Wednesday, May 16, 2012
DISTRICT 3
Central Massachusetts Regional
Planning Commission
•
Planning expertise for Worcester & 39
surrounding communities
•
Land Use, Transportation & GIS
services
•
Transportation Services:
Traffic data collection & analysis,
traffic & corridor studies, WRTA
planning assistance, and more
•
Staff to CMMPO
What is a Metropolitan Planning
Organization?
•
Federally mandated in 1970s for transportation
planning in major U.S. metro areas
•
Consortium of:
• governmental bodies
• transit authorities
• planning agencies
• local officials
•
Over 300 in U.S./10 in Mass.
•
MPO regions receive federal funding and
provide planning for transportation projects
Central Massachusetts Metropolitan
Planning Organization
Selectman - Northwest
Selectman - Northeast
Selectman - West
Worcester City Manager
Selectman - Southwest
Selectman - Southeast
GreenDOT Initiatives
Three Primary Goals:
1. Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions
2. Promote the healthy
transportation options of walking,
bicycling, and public transit
3. Support smart growth
development.
Incorporation into ongoing work
noted below
RTP/TIP projects – measuring
GHG impacts
Bicycle and Pedestrian Initiatives
CMRPC conducts bicycle
and pedestrian
planning/activities under
the following categories:
• Livability and Climate
Change
• Safety
• Coordination with transit
Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Task
Force
•Local body comprised of
various members
•Developed Regional
Bicycle and Pedestrian
Plan for CMRPC region
•Now moving into
implementation/advocacy
phase of plan.
Livability and Climate Change
Alternative Mode Promotion
• Bike & Walk Efforts –
• Walkable Community Workshops;
• Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan – downtown
windshield survey;
• Walkability strategy for short trips;
• WalkBike Worcester; education of local
decision-makers
• Mass in Motion healthy communities
initiative; aim at policy makers;
• Trail counts – started in FY’11; counts
will be expanded in FY’12
• Common Pathways – Improvement of
snow removal on walkways
Livability and Climate Change
Alternative Mode Promotion
• Supporting & promoting opportunities
for intermodal coordination
• Developing coordinated BostonWorcester schedule
• Bike connections – bike racks on
buses; BV bikeway to Union Station;
bike parking at Union Station
• Wayfinding & coordinated information
plan for Union Station;
• Access Management Toolkit – tools for
community officials
Safety Planning Efforts
2005-2006 crash report
• Top 5% multimodal crash locations
• Top 3 crash locations for each town
Ped/Bike crash locations alongside transit
stops
FY 2011 - RSA for locations apart from HSIP
eligible locations
FY 2012 - RSA for one auto, one ped and one
bike location
Aid MassDOT in their efforts for “Systematic
Approaches to Low Cost Safety Enhancements
at Stop-controlled intersections”
Coordination with Transit
In Operation now
• Bicycle racks on buses
• Bicycle racks at Union
Station
• Bus stop and shelter
inventory and inspections
In construction
• New WRTA Hub facility and
Blackstone River Greenway
endpoint
It’s All About Partnerships!
Statewide Partners
Intraregional Partners (cont.)
• MassDOT
• Department of Environmental Protection
• MARPA/MARTA
• Central Massachusetts Area Agency on Aging
• Mass APA Board Member
• Regional Environmental Council
Interregional Partners
Local Partners
• RI/CT
• Local groups including Mass in Motion, Food &
Active Living Policy Council, WalkBike
Worcester, Worcester Community Action
Council, City Manager’s Office on Disabilities,
and Lutheran Social Services
• MAPC/CTPS
• MRPC
• 495 Metrowest Partnership
Intraregional Partners
• Local officials on TIP process; Corridor
Profiles; Roadway Safety Audits, Pavement
Management
• WRTA
• CMMPO Advisory Committee
• Common Pathways
• Freight providers
• John H Chaffee Blackstone River Valley
National Heritage Corridor Commission
• Intercity transit operators
• MWRTA
• Wachusett Greenways
• Department of Conservation & Recreation
MassDOT District 3
• Arthur Frost, District Project
Development Engineer
• Rick Handfield, District Bicycle
and Pedestrian Coordinator
• Covering 77 Cities and Town in
Central Massachusetts
District 3
Region
Map
Project Review Process
When and where Pedestrian and Bicycle Accommodations
are considered
•Project Development
•Initial discussion with project proponent(s)
•Project Need Form (PNF), Project Initiation Form (PIF), and
Bridge Scoping.
•Project approval
•Design Exception Report (DER)
•Throughout Design the project is reviewed by
 Project
Reviewer
 Bike/Ped Coordinator
 ADA Coordinator
 Along with other sections
Highlighted Projects
• Natick/Wellesley – Intersection Improvements on
Route 9
• Auburn/Oxford – Route 12/20 corridor and
intersections
• Acton/Maynard – Assabet River Rail Trail
• Shrewsbury/Worcester – Kenneth F. Burns Bridge
(Route 9)
• Medway – Route 109
• Worcester – Quinsigamond Village Bikeway
• Framingham – Route 126 (Concord Street)
• Northbridge – Sutton Street
Natick/Wellesley – Intersection
Improvements on Route 9
Auburn/Oxford – Route 12/20
Acton/Maynard – Assabet River Rail Trail
Source: http://www.arrtinc.org/google_map5.asp
Shrewsbury/Worcester – Burns Bridge (Rte. 9)
Medway – Route 109
Worcester – Quinsigamond Village Bikeway
Framingham – Route 126 (Concord Street)
Northbridge – Sutton Street
Questions and
Discussion