McMahon is assisting the MBTA in its redesign of the Natick Center Commuter Rail Station, focusing on multimodal connectivity and accessibility upgrades. To assess these factors, McMahon completed a multimodal connectivity assessment, examining roadway access to the station, Metrowest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA) bus access and operations, passenger pick-up and drop-off zones, pedestrian facilities, and bicycle safety. McMahon also led traffic data collection and analysis for multimodal user volumes, sight distance, signal warrants, and crash analysis.

 

Based on these efforts, McMahon is preparing design alternatives for Northern Avenue and North Main Street, both of which provide direct access to the station platforms. Central components of the designs included enhanced bus stops and passenger pick-up/drop-off areas to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Massachusetts Architectural Access Board (MAAB) access requirements, increased sidewalk widths providing space for bus stop amenities and pedestrian circulation, and improved bus and vehicular circulation around the station.

 

As part of the transit analysis, McMahon recommended alternate bus stop locations and routing, as well as lengthened and reconfigured bus stops to improve safety and efficiency. Elements under consideration for improved circulation are the conversion of Northern Avenue to one-way to provide a bus-only lane and the signalization of the intersection that serves as a gateway to downtown Natick.