes from flat and straight to a more winding

roadway within the surrounding wooded landscape. West of Lee Road, the 116 speed

limit lowers and the road closely follows the adjacent Mill River. Route 116 passes

through a heavily wooded area that is shaded in summer and has spectacular fall foliage

in the fall. This section of the Corridor has lower traffic volumes that represent more

local traffic such as passenger vehicles and farm and work trucks. Much of the Corridor

has guardrails and passes over many small bridges and culverts. A large scenic pullout

area is located along this stretch.

As Route 116 nears Conway Center it emerges from the dense forest landscape. The

roadside environment opens. The road becomes slightly straighter and has more

intersections with minor roadways. There are areas of farmland, a sugarhouse and farm

stands. The Conway Elementary School is also located within this section.

Route 116 then descends into Conway

village, a quaint New England town.

Route 116 is Main Street through the

village. The speed limit is posted at

20 mph. There is a large shoulder for

on-street parking along the northern

side of the roadway, and more

pedestrian and bicyclist activity.

There are some businesses, residential

and municipal uses in Conway village.

There are sidewalks and streetscape

elements on Main Street in the village.

Streetscape improvements were

completed in Conway in 2004.

West of Conway village, the speed

limit increases to 30 and 40 mph in varying locations. The landscape is a mixture of

winding forested roadway and more open roadway bordered by farmland. The shoulders

are very narrow or do not exist in this section, and there are intermittent passing zones

throughout.

Route 116 continues west to Ashfield. Route 116 is Main Street through Ashfield Center.

Main Street has wide shoulders with on-street parking and sidewalks. Speeds are reduced

through Ashfield Center. There are businesses, restaurants, municipal and residential

A view of the streetscape in Conway Center.


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land uses in the town center. During the planning process concerns about the pedestrian

crossings and the need for crosswalk improvements were expressed by the Ashfield

Police Chief. Just west of the Ashfield Town Center is the Ashfield Lake Recreation

Area.

To the west of Ashfield Center, Route 116 joins with Route 112, another regionally travel

route and also a Scenic Byway. The landscape and environment of Route 116 changes as

it joins with Route 112 for approximately 1.45 miles. The posted speed limit for this

section increases to 50 mph, and there are more large trucks that use this route. The

landscape is open and an elevation increase gives way to an impressive scenic vista

overlooking farmland and fields to the east. Route 112 and Route 116 through this

section of roadway are popular bicycling routes.

About 1.45 miles south, Route 116 diverges from Route 112 and continues west towards

Plainfield. This section of Route 116 is characterized by a mix of straight, open roadway

and undulating curves. Intermittent residential and farmland land uses adjoin the roadway

in this section until Route 116 reaches the Plainfield Town Line.

Hampshire County (Plainfield)

Within Hampshire County, the Route 116 Corridor extends 7 miles along Route 116 from

the Ashfield/Plainfield Town Line to the Plainfield/Savoy Town Line. All of Route 116

through Hampshire County is under the jurisdiction of the Town of Plainfield and

classified as a Rural Major Collector.

Route 116 averages 1,000 vehicles per day (2012) at the Ashfield Town Line and 1,200

vehicles per day (2012) near the Savoy Town Line. The roadway is characterized by its

relatively narrow layout (24 feet from curb to curb), rolling hills, and curving geometry.

Plainfield center which is from Center Street to Church Street has a village feel, with the

majority of buildings being set in close proximity to the road. This section of the

roadway has granite curbing and beautiful mature trees lining the road. The town offices,

Near church looking west in Plainfield. Route 116 near church looking east in

Plainfield.


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post office, police department, and fire department are all located in or within close

proximity to the town center. This section of Route 116 is the only section of roadway in

Plainfield with granite curbing, the rest of the roadway has either a low profile curbing to

help direct storm water or no curbing at all. This information is summarized in Table 6.1.

Berkshire County (Savoy, Cheshire, Adams)

Route 116 at the Plainfield Town Line heading west is the least traveled portion of Route

116 through Berkshire County. In 2011, average daily traffic for the section of Route

116 between the Cheshire Town Line and Route 8A was 2,100 vehicles. In Cheshire, just

east of Henry Wood Road, the average daily traffic was 2,200 vehicles in 2011. In

Adams, in the vicinity of the high school, the average daily traffic was 2,600 vehicles in

2011.

From east to west, Route 116 begins in Savoy as a wide, rolling road that is lightly

traveled. Open ditches and guardrails border the roadway; however, there are occasional

drains that handle water runoff. The Byway is sparsely developed through Savoy, with

the exception of the town center where there is slightly more activity around the town

hall, park, and fire department. Recreational bicyclists and pedestrians occasionally use

the roadway’s wide shoulders. Past the intersection with Route 8A, the road continues

undulating but begins a sharp descent through the Cheshire town line and continues to

descend sharply through Cheshire and Adams. Mount Greylock towers above Adams as

trees line the view from the Byway north and westward through Cheshire.

As the Byway descends into the Hoosic Valley in Adams, it changes character after the

Hoosac Valley High School. The roadway becomes curbed and has a sidewalk on the

east side for about a mile until the sidewalk crosses over to the west side at a mid-block

crossing. MassDOT maintains this section of 116, locally known as Orchard Street, from

the town to the intersection with Massachusetts Avenue near the bottom of the hill into

Adams. The remainder of the Byway corridor, with the exception of two bridges, is

Town maintained. The last small section of Orchard Street and Center Street complete

the Byway until it ends at Commercial Street (Route 8). The Town Common is a small

park with a gazebo on the southeast corner of the intersection with Commercial Street.

This information is summarized in Table 6-1.


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Table 6-1: Summary of Route 116 Road Layout Details in Franklin County, Hampshire and Berkshire Counties

Seg #

Alternative Roadway Name

Town Segment Length

From To Transit Route

Functional Class Jurisdiction Surface Width

Right of Way

Shoulder(s) Terrain Sidewalks

1 Sunderland Road Deerfield 0.32 Sunderland Town Line Sunderland Road/Sugarloaf Street No Rural Minor Arterial/Urban Principal Arterial

MassDOT 24’ 30’ 8’ Level Yes

2 Sugarloaf Street Deerfield 0.97 Sunderland Road/Sugarloaf Street S Main Street/N Main Street FRTA # 31 Urban Minor Arterial MassDOT 40’ 60’ 8’ Level Yes

3 Elm Street Deerfield 0.26 S Main Street/N Main Street Route 5/10 FRTA # 31 Urban Minor Arterial Town 24’-39’ 62’ 6’-15’ Level Yes

4 Route 5/10 Deerfield 0.35 Elm Street Conway Road FRTA # 31 Urban Principal Arterial MassDOT 24’ 50’-60’ 10’ Level No

5 Conway Road Deerfield 1.31 Conway Road Saw Mill Plain Road No Urban Principal Arterial/Urban Minor Arterial

MassDOT 24’ 55’-75’ 3’ Level No

6 Conway Road Deerfield 0.94 Saw Mill Plain Road Mathews Road No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 55’ 3’ Level No

7 Conway Road Deerfield 0.57 Mathews Road Conway Town Line No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 55’ 3’ Level No

8 South Deerfield Road Conway 1.52 Deerfield Town Line Roaring Brook Road No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 70’ 3’ Rolling No

9 South Deerfield Road Conway 1.03 Roaring Brook Road Parsons Road No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 70’ 3’ Rolling No

10 Main Street Conway 0.34 Parsons Road Academy Hill Road No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 70’ 3’ Rolling No

11 Main Street Conway 0.22 Academy Hill Road Baptist Hill Road No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 70’ varies Rolling Yes

12 River Street Conway 0.44 Baptist Hill Road Maple Street No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 70’ 0’ Rolling No

13 Ashfield Road Conway 0.26 Maple Street Main Poland Road No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 70’ 3’ Rolling No

14 Ashfield Road Conway 2.72 Main Poland Road Ashfield Town Line No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 70’ 3’ Rolling No

15 Main Street Ashfield 2.00 Conway Town Line Williamsburg Road No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 45’ 2’ Rolling No

16 Main Street Ashfield 1.35 Williamsburg Road Meadow Lane No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 45’ 2’ Rolling No

17 Main Street Ashfield 0.49 Meadow Lane Buckland Road No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 45’ 2-4’ Rolling Yes

18 Main Street Ashfield 0.53 Buckland Road Hawley Road/Ashfield Mountain Road No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 45’ 4’ Rolling No

19 Route 112 Ashfield 1.45 Hawley Road/Ashfield Mountain Road Spruce Corner Road No Rural Major Collector MassDOT 24’ 60’ 4’ Rolling No

20 Spruce Corner Road Ashfield 2.28 Spruce Corner Road Watson Spruce Corner Road No Rural Major Collector Town 22’ 47’ 2’ Rolling No

21 Plainfield Road Ashfield 2.01 Watson Spruce Corner Road Plainfield Town Line No Rural Major Collector Town 22’ 52’ 2’ Rolling No

