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,
freight, commercial, and emergency vehicles and for people of all
ages and of all abilities. Furthermore, Complete Streets principles
contribute toward the safety, health, economic viability, and quality
of life in a community by providing accessible and efficient connections
between home, school, work, recreation and retail destinations by
improving the pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular environments throughout
communities. They also assist in improving air quality and reducing
energy consumption for a more sustainable environment.
The purpose of West Springfield's Complete Streets Ordinance,
therefore, is to accommodate all road users by creating a transportation
network that meets the needs of individuals utilizing a variety of
transportation modes. The Town of West Springfield will ensure any
plans, designs, operations and maintenance of streets that accommodate
and are safe for all users of all ages and abilities as a matter of
routine to the best extent practicable.
This article 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, and freight and commercial vehicles, in a context-sensitive
manner. This article shall apply to all municipal roadway repairs,
upgrades or expansion projects within the public right-of-way and
private developments requiring approval from the Town. Procedures
will be developed to ensure complete streets elements are incorporated
into these activities.
Exceptions to this article are only allowed upon approval by
the Mayor based upon recommendation from his/her designee overseeing
this article, with documentation and data that indicate:
A. Facilities where specific users are prohibited by law, such as interstate
freeways or pedestrian malls. In these cases, an effort will be made
for accommodations elsewhere.
B. Where costs or impacts of accommodation are excessively disproportionate
to the need or probable use or probable future use.
C. The existing right-of-way or adjacent land is constrained in a manner
that inhibits 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, historical
resources.
In fulfilling the goals of this Complete Streets Ordinance,
the Town will follow the latest design manuals, standards and guidelines.
This includes documents that are listed below but should not be precluded
from considering innovative and nontraditional design options where
a comparable level of safety for users is present or provided:
A. Massachusetts of Department of Transportation Project Design and
Development Guidebook.
B. Massachusetts Department of Transportation Engineering Directives.
C. Massachusetts Department of Transportation Separated Bike Lane Planning
and Design Guide.
D. The latest edition of American Association of State Highway Transportation
Officials (AASHTO) A Policy on Geometric Design of Highway and Streets.
E. ITE Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach.
F. National Association of City Transportation Officials Urban Bikeway
Design Guide.
G. The United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration's
Manual on Uniform Traffic Design Controls (2009).
H. The Architectural Access Board (AAB) 521 CMR Rules and Regulations.
I. Documents and plans created for the Town of West Springfield, 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 implementation
and effectiveness of the policies. These performance measures may
include but are limited to:
A. Total miles of marked bike lanes.
B. Total miles of roadway with shoulders four feet wide or greater.
C. Linear feet of sidewalk, including new and reconstructed.
D. Closure of network gaps and removal of impediments in the transportation
infrastructure.
E. Number of new curb ramps constructed and existing ramps reconstructed.
F. Number of existing curb ramps in need of reconstruction.
G. Crosswalk and intersection improvements.
H. Crash and personal injury data.
I. Citations for traffic violations.
J. Number of new street trees planted.
M. Annual estimate of yearly Town investments in complete streets design
and construction activities.