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PDDG Chapter 12 - Intermodal Facilities and Rest Areas

Chapter 12 of the MassDOT Project Development and Design Guide
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12.1 Introduction

This chapter describes design considerations for park and ride, transit centers, rest areas, and tourist information centers.

  • Park and ride facilities provide a space for travelers to rest, transfer between vehicles, or switch to a different travel mode. Typically, park and ride facilities feature surface parking for passenger vehicles and bus shelters to accommodate public transportation services.
  • Transit centers serve as major multimodal nodes connecting various regional, express, circulator, and local transportation services with each other and providing vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian access to these services.
  • Rest areas provide a location for travelers to relax and take a break from highway travel and tend to feature comfort stations, some of which offer food and beverage services.
  • Tourist information centers also provide areas for travelers to rest and access information about nearby services and attractions. These centers might be included within rest areas or park and ride facilities or be constructed as separate facilities.

Refer to 521 CMR and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (referred to throughout this chapter as the "2010 ADA Standards") for accessibility requirements. 

12.2 Park and Ride Facilities

Park and ride facilities provide convenient areas for travelers - primarily commuters - to park, carpool, or transfer to public transportation or another travel mode. In tourist-oriented areas, they can also double as rest areas (described in Section 12.4 below) and meeting places for travelers. The following section describes characteristics of successful park and ride facilities and key design considerations.

Success Factors

Key considerations for developing well-used park and ride facilities include:

  • A location on a major highway serving commuters that is convenient to residential areas, bus routes, and/or feeder highways to the major commuting route. 

  • A location upstream of points of congestion along the commuting highway 

  • A location in proximity to good quality transit services (high frequency and speed) and Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) strategic implementations 

  • A location near or within commercial developments such as movie theaters, shopping malls, restaurants, stadiums, and hotels (as well as other public or private developments)  

    • These land uses often have a surplus of parking during the workday (the establishment’s “off-peak” time). This parking could be sufficient to serve the needs of commuters or travelers during the day and patrons of the establishment at night and on weekends.  

  • The presence of retail services near the park and ride facility, ambient lighting, and security 

  • Quality design elements such as effective lot circulation, easy access and egress, ample parking, bicycle accommodation, attractive landscaping, lighting, bus shelters, phones, and security  

  • Proper maintenance of these elements, including debris and vegetation management and snow removal 

Design Considerations

The design of a park and ride facility should consider expected parking demand, parking facility design standards, circulation patterns, and drainage facilities. Key design considerations for park and ride facilities are discussed in the following sections.