22 East Main Street Plainfield 1.1 Ashfield Town Line Bow Street No Rural Major collector Town 24 100 1 Rolling No

23 East Main Street Plainfield 1.2 Bow Street Central Street No Rural Major collector Town 27 100 1 Rolling No

24 Main Street Plainfield 0.5 Central Street Church Lane No Rural Major collector Town 27 100 1 Level No

25 West Main Street Plainfield 0.9 Church Lane Prospect Street No Rural Major collector Town 28 100 1 Rolling No

26 West Main Street Plainfield 1.3 Prospect Street Hallockville Road No Rural Major collector Town 18 100 1 Rolling No

27 West Main Street Plainfield 2 Hallockville Road Savoy Town Line No Rural Major collector Town 22 100 1 Rolling No

28 Main Road, Route 8A Savoy 0.57 Plainfield Town Line Loop Road No Rural Major Collector Town 25 50 3 Mountainous No

29 Main Road, Route 8A Savoy 1.5 Loop Road Loop Road No Rural Major Collector Town 25 50 3 Mountainous No

30 Main Road, Route 8A Savoy 0.5 Loop Road River Road No Rural Major Collector Town 25 50 3 Mountainous No

31 Main Road, Route 8A Savoy 1.18 River Road Windsor Road (8A) No Rural Major Collector Town 25 50 3 Mountainous No

32 Main Road Savoy 2.58 Windsor Road (8A) Cheshire TL No Rural Major Collector Town 25 50 3 Mountainous No

33 Savoy Road Cheshire 1.7 Cheshire TL Henry Wood Road No Rural Major Collector Town 25 70 3 Rolling No

34 Savoy Road Cheshire 0.26 Henry Wood Road Wells Road No Rural Major Collector Town 25 70 3 Rolling No

35 Savoy Road Cheshire 0.52 Wells Road Adams TL No Rural Major Collector Town 25 70 3 Rolling No

36 Orchard Street Adams 1.62 Adams TL Summer Street No Urban Minor Arterial MassDOT 24 64 Curb Flat One Side

37 Center Street Adams 0.15 Summer Street Commercial Street No Urban Minor Arterial Town 50 70 Curb Rolling Both Sides

Sources: Data collected by field survey completed by BRPC, FRCOG, and PVPC staff and MassDOT Road Inventory File (RIF) year 2011, MassDOT Transportation Planning.


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Transportation of Wide Loads

Interstates 90 and 91, US 7 and 20, and Routes 2 and 8 are the major freight moving

corridors in western Massachusetts. The Byway area crosses Interstate 91 in Deerfield

and intersects with Route 8 at its western terminus in Adams. Route 116 serves as an

important alternative truck route in the northern section of the corridor. The

transportation of wide loads is a topic that needs further analysis. The Commonwealth of

Massachusetts Commercial Motor Vehicle Center permits the transportation of non-

reducible (or wide) loads that are greater than twelve (12’) feet in width. If a freight

transporter wishes to move a wide load along the corridor, they must apply for a daily trip

permit.

In Franklin County, wide loads are generally permitted on Interstate 91, Route 2, and

Route 116. In Hampshire County, wide loads are not recommended on the section of

Route 116 that travels through Plainfield. Route 116 in Plainfield is a relatively narrow

road that lacks adequate shoulder width to allow wide-loads to traverse the roadway in a

safe manner. Rolling hills and winding sections of roadway add to the potential for

conflicts between wide-loads and other users of the roadway. Route 2 and Route 9 are

better options for the transporting of wide-loads, and are accessible from the east via

Route 112 and from the west via Route 8 and Route 8A. In Berkshire County, wide loads

are generally permitted on Interstate 90, US 7, US 20, Route 2 and Route 8.

The increasing interest in renewable energy

has meant that there are more wind turbines

being installed. This may increase

occurrence of wide loads passing through

the corridor. There are opportunities to

generate wind energy in the region because

of the higher elevations as evidenced by

several existing and proposed turbine

installations. Wind turbines are erected on

site with large scale components which can

be as long as one hundred sixty (160’) feet.

Few corridors in the region have the

capacity to accommodate the transport of

these large sized components without

substantial modification. While Route 116

is currently designated as an appropriate route for wide loads it may not have the capacity

to transport many of the larger wind turbine components. Within Franklin County, this is

due to a rolling terrain with many horizontal curves. In Berkshire County, the

mountainous conditions in Savoy, the rolling terrain in Cheshire, and the steep slopes in

Adams make the 116 Byway a difficult route for moving wind turbine components.

A hilly section of Route 116 in Plainfield.


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The FRCOG is currently conducting an examination of the potential for major Franklin

County roadways, including Route 116, to handle the transport of wind turbine

components in greater detail.

Roadside Features: Curbing, Guardrails and Signs

For the purposes of maintaining and enhancing the scenic qualities of the Byway,

roadside features such as curbing, guardrails, and signage were reviewed. These features

are important considerations to ensure that the scenic and rural qualities of the Byway

corridor are maintained.

Curbs

Curbing is sporadic along the corridor. It is located in the developed areas/town centers.

In the locations where it is used in Franklin County, it is generally granite or concrete

curbing installed as part of a sidewalk. Curbing is not a major feature along the Byway in

Hampshire County. Granite curbing was observed in Plainfield center and appeared to be

in fair condition. Along the rest of the Byway, shallow angle asphalt curbing was

observed at various locations. This type of curbing prevents storm water runoff while

being bicycle friendly. Asphalt curbs along sections of the Byway in Savoy and Cheshire

are usually found where there are steep slopes and some in-road drains. Some open

roadside ditches in Savoy and Cheshire contain dangerous elevated catch basins that

escalate crash severity if a vehicle that departs the roadway crashes into one. There are

granite curbs along the Byway in Adams.

Guardrails

Guardrails are an important safety feature along the road. Overall, there is a considerable

amount of guardrail along the entire Franklin County section of the Byway, most of it is

standard galvanized steel like the type shown in the pictures below. There is also a

section of guardrail that is located near the Burkeville Covered Bridge in Conway that is

“Cor-ten” material that is intended to be in keeping with the rural roadway

characteristics. The “Cor-ten” is illustrated in the accompanying pictures.

Guardrails were also the most abundant roadway feature along the Hampshire section.

The guardrails that are along the Byway in Hampshire County are either standard

galvanized steel or loose tension cable guardrails. See pictures for illustrations of the

loose tension guardrails in need of updating. The galvanized guardrails were observed to

be in fair condition, with some localized sections needing replacement. The loose tension

cable guardrails appeared to be older and in more of a need of an upgrade.

In Berkshire County there is a significant amount of guardrail, particularly along steeply

sloped areas. The guardrails are usually galvanized steel, single beam, and one-sided.


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Future construction work along the Byway that involves replacing guardrail should

consider replacing the galvanized steel with a type of guardrail that is less aesthetically

obtrusive. “Cor Ten” steel guardrails are made of a patented metal that looks weathered

when it is newly installed. It naturally looks less shiny and blends in with the rural

landscape. It is an alternative to galvanized steel. Steel back timber guardrails are

another natural looking alternative that have been used along other Scenic Byways in the

country. To date, steel back timber guardrails have not been approved for use on state

roads in Massachusetts. The National Park Service provides specifications for these

alternative guardrails.

An example of standard galvanized steel guardrail. located along the Route 116

Another example of standard galvanized steel guardrail located along the Route 116 Byway.

The “Cor-Ten” steel guardrail located near the Burkeville Covered

Bridge.


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Signs

Signs are an important tool that can encourage tourism and exploration along the Byway.

It is important that travelers can identify their location and navigate to sites along the

way. Traffic safety/warning signs serve the important function of keeping the Byway

safe. However, signs can also clutter the rural streetscape of the Scenic Byway, and

disrupt the view-shed.

The Western Massachusetts Scenic Byway Marketing Project is currently underway and

includes the creation and installation of wayfinding signs for each of the seven Scenic

Byways in western Massachusetts. The intension of the installation of a system of

wayfinding signs for all of the Byways is to create signs that are easily identifiable as part

of the Scenic Byway system, and also to help visitors to navigate the Byways and the

attractions along the way. As part of that project a logo has been developed for the Route

116 Scenic Byway and wayfinding signs will be installed along the route.

As part of the development of this plan, signs were assessed for their condition, location

and the number of signs. Most of the signs along the roadway in Franklin County are

standard traffic signs that have been installed in accordance with the Manual on Uniform

Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), and approved by MassDOT. There are not an

excessive number of signs; however, there may be an opportunity at several intersections

to consolidate some of the signs. Warning signs for such things as intersections and

sharp curves are appropriately provided, as are speed limit signs. Route markers appear

to be provided at all the appropriate decision points, and periodically along the Byway to

assure drivers that they are still on the correct route. At the major intersections, there are

large sized route number signs to inform drivers of their options and major destinations.

Franklin County

For the most part, the signs are in good condition, but there are some that appear to be

nearing the end of its useable life and should be considered for replacement.

Additionally, in several locations, roadside vegetation was obstructing the signs. A more

detailed assessment of the signs could assess the number, positioning and condition of the

individual signs in order to determine where improvements could be made. Photos of

examples of existing wayfinding signs along the corridor in Franklin County are included

An example of loose tension guardrails located on the Byway.


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in this section. It was noted, during a public input forum about the Corridor Management

Plan that was held in June 2013 in Franklin County, that there are an excessive number of

signs for commercial business establishments at the eastern terminus of the Byway.

Berkshire County

In Berkshire County, the signs are sparse. There are many locations where road and

traffic signs are not consistent with MUTCD standards. Signs for commercial

establishments located along Route 116 are limited and do not detract from the scenic

nature of the route. The section of the byway in the Berkshires’ has limited commercial

development. The signs along the corridor for non-commercial facilities are consistent

with the character of the Byway as illustrated in the accompanying pictures.

