The region needs to implement roadway design best practices that will foster bicycling and walking, improve safety, and enhance community character.  From the heart of Boston to the region’s most low-density suburbs, roadways should be designed and operated to enable safe access for all users of all ages and abilities, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders.  This does not mean that all roadways in the region should be built the same, but that the needs of diverse users should be considered and accommodated in the design process.  The outcome will be roadways that include features such as sidewalks, bike lanes, transit stops, safe crosswalks, and median islands.  

Like most regions, Metro Boston has a long history of constructing or reconstructing roadways using designs that prioritize high-speed auto travel, ignore the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists, and degrade community character.  Fortunately, this history is changing: the MassHighway Department Project Development & Design Guidebook is the culmination of a comprehensive planning effort that included state, regional, and local representatives.  It represents state-of-the-practice updates to outdated automobile-dominated engineering guidelines.  

The new guidebook allows for significantly more flexibility in design requirements, particularly lane and shoulder widths; reflects the latest methods for accommodating the needs of all users, including pedestrians and bicyclists; emphasizes context sensitive design to ensure compatibility with community surroundings; and provides much needed guidance on the project development process.  The guide must be used for all projects built with state funds or on state highways.  As with any guide, however, the complete application best practices depends on the judgment of designers and the commitment of project proponents.  

To ensure that the guidebook is integrated into all levels of project development and planning, municipalities should incorporate the principles of the guidebook into all local roadway projects, even those built with local funds.  EOTPW also needs to make efforts to improve the capacity of engineers in public agencies and the private sector to implement the guidebook, through training and certification.  The MPO should also establish adherence to the guiding principles of the guidebook as a criteria for TIP evaluation.  Because best practices for roadway design are a rapidly evolving field, EOTPW should establish a program to measure application and effectiveness of the guidebook, in order to inform regular updates and revisions.   

12.a    Municipalities should incorporate principles of the new Highway Project Development & Design Guidebook in all state and locally funded projects.  

12.b    EOTPW should strengthen the prequalification process for consultants to include principles of the Guidebook

12.c    MPO should establish adherence to the guidebook as a criteria for TIP evaluation

12.d    EOTPW should establish a project evaluation and benchmarking program to support periodic updates to the guidebook

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