SOUTHWICK — The Assistant Director of the DPW Jon Goddard briefed the Select Board on Sept. 8 on the state’s Complete Streets program to determine if they want to participate.
“The overarching idea is that we’re providing thought and effort [looking at] different modes of transportation, so that we’re increasing pedestrian safety,” Goddard said when discussing the steps the town would need to take if it wanted to participate in the program.
The state’s Complete Streets Funding Program provides technical assistance and funding to municipalities to build streets that are safe, accessible and comfortable for all users, regardless of age, ability or mode of transportation, according to the state Department of Transportation.
It is a state-level program that encourages local governments to design their roadways for pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit riders and motorists alike, according to MassDOT.
At the Sept. 8 meeting, Goddard explained the process with the first of three tiers needed to qualify for significant grant funding for the state.
“The whole idea is if you complete the first two [tiers], you unlock the opportunity for funding which can support some elements of projects,” Goddard said.
The first tier is policy development in which the town adopts a Complete Street policy that outlines its commitment to designing and operating streets for all users.
“It essentially [documents] that the non-motorized transportation and pedestrian movement is a priority… as it moves forward with projects in both design and execution that prioritize those safety improvements for all modes of transportation,” Goddard said.
If the Select Board would choose to participate in the program, it would receive technical assistance funding to develop a detailed prioritization plan, which Goddard spoke of.
“The grant is well-funded, and Tighe & Bond would be taking the reins, so there’s no expenditure of town funds for the development of that prioritization plan,” he said.
Select Board member Russ Anderson asked Goddard if there were “any strings attached” to qualify for the funding, like the town being “unable to buy a police cruiser that’s not electric … all those crazy things.”
Goddard said the only string he could see was for the town to place an emphasis on safety for all modes of transportation.
Chief Administrative Officer Nicole Parker seemed to understand Anderson’s question.
“I just did this in my last town…so it’s still a little fresh, but it’s not like you build a road and you have to build a bike lane. You don’t have to do that,” Parker said.
Despite Goddard explaining that Tighe & Bond would draft the prioritization plan at no cost to the town, Anderson still asked how was paying for it.
Goodard said it was MassDOT.
Anderson then asked Goddard if adopting the Complete Streets program was a good idea.
“Absolutely,” Goddard said.
Select Board member Douglas Moglin said he had some of the same concerns as Anderson about the strings that might be attached.
“I want to be careful how we tread here,” Moglin said.
He then said he wanted to understand what a Complete Streets town is because “we have quite a few incomplete streets right now in our town that we need to address. And what are the implications are to our road, our backlog of work if we adopt complete streets,” Moglin asked Goddard.
“Fair enough,” Goddard responded.
“I don’t mind doing a little digging. Sometimes you have one vision in mind and you don’t see the other factors. So, I don’t mind taking a closer look,” he said.
Goddard then circled back to Parker saying the town wouldn’t be required to install a bike lane if a road is rehabilitated.
“Allow me to echo Nicole’s statement from just a moment ago. That certainly doesn’t mean that Birchwood Road is going to turn into striped bike lanes and multiple sidewalks across the board,” Goddard said, which prompted Moglin to say, “that’s what we need.”
Goddard said he would provide the board with more information at a future meeting.