Examples of the wayfinding signs located on Route 116 in Franklin County.

Examples of some of the commercial signs located along the Byway in Hampshire County.


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There are only a few historic markers located along the Byway. These markers are a

standard style and mark locations of historical significance. An inventory of historic

markers along the Byway should be performed. During the development of this plan,

some historically significant sites were noted that are located either directly on the

Byway or within a short distance that should have historical markers. One such site is the

Cheshire Cheese Press Monument, which is located in Cheshire a short distance from the

Byway.

The sign for the Conway Grammar School in Conway.

The sign for the Mount Sugarloaf Reservation on Route 116 in Deerfield is another example.

The sign for the Hoosac Valley High School on

Route 116 in Adams provides another example.


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Pavement Conditions and Pavement Management Analysis

Generally, there are two causes of pavement deterioration: the natural environment and

traffic use. It is important to distinguish these distresses because the source of the

deterioration helps to determine the solution. Pavement deterioration is influenced by

weather, traffic loading, construction quality, materials, and interim maintenance tasks.

Effective and timely maintenance will extend the life cycle of pavement.

Pavement Management System (PMS) is a planning method that is used to collect and

monitor information on current pavement conditions, and to evaluate and prioritize

alternative maintenance, rehabilitation and reconstruction (repair) strategies. It is an

effective tool because as pavement deteriorates the cost to restore it to excellent condition

increases significantly. It is more cost effective to complete routine or smaller scale

repairs than to wait for the roadway to deteriorate to very poor condition. FRCOG,

PVPC and BRPC all complete PMS planning programs to monitor the conditions of their

regional roadways.

Franklin County

The FRCOG has completed pavement management since the early 1990s. In 1997 the

FRCOG concluded a three-year contract with MassDOT (formerly MassHighway) that

included the survey and analysis of nearly 500 miles of Federal-Aid and State

Transportation Program (STP) funded roads in the 26 towns in Franklin County. FRCOC

recently restarted its pavement management program in 2011, and is currently surveying

roadways throughout the Franklin County, including those along the Byway. Once

windshield surveys have been completed, pavement condition reports will be produced

that will aid the towns in planning for long-term pavement management. Surveys will be

conducted on a three-year rotating schedule throughout the county.

Hampshire County

PVPC has a system in place for managing pavement for all of the Federal-Aid eligible

roadways in the agency’s planning region. Route 116 is a functionally classified

roadway, which relies on federal funding for much of its pavement maintenance

activities.

PVPC staff surveyed the 7 miles that comprises the Route 116 corridor from the Ashfield

town line to the Savoy Town Line. The study area was divided into 7 roadway segments.

Overall Condition Index (OCI) is a measurement of roadway serviceability and is a

method to establish performance criteria. The average OCI for Route 116 in July 2012

was rated at 39, which indicates that the majority of segments are in poor condition. The

OCI condition survey analysis of roadway segments is broken down as follows: 29% of

the segments have a PCI greater than 85 (good to excellent), and 71% of the roadway

segments have a PCI less than 47.5 (poor).


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Table 6-2 lists Route 116 corridor segments in Plainfield, their respective OCI rating, the

required repair type, and estimated improvement.

Table 6-2: Pavement Management Summary, Plainfield

Seg # Street From To Length (ft) Planned Activity

Planned Costs

OCI

22 East Main Street Ashfield Town Line Bow Street 5,665 Reconstruction $836,607 16.84

23 East Main Street Bow Street Church Lane 8,477 Reconstruction $1,408,369 16.84

24 West Main Street Church Lane West Hill Street 3,428 Reconstruction $569,528 16.84

25 West Main Street West Hill Street Prospect Street 1,862 Reconstruction $320,810 15.76

26 West Main Street Prospect Street Hallockville Road 6,710 Reconstruction $743,200 15.76

27 West Main Street Hallockville Road Utility Pole 78 756 Do Nothing $0 98.52

27 West Main Street Utility Pole 78 Savoy Town Line 9,750 Do Nothing $0 89.04

$3,878,514

As shown in Table 6-2, segment 27 was rated as good to excellent. This is due to a

recent overlay on Route 116 from Hallockville Road to the Savoy Town Line. Typically,

overlays are a short term fix designed to hold the surface together until a more permanent

fix can be completed. The Town of Plainfield has a project to rehabilitate this portion of

Route 116. The Route 116 rehabilitation project (604825) was advertised for construction

as of November 3, 2012. The project is being funded in Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2013

of the FFY2013 to 2016 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Construction is

anticipated to start in the spring of 2013.

Berkshire County

BRPC collects pavement management date using the Pavement Surface Evaluation and

Rating (PASER) scale developed by The University of Wisconsin-Madison

Transportation Information Center. PASER is a windshield road surface rating system

that uses a 1 to 10 scale to rate the pavement condition. A ‘10’ represents a new or newly

reconstructed roadway. A ‘1’ represents a failed roadway. Ratings are assigned according

to the type and amount of visual defects. Divide PASER ratings in half to compare to 0-5

scale pavement rating systems.


183


Table 6-3: Route 116 2011 PASER Conditions

Seg # Alternative Roadway Name

Town Segment Length

From To

2011 PASER

Rating

Repair/ Maintenance

28 Main Road, Route 8A Savoy 0.57 Plainfield Town Line

Loop Road 4 $228,000

29 Main Road, Route 8A Savoy 1.5 Loop Road Loop Road 4 $600,000

30 Main Road, Route 8A Savoy 0.5 Loop Road River Road 4 $200,000

31 Main Road, Route 8A Savoy 1.18 River Road Windsor Road (8A)

4 $472,000

32 Main Road Savoy 2.58 Windsor Road (8A)

Cheshire TL 9 $25,800

33 Savoy Road Cheshire 1.7 Cheshire TL Henry Wood Road

5 $680,000

34 Savoy Road Cheshire 0.26 Henry Wood Road

Wells Road 5 $104,000

35 Savoy Road Cheshire 0.52 Wells Road Adams TL 5 $208,000

36 Orchard Street Adams 1.62 Adams TL Summer Street 9 $16,200

37 Center Street Adams 0.15 Summer Street Commercial Street

7 $11,250

The roads that comprise Route 116 are not in danger of failing, but even roads in great

shape can have their pavement life extended with routine maintenance. Well-rated

portions of Route 116 should use crack sealing and fog sealing to extend surface life and

prevent moisture from entering the road base. The westernmost section of Center Street

in Adams needs a more intensive approach like milling and resurfacing with one to two

(1”-2”) of asphalt to extend the road life approximately thirty years. Route 116 east of

Route 8A in Savoy and the roadway through Cheshire need extensive and expensive

repairs like cold-in-place recycling or partial reconstruction with resurfacing to extend

the road’s lifecycle significantly. The cost of bringing the Berkshire Route 116 up to

perfect condition, needing only routine maintenance, is about two and a half million

($2.5M) dollars, based on field surveys and 2012 repair estimates. MassDOT and the

Town of Savoy are developing a project for the remaining portion of Route 116 that also

improves drainage. The 2013 estimate for that road rehabilitation is $5,375,000.

Traffic Volumes

FRCOG, PVPC, BRPC and MassDOT have collected traffic volume data at a number of

locations along the Route 116 Byway over the past ten years. In Franklin County, there

is one MassDOT continuous count station located in Deerfield on Route 116 south of

Mill River Road. The non-permanent count locations consists of traffic volume data

collected during a period of at least two consecutive weekdays, but often encompassed a

full seven days. For each location, the collected weekday count data was averaged to


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calculate an Average Weekday Traffic (AWT) volume, which was then multiplied by a

seasonal adjustment factor to produce an Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) volume,

which is meant to reflect the average daily volume as if the count had been conducted

over a full year.

Table 6.4 provides traffic volume data for the Byway that has been collected over the past

ten (10) years. Traffic volumes along the Byway vary from about 860 vehicles per day

near the Plainfield Town Line in Ashfield to nearly 20,000 vehicles per day at the

Sunderland Town Line in Deerfield. Traffic volumes remain higher through Deerfield

and drop off as Route 116 heads toward the Town of Conway, just beyond the Interstate-

91 Interchange. Traffic volumes along the Hampshire County portion of the Byway vary

from 979 vehicles per day near the Plainfield/Ashfield Town Line to 1,200 vehicles per

day at the Plainfield/Savoy Town Line. Traffic volumes along the Byway in Berkshire

County vary from about 1,000 vehicles per day near the Plainfield Town Line in Savoy to

2,900 vehicles per day in Adams at the Cheshire town line.


