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Complete Streets Certification Program: Incentivizing Complete Streets on Local Roads

LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY & IMPLEMENTATION RECOMMENDATIONS NOVEMBER, 2014

Presentation Outline 1. Why the Complete Streets

2.

3.

4.

5.

Certification Program?

Supporters Summary of Legislation Implementation Recommendations Community Illustrations

Presenters

 Maddie Ribble, Massachusetts Public

Health Association  Wendy Landman, WalkBoston  Michelle Ciccolo, Town of Hudson  Julie Kelly, City of Fall River

Why the Complete Streets Certification Program?

1. Incorporate Complete Streets into Local Roadways with an Incentive Approach.

77% of Massachusetts roadways are locally-controlled, and state policies on complete streets do not directly apply to them. This program will provide an incentive for municipalities to incorporate complete streets into these roadways, including an incentive to allocate Chapter 90 funds toward projects that advance complete streets.

Why the Complete Streets Certification Program?

2. Small Awards Can Make a Big Impact.

Relatively small awards to municipalities can make a significant impact on planning, design, and infrastructure.

Planning and design support are critical to communities. For infrastructure, awards could add incrementally to Chapter 90 funds going toward a project in order to better incorporate complete streets, or could specifically support improvements like ramps, curb cuts, crosswalks, or bike lane striping that are relatively inexpensive.

Why the Complete Streets Certification Program?

3. Municipal Leaders Want To Advance Complete Streets.

Many municipal leaders see complete streets as an important contributor to quality of life in their communities, encouraging residents and visitors to shop locally, helping to attract and retain workplaces and employees, and increasing real estate values.

However, all communities are hampered by limited resources to move this priority forward.

Why the Complete Streets Certification Program?

4. Tool to Advance Existing MassDOT Goals.

The program will help MassDOT achieve stated goals related to mode shift, greenhouse gas reduction, and healthy transportation.

5. Continue National Leadership.

The Program will continue MassDOT’s and Massachusetts’ national leadership in supporting healthy and active transportation.

Supported By State and Local Advocates

Supported By Municipal Leaders - 1 John Musante, Town Manager Town of Amherst

Bill Carpenter, Mayor City of Brockton

Lisa Wong, Mayor City of Fitchburg

Ken Goldstein, Chair Mark Hawke, Mayor On behalf of the Board of Selectman City of Gardner Town of Brookline Alex Morse, Mayor David Maher, Mayor City of Holyoke Margot Fleischman, Chair On behalf of the Board of Selectmen City of Cambridge Town of Bedford Philip Lemnios, Town Manager Paul Cohen, Town Manager Town of Hull Judith Booman, Chairman Town of Chelmsford Board of Selectmen Fred P. Lucy, III, Chair Town of Berlin Ann Vandal, Acting Town Manager Board of Selectman Town of Dracut Town of Hudson Mary Pat Flynn, Chairman County Commissioners Barnstable County

Michael Cahill, Mayor City of Beverly Martin J. Walsh, Mayor City of Boston

Carlo DeMaria, Mayor City of Everett William Flanagan, Mayor City of Fall River

Daniel Rivera, Mayor City of Lawrence

Supported By Municipal Leaders - 2 Dean Mazzarella, Mayor City of Leominster

Richard Alcombright, Mayor City of North Adams

Deborah M. Mauger, Chairman David Narkewicz, Mayor On behalf of the Board of Selectmen City of Northampton Town of Lexington Keith Bergman Town Administrator Town of Littleton Kevin Murphy, City Manager City of Lowell Gary Christenson, Mayor City of Malden Robert Dolan, Mayor City of Melrose Ira Singer, Town Administrator Town of Middleton

John Lebeaux Town Administrator Town of Princeton Thomas Koch, Mayor City of Quincy Daniel Rizzo, Mayor City of Revere

Kimberley Driscoll, Mayor City of Salem Joseph Curtatone, Mayor City of Somerville

Domenic Sarno, Mayor City of Springfield Jodi Ross, Town Manager Town of Westford Susan Kay, Mayor Town of Weymouth Morris Bergman City Councilor Anthony Economou City Councilor City of Worcester

Summary of Legislation

Authority: 2014 Transportation Bond Bill Chapter 79 of the Acts of 2014  Section 2A, line item 6121-1318 – $50 million

funding authorization  Section 9 – Creation of “Complete Streets Certification Program” as Mass General Laws, Chapter 90I

Funding Authorization 6121-1318 For the complete streets certification program established pursuant to chapter 90I of the General Laws to be disbursed in the form of grants to certified cities and towns for infrastructure and planning; provided, that not less than 33 per cent of the grants awarded shall be issued to cities and towns with a median household income below the average of the commonwealth $50,000,000

Chapter 90I – Complete Streets Program “The department shall establish a complete streets certification program to encourage municipalities to regularly and routinely include complete streets design elements and infrastructure on locally-funded roads.”

“Complete streets” defined as streets that provide accommodations for users of all transportation modes including, but not limited to, walking, cycling, public transportation, automobiles and freight.

Requirements for a Community to be Certified  Local Policy. Adopt a complete streets policy – may be a by-law,

ordinance or administrative policy.

 Baseline Inventory. Coordinate with MassDOT to confirm

baseline inventory of pedestrian and bicycle accommodations in order to identify priority projects.

 Procedures to Incorporate into Routine Road Work.

Develop procedures to follow when conducting municipal road repairs, upgrades or expansion projects in order to incorporate complete streets elements.

 Review Process for Private Development. Establish a review

process for private development proposals in order to incorporate complete streets.