  • Site selection:  In addition to the factors that make a park and ride facility attractive for users, the designer needs to consider site terrain, drainage, subgrade soils, and the available space compared to the required lot size. The designer should also consider impacts to any surrounding streams, wetlands, or environmentally sensitive areas, as well as impacts to abutters and compatibility with surrounding land uses. All measures should be taken to avoid historically, culturally, or environmentally sensitive areas or minimize impacts to them if a facility must be located near them.
  • Multimodal access:  The designer should attempt to incorporate park and ride facilities into existing transit, bicycle, and pedestrian systems and should consider expected uses of the facility, including transit access, pedestrian access, bicycle accommodation, vehicular access, and parking layout. Bus loading, passenger drop-off and pick-up, and parking should be separated from each other and clearly marked. For facilities with transit service, dedicated busways should be provided and short-term parking and drop-off/pickup space should be located near the bus loading area.
  • Safe pedestrian and bicycle circulation:  Pedestrian connections, crosswalks and paths must be provided throughout the lot to the transit area and nearby buildings. Within the parking areas, spaces should be aligned 90 degrees to the direction of pedestrian travel ensuring clear routes that maximize visibility. Consideration should be given to providing a separate walking route between parking bays that aligns with a transit center entrance or bus loading area. If bicyclists are expected to commute to the lot, a bicycle area with covered racks or lockers should be provided for long term storage. Bicycle parking should be provided at a rate of 1 space for every 10 to 20 vehicle spaces, depending on location.
  • Site access/egress:  Separate driveway exits and entrances should be provided, preferably on different streets if possible. The entrance driveways should be on the upstream side of the traffic flow nearest the lot, and the exit driveway on the downstream side. It is desirable to provide at least one exit and one entrance for every 500 parking spaces provided. Individual driveways serving a greater number of parking spaces should be reviewed for possible signalization. All exits and entrances should be designed according to the criteria in Chapter 6 (Intersection Design). These criteria include capacity, turning radii, and auxiliary lanes on the intersecting highway or street.
  • Parking:  The number of parking spaces to be provided in a new or expanded park and ride facility should be determined using information generated by the Office of Transportation Planning. The size of the drop-off/pickup area and the number of associated short-term spaces should be determined according to projected demand. Best practice calls for right-angle parking with sufficient aisle width for two-way travel. However, where space is limited, angle parking with one-way travel is acceptable. There are specific requirements for accessible parking spaces for cars and vans, including the number, size, and location of these spaces as well as vertical clearance for van spaces. Refer to 521 CMR and the 2010 ADA Standards for specific parking standards. Where accessible parking is more than 200 feet from a building entrance, an accessible drop-off area must be provided. In addition, refer to the AASHTO Guide for the Design of Park-and-Ride Facilities for guidance in parking layout and recommendations for parking stall dimensions based upon the angle of parking. Consideration should also be given to the need for any parking regulatory signs such as “No Overnight Parking” and for the inclusion of electric vehicle charging spaces.
  • Bus bays and circulation:  Where possible, linear bus bays are preferred, with a separation between bus layover and passenger loading areas. All required turns within the parking lot (e.g., to and from bus loading area and around islands) should be designed to accommodate the applicable vehicle. Refer to Chapter 3 and Chapter 6 of the PDDG and the AASHTO Guide for Park-and-Ride Facilities (linked above) to determine appropriate bay dimensions and turning radii. Adequate level areas adjacent to where buses stop to discharge or pick-up passengers are needed to accommodate an accessible access to buses.
  • Sidewalks and walkways:  It is recommended that any sidewalks be at least 7 feet wide. Loading areas should be at least 12 feet wide. Pedestrian curb ramps are required for access onto sidewalks and loading areas.
  • Grading and drainage:  Where buses will use the park and ride facility, the grade should not exceed 7 percent. A maximum grade of 5 percent is preferred. Grades may be steeper in facilities where only cars will use the lot. Refer to Chapter 8 of the PDDG for guidance on the detailed drainage design of the parking lot. This includes design storm frequency pavement discharge, and capacity of drainage inlets. The drainage design should specifically address potential ponding on pedestrian routes, bicycle routes, or any access roadways or parking areas. Water quality and peak discharge rate attenuation should also be addressed.
  • Signage:  Directional signs, bicycle route markings and signing, and traffic control should be designed in accordance with the MUTCD. Local policies for informational signs should be considered. 
  • Lighting and security: The entire parking lot should be lighted, however care should be taken to prevent spillover into adjacent neighborhoods. The uniformity ratio should not exceed 6:1. The area should be well lit and free of landscaping that can obstruct a user’s view of his/her surroundings. The designer should provide adequate security measures which may include:

    • Video surveillance 

    • Provision of emergency call boxes 

    • Provision of safety information brochures to patrons 

Additionally, co-location of park and ride facilities with active commercial sites or other compatible uses can increase the “eyes on the street” and improve lot security.

  • Landscaping: The designer should include landscaping in the plans for the park and ride facility. If islands are incorporated in the design, these can be convenient locations for trees and other landscaping elements. Safety, lighting, snow removal and landscape maintenance should also be considered in the placement and choice of trees and shrubs.
  • Amenities:  Where a loading area for buses or trains will be provided, a shelter should be included in the design. The size of the shelter should be approximately three to five square feet per person waiting to board. It is desirable to include lighting, benches, trash receptacles and route information in loading areas. Bus shelters must be accessible to people with disabilities. Both 521 CMR and the 2010 ADA Standards have specific requirements for approaching, entering, and using shelters.
  • Solid waste management:  The designer should consider storage needs for trash and recycling at the proposed facility and circulation for collection.

Some of these design considerations can also be applied to the development “joint use” facilities such as at shopping centers although their application will be limited for existing facilities and by the needs of the joint user.