185


Table 6-4: Route 116Traffic Volume Data

Seg Alternative Roadway Name Town From To AADT Count Year

1 Sunderland Road Deerfield Sunderland Town Line River Road 19,800 2004

2 Sugarloaf Street Deerfield Sunderland Road/Sugarloaf Street S Main Street/N Main Street 7,600 2008

3 Elm Street Deerfield S Main Street/N Main Street Railroad Street 5,900 2008

3 Elm Street Deerfield Railroad Street Route 5/10 5,900 2008

5 Conway Road Deerfield Whately Road Saw Mill Plain Road 5,100 2001

6 Conway Road Deerfield Saw Mill Plain Road Mathews Road 4,000 2007

7 Conway Road Deerfield Mathews Road Conway Town Line 3,050 2011

8 South Deerfield Road Conway Deerfield Town Line Roaring Brook Road 3,050 2011

9 South Deerfield Road Conway Roaring Brook Road Parsons Road 1,500 2007

14 Ashfield Road Conway Main Poland Road Ashfield Town Line 950 2008

15 Main Street Ashfield Conway Town Line Williamsburg Road 950 2008

18 Main Street Ashfield Buckland Road Hawley Road/Ashfield Mountain Road 1,900 2011

20 Spruce Corner Road Ashfield Spruce Corner Road Watson Spruce Corner Road 1,010 2007

21 Plainfield Road Ashfield Watson Spruce Corner Road Plainfield Town Line 860 2008

22 East Main Street Plainfield Ashfield Town Line Bow Street 979 2012

23 Main Street Plainfield Central Street Church Lane 1,033 2012

24 West Main Street Plainfield Church Lane Prospect Street 913 2012

25 West Main Street Plainfield Prospect Street Hallockville Road 1,060 2012

26 West Main Street Plainfield Hallockvilled Road Savoy Town Line 1,135 2012

31 Main Road Savoy River Road Windsor Road (8A) 2,600 2002

31 Main Road Savoy River Road Windsor Road (8A) 2,690 2002

32 Main Road Savoy Windsor Road (8A) Cheshire TL 2,229 2004

32 Main Road Savoy Plainfield TL Loop Road 1,000 2008



33 Savoy Road Cheshire Savoy TL Henry Wood Road 2,200 2011

36 Orchard Street Adams Cheshire TL Summer Street 2,900 2004




Sources: Data collected by FRCOG and the Transportation Data Management System provided online by MassDOT Highway.


Chapter 6: Transportation Resources 186

The AADT volume from different years at the same location is used to calculate an

average Annual Growth Rate (AGR), which quantifies the percent of traffic volume

growth over time. It is important to note that, while the methodology for calculating

AADT volumes follows a standard procedure, the seasonal adjustment factors used to

calculate it rely on data from over 200 permanent count stations located throughout the

State and may not reflect the true seasonal variability of a specific location. To try and

minimize the impact of the seasonal adjustment factors, every attempt is made to conduct

the counts during the same time period in different years.

As part of the development of the Franklin County 2012 Regional Transportation Plan,

traffic count data for locations throughout Franklin County was compiled, and a regional

average AGR was calculated. This calculation showed an average AGR of negative two

percent (-2%) per year for the region between 2005 and 2009. In other words, traffic

volumes have declined at a rate of approximately two percent per year.

To get a more detailed sense of volumes along the Corridor, data from the continuous

count station located in Deerfield was used. This data is available starting in 2003.

Between 2003 and 2011, traffic volumes along this portion of the Corridor have

decreased approximately 2.55 percent each year. This reduction is slightly greater than

the region-wide average of 2 percent per year. Traffic volumes have decreased at a much

higher rate, 3.6% per year, in more recent years (since 2009). Figure 6-1 shows traffic

volumes at this location along the Corridor between 2003 and 2011.

Traffic volumes on Route 116 (south of Mill River Road) in Deerfield between

2003 and 2011.



Level of Service Analysis

Level of Service (LOS) analysis quantifies how well a section of roadway is operating

under peak hour traffic volumes based on the driver’s expectations. The classification is

based on calculating the quality or efficiency of the traffic flow for the motorist. A delay

is calculated based on the difference between the travel time actually experienced and the

travel time that would have been experienced under ideal road conditions. The Highway

Capacity Manual (HCM) provides a methodology for calculating the LOS for rural two-

lane roadways such as Route 116. Overall there are three classes of two-lane highways

defined as Class I, Class II and Class III.

The Level of Service calculation analyzes the geometry of the road, peak hour traffic

volumes and environmental conditions, including the lane and shoulder widths, amount

of available passing, and the mix of vehicle types in order to calculate the performance

rating. LOS is based on a scale “A” through “F” (with “A” being the best and “F” being

the worst), according to the following general definitions:

LOS A – Describes the highest quality of service, when drivers are able to drive at

their desired speed. The passing frequency required to maintain these speeds has not

reached a demanding level with drivers delayed less than 40 percent of the time.

LOS B – The demand for passing to maintain desired speeds become significant, with

drivers being delayed in platoons (multiple vehicles following closely) up to 50% of

the time.

LOS C – Traffic volumes are increasing, resulting in a noticeable increase in platoon

formation and size. Passing opportunities begin to become infrequent although traffic

flow remains stable, in that reasonable travel speed is maintained. Slow moving and

turning traffic may cause congestion. Time spent following other vehicles will likely

be up to 65% of the time.

LOS D – Traffic flow is unstable and the opposing flows begin to operate separately

as passing opportunities become very limited. Passing demand is high, but passing

capacity approaches zero. Turning vehicles and roadside distractions cause major

interruptions in the traffic stream. Platoon size increases to between five and ten

vehicles on average delaying vehicles up to 85% of the time.

LOS E – Average travel speeds will likely be less than 40 miles per hour and greater

than 85% of the time is spent in platoons behind slower or turning vehicles as passing

becomes virtually impossible.

LOS F – Traffic flow is heavily congested as traffic demand exceeds the capacity of

the roadway.

In general, it is desirable to maintain traffic conditions at a LOS C or better.

Franklin County

In Franklin County, Route 116 is defined as Class II and Class III in different sections. A

Class II two-lane highway is defined as a highway where motorists do not necessarily



expect to travel at high speeds. A two-lane highway that functions as an access routes to a

Class I facility, (Interstate 91 is defined as a Class I facility) serves as scenic or

recreational routes, or passes though rugged terrain is defined as Class II. Class III two-

lane highways are highways that serve moderately developed areas. The Route 116

Corridor is a Class III roadway through portions of Deerfield, as well as the Conway and

Ashfield Town Centers.

A LOS analysis was completed using the HCM methodology for the Franklin County

sections of the Byway with required information readily available. The Byway was split

up into segments of similar roadway and traffic characteristics. Table 6.5 provides the

results of the LOS analysis for the various segments of the Byway and reflects conditions

a driver would experience during the weekday morning peak hour (typically sometime

between 7:00 and 9:00 AM) as well as the afternoon peak hour (typically sometime

between 4:00 and 6:00 PM) when the highest one-hour volumes were recorded. The

analysis shows that, along the entire Byway, drivers would experience a very acceptable

LOS of A or B during these peak periods. Congestion has not been identified as a

problem along the Corridor.

In addition to calculating an LOS, the Highway Capacity Software provides a

methodology to calculate the capacity of the roadway. The capacity of a roadway is

defined as the maximum number of vehicles that can pass a point on a roadway in an

hour. To determine how close to capacity a roadway is operating, the peak hour volume

is divided by the capacity to produce the volume/capacity or “v/c” ratio of 0 to 1.00. A

v/c ratio equal to 1.00 indicates a roadway operating at total capacity, meaning no

additional traffic can be added without causing total gridlock. In general, a lower v/c

ratio reflects a less congested roadway and therefore a more enjoyable and free-flowing

route to drive. Additionally, the lower the v/c ratio the more traffic that can be added to

the roadway before changes would need to be made. The volume/capacity ratio is

included in Table 6.5 for each of the roadway segments. It can be seen from the table

that there is plenty of spare capacity available along the Byway, with the majority of the

Byway operating between 5% and 20% of capacity during peak travel periods.

There are five intersections along the Byway in Franklin County where drivers would be

required to come to a stop or make a left or right turn which may impact the LOS of the

Corridor at these intersections. The intersections are:

Route 116/Sunderland Road at Sugarloaf Street, Deerfield;

Route 5/10/116 at Elm Street, Deerfield;

Route 5/10/116 at Route 116/Conway Road, Deerfield;

Route 116/Main Street at Route 112/Route 116, Ashfield; and

Route 112/116 at Route 116/Spruce Corner Road, Ashfield.

Hampshire County

For Hampshire County, PVPC utilized the same LOS analysis for Route 116 in Plainfield

as FRCOG used for its portion of Route 116. The results of the LOS analysis (table 6.5)

indicate the roadway is operating at a LOS of “A”. This is primarily due to the low

traffic volumes found along the corridor. The v/c ratio for the Plainfield section of Route



116 averages 0.11 indicating the roadway can handle a significant increase in traffic

volume while still operating at an acceptable LOS.

Berkshire County

A Level of Service (LOS) analysis for the Berkshire section of Route 116 would yield a

LOS of A because traffic volumes along the corridor are very low. A motorist driving the

corridor rarely encounters congestion and should be able to drive the speed limit without

impediment. Route 116 does not deviate from the same physical roadway as it travels

through Savoy, Cheshire, and Adams and has no turns that require stopping.

If there are occasional delays to travel, they are likely to occur in three locations in

Berkshire County for different reasons:

• First, there are very steep and long slopes through the corridor that heavy vehicles

have difficulty going up and must slowly descend to avoid ‘running away’ with failed

brakes. Route 116’s compact right-of-way and low traffic volumes means adding

climbing lanes or runaway truck ramps are economically unfeasible.

• Hoosac Valley High School has defined congestion at the beginning of the school

day, at the end of the day when classes let out, and during special events. It is likely

easiest to accommodate event traffic with traffic flaggers.

• The intersection of Route 116 (Center Street), Myrtle Street, and Route 8

(Commercial Street and Park Street) is the only signalized intersection on the 116

Byway in Berkshire County. Improvements north of this intersection, at the Route 8

and Friend Street intersection, should be complete before the intersection operations

at Route 116 and 8 are evaluated.



