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ROWLEY — The Rowley Farms 40B, a proposed affordable housing development off Route 133, is expected to generate 1,900 vehicle trips per day, according to the project’s traffic engineer.
In traffic studies, each vehicle entering or exiting the site counts as one trip.
Keri Pyke, an engineer with Howard Stein Hudson, presented the information and other findings from the traffic impact study at a Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) meeting last Wednesday.
It was the first in a series of hearings on the project, which the board must act on in July.
‘This is a fairytale’
The development team said the projected traffic increase would not significantly affect surrounding roads, as it represents a “small percentage of existing traffic volume” in the area.
They also said the proposal does not meet federal thresholds for a traffic light at the site entrance on Silva Lane.
The study projected traffic patterns in 2032 at five intersections around the site using census data, Massachusetts Department of Transportation figures, and the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ trip generation manual.
“We’ve … generally found that there’s not a whole lot of change,” Pyke said.
The study does not account for the broader Rowley Farms master plan, which includes commercial development and 3A housing.
“I think these traffic studies were done well, but it doesn’t mean anything because you’re not considering the rest of the development numbers, so this is a fairytale,” Planning Board member David Jaquith said.
Attorney Bob Buckley said estimating traffic for the full master plan would be “purely speculative” at this stage, but the team will provide updates as plans evolve.
Anticipated impacts
Engineers predicted the 40B will create 153 trips during the morning peak hour between 7:15 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., and 164 trips during the night peak hour between 4:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
They also predicted 40% of trips will head west toward I-95, and 60% will go east to the intersection of Route 133 and Route 1.
That intersection is likely to see the largest impact, but Pyke said it is still relatively small.
Currently, average wait times there are 32 seconds during the morning peak and 30.1 seconds at night.
Those delays are expected to increase even without the 40B due to anticipated growth. The 40B, however, would add another 9.3 seconds in the morning and 4.6 seconds at night, bringing total delays to 48.2 seconds and 39.4 seconds, respectively.
A few turns through the intersection will see more noticeable increases. For instance, vehicles heading north on Route 1 and turning left will see a roughly one-minute delay in the morning without the 40B, but with the 40B, the delay will double to about two minutes.
ZBA member Jake Carmody called the delay “substantial.”
Pyke acknowledged the increase but said the overall delay at the intersection is not expected to worsen.
“Maybe one movement is getting a little worse but, generally speaking, the impacts are small,” she said.
The development team is proposing to lengthen the left-turn lane for drivers heading eastbound on Route 133 by 150 feet. The existing lane is short, Pyke said, and drivers often cross the double yellow line to access it. Extending it would allow about six additional cars to queue.
“This isn’t necessarily an improvement that’s going to help with the traffic operations, but it is going to help with the safety,” Pyke said.
Concerns
Rowley Water Chair Bernie Cullen raised concerns about water supply, saying the town cannot support another development beyond this one in the next five to 10 years.
“We cannot support another development of this size … until we get our Well No. 2 back and redeveloped to basically double its capacity,” Cullen said.
ZBA Chair Karla Chaffee also noted that the proposal exceeds what she believes the town is obligated to approve under state affordable housing regulations — about 144 units. She sent a letter to both the state and applicant raising the issue.
“I see anything above that 144 units as really being a bonus, so we’ll be looking for justification of why we should be approving that,” Chaffee said.
Consultant and peer review
The ZBA received a state grant to hire technical assistance for the project review. Joe Peznola of Hancock Associates will fill the role, helping the board navigate the comprehensive permit process, which consolidates multiple local reviews into one approval.
The board also voted to hire CEC as its peer reviewer for the project.
