Franklin County Regional Transportation Plan 2016 Providing a vision for the county’s transportation systems in a context that is suitable for the rural nature of the region. 2016 Franklin County Regional Transportation Plan July 28, 2015 Prepared by: Franklin Regional Council of Governments 12 Olive Street, Suite 2 Greenfield, MA 01301 Main Telephone: 413-774-3167 Fax: 413-774-3169 www.frcog.org Transportation Planning Staff: Jessica Atwood, Economic Development Program Manager Ryan Clary, Senior GIS Specialist Elizabeth Giannini, Senior Transportation Planner II Gretchen Johnson, Homeland Security Program Asst./Planning Grant Admin. Ian Kolesinskas, Transportation Planning Intern Alyssa Larose, Land Use Planner Mark Maloni, Public Health Planner Maureen Mullaney, Transportation & GIS Program Manager II Megan Rhodes, Senior Transportation Planner Laurie Scarbrough, Transportation Planning Engineer Margaret Sloan, Director of Planning & Development Prepared under Contract #75369 in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration. Notice of Nondiscrimination Rights and Protections to Beneficiaries Federal “Title VI/Nondiscrimination” Protections The Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) operates its programs, services, and activities in compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and related statutes and regulations. Title VI prohibits discrimination in federally assisted programs and requires that no person in the United States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency), be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal assistance. Related federal nondiscrimination laws administrated by the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, or both prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, and disability. These protected categories are contemplated within FRCOG’s Title VI Programs consistent with federal interpretation and administration. Additionally, FRCOG provides meaningful access to its programs, services, and activities to individuals with limited English proficiency, in compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation policy and guidance on federal Executive Order 13166. State Nondiscrimination Protections FRCOG also complies with the Massachusetts Public Accommodation Law, M.G.L c 272 §§ 92a, 98, 98a, prohibiting making any distinction, discrimination, or restriction in admission to or treatment in a place of public accommodation based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or ancestry. Likewise, FRCOG complies with the Governor’s Executive Order 526, section 4 requiring all programs, activities, and services provided, performed, licensed, chartered, funded, regulated, or contracted for by the state shall be conducted without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, disability, veteran’s status (including Vietnam-era veterans), or background. If you need help understanding this document because you do not speak English or have a disability which impacts your ability to read the text, please contact FRCOG’s Title VI Specialist at (413) 774-3167 (voice) (MA Relay System: 800-439-2370), 413-774-3169 (fax), or [email protected] (e-mail). If you believe that you or anyone in a specific class of persons has been subjected to discrimination prohibited by Title VI and other nondiscrimination laws based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or gender, you or your representative may file a complaint with the FRCOG, which we can help complete. A complaint must be filed no later than 180 days after the date of the alleged discrimination. If you require further information, please contact FRCOG’s Title VI Specialist at (413) 774-3167 (voice) (MA Relay System: 800-439- 2370), 413-774-3169 (fax), or [email protected] (e-mail). English: If this information is needed in another language, please contact the FRCOG Title VI Specialist at (413) 774-3167. Spanish: Si necesita esta información en otro idioma, por favor contacte al Especialista de FRCOG del Título VI al (413)774-3167. Russian: Если Вам необходима данная информация на любом другом языке, пожалуйста, свяжитесь со cпециалистом по Титулу VI FRCOG по тел: (413) 774-3167. Table of Contents Chapter 1) Introduction Chapter 2) Public Participation & Title VI Activities Chapter 3) Goals and Performance Measures Chapter 4) Regional Economic & Demographic Profile Chapter 5) Road & Bridge Infrastructure Chapter 6) Freight Transport Chapter 7) Passenger Rail Chapter 8) Airports Chapter 9) Transit & Paratransit Services Chapter 10) Livability – Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities Chapter 11) Scenic Byways & Tourism Chapter 12) Sustainability & Climate Change Chapter 13) Safety & Security Chapter 14) Air Quality Conformity Determination Chapter 15) Recommended Projects Chapter 16) Financial Constraint Appendix A) Public Outreach Efforts Appendix B) Summary of Public Input Appendix C) Surveys Appendix D) Demographic Projections by Town (Populations & Employment) 1 Introduction 2016 Regional Transportation Plan 1 Introduction Franklin County is the most rural county in the Commonwealth and as a result, transportation planning and its implementation pose interesting challenges. Its sparse population and large geographical area naturally constrain many modes of travel beyond that of the private automobile. The large area that the transportation network covers also makes it difficult to efficiently provide improvements. In spite of these obstacles, Franklin County has had a very successful track record in maintaining, improving, and preserving its transportation system. The Franklin County Regional Transportation Plan, which is updated every four years, helps to provide a clear vision of the county and prioritizes its needs in a context that is suitable for the rural nature of the region. This Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) update focuses on the importance of providing safe, efficient mobility for residents, while taking into account the rural character of the county. The RTP specifically emphasizes the following goals: preservation and improvement of the existing transportation system, while also maintaining the region’s scenic and natural resources; providing residents healthy transportation options