Table 6-5: Route 116 Level-of-Service (LOS) and Volume-to-Capacity (v/c) Ratios

Peak Period Segment

Alternative Roadway Name Town

Segment Length (mi) From To Class LOS v/c

PM 2 Sugarloaf Street Deerfield 0.97 Sunderland Road S Main St/N Main St III B 0.16

PM 3 Elm Street Deerfield 0.26 S Main St/N Main St Route 5/10 III B 0.17

PM 7 Conway Road Deerfield 0.57 Mathews Road Conway Town Line II A 0.08

PM 8 S Deerfield Road Conway 1.52 Deerfield Town Line Roaring Brook Road II A 0.14

PM 14 Ashfield Road Conway 2.72 Main Poland Road Ashfield Town Line II A 0.06

PM 15 Main Street Ashfield 2.0 Conway Town Line Williamsburg Road II A 0.06

PM 18 Main Street Ashfield 0.53 Buckland Road Ashfield Mountain Road III B 0.16

PM 21 Plainfield Road Ashfield 2.01 Watson Spruce Corner Road Plainfield Town Line II A 0.06

PM 22 East Main Street Plainfield 1.1 Ashfield Town Line Bow Street II A 0.6

PM 23 East Main Street Plainfield 1.2 Bow Street Central Street II A 0.11

PM 24 Main Street Plainfield 0.5 Central Street Church Lane II A 0.1

PM 25 West Main Street Plainfield 0.9 Church Lane Prospect Street II A 0.11

PM 26 West Main Street Plainfield 1.3 Prospect Street Hallockville Road II A 0.11

PM 27 West Main Street Plainfield 2.0 Hallockville Road Savoy Town Line II A 0.11



Safety Analysis and Crash Data

According to the Highway Safety Manual (HSM)1 the term “safety” refers to the crash

frequency or crash severity, or both, and collision type for a specified time period, a

given location, and a set of geometric and operational conditions. A crash, according to

the HSM, is defined as a set of events that result in injury or property damage due to the

collision of at least one motorized vehicle and may involve collision with another

motorized vehicle, a bicyclist, a pedestrian, or an object. Collisions are inherently random

and rare events with a complex number of factors contributing to each crash, making

them unique events. The circumstances that lead to a crash in one event will not

necessarily lead to a crash in a similar event and this is due to the different factors

contributing to crashes, which are grouped into the following three primary categories:

Human Factors – The behavior of humans including age, judgment, driver skills,

attention, fatigue and sobriety;

Vehicle Factors – The design and maintenance vehicles; and

Roadway/Environment Factors – The condition of the roadway and roadside

environment including geometric alignment, cross-section, traffic control

devices, surface friction, grade, signage, weather, and visibility.

Crash data is available from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) and

also local Police Departments. Massachusetts’ law requires that all vehicular crashes that

result in $1,000 or more of property damage or an injury or a fatality must be reported to

the RMV and the local Police Department within 5 days, using a standardized Motor

Vehicle Crash Operator Report form. The RMV maintains a database from these crash

reports which provides basic details on all crashes reported to them, such as location,

severity, weather and road conditions and type of collision. This data is the most readily

available data for the Corridor, and was reviewed to determine if there are any locations

or sections along the Byway experiencing a high number of crashes.

Below is a summary of the crash data and findings for locations along Route 116 based

on the RMV data. The most up-to-date RMV crash data available was for the period

2007 through 2009. An overview of crashes that occurred along the Route 116 Scenic

Byway during this period by segment are in Tables 6.6-A and 6.6-B.

1 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Highway Safety

Manual, Washington, DC, 2010.



Table 6-6A: Route 116 Crash Summary in Franklin County (2007-2009)

SEGMENT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Total %

Deerfield (100 total reported crashes) Conway (8 total reported crashes) Ashfield (8 total reported crashes)

Total Number of Reported Crashes 12 25 9 15 27 10 2 3 2 2 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 2 1 2 116

Segment Length (miles) 0.32 0.97 0.26 0.35 1.30 0.94 0.57 1.52 1.03 0.34 0.22 0.44 0.26 2.72 2.00 1.35 0.49 0.53 1.45 2.28 2.01 21.35

Crashes/Mile 37.5 25.8 34.6 42.9* 20.8 10.6 1.8 2.6 1.9 5.9 4.5 0 0 0 0.5 0.7 2.0 0 1.4 0.4 1.0 5.4

Crash Severity

Property Damage Only 12 18 6 9 16 6 2 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 2 1 0 77 66%

Non-Fatal Injury 0 7* 2 4 9* 4 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 32 28%

Unknown 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 5%

Fatality 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1* 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1%

Manner of Collision

Single Vehicle Crash 6 5 3 2 8 7 2 3 0 2 0 1 0 1 1 0 2 43 37%

Rear-End 3 10 2 5 12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 33 28%

Angle 3 6 2 5 5 2 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 22%

Sideswipe, same direction 0 4 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 9%

Sideswipe, opposite direction 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 2%

Head-On 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 2%

Roadway Condition

Dry 8 17 4 11 17 7 1 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 74 64%

Snow/Slush/Ice 4 3 3 0 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 20 17%

Wet 0 2 1 4 8 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 16%

Other/Unknown 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 3%

Lighting Condition

Daylight 7 17 6 10 20 7 1 3 2 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 2 80 69%

Dark – Roadway not lighted 2 4 2 3 6 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 22 19%

Dark – Roadway lighted 0 4 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 6%

Dawn/Dusk 3 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 5%

Other/Unknown 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1%

Source: Registry of Motor Vehicles Crash Data System

Cells which have an asterisk indicate a potential safety issue and are explored in more detail



Table 6-6B: Route 116 Crash Summary in Hampshire and Berkshire County (2007-2009)

SEGMENT 22-27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Total %

Plainfield (10 total reported crashes)

Savoy (19 total reported crashes) Cheshire (12 total reported crashes) Adams (31 total reported

crashes)

Total Number of Reported Crashes

10 1 0 1 1 16 7 2 3 11 20 72

Segment Length (miles) 7.0 0.6 1.5 0.5 1.2 2.6 1.7 0.3 0.5 1.6 0.2 17.6

Crashes/Mile 1.4 1.8 0 2.0 0.8 6.2 4.1 7.7 5.8 6.8 133.3* 4.09

Crash Severity

Property Damage Only 6 0 1 1 10 5 2 3 9 9 46 65%

Non-Fatal Injury 1 0 0 0 5 2 0 0 2 9 19 29%

Unknown 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 7 6%

Fatality 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0%

Manner of Collision

Single Vehicle Crash 7 1 1 1 12* 6 2 3 4 4 41 55%

Rear-End 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 5 9 15%

Angle 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 9 11 18%

Sideswipe, same direction 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 4 5%

Sideswipe, opposite direction 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 3%

Head-On 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 3%

Roadway Condition

Dry 3 0 1 0 11 1 0 2 6 14 38 56%

Snow/Slush/Ice 4 1 0 0 1 3 2 1 2 0 14 16%

Wet 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 3 5 13 19%

Other/Unknown 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 2%

Lighting Condition

Daylight N/A 0 0 1 4 5 2 3 10 14 39 63%

Dark – Roadway not lighted N/A 1 1 0 8 1 0 0 1 3 15 24%

Dark – Roadway lighted N/A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0%

Dawn/Dusk N/A 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 2 5 8%

Other/Unknown N/A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0%

Source: Registry of Motor Vehicles Crash Data System

Cells which are noted with an asterisk indicate a potential safety issue and are explored in more detail



Franklin County

As shown in Table 6-6-A, there were a total of 116 reported crashes along the Byway in

Franklin County between 2007 and 2009. The majority (86%) of reported crashes

occurring along the Corridor took place in Deerfield. This is not surprising as

significantly more traffic travels along this portion of the Corridor, than the other sections

increasing the potential for collisions. Additionally, this section of the Corridor also has

more activity and intersections. A majority (66%) of the crashes resulted in Property

Damage Only (PDO). Approximately 28% of the crashes resulted in a non-fatal injury,

while one crash resulted in a fatality during this time frame.

The most common manners of collision were the single vehicle crash (37%), rear-end

(28%), and the angle (22%) type crash. Crashes with only a single vehicle typically

involve a vehicle that leaves the roadway and crashes into a roadside object, such as a

tree or guardrail. This crash type was the most prominent crash type for crashes occurring

along the Franklin County section of the Corridor and not at an intersection. Angle type

crashes generally involve a turning vehicle (making a left-turn for example) from one

direction colliding with or being hit by a vehicle coming from the opposite direction and

are most common at intersections. Rear-end crashes generally involve two vehicles

traveling in the same direction, the first vehicle slows to make a turn and the following

driver does not react in time and hits the back of the first vehicle. Rear-end crashes were

the most common crash type of crashes occurring at intersections. Overall, the majority

(72%) of crashes occurring along the Corridor happened at intersections. Additionally,

the majority of crashes occurred on dry pavement and in daylight conditions.

