MASSACHUSETTS TRANSPORTATION STUDIES
Transportation studies are an important component of virtually every major transportation project in the
Commonwealth. Often, these studies are part of the standard planning, design, and environmental
processes required to advance these projects. Many Massachusetts transportation agencies conduct these
studies, including the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority, the Massachusetts Port Authority, and Metropolitan Planning Organizations.
These studies can cover many different modes of travel, and their extent can range from as large as state
or nationwide, to regional corridors, to as small as a village center or single roadway intersection. The
following discussion illustrates the benefits and advantages of performing transportation studies:
Studies Offer a Standard Approach for Examining Issues and Developing Solutions
In general, transportation studies examine a set of issues by evaluating current and future conditions.
Criteria for evaluation commonly include: mobility, safety, environmental impacts, economic/business
considerations, neighborhood impacts, land use, and cost. Then alternatives are developed, analyzed, and
evaluated with stakeholders, which lead to recommendations. This standard approach helps to ensure
that full, thoughtful, and participatory consideration is given to transportation issues before federal, state,
or local resources are committed. This applies not only to potential highway projects but to transit
projects and other multi-modal and transportation enhancement efforts as well.
The Public Becomes Part of the Process
Public Participation is a key part of transportation studies, and this participation is vital to the success of
any transportation project. This is in keeping with the principle of basing decisions on an objective,
transparent, and inclusive planning process.
A major portion of any study’s time and resources is devoted to the public participation process.
Transportation studies typically include a variety of stakeholders – including federal, state, regional and
local representation through study committees and task forces. This approach often achieves general
agreement that recommended improvements are reasonable and meet the goals of a study. This creates a
broader level of support for study recommendations.
This high level of public involvement takes time. Of course, other approaches with less public
participation might be more expedient. For example, it would be faster and easier for a traffic engineer
to just design roadway upgrades that improve mobility and safety, rather than conduct a study. But
consideration of environmental, community, and land-use impacts must be included, as it helps to avoid
impacts such as the destruction of wetlands and the disruption of neighborhoods.
Studies Promote Context Sensitive Design
Studies help planners and engineers incorporate community concerns into the design of transportation
facilities while addressing needed improvements. The principles of Context Sensitive Design reflect a
variety of frequent community concerns when considering many types of transportation improvements.
This is a departure from the former “cookie cutter” approach to highway design, which sometimes
damaged natural resources, spoiled neighborhood character, and left other negative impacts on
communities in Massachusetts and throughout the country.
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MASSACHUSETTS TRANSPORTATION STUDIES (continued)
Context Sensitive Design is a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that involves all stakeholders to
improve or develop a transportation facility that fits its physical setting and preserves scenic, aesthetic,
historic and environmental resources, while maintaining safety and mobility for all users. As the first
step in the process, transportation studies help meet the Commonwealth’s goal of incorporating Context
Sensitive Design throughout the project development, design, and construction phases.
Transportation Studies are Cost Effective
Prudent investments in appropriate studies when transportation issues are initially identified can result in
major cost savings down the line. Transportation issues and problems are often in the eye of the
beholder, as stakeholders often have differing perceptions regarding the extent and severity of a problem.
Transportation studies attempt to clearly define a real or potential problem for all parties involved, which
aids in the development of appropriate solutions. With the collaborative public participation process,
more stakeholders ultimately support study recommendations. This helps to lessen public opposition
(and potential litigation) to transportation projects. Furthermore, transportation studies are often required
as a condition of federal funding, so adherence to federal regulations and guidelines – by conducting
studies – makes available more funding opportunities to the Commonwealth.
Ultimately, more widespread support – fostered by a transportation study – for any project will decrease
implementation delays and therefore costs. Study results also provide valuable input into the project
prioritization process. When transportation projects are developed from the recommendations of
transportation studies, scare resources are spent where they are most needed, further promoting a cost
effective approach to transportation financing.
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