HomeMy WebLinkAboutPolicy-Complete-Streets-0307161
BOARD OF SELECTMEN POLICY
COMPLETE STREETS
Date Approved by BOS: Signature of Chair:
March 7, 2016 Joseph N. Pato
Vision and Purpose:
In 2015, Lexington Town Meeting unanimously approved Article 45, which recommended that
the Board of Selectmen make it a priority to develop a town-wide process to improve safety for
pedestrians and cyclists in a unified, efficient and prompt way. In that same year, Town Meeting
also approved unanimously Article 35, which would allow the Town to participate in the State’s
Complete Streets Program. The passage of both Articles represents the Town of Lexington’s
understanding and support for the development and adoption of Complete Streets principles.
Complete Streets are designed and operated to provide safe and accessible accommodations for all
users of Lexington roadways and travel systems. The implementation of Complete Streets
principles contribute toward the safety, health, economic viability, and quality of life in a
community by improving the pedestrian and vehicular environments and providing accessible and
efficient connections between home, school, work, recreation and retail destinations throughout
the community. The purpose of Lexington’s Complete Streets policy, therefore, is to accommodate
all users by creating a transportation network that meets the needs of residents and visitors who
utilize a variety of transportation modes.
It is the intent of the Board of Selectmen to consider, as a matter of practice, the implementation
of Complete Streets elements during the planning and design of capital projects so that they are
safe for users of all ages and abilities. This policy guides decision-makers to consistently plan,
design, and construct capital projects to accommodate all anticipated users. Examples of Complete
Streets approaches can be found in Figure 1.
Complete Streets Scope:
The Town of Lexington recognizes the needs of users of various modes of transportation systems,
including, but not limited to, pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and motorists of varying ages
and physical and cognitive abilities as well as operators of passenger, commercial and emergency
vehicles.
The Town of Lexington views its transportation capital projects, new and/or to be reconstructed,
as potential opportunities to apply Complete Streets design principles. The Town will, to the
maximum extent practical, design, construct, maintain, and operate all streets and other travel
systems to provide for a comprehensive and integrated network of facilities.
2
Complete Streets design recommendations shall be evaluated for all transportation related capital
projects, as appropriate and subject to the availability of funds. All transportation infrastructure
and capital projects requiring funding or approval by the Town, as well as projects funded by the
state and federal government (e.g., Chapter 90 funds, Transportation Improvement Program (TIP),
the MassWorks Infrastructure Program, and other state and federal funds for infrastructure design),
shall consider the Town’s Complete Streets policy. Private developments and related roadway
design components or corresponding roadway-related components, requiring approval by the
Town, shall consider the Town’s Complete Streets principles. In addition, to the extent practical,
the Town will work with MassDOT to comply with the Complete Streets policy on state-owned
roadways within Town boundaries including the design, construction, and maintenance of such
roadways.
Transportation infrastructure may be excluded, based upon the determination of the Town
Engineer in consultation with the Department of Public Works Director, where documentation and
data indicate that:
1. Facilities where specific users are prohibited by law, such as interstate freeways or
private property.
2. Cost or impacts of accommodations is excessively disproportionate to the need, current
use or probable future use.
3. Funding is currently unavailable, recognizing that all infrastructure projects are subject
to the availability of resources. In such cases, efforts will be made to program certain
infrastructure improvements at a future date. Costs associated with the maintenance of
new infrastructure will also be considered as it effects the Town’s future operational
budgets.
Model Practices:
The Board of Selectmen’s Complete Streets policy will focus on developing a connected,
integrated network that serves all users. Complete Streets will be integrated into policies, planning,
and design of all types of public projects and private developments, requiring Town approval,
including new construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of transportation facilities on
roadways, trails and redevelopment projects.
Recognizing that the implementation of a Complete Streets program requires interdepartmental
involvement, this Complete Streets policy will be organization wide and, to the greatest extent
presently possible, be applied to private developers as well as state, regional, and federal agencies.
Complete Streets principles include the development and implementation of projects in a context
sensitive manner in which project implementation is sensitive to the community’s physical,
economic, and social setting. The context-sensitive approach to process and design includes a
range of goals by considering stakeholder and community values on a level plane with the project
need. It includes goals related to livability with greater participation of those affected in order to
gain project consensus. The overall goal of this approach is to preserve and enhance scenic,
aesthetic, historical, and environmental resources while improving or maintaining safety, mobility,
and infrastructure conditions.
3
The Town of Lexington recognizes that Complete Streets may be achieved through multiple
elements incorporated into a particular project or incrementally through a series of smaller
improvements or activities over time.
The latest design guidance, standards, and practices available will be used in the implementation
of Complete Streets including:
• The Massachusetts Department of Transportation Project Design and Development
Guidebook
• The latest edition of the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials
(AASHTO) A Policy on Geometric Design of Highway and Streets
• The United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration’s
Manual on Uniform Traffic Design Controls (2009)
• The Architectural Access Board (AAB) 521CMR Rules and Regulations
• Proposed and any future adopted versions of the United States Access Board’s Public
Right-Of-Way Access Guidelines (PROWAG)
• The latest editions of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)
Urban Street, Bikeway, and Transit Design Guides
• Documents and plans created for the Town of Lexington, such as bicycle and pedestrian
network plans
Lexington’s Complete Streets implementation and effectiveness shall be annually evaluated for
success and opportunities for improvement by the Transportation Safety Group (TSG), a multi-
disciplinary group designated by the Town Manager. The Town will also work towards developing
performance measures to gauge implementation and effectiveness of this policy.
Implementation:
The Town shall apply the principles of Complete Streets design a practice for all transportation
projects and programs, as these provide an opportunity to improve streets and the transportation
network for all users. The TSG will review all capital transportation and related projects for
Complete Streets opportunities.
Town staff, working with relevant Committees and elected officials, shall review and either revise
or develop proposed revisions to all appropriate planning documents (master plans, open space
and recreation plan, etc.), zoning and subdivision codes, laws, procedures, rules, regulations,
guidelines, programs, and templates to integrate Complete Streets principles in all transportation
projects.
To assist in establishing Complete Street priorities, the Town will use existing infrastructure
planning tools including a pavement management plan (covering all streets in town), a pedestrian
facility condition index, a five-year capital plan, Lexington’s Tree Management Manual and
various GIS transit related maps. Further, the Town shall maintain a comprehensive inventory of
pedestrian and bicycle facility infrastructure to assist in prioritizing proposed projects, helping to
eliminate gaps in the Town’s sidewalk and bikeway network.
4
The Town will consider the cost-benefit of capital projects when prioritizing the implementation
of proposed Complete Streets projects.
The Town will inform and train pertinent Town staff and decision-makers on the content of
Complete Streets principles and best practices for implementing policy through workshops and
other appropriate means.
The Town will seek out appropriate sources of funding and grants for implementation of Complete
Streets policies.
5
Fi
g
u
r
e
1
:
E
x
a
m
p
l
e
s
o
f
C
o
m
p
l
e
t
e
S
t
r
e
e
t
s
(E
x
a
m
p
l
e
s
o
f
C
o
m
p
l
e
t
e
S
t
r
e
e
t
s
Fe
a
t
u
r
e
s
P
r
o
v
i
d
e
d
b
y
M
a
s
s
D
O
T
)