Certain cells of Table 6-6-A and Table 6-6-B have an asterisk because they may indicate

a unique safety issue occurring at a particular location. Along segment 2 there appeared

to be a higher incidence of rear-end and angle type crashes resulting in an injury. A closer

look at that segment reveals that nearly half of all the crashes occurring in this segment

occurred at the intersection of Route 116/Sunderland Road and Sugarloaf Street. This

intersection is also on FRCOG’s 50 Most Hazardous Intersections List for Franklin

County. Over the past several years, FRCOG has teamed up with the MassDOT Safety

Division to address the safety of these identified hazardous locations by conducting

multidisciplinary Road Safety Audits (RSAs). This particular location was the recipient

of a RSA in the Spring of 2011 in which several short and long-term safety

improvements were recommended for this intersection. MassDOT has worked with the

Town to begin implementation of many of the recommendations contained in the RSA.

These implementation strategies should result in positive impacts on the safety of this

intersection which may not be realized until 2011 and 2012 crash data becomes available.

FRCOG and MassDOT will continue to monitor the safety of this intersection.

Segment number 4 had the highest occurrence of crashes per mile, which is worth

exploring in more detail. A closer look reveals that 12 of the 15 reported crashes occurred

at the intersection of Route 5/10 and Elm Street in Deerfield. This is a busy intersection

that carries a high volume of traffic which includes a significant percentage of truck

traffic. Elm Street is an important connector to the South Deerfield Village Center and

Elm Street and Sugarloaf Street are used as cut-throughs to Route 116/Sunderland Road.



Furthermore, the Yankee Candle Flagship Store is located on the southwest corner of the

intersection, which is a very high seasonal traffic generator. Lastly, the only local access

point to Interstate 91 northbound is located just north of this intersection so a significant

volume of traffic travels through this intersection along Route 5/10/116. The intersection

is very busy with many turning movements, and frequent tourist traffic. It is also located

on FRCOG’s Most Hazardous Intersection List. To date, this intersection has not

received a RSA and will be considered for one in the upcoming year.

Segment number 5 in Deerfield is another segment along the Corridor with a high volume

of crashes, many of which resulted in an injury. Further inspection reveals that the

majority (19 of the 27 reported) of crashes occurred at the intersection of Route 5/10/116

at Conway Road. This is a high volume intersection with many turning movements taking

place at the intersection. A large volume of traffic traveling northbound at the approach

to this intersection makes a left-hand turn onto Route 116/Conway Road in order to

access the Interstate 91 northbound on-ramp. Traffic exiting Interstate 91 southbound

travels through this intersection to access South Deerfield Village Center, the many

manufacturing businesses in the area, the traveler oriented services, or Yankee Candle.

The Deerfield Fire Station is located on the eastern approach to this intersection as well.

A RSA was conducted at this intersection in the Spring of 2011, in which several short

and long-term safety improvements were recommended. MassDOT has worked with the

Town to begin implementation of many of the recommendations contained in the RSA.

These implementation strategies should result in positive impacts on the safety of this

intersection, but may not be realized until 2011 and 2012 crash data becomes available.

FRCOG and MassDOT will continue to monitor the safety of this intersection.

Between 2007 and 2009, there was one crash that resulted in a fatality and that crash

occurred along segment 10 in Conway. This crash involved a motorcyclist traveling

northbound on Route 116 near the intersection of Route 116 and Parsons Road who

presumably left the roadway and collided with a guardrail. This was a single vehicle

crash that occurred in clear, dry and daylight conditions.

In addition to the safety observations noted above, FRCOG received a request to study

the safety of an additional intersection located along the Byway. The request came from

the Conway Board of Selectmen for the intersection of Route 116/Main Street at

Shelburne Falls Road and Baptist Hill Road. FRCOG is in the preliminary stages of this

intersection safety study in which identified safety issues include speeding along Route

116/Main Street through Conway Town Center. FRCOG will work with MassDOT to

further explore the safety of this intersection and recommend both long and short-term

improvements.

Hampshire County

Table 6-6-B shows a total of 10 reported crashes along the Byway in Hampshire County

between 2007 and 2009. The vast majority (70%) were identified as single vehicle

crashes. Sixty percent of the crashes involved weather-related issues ranging from a wet

roadway to ice and snow. Sixty percent of the crashes resulted in Property Damage Only



(PDO). Approximately 10% of the crashes resulted in a non-fatal injury; there were no

fatalities reported during this time frame.

A crash involving only one vehicle which typically indicates a lane departure crash was

the most common type of crash along the corridor (70%). There were no crash clusters

identified along the corridor this indicates that non roadway factors such as weather

influenced crashes along Route 116.

Berkshire County

As shown in Table 6-6-B there were a total of 62 reported crashes along the Byway in

Berkshire County between 2007 and 2009. The majority (65%) of crashes resulted in

Property Damage Only (PDO). Approximately 29% of the crashes resulted in a non-fatal

injury while there were no fatalities.

The most common manners of collision were the single vehicle crash (55%), rear-end

(15%), and the angle (18%) type crash. The majority of crashes along the corridor in

Berkshire County happen on Center Street, the last quarter mile of the Byway at its

western terminus in Adams. The majority of crashes in 2007-2009 happened on dry

pavement and in daylight.

Certain cells of Table 6-6-B are noted with an asterisk because they may indicate a

specific safety issue occurring at a particular location. In the Town of Adams, the Center

Street intersection with Myrtle and Commercial Streets qualifies as one of the most

hazardous in the Berkshires when ranked by Equivalent Property Damage (EPDO is a

measure that considers crash severity and frequency). The operations of the intersection

will be examined and crash countermeasures may be deployed after the improvements to

other intersections on the Route 8 corridor are finished. If the intersection remains

dangerous, then the Town may wish to conduct a Road Safety Audit to explore additional

ways to reduce the frequency of crashes.

Crashes along the rest of the corridor outside of Adams are predominantly single vehicle

crashes. Single vehicle crashes are typically caused by driver inattention, driving too fast

for conditions, or striking wildlife. There are crash countermeasures, like edge and

centerline rumble strips, that help keep vehicles safely in their lanes.

Bridge Inventory

Bridges are a critical component of any transportation system. Maintaining the safety

and functionality of bridges is a top priority. Bridges are predominantly under the

domain of MassDOT. Bridges are inspected by MassDOT and are ranked according to

standards established by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation

Officials (AASHTO). The purpose of the AASHTO rating is to provide a standard to

compare the status of bridges in a region and across the country. The ratings are based on

factors such as the bridge’s structural integrity, the road’s functional classification, and



the designed purpose of the bridge. The ratings are used to determine eligibility for

reconstruction or replacement.

Bridges are also further classified as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. These

classifications can raise the bridges’ position on the priority list for repair/replacement.

Bridges are determined to be structurally deficient if they fall below specific thresholds.

A structurally deficient classification may indicate that a vital, but relatively minor, repair

is needed or that a bridge is in need of more serious rehabilitation. Safety concerns are

paramount.

A bridge that is classified as functionally obsolete is inadequate to fulfill its current

function. An example would be a four-lane road leading to a two-lane bridge. The

bridge itself may be structurally sound, but the use is limited in some capacity.

Information regarding whether a bridge has a posted weight or height limit is important in

assessing a region’s transportation network. These restrictions are important

determinants affecting freight routes and should be addressed to improve a region’s

accessibility to goods, people and economic opportunities. It is also important for local

fire departments with heavy fire equipment.

The historic character and design of the bridges within the Route 116 Scenic Byway

study area should be taken into consideration during any rehabilitation/reconstruction

work. Table 6.7 provides data for each of the bridges located within Byway study area,

as listed in the 2012 MassDOT Bridge Listing. This information includes the condition

rating, structural evaluation, and bridge status.

Franklin County

There are 12 National Bridge Inventory (NBI) bridges along the Byway Corridor in

Franklin County. All of the bridges located within the study area are owned and

maintained by MassDOT. Half of these bridges along Route 116 were constructed

between 1915 and 1935. According to the 2012 MassDOT Bridge Listing, none of these

bridges are categorized as structurally deficient and three bridges are functionally

obsolete.

In addition, the Burkeville Covered Bridge is located along the Route 116 Corridor in the

Town of Conway and crosses the South River. The Burkeville Covered Bridge was

constructed in 1869 shortly before a severe flooding of the South River. Throughout the

years the bridge functioned primarily as a cut-through between two parts of Town and

served vehicular traffic until its condition deteriorated too much. Efforts to restore the

bridge began in the 1990s and were finished in 2005. The bridge was added to the

National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Because it is one of the few remaining

covered bridges in the state, the bridge remains closed to all vehicular traffic2.

2 Information courtesy of the Conway Historic Commission and the Conway Planning Board, August 2012.



Hampshire County

According to the latest bridge inventory list provided to PVPC in June 2012 there are no

bridges along Route 116 in Plainfield.

Berkshire County

There are four National Bridge Inventory (NBI) bridges along the corridor in Berkshire

County. Both of the bridges in Cheshire are owned by MassDOT and both of the bridges

in Savoy are owned by the Town. According to the 2012 MassDOT Bridge Listing, none

of these bridges are structurally deficient and or functionally obsolete.

The historic Burkeville

Covered Bridge in

Conway.



