Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The Baystate Roads Program, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the UMass Transportation Center, is offering free three-hour Complete Streets introductory workshops around the state.
The trainings will define “complete streets,” communicate the transportation, public health and environmental benefits, and discuss implementation strategies.
The “complete streets” concept asks local officials, planners and transportation specialists to step back and examine how road design can best serve all users in order to improve municipal transportation networks and make streets more conducive to physical activity.
Typically, road design focuses on getting the most cars moving at the highest possible speed. The “complete streets” concept looks at alternate modes of travel, including non-motorized transport and public transportation, but also aims to improve travel options for residents who are elderly, disabled or unable to drive.
The 2006 MassDOT Highway Project Development and Design Guide established Massachusetts as a national leader in complete streets and will serve as a key design resource. Complete streets can benefit all communities, regardless if they are rural, suburban or urban, according to Baystate Roads.
Baystate Roads will be offering many of the initial three-hour workshops in the coming months, followed by a series of more intensive six-hour workshops created specifically with roadway designers and engineers in mind.
The first workshop was held on Nov. 17.
Upcoming seminars will be held as follows:
• Dec. 12 in Springfield
• Dec. 13 in Lenox
• Dec. 14 in Fitchburg
• Dec. 16 in Falmouth
Communities that are interested in hosting a future complete streets training session, should contact Dan Montagna at dan@baystateroads.org.
For more information or a workshop brochure, visit http://baystateroads.eot.state.ma.us.
• Model Policy for Complete Streets (108K PDF)