 Mode Share Goal. Set a 5-year municipal mode shift goal.  Initial application and annual progress reports.

Advisory Committee  12 Persons to be appointed by Governor

 3 from different RPAs; 2 from Gateway Communities  1 each from  Metropolitan Area Planning Council  Department of Public Health  Mass Municipal Association  MassBike  WalkBoston  LivableStreets  Mass Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives  MassDOT has signaled intent to use existing bodies

to serve this purpose

Other ď‚— Legislative body of municipality must take vote to accept

provisions of the program.

ď‚— MassDOT shall adopt rules, regulations or guidelines for

the administration and enforcement of this section including, but not limited to establishing applicant selection criteria, funding priority, application forms and procedures, grant distribution and other requirements.

ď‚— MassDOT must file a legislative report annually by April

1st.

Implementation Recommendations

Programmatic Recommendations

ď‚— The five criteria outlined in the legislation are broad ď‚— Guidance on how municipalities can meet each

criteria should recognize the myriad community types in the state and provide the ability for all 351 cities and towns to be eligible for this program

Programmatic Recommendations  Criterion 1: The Complete Streets Policy 

Resolution, policy, by-law or ordinance adopted by the local legislative body

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Expresses the municipality’s commitment to implementation while also providing for clear and accountable exceptions



The final guidelines should be flexible enough to allow cities and towns already doing good work but without a policy to easily become eligible 

e.g. Cambridge’s Vehicle Trip Reduction and Parking Demand Management ordinances, when taken together, could meet the necessary requirements

Programmatic Recommendations  Criterion 2: Coordination with MassDOT 

Intended to coordinate efforts ongoing at the state level to identify all bicycle and pedestrian facilities in all municipalities

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Cities and towns have the local knowledge of what is already in place and what missing connections are important to address

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This coordination should include at least one in-person meeting and continued correspondence to ensure all parties are working toward the same goals and not at cross purposes

Programmatic Recommendations  Criterion 3: Incorporation of Policy in Routine Road

Work 

Critical for the continued success of this program



Municipalities should identify all appropriate times for Complete Streets to be considered part of a project including but not limited to: Full reconstruction  New construction  Resurfacing  Striping  Utility work  Routine maintenance work 

Programmatic Recommendations ď‚— Criterion 4: Review Process for Private Development ď‚Ą

Important to not create new gaps in the network if large private developments come into a municipality

ď‚Ą

Existing regulations (e.g. site plan review or subdivision regulations) may provide the necessary opportunity to ensure private developments align with the Complete Streets policy and include the necessary infrastructure elements

Programmatic Recommendations  Criterion 5: Municipal Mode Share Goal 

Meant to complement MassDOT’s mode shift goal, but never intended to capture all trips taken by every resident



Municipalities could identify key intersections or corridors at which they will implement Complete Streets and collect data before and after the intervention



Measurable data and statistics are important, but collecting that data should not be so onerous that smaller municipalities cannot meet this criterion

Programmatic Recommendations  Funding Structure and Uses 

The goal of this program was always to have funding be made available for both planning work and actual construction

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Even if fully funded, the program would not have enough money available to implement Complete Streets fully

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The funding is meant to leverage local spending and supplement it when possible

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33% of the funding must be awarded to municipalities with a median household income below the Commonwealth’s average, but that should not be considered the upper limit for funding directed to those municipalities

Community Illustrations

New Crosswalk in front of Cottell Height on Pleasant Street, Fall River

Municipalities Are Ready  Littleton, Plymouth, Everett, Salem and many others have

passed Complete Streets policies.  Holyoke is on track for its City Council to vote on a Complete

Streets ordinance.  Worcester’s DPW is working to draft a policy.  Fitchburg’s DPW has adopted a Complete Streets Resolution

Administrative policy.  Springfield and Fall River have completed

Complete Streets plans, but need funding for design and implementation.

Municipalities Are Ready  Springfield is putting the finishing touches on a city-wide

Complete Streets/Walking and Bicycling Plan but needs funding for design and implementation.  Lawrence recently completed the Spicket River Greenway and

will begin work on an urban rail trail.  New Bedford has been working to update its street network to accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians, including updated crossings and restriping, but it has limited funding available for this work.  Quincy has undertaken numerous planning efforts and exercises but does not have the funding available to begin implementing its vision.

Tucker Street/Stafford Road, Fall River

New Crosswalks on Alden Street, Fall River

New Crosswalks on Pleasant Street/ Quarry Street, Fall River

Resources  National Complete Streets Coalition  www.smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets  Policy Atlas: www.smartgrowthamerica.org/completestreets/changing-policy/complete-streets-atlas  American Planning Association  www.planning.org/research/streets/  US Department of Transportation  www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/guidance /design_guidance/design_nonmotor/highway/index.cfm  Metropolitan Area Planning Council  www.mapc.org/sites/default/files/MAPC%20Complete%20Str eets%20summary.pdf

Thank you!  Maddie Ribble, Massachusetts Public Health Association 

mribble@mphaweb.org, 857-263-7072, x111

 Nick Downing, Metropolitan Area Planning Council 

ndowning@mapc.org, 617-451-2770, x711

 Wendy Landman, WalkBoston 

wlandman@walkboston.org, 617-367-9285

 Michelle Ciccolo, Town of Hudson 

mciccolo@townofhudson.org, 978-562-2989

 Julianne Kelly, Mass in Motion, City of Fall River 

jkelly@fallriverma.org, 508-324-2405