2011 CMMPO Regional Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan
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2011 CEN TRAL MASSACHUSETTS REGIONAL BICYCLE AND PED ESTRIAN PLANA 2 Washington Square – Union Station Worcester, MA 01604 www.cmrpc.org Table of Contents Introduction . 3 Chapter 1 – Policy Framework . 5 Chapter 2 – Benefits of and Impediments to Bicycling and Walking . 13 Chapter 3 – Current Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure Network . 17 A. On-Road Accommodations . 17 B. Long Distance Bikeways/Trails/Shared-Use Paths . 22 C. Connections with Transit . 38 Chapter 4 – Community Initiatives . 41 Chapter 5 – Regional Strategies and Recommendations . 45 A. Strategies and Recommendations. 45 B. Policies and Programs . 48 C. Regional Multi-Community Projects . 51 Chapter 6 – Funding . 53 1 This page intentionally left blank. 2 Introduction Since the passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991, federal, state, regional and many local governments have realized the potential that pedestrian and bicycle improvements have for relieving traffic congestion, promoting economic development and improving air quality. Since then, federal funding for pedestrian and bicycle projects has increased substantially and has continued with the passage of ISTEA’s successor bills: the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) in 1998 and the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA- LU) in 2005. Over the last five years, Massachusetts has made significant efforts to improve the visibility and inclusion of pedestrian and bicycling planning and infrastructure in transportation improvement projects. In 2006, the Massachusetts Highway Department (now part of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation [MassDOT]) developed its Project Development and Design Guidebook. This Guidebook replaced the previous Highway Design Manual and placed a greater emphasis on context-sensitive design for Massachusetts roadways and identified pedestrians and bicyclists as equal users of roadways as vehicles. Similarly, the Executive Office of Transportation (also now part of MassDOT) released the updated Massachusetts Bicycle Transportation Plan in October 2008 which provided a newly prioritized statewide vision for on- and off-road bicycling improvements. MassDOT is currently in the process of developing an updated Massachusetts Pedestrian Transportation Plan to coincide with the Massachusetts Bicycle Transportation Plan. In addition to statewide efforts, the Central Massachusetts Metropolitan Planning Organization (CMMPO) has recognized the importance of pedestrian and bicycle planning. In 2007, the CMMPO developed its Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) which envisions transportation infrastructure improvements extending out to the year 2030. Within the RTP, the CMMPO identified existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities, as well as a vision for how pedestrian and bicycle improvements would help relieve traffic congestion and improve air quality within the CMMPO region. Similarly, momentum for improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure has increased, both statewide and regionally. In an effort to maintain that momentum, this Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is envisioned to be a “living” document that continues to develop under a dynamic planning process. This plan gives a regional perspective of walking and bicycling activities along with their associated facilities within the region. The goal of the plan is to: (1) inventory existing facilities; (2) identify physical and other impediments to walking and bicycling in the region; and (3) develop strategies to increase the use of walking and bicycling modes as transportation options in the region. Further, the plan provides a clearer understanding of the value of walking and bicycling in the transportation planning process and how the provision of facilities and infrastructure for these modes is important in helping to create healthy and livable communities. It is the intent of the CMMPO to evaluate its past and present efforts and offer direction and recommendations for the future development or improvement of pedestrian and bicycle facilities within individual communities and the region as a whole. 3 This page intentionally left blank. 4 Chapter 1 – Policy Framework 2007 CMMPO Reegional Transportation Plan The 2007 Regional Transportation Plan of the CMMPO is guided in part by the following two goals and objectives that address siix of the eight “areas of concern” under SAFETEA-LU (economic vitality, accessibility/mobility, environmental/quality of life, energy conservation, integration and connectivity of modes, efficient system management). They demonstrate the MPO’s strong suppport for bicycling and pedestrian modes: Promote livable communities and improved air quality through context sensitive design and reduced traffic congestion o Improve and encourage the use of public transit, riddesharing services, and pedestrian and bicycle facilities so as to achieve a reduction in the percentage of commuter trips utilizing single-occupant vehicles (SOVs), as measured in the 2000 U.S. Census Journey-to-Work data. Develop an alternative, creative transportation system that integrates multiple traavel modes and includes the use of technology o Monitor the connectivity of the physical regional infrastructure within and across the regional planning boundary so that it can be better incorporated in the prioritization and selection of transpportation improvement projects. In keeping with changes in federal and state transportation policy to accommodate more bicycling and walking projects and facilities in urban and suburban areas, the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee has been created. The Advisory Committee is composed of various stakeholders in the region such as local citizens, health advocates, MassDOT representatives, environmental/ conservation groups, and local DPW staff. The Advisory Committee’s mission is to assist in the development of goals and strategies for regional policy and to advise the CMMPO where to prioritize construction or improvement of bicycle and peedestrian facilities in the region. Massachusetts Staatewide Bicycle Plan The comprehensive Massachusetts State Bicycle Plan was updated in 2008 by the Executive Office of Transportation (noww MassDOT) with input from the Massachusetts Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board (MABPAB). This Plan reflects what was identified in the State’s 2006 Long-Range Transportation Plan regarding pedestrian and bicycle facilities, as well as the design and procedures laid out in the Project Development and Design Guidebook. The intent of the Plan is to promote multi-modality, economic vitality, and environmental preservation. 5 The Plan continues to advance bicycle transportation in Massachusetts by: Providing a complete and current inventory of available and eexisting on‐road and off‐road facilities (shared use paths), projects in the pipeliine, and long‐term facility proposals Recommending a 740‐mile, seven‐corridor Bay State Greenway (BSG) network consisting of on‐road and off‐road facilities bounnd by a single identity and including on‐ road routes that parallel shared use paths Providing an implementation strategy aimed at launching the BSG initially as mostly an on‐road system, geared to both utilitarian and reccreational travel, and complemented by a long‐term investment strategy Recommending other programmatic enhancements and interagency initiatives Other recommendations in the Plan include: Better identification of state roads and bridges where bicycles are legally permitted but not accommodated today Use of federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funds and other sources to expand ancillary bicycle programs such as “Share the Road” signs, bicycle parking facilities, and regional and local bicycle planning Development of bicycle tourist publications through the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) Improving safety through education and enforcement initiatives and facility performance measurement Further quantification of the benefits of investments in projects and programs that improve bicycling conditions The establishment of the BSG is motivated by a number of factors, including the Commonwealth’s inherently bicycle‐friendly nature, the need for more bicycle routes and more coordinated information on them, projected economic benefits, and the ability to implement the BSG incrementally. Within the CMMPO region, the Blackstone River Greenway and the Mass Central Rail Trail are two multi-community bicycle corridor projects that are envisioned to be incorporated into the statewide BSG system. Massachusetts Staatewide Pedestrian Plan The comprehensive Massachusetts Pedestrian Transportation Plan, created in 1998, is the current plan for the Commonwealth. An updated statewide pedestrian pplan is currently being developed byy MassDOT with input from the MABPAB and is expected to be completed in 2011. The 1998 Plan included recommendations aimed at developing a more pedestrian-focused statewide transportation system through govvernment and private sector actions. The intended result is a safe, convenient, continuous, coherent and comfortable walking network. Strategies include physical improvements appropriate to thhe setting, local and statewide 6 encouragement and education programs, increased adherence to laws, and improvements in the process that sets policy and plan facilities. Massachusetts is already a walking state. Approximately 10.4 percent of all Massachusetts