Complete Streets Act (Massachusetts)

Complete Streets Act (Massachusetts)
Name	Complete Streets Act (Massachusetts)
Enacted	2016
Jurisdiction	Massachusetts
Status	active

Complete Streets Act (Massachusetts) The Complete Streets Act (Massachusetts) is a 2016 statute enacted by the Massachusetts General Court and signed by Charlie Baker that directs state transportation policy to plan, design, construct, and operate roadways to safely accommodate all users including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and motorists. The law interacts with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, municipal boards such as Boston Transportation Department, regional planning agencies like the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, and federal programs administered by the United States Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration. The Act builds on precedents from the Complete Streets movement, earlier state policies in New Jersey, California, and model guidance from the National Complete Streets Coalition.

Background and legislative history

The Act emerged from advocacy by nonprofit organizations including the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition, the WalkBoston advocacy group, and the AARP Massachusetts chapter, alongside stakeholders from the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies and labor representatives who lobbied the Massachusetts Legislature. Legislative sponsors such as Representative Michelle DuBois and Senator Daniel Wolf introduced bills that drew on prior statutes like the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards and incorporated influences from municipal ordinances in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Somerville, Massachusetts, and Brookline, Massachusetts. Hearings before joint committees featuring testimony from the Executive Office of Transportation and Public Works and municipal engineers shaped amendments prior to enactment by the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Massachusetts Senate.

Key provisions and definitions

The statute requires that road projects funded or undertaken by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation conform to a "Complete Streets" policy ensuring safe access for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and people with disabilities in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act provisions and design standards from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It defines "complete streets" elements to include sidewalks, bike lanes, transit facilities, accessible curb ramps, and safe crossings influenced by guidance from the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the National Association of City Transportation Officials, and the Federal Transit Administration. The law mandates that state agencies and municipalities prepare and adopt policies consistent with the Act, and establishes roles for municipal officials such as planning boards, city councils, and public works departments in project approval processes.

Implementation and regulations

Implementation responsibilities fall to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs which issue regulatory guidance, design manuals, and implementation schedules analogous to documents published by the Federal Highway Administration. Municipalities coordinate through regional planning agencies like the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission and technical assistance providers such as the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia's technical models adapted by local consultants. The Act led to revisions of the Massachusetts Highway Design Manual and incorporation of multimodal design standards referenced by agencies including the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and municipal departments like the Boston Planning & Development Agency. Interagency memoranda and implementation toolkits align processes among grant administrators, state engineers, and municipal planners.

Funding and grant programs

Funding mechanisms supporting the Act include allocations from the Massachusetts Transportation Trust Fund, capital investment from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's project pipeline, and competitive grants administered by state programs modeled on Transportation Alternatives Program and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program grants from the United States Department of Transportation. Supplementary financing has come from philanthropic entities such as the Barr Foundation and federal discretionary grants like the BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) Grant. Municipalities often leverage local bond measures, state-administered Municipal Small Bridge programs, and partnerships with transit agencies including the MBTA to finance sidewalks, bike facilities, and intersection improvements.

Impact and outcomes

Post-enactment outcomes documented by studies from institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Tufts University research centers indicate increases in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects in municipalities including Worcester, Massachusetts, Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Lowell, Massachusetts. Reported benefits cited in municipal performance reports include improvements in pedestrian safety measured against data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and crash statistics compiled by the Registry of Motor Vehicles. The Act has influenced planning efforts undertaken by regional entities like the Cape Cod Commission and spurred integration of multimodal elements into corridor projects managed by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the Massachusetts Port Authority.

Criticism and legal challenges

Critics including some municipal public works departments, trade associations such as the Associated General Contractors of America, and fiscal conservatives have argued that the Act increases project costs, complicates design standards, and shifts priorities from vehicular mobility to multimodal accommodations. Legal disputes raised issues under municipal home rule statutes and contested grant conditions in challenges brought before state courts and administrative hearings involving the Massachusetts Land Court and the Operational Services Division. Opponents referenced conflicts with utility providers and emergency services including the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency when evaluating lane reductions and curb modifications. Defenders of the law, including WalkBoston and the National Complete Streets Coalition, counter that long-term public-health and safety benefits justify upfront investments.

Category:Massachusetts law Category:Transportation in Massachusetts Category:2016 in Massachusetts