Table 6-7: Route 116 Bridge Listing (Ashfield, Conway, Deerfield)

Town Bridge Number

Bridge ID #

Over Under Owner Functional Class Year Built

Year Rebuilt

AASHTO Rating

Deficiency Fed. Aid Eligible

Deerfield D06003 OVD St 116 Sugarloaf Rd Water Connecticut River DOT Rural Minor Arterial 1937 1994 82.9 NO

Deerfield D06028 129 St 116 Conway Rd Water Mill River DOT Major Collector 1917 1933 79.7 NO

Deerfield D06048 128 St 116 Conway Rd 1 91 DOT Urban Minor Arterial 1965 66.4 YES YES

Conway C20006 OKA St 116 Ashfield Rd Water South River DOT Major Collector 1926 1938 73 YES

Conway C20008 OK9 St Ashfield Rd Water South River DOT Major Collector 1926 79 YES YES

Conway C20010 OK8 St 116 S Deerfield Rd Water South River DOT Major Collector 1978 92.3 NO

Conway C20011 OK7 St 116 S Deerfield Rd Water South River DOT Major Collector 1925 70.9 NO

Conway C20012 OK6 St 116 S Deerfield Rd Water South River DOT Major Collector 1925 60.2 YES YES

Conway C20020 OK5 St 116 S Deerfield Rd Water Mill River DOT Major Collector 1917 1933 83.8 NO

Ashfield A13012 B1R St 116 Conway Rd Water South River DOT Major Collector 2007 80.5 NO

Ashfield A13004 B1Q St 116 Conway Rd Water South River DOT Major Collector 2007 82.5 NO

Ashfield A13010 90E St 116 Water Swift River DOT Major Collector 2007 92.1 NO

Savoy S06021 02E St 115 Main Rd Water Savoy Hollow Brook TOWN Major Collector 1959 93.2 NO YES

Savoy S06022 02D St 116 Main Rd Water Westfield River TOWN Major Collector 1961 93.2 NO YES

Cheshire C10001 0CU St 116 Savoy Rd Water Dry Brook DOT Major Collector 1940 1993 79 NO YES

Cheshire C10010 0CV St 116 Savoy Rd Water Dry Brook DOT Major Collector 1929 1995 80.5 NO YES

Source: 2012 MassDOT National Bridge Listing

DOT = MassDOT, NBI = National Bridge Inventory



Rail Facilities

While the railroad lines themselves do not travel along the Route 116 corridor the

railroad played an important role in the development of the areas along the Byway. The

railroad development during the late 1800’s shaped the towns along the byway and their

growth. In particular, a railroad was constructed between South Deerfield and Shelburne

Falls, which served to connect the communities along the Route 116 corridor.

Additionally, a trolley was built in 1902 to connect Greenfield to Hatfield that passed

through South Deerfield directly Route 116. South Deerfield grew and developed as a

result of this rail access.

The only rail lines that are located in the Route 116 Scenic Byway study area run north

and south adjacent to Route 5/10/116 in Deerfield. This is the Connecticut River Main

Line that is at this time used for freight transportation only. However, passenger rail is

returning to this rail line in 2014 as a result of funding allocated from the American

Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This funding will facilitate track

improvements and the addition of passenger platforms along the line. Track

improvements are currently underway. These track improvements will also allow for

greatly increased speeds along this line for freight transport. This rail line also connects

with the Freight Main Line north of the intersection of Route 5/10/116 and Route

116/Conway Road in Deerfield and continues to travel away from the Corridor in a

northwesterly direction. The Freight Main Line is also known as the Patriot Corridor and

is owned by Pan Am Southern (PAS). There is also a large rail yard located in east

Deerfield which is located outside the study area.

Public Transportation Services

The Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) is the primary transit authority serving

Franklin County. The FRTA serves 40 towns in Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden and

Worcester counties. Twenty-three of the twenty-six Towns in the Franklin County (all

except Monroe, Sunderland, and Leverett) are members of the FRTA. Sunderland and

Leverett are members of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA). Additionally,

both the FRTA and PVTA provide paratransit service to their respective towns with the

level of the service varying significantly by community.

The FRTA operates a fixed route, Route 31, through the study area. Route 31 connects

the communities of Greenfield, Deerfield, Whately and Northampton. Along the Route

116 Byway, Route 31 serves Sugarloaf Street, Elm and Street and Route 5/10/116 in

Deerfield. There are three round trips per day. The Route 31 bus also stops at the newly

opened Whately park and ride lot. The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority also runs a bus

route that connects with the FRTA service in South Deerfield. PVTA’s Route 48

connects South Deerfield to the UMass campus in Amherst via Sunderland. It stops on

Sugarloaf Street in the center of the South Deerfield village center, at the Mount

Sugarloaf Reservation parking lot, and in Sunderland center.



The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) is the Berkshire Region’s primary

transit authority serving twenty-four (24) Berkshire towns and cities. Savoy is the only

Berkshire Route 116 Byway community that is not a member of BRTA. BRTA’s Route

1, a fixed route, runs between Pittsfield and Williamstown along Route 8.

Park and Ride Lots

There are two park and ride lots on or near the Byway study area. The construction of a

MassDOT owned and operated park and ride was recently completed at the intersection

of Route 116/Sunderland Road and Route 5/10 in Whately. This intersection is just south

of the Byway. It is to the south of the Yankee Candle Flagship Store, and is near the

southbound entrance to Interstate 91. The lot was officially opened in November 2013

and has had heavy use since it was opened. This lot provides an opportunity for regular

commuters from the Route 116 corridor to leave their cars, and connect with FRTA

regional bus services. This location is convenient for commuters who are traveling to the

University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst.

There is also an informal park and ride lot is located in the lower parking lot of the Mount

Sugarloaf recreational area. This parking lot is unpaved and is conveniently located along

FRTA fixed Route 31 and near Route 5/10/116 and Interstate 91. This is an active

parking lot that serves the recreational area, adjacent baseball field, area cyclists, and

informal park and ride users. The use of this parking lot by commuters was confirmed

during a study that was completed by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments in

2008.

Pedestrian Access

In Franklin County, the primarily rural nature (low density of development) of the Byway

means that there is limited pedestrian infrastructure (ie. sidewalks and crosswalks) for

large stretches of the Byway. The pedestrian activities on the Franklin County portion of

the Byway are primarily in the town centers including Sunderland center (in the Byway

½ mile study area), South Deerfield center, Conway center and Ashfield center. In South

Deerfield center, there are sidewalks on both sides of Sugarloaf Street. Pedestrian activity

is commonly observed along this section of the Corridor. Pedestrian activity decreases

along Elm Street as Route 116 joins with Route 5/10, which has higher speeds and no

pedestrian facilities.

Elm Street has limited sidewalks and also crosses the Connecticut River Railroad line.

The section of the road that is between the intersection of Elm, Sugarloaf, South Main

and North Main Streets and the railroad tracks has wide shoulders, on-street parking, and

a lot of pedestrian activity. The western section of Elm Street from the railroad crossing

to the intersection of Routes 116/5/10 and Elm Street has wide lanes with no shoulders

and a narrow asphalt sidewalk only on the north side of the road. As previously stated in-

fill sidewalk and safety improvements at the rail crossing are proposed as part of the



Connecticut River Railroad Line Passenger Train track and at-grade crossing

improvements.

There are additional pedestrian oriented streetscapes and facilities in concentrated areas

in Conway and Ashfield town centers, both are located directly on the Byway. The

Conway Grammar School is also on Route 116 to the east of the town center, but there

are no sidewalks near the school and no students walk to the school. All of the students

who attend Conway Grammar School ride the bus to school or are dropped off. Both the

Towns of Conway and Ashfield are supportive of improving their pedestrian

infrastructure, and have recently completed streetscape and sidewalk improvement

projects in their town centers.

During the public participation for this plan, the Ashfield Police Chief expressed interest

in improvements to the pavement markings and signs to meet MUTCD compliance at

five crosswalks in downtown Ashfield. These five crosswalks are located between

Baptist Corner Road to just west of Buckland Road. Additionally, an examination of the

possibility of adding a new crosswalk between the Library and the Ashfield

Hardware/Country Pie Pizza locations was requested. In addition, an interest was

expressed in the possibility of traffic calming measures on Route 116 in Ashfield Center.

These pedestrian infrastructure improvements need to be further examined.

In Berkshire County, the primarily rural nature (low density of development) of the

Byway means that there is limited pedestrian infrastructure for the majority of its length.

Most pedestrian activity along the Byway occurs in Adams where there are sidewalks on

one side of Orchard Street and both sides of Center Street. There are also mid-block

crossings in Savoy Center.

Traffic Calming and Complete Streets Initiatives

Traffic calming consists of engineering and other measures that are implemented on

roads in order to slow down or reducing motor-vehicle traffic. Traffic calming measures

improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. Traffic calming techniques are most

frequently utilized in residential neighborhoods or village centers where speeding and/or

aggressive driving behavior has been documented. The Town of Conway has requested a

safety study for the intersection of Route 116/Main Street at Shelburne Falls Road and

Baptist Hill Road, in the Town Center. Among the concerns cited was speeding through

the town center as well as speeding at the approaches to this intersection. Traffic calming

strategies and mechanisms will be considered as part of the safety study currently being

performed for this intersection.

Traffic calming is used to slow traffic at the approaches to town centers or villages as the

roadside environment changes from a higher speed rural roadway to a lower speed

pedestrian oriented area. Traffic calming measures that help retain the character of the

Corridor should be considered in Savoy Center and Little Egypt in Cheshire to slow

traffic, warn motorists of a changing roadside environment and improve the Corridor‘s

aesthetic appeal.



Complete streets are designed with all roadway users in mind. They strive to achieve a

better balance between the needs of the motor vehicle and other modes of transportation

such as bicycles, pedestrians, and transit users.