12.3 Transit Centers

Transit centers serve as major multimodal nodes connecting various regional, express, circulator and local services with each other and providing vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian access to these services. Transit centers are designed specifically to facilitate transferring between bus routes and between bus and other modes. They are often located within major activity centers. Transit centers will operate most successfully if good directional and informational signs are in place. Wayfinding  systems should incorporate multi-media information so that people with hearing, sight or mobility limitations can navigate between transportation modes. These ADA accessible routes should coincide with the routes of the general public.

Typically, the design and operation of a transit center is the responsibility of a transit agency. The design guidelines of the transit agency should be followed with respect to layout and design. Design considerations specified earlier for park and ride facilities should also be considered for transit centers. Particular consideration should be given to:

  • Allowances for minimum clearances and turning radii of transit vehicles.

  • Acceleration/deceleration, grade, sight distance issues. 

  • Appropriate roadway and driveway widths. 

  • Allowances for underside road clearance at driveways, speed humps, raised pedestrian paths and railroad crossings.

  • Safety and comfort of people walking and biking to/from and within the transit center, as discussed below. 

All transit centers should comply with the "Transportation Terminals" section of 521 CMR.

Multimodal Safety and Accommodation

The design of a transit center should include safety measures that prevent conflicts between modes while not restricting the ability to easily transfer between modes. This can be achieved by providing separate access driveways for transit, non-transit modes, and pick-up/drop-off, and by providing separate areas for bus loading and unloading and layover.

A continuous sidewalk network and pedestrian circulation pathway should be provided throughout the facility, including connections to park and ride facilities, as applicable. Pedestrian desire lines (the natural pedestrian path) should not be blocked by landscaping or other impediments and sidewalks must include ADA-compliant curb ramps at crossings. 

Maximum visibility of pedestrian crossings across vehicular routes should be provided through pavement markings, medians or varying crossing heights. The Transportation Research Board’s Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual, the 2010 ADA Standards, and 521 CMR regulations should be consulted for procedures in designing pedestrian walkways and waiting areas.

Finally, planning for proper bicycle storage, especially for longer-term or full-day periods, is important to support the needs of travelers and further MassDOT’s multimodal transportation goals. Protected bike racks or lockers should be provided in a secure, visible location that does not interfere with pedestrian and auto traffic.

12.4 Rest Areas

Rest areas are provided for the safety and convenience to the traveling public along freeways and major arterials in Massachusetts. While the need for rest areas is determined on a case-by-case basis, planning for rest areas should consider:

  • Location 

  • Topography 

  • Distance from other rest areas 

  • Distance between interchanges 

  • Availability of water and utilities 

All rest areas should comply with the “Recreational Facility” section of 521 CMR.

Site Selection

Rest area have varying site sizes and amenity levels, ranging from 3 acres to 30 acres within the highway right-of-way. A larger site may accommodate restrooms and restaurants, while a smaller site may function as a roadside park without amenities that require utilities. Where possible, rest areas should be located on both sides of the highway for motorists traveling in either direction. Measures such as advanced signage and median fencing should be considered, and rest areas on opposite sides of the highway should be spaced approximately 0.25 miles apart so that the motorist reaches the rest area in their travel direction prior to seeing the one on the opposite side of the highway. Rest areas in the median of the highway are not recommended because they disrupt mainline flow by requiring left-hand exiting from and entering to the highway.

In addition to new locations, the designer should investigate the use of existing facilities or explore the possibility of co-locating rest areas with other roadside facilities Once the need for a rest area is determined and the location selected, MassDOT should be consulted as to scenic quality of the area, roadway access to the area, and whether the area can sustain the proposed development (based on topography and utility connections). Generally, the rest area should be located away from adjacent residential and industrial land uses but near connections to municipal water and sewer systems. If no municipal water and sewer systems are available, the designer should provide MassDOT with alternate water and sewer plans. Alternatives for locations where utilities are not available include composting toilets, solar or wind power generation, or on-site sewerage treatment/storage/disposal, designed in conformance with local and state regulations.