to the singly-occupied vehicle; strengthening the local economy and industries; and improving the region’s livability and sustainability. As in years past, safety is a major focus for this update to the RTP. The safety of the regional transportation system has been and will continue to be a high priority when evaluating and setting the agenda for regional transportation projects and activities. For this reason, projects that will make the existing system safer, more efficient, more secure and better able to support the goals of this RTP are prioritized in the region rather than those that will create new roads or add capacity to the region’s roadways. Through the completion of this Regional Transportation Plan update, the accompanying public participation process, and other planning work conducted by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG), it is clear that there is a very strong interest in expanding the transportation system to include additional healthy transportation options to the singly- occupied vehicle. Specifically, there is a very strong demand for expanded public transit services either through the establishment of new routes to unserved areas of the region, or the initiation of additional service runs on existing routes. This has been strongly vocalized through the public outreach conducted in partnership with the Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA) Introduction Chapter 1 – Page 1 for the FRTA’s Comprehensive Service Analysis. The on-going expansion of the Franklin County Bikeway has prompted increased interest in bicycling as a healthy transportation option. Additionally, the establishment of new park-and-ride facilities throughout the county and the return of passenger rail services to the region has further heightened interest in other modes of transportation. During the development of the 2016 Regional Transportation Plan, a particular emphasis was placed on public participation and outreach. Chapter 2 details the public participation process that was undertaken during the creation of this update. The Franklin County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) recognizes that there are finite financial resources available to advance the recommendations of this report. Therefore, in order to ensure that the recommendations are realistic, a financial component has been included as part of this plan. The Franklin Regional Council of Governments The Franklin Regional Council of Governments (referred to as the FRCOG) serves the towns of the Franklin County region in western Massachusetts. The FRCOG integrates regional and local planning, human service advocacy and coordination, and the provision of municipal services such as cooperative purchasing and building inspection to advance the following regional goals:  Balancing economic development with the protection of natural and cultural resources, and with the rural character and heritage of the region;  Ensuring the most economical creation and The Franklin Regional Council of delivery of public services in a rural region Governments offices comprised of many political subdivisions; Building healthier communities by developing and connecting broad-based coalitions, which raise the level of expectations for community achievement. The FRCOG advocates on behalf of its member communities at the state and federal level to ensure that funding, programs, and policies are sensitive and respond to the rural nature, economic strengths, and human and natural resources of the region. Introduction Chapter 1 – Page 2 Additionally, the Franklin Regional Council of Governments serves as one of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ thirteen (13) Regional Planning Agencies and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO). An MPO consists of a Committee of Signatories, who together makes decisions about transportation planning goals, projects, priorities, and funding. In Franklin County, this group is referred to as the Franklin County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO). In its role as a TPO member, the FRCOG follows federal transportation planning regulations, including the establishment of a citizen advisory group to participate in transportation planning activities. The FRCOG staff is responsible for coordinating and working with the other TPO members to develop, implement, and routinely update the Regional Transportation Plan for Franklin County, as well as provide a wide range of other planning services. The Franklin County TPO is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was executed in 2006 and updated in 2010. As defined by the MOU, the TPO’s committee membership contains nine members including the following representatives:  The Secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) (to act as the Chair of the FCTPO);  The Administrator of the Highway Division of MassDOT;  The Chair of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments Executive Committee;  The Chair of the Franklin Regional Transit Authority;  The Franklin Regional Council of Governments Regionally Elected Official;  The Mayor of Greenfield; and  Three Franklin County Sub-Regional Appointments (one from the West County, one from Central County, and one from the East County sections of Franklin County as defined in the MOU). The MOU defines that the FCTPO shall have the responsibilities of developing, reviewing, and adopting the region’s annual transportation Unified Planning Work Program, the Regional Transportation Plan, the Transportation Improvement Program, and air quality conformity determinations. The MOU further states that the FCTPO shall have the responsibility of meeting all of the provisions of the federal 3C (Continuing, Cooperative, Comprehensive) Transportation Planning Process that may include: the initiation of studies, evaluation and recommendation of transportation improvements, and the programming of funds for transportation projects in the region for which funding is sought for implementation. The MOU also states the FCTPO shall be the forum for cooperative decision-making by officials of local government, regional planning commission, regional transit authority, and state officials representing state transportation agencies. Introduction Chapter 1 – Page 3