A Franklin County Complete Streets Project was completed by the FRCOG in 2012, and

the Route 5/10/116 corridor to the west of Elm Street was examined. This analysis

identified pedestrian improvements at the intersection of Route 5/10/116 and Elm Street

in order to recommend improvements to make it more pedestrian friendly. The

recommendations were also intended to better connect the Route 5/10/116 commercial

corridor to South Deerfield center. The Complete Streets Plan recommended intersection

improvements, the development of a gateway to the village center on Elm Street and

improved pedestrian infrastructure on Elm Street.

The Complete Streets analysis also dovetailed with completion of the South Deerfield

Livability Plan which was completed by the Town of Deerfield during 2012. The

Livability Plan recommended improvements in South Deerfield center to make the area

more bicycle and pedestrian friendly such as improved sidewalks, bikelanes, and traffic

calming measures in South Deerfield center.

Bicycle Access

The Route 116 Scenic Byway is a quiet roadway, with rolling terrain creating an

exceptional opportunity for cyclists to enjoy nature. Bicycling is one of the best ways to

experience the quiet solitude of the winding roadway and the small town neighborhoods

of the Byway.

Franklin County

Opportunities for bicycling on Route 116 in Franklin County vary greatly along the 21

miles of the Byway. Cycling on Route 116 itself is easy in some locations and

challenging in others due to the lack of shoulders, winding road layout and steep terrain.

The Byway provides

opportunities to directly

connect to sections of the

Franklin County Bikeway

system. These Bikeway routes

are detailed in the

Recreational Resources

Chapter.

Hampshire County

The Pioneer Valley Planning

Commission evaluated Route

116 in Plainfield for its

suitability for bicycle travel

through a process that

involved measuring travel lane

A bicyclist riding on the section of Route 116/112 in

Ashfield.



width, shoulder width, vehicle speed, traffic volume and available parking along each

roadway segment. Using this information, each roadway segment was evaluated using the

FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) Bicycle Compatibility Index. BCI is an

emerging national standard for quantifying the bike-friendliness of a roadway. While

other "level-of-service" indices relate to traffic capacity, BCI measures bicyclist comfort

level for specific roadway geometries and traffic conditions. Roadways receive an A to F

score with A rated as the most attractive for all levels of cyclists. Many professionals

feel that a BCI grade of C is the minimum acceptable grade in order to recommend a

roadway for use by a casual cyclist. Table 6-8 show the BCI scoring for the segments of

Route 116 in Plainfield

Table 6-8 BCI scoring for Route 116 in Plainfield

Segment BCI

Level of

Service

Bicycle Compatibility

Level

East Main Street From Ashfield TL to Bow Street 2.10 B Very High

East Main Street From Bow Streect to Center Street 1.88 B Very High

Main Street From Center Street to Church Street 1.50 A Extremely High

West Main Street from Church Street to Prospect Street 1.86 B Very High

West Main Street From Prospect Street to Hallockville Road 2.30 B Very High

West Main Street From Hallcokville Road to Savoy TL 2.30 B Very High

As can be seen from table 3 all segments or Route 116 receive a BCI score of “B” or

higher. This indicates that the roadway in its current condition and function is suitable

for most skill levels of bicyclists. Route 116 is an ideal corridor for bicycling if

Plainfield continues to keep roadway markings and shoulders well defined. The only

potential future issue for Route 116 is the condition of the pavement, many section of the

roadway have poor pavement conditions. If the asphalt begins to break up, this will

reduce the safety and quality of the experience for all users.

The Byway in Berkshire County is largely very windy and steep with narrow shoulders in

many locations – making cycling along this stretch difficult. The Ashuwiliticook Rail

Trail passes through the western terminus of Route 116 in downtown Adams. The

Ashuwiliticook is part of a planned contiguous trail through western New England that

starts in Williamstown and ends in Sheffield in Berkshire County.

Emergency Planning

A substantial amount of emergency planning has occurred within the past few years to

identify evacuation routes and vulnerabilities in the transportation network. As a result of

these efforts, the following areas of the Corridor have been identified as being important

evacuation routes or are areas that are vulnerable to flooding. The 116 Corridor is a back-

up evacuation route for Berkshire County. According to the 2013 Western Massachusetts

Regional Evacuation Plan, Route 116 is identified as a secondary evacuation route in

Plainfield and all Franklin County Byway towns. A secondary evacuation route is defined

as a main arterial road through towns that carries traffic where primary routes do not

exist, or provides an alternate route to the primary route.



Flooding is one of the most common natural hazards in the region. The Byway runs

parallel to numerous rivers and tributaries that feed into the Connecticut, Deerfield,

Westfield, and Hoosic Rivers. The hilly terrain in the higher elevations of the Byway

creates the conditions for flash floods during large rainstorms, causing erosion, road

washouts, and potential personal property damage. Much of the farmland in the lowland

areas of the Byway is within the 100-year floodplain. Many of the villages and urban

centers in the region are also located adjacent to rivers, which once powered mills, and

are susceptible to flooding. These areas may need to be evacuated during large flood

events. Conway Center is an example of a community that was evacuated during Tropical

Storm Irene in August 2011. During the storm, floodwaters from the South River washed

away a retaining wall near the Route 116 Bridge for the second time in two years.

Flooding also can make evacuation difficult due to washed out roadways. Even primary

routes are susceptible to damage from flooding, as demonstrated by Tropical Storm Irene,

when both Interstate 91 and Route 2 were impacted in the region.

Issues and Recommendations

Issues

Traffic volumes along the Byway vary from around 860 vehicles per day along the

more rural sections to nearly 20,000 vehicles per day near the Sunderland Town Line.

There is ample capacity along the Byway and at most intersections to accommodate

growth in traffic without changes to the existing infrastructure.

Speeding through the town centers in Franklin County has been identified as a safety

concern.

Some of the roadside infrastructure (such as guardrails) are not in keeping with the

rural character of the Byway.

There is limited access to public transportation services in Franklin County and no

public transportation services specific to the Route 116 corridor in Hampshire or

Berkshire Counties.

There is limited pedestrian infrastructure and much of what does exist does not meet

current ADA (Americans with Disabilities) standards, posing safety hazards for

pedestrians and other non-motorized users of the Byway.

Much of the Byway is only suitable for use by experienced bicyclists due to the road

layout in some sections and vehicle volumes and speeds in others.

The majority of reported crashes occurring along the Corridor occurred in the Town

of Deerfield where population and traffic volumes are the highest along the corridor.

Along the western portion of the Corridor, the majority of crashes occurring between

2007 and 2009 occurred at intersections along Center Street in the Town of Adams.

Vehicles departing the roadway, single vehicle lane departure crashes, are a safety

concern.



The transportation of oversized loads, such as the components of wind turbines,

should be carefully evaluated and monitored through portions of the Byway due to

constraints in the geometric layout of the roadway.

Many of the existing traffic signs are in poor condition and do not meet the new

MUTCD requirements for reflectivity.

Slower moving farm equipment using the roadway can present safety concerns for

both farmers and motorists due to limited sight distance in portions of the Byway.

There are potential safety concerns with access to Plainfield pond regarding signage

and access to parking.

There are some places where there are too many signs for commercial establishments.

Pedestrian infrastructure improvements are needed in some of the small town centers

in order to make them more assessable and safer for pedestrians.

Recommendations

Continue to monitor traffic volumes and patterns along the Byway.

Continue to monitor the performance of key intersections along the Byway

Perform a Road Safety Audit at the intersection of Elm Street and Route 5/10/116 in

Deerfield.

Perform a Road Safety Audit at the intersection of Route 116/Main Street and

Shelburne Falls Road and Baptist Hill Road in Conway.

Perform a Road Safety Audit of intersections along Center Street in the Town of

Adams, including the intersection of Route 8 at Route 116.

Conduct an evaluation of the condition of traffic signage.

Investigate the potential for adopting a unified signage program with a Route 116

logo for traveler services, historic sites, recreational areas, and participating

businesses.

Investigate the need for additional sidewalk infrastructure and ways to improve the

existing infrastructure to bring it into line with current ADA standards.

Investigate the need to add “Share the Road” and other warning signage to notify

drivers to expect cyclists, farm machinery, animals such as moose and cattle,

snowmobiles and others sharing (or crossing) the roadway.

Ensure that all improvements to the roadway infrastructure are in line with the scenic

character of the Byway to the maximum extent possible, including guardrails and

stormwater drains.

Inventory historic markers along the Byway.

Pavement improvements in Savoy and Cheshire should include edge and centerline

rumble strips.



Explore options to better define parking near Plainfield Pond.

Complete pedestrian improvements in South Deerfield center to make it more

pedestrian friendly and to improve the connection between the Route 5/10/116

commercial corridor and South Deerfield Center.

Complete pedestrian improvements at the intersection of Route 5/10/116 and Elm

Street.

Complete bicycle improvements in South Deerfield center.

Improve the traffic light at the intersection of Route 116 and Sugarloaf Street so that

it is more responsive to bicycles.

Improve the gateways to South Deerfield center.

Complete sidewalk, crosswalk and pedestrian sign improvements at all crosswakls on

Main Street in Ashfield center, as well as any locations where there are not

crosswalks but one is warranted.

Explore the options for implementing traffic calming measures in Ashfield center.

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transportation resources - chapter 6

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