[HISTORY: Adopted by the Selectboard of the Town of South
Hadley 6-30-2016. Amendments noted
where applicable.]
A.
Complete streets are designed and operated to provide safety and
accessibility for all the users of Town roadways, trails and transit
systems, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, motorists,
commercial vehicles, and emergency vehicles, and for people of all
ages and abilities. Complete streets principles contribute toward
the safety, health, economic viability, equity and quality of life
in a community by providing accessible and efficient connections between
home, schools, work, recreation, and retail destinations by improving
the pedestrian and vehicular improvements through the community.
B.
The purpose of South Hadley's complete streets policy is to
provide accommodations for all road users by creating a road network
that meets the needs of individuals utilizing a full range of transportation
modes. To the best extent possible, the Town of South Hadley will
ensure that all plans, designs, operations and maintenance of streets
safely accommodate all users of all ages and abilities. This policy
directs decision makers to consistently plan, design, construct, and
maintain streets for the accommodation of all anticipated users, including,
but not limited to, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, emergency
vehicles, transit, freight, and commercial vehicles, in a context-sensitive
manner.
C.
This policy shall apply to all municipal, state, and federal (when
allowed by law) roadway repairs, upgrades, and expansion projects
within the public right-of-way and private developments requiring
approval from the Town. Procedures will be developed to ensure complete
street elements are incorporated into these activities.
A.
The Town of South Hadley recognizes that all users of all modes,
including, but not limited to, pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users,
school bus riders, motorcyclists, motorists, delivery and service
personnel, freight haulers, and emergency responders, are legitimate
users of streets and deserve safe facilities. "All users" includes
users of all ages and abilities, including those with disabilities.
B.
The Town of South Hadley recognizes that all projects (new, maintenance,
or reconstruction) are opportunities to implement complete streets
design principles. The Town will, to the maximum extent possible,
design, construct, maintain, and operate all streets to provide for
a comprehensive and integrated street network of facilities for people
of all ages and abilities.
C.
Complete streets design recommendations shall be incorporated into
all publicly and privately funded projects, as appropriate. All transportation
infrastructure and street design projects requiring funding or approval
from the Town of South Hadley, as well as projects funded by the state
or federal government, such as Chapter 90 funds, city improvement
grants, Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), MassWorks Infrastructure
Program, Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), Capital Funding,
and other state and federal funds for street and infrastructure design,
shall adhere to the Town of South Hadley's Complete Streets Policy.
Private developers and related street design components or corresponding
street-related components, including new subdivisions, shall adhere
to the Complete Streets Policy for the Town of South Hadley. In addition,
to the extent practical, state-owned roadways will comply with the
complete streets resolution, including the design, construction, and
maintenance of such roadways with the Town boundaries.
Exceptions to the policy are only allowed upon approval of the
Town Administrator based on recommendations by the Police Chief, Town
Planner and DPW Superintendent, or other relevant departments or authority:
A.
Facilities where specific users are prohibited by law, such as interstate
freeways or pedestrian malls. An effort will be made in these cases
for accommodations elsewhere.
B.
Where cost of accommodation is excessively disproportionate to the
need or probable use or probable future use.
C.
The existing public right-of-way or adjacent land is constrained
in a manner that inhibits the addition of transit, bicycle, or pedestrian
improvements. In this case, the Town shall consider alternatives such
as lane reduction, lane narrowing, on-street parking relocation, shoulders,
signage, traffic calming, or enforcement.
D.
Where such facilities would constitute a threat to public safety
or health.
E.
Where construction and future maintenance will create significant
adverse environmental impacts to streams, floodplains, wetlands, or
historical resources.
A.
The Town of South Hadley's Complete Streets Policy will focus
on developing and maintaining a connected, integrated network that
serves all road users. Complete streets will be integrated into policies,
planning, and design of all types of public and private projects,
including new construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, repair,
and maintenance of transportation facilities on streets and redevelopment
projects.
B.
Implementation of the Town of South Hadley's Complete Streets
Policy will be carried out cooperatively within all departments in
the Town of South Hadley, with multijurisdictional cooperation, to
the greatest extent possible, among private developers, and state,
regional, and federal agencies.
C.
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.
D.
The latest design guidance, standards, and recommendations available
will be used in the implementation of complete streets, including:
(1)
Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Project Development and
Design Guidebook.
(2)
Massachusetts Department of Transportation Separated Bike Lane Planning
and Design Guide.
(3)
Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Designing Walkable Urban
Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach.
(4)
National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Urban
Bikeway Design Guide and Urban Street Design Guide.
(5)
Federal Highway Administration Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design
Guide.
(6)
American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO),
A Policy on Geometric Design of Highway and Streets, as well as the
AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities.
(7)
United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration's
Manual on Uniform Design Controls.
(8)
The Architectural Access Board (AAB) Rules and Regulations.
(9)
Documents and plans created for the Town of South Hadley, such as
bicycle and pedestrian network plans.
Complete streets implementation and effectiveness should be
constantly evaluated for success and opportunities for improvement.
The Town will develop performance measures to gauge the implementation
and effectiveness of the policies. These performance measures may
include, but not be limited to:
A.
Number of staff with complete streets training.
B.
Total miles of bike lanes.
C.
Total miles of roadway with a shoulder of four feet wide or greater.
D.
Linear feet of sidewalk added or reconstructed.
E.
Crosswalk and intersection improvements.
F.
Number of crosswalks evaluated for ADA compliance.
G.
Number of ADA-compliant curb ramps installed.
H.
Closure of gaps in bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure network.
I.
Number of bicycle racks installed.
J.
Crash and personal injury data.
K.
Citations for traffic violations.
L.
Public participation in bicycle, pedestrian, and transit systems.
M.
Estimate of the quantity of funds applied toward the design and construction
of complete streets measures.
A.
The Town shall seek to make complete streets practices a routine
part of everyday operations, shall approach transportation projects
and programs as an opportunity to improve streets and the transportation
network for all users, and shall work in coordination with other departments,
agencies, and jurisdictions to achieve complete streets.
B.
Implementation of this policy will be coordinated by the DPW Superintendent
and be carried out cooperatively within all departments in the Town
of South Hadley, with multijurisdictional cooperation, to the greatest
extent possible, among private developers, and state, regional, and
federal agencies.
C.
The Town will maintain a comprehensive inventory of pedestrian and
bicycle facility infrastructure that will prioritize projects to eliminate
gaps in the sidewalk network and to implement the Town's complete
streets build-out vision.
D.
The Town shall review and either revise or develop proposed revisions
to all appropriate planning documents (master plan, open space and
recreation plan, etc.), zoning and subdivision codes, bylaws, procedures,
rules, regulations, guidelines, programs, and templates to integrate
complete streets principles.
E.
The Town shall promote interdepartmental project coordination among
Town departments with an interest in the public right-of-way in order
to make enhanced use of fiscal resources.
F.
The Town will train pertinent Town staff and decision-makers on the
content of complete streets principles and best practices for implementing
the Town's complete streets policy.
G.
The Town will seek out appropriate sources of funding and grants
for implementation of complete streets policies.