Design Considerations

Once a site has been selected, the rest area must be designed in detail. Several features need to be considered, including exits and entrances, parking, facilities, utilities, landscaping, safety and handicap access. All rest areas must be designed to properly accommodate people who require mobility aids with curb ramps, handicap and van accessible parking, and rest room features. All buildings must be accessible to all users and meet ADA and AAB requirements.

Additional design considerations include:

  • Exits and entrances:  The rest area junctions should be designed to the standards appropriate for the adjacent highway. These are described in Chapter 7 of the PDDG. At a minimum, entrance and exit ramps should be located approximately 3,000 feet from adjacent highway interchanges. The ramps should be designed to slow traffic from highway speeds to those suitable for the pedestrian environment of the rest area (less than 30 miles per hour).
  • Parking:  The number of parking spaces should be commensurate with the expected usage of the rest area. The usage, in turn, will be a function of the size and type of facility provided (e.g., a large rest area will generate a greater percent stopping than a smaller one). Parking should be provided for at least 50 passenger cars and 40 trucks. Separate parking areas should be provided for passenger vehicles and for trucks and buses. There are specific requirements for accessible parking spaces for cars and vans, including the number, size and location of these spaces as well as vertical clearance for van spaces. Refer to 521 CMR and the 2010 ADA Standards for specific parking standards. Where accessible parking is more than 200 feet from a building entrance, an accessible drop-off area must be provided. Because of the one-way primary operation of rest areas, angle parking is generally recommended. Parking should be prohibited on entrance and exit ramps to the facility to ensure that adequate visibility and horizontal clearance is maintained along these ramps. Consideration should also be given to the need for any parking regulatory signs such as parking time limits.
  • Facilities:  Rest areas often provide a building with restrooms, tourist and public information services, picnic tables and shelters, benches, sidewalks, pet accommodations, drinking fountains, vending machines, and trash receptacles. If facilities are provided, they must comply with 521 CMR and 2010 ADA Standards requirements.
  • Restroom facilities:  Entranceways to restrooms should provide an unobstructed walkway. Elevated planters, walls, shrubs, and bushes should not obscure the approaching patron’s view of his/her surroundings. The area should be well lit. In general, restrooms buildings require approximately 3,000 square feet to accommodate traveler needs. Rest rooms should provide approximately 700 square feet for every eight fixtures provided. Restrooms must comply with 521 CMR and 2010 ADA Standards.
  • Other amenities: Designers should consider including a minimum of one picnic table and minimum of two trash receptacles. Picnic tables should be accessible for a wheelchair user and on an accessible route. Picnic tables and other recreation amenities at rest areas should be located to minimize conflicts between amenity users and entering and exiting traffic.
  • Utilities:  Where permanent sanitary facilities are provided, the designer should consider utility needs including water, sewage disposal, electricity, gas, lighting, and telecommunications. These considerations may dictate the size of the rest area.
  • Landscaping:  The rest area should be landscaped to take advantage of existing natural features and vegetation. Paths, sidewalks and architectural style should fit naturally into the existing surroundings. If extensive regrading is required, architectural mounds or undulations should be considered both for aesthetics and other functions (safety, noise and visual barrier). Designated dog walking areas should be provided away from areas designated for human use such as picnic areas to avoid safety and sanitary issues.

12.5 Tourist Information Centers

Tourist information centers are operated primarily for the purpose of providing information, directions, maps and brochures to the general public. These centers might be included within rest areas or park and ride facilities, or constructed as separate facilities. If constructed separately, they may or may not include restrooms and food and beverage services. In addition to the design guidance in Section 12.4, the following should also be considered:

  • At a minimum, the center must be staffed at least eight hours per day, seven days per week. Seasonal operation is permitted. Proper maintenance of facilities is critical to ensuring a good visitor experience.
  • The center should have parking spaces for at least 10 mid-sized passenger vehicles at least one of which is van accessible.
  • At a minimum, 28 square feet of floor space shall be designated solely for tourist information.
  • Each center should provide an accessible public pay phone and an illuminated, weather protected MassDOT map.
  • Each center should provide wireless internet access.
  • Other operational details as described in MassDOT’s Supplemental Sign Policy.

 

12.6 For Further Information

 

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