Policies and Programs

• The Complete Streets framework prioritizes safe and accessible travel for all modes, with a particular emphasis on walking, biking, and transit, for people of all ages and abilities.

  • In MA, a local Complete Streets framework is formalized through policy adoption, a prioritization plan for improvements, and a 3-year implementation plan.

  • Local officials can strengthen Complete Street practices by including the approach in road design standards, capital improvement plans, and ongoing road operations and maintenance work.

• Safe Routes to School programs encourage students to walk or bicycle primarily through education, encouragement and engineering.

  • The Massachusetts SRTS program provides funding for infrastructure projects which improve safety or increase the number of children walking and biking to school, and can include any number of improvements, such as sidewalk and crossing improvements, measures to reduce car speeds and traffic, and installation of dedicated bicycle facilities.

• The Community Compact Best Practices Program is a statewide program which provides access to grants and resources for technical assistance to communities who take on a best practice from a set of focus areas.

  • Both the Transportation and Citizens Safety, Active Transportation and the Age and Dementia Friendly focus areas include best practices related to preventing serious and fatal injuries.

• Vision Zero and Towards Zero Deaths are two well-known approaches to building safer systems. Committing to these approaches typically includes:

  • Leadership and collaboration of multi-disciplinary stakeholders

  • Using data to understand traffic injuries and deaths

  • Prioritizing equity and community engagement

  • Setting a timeline to achieve zero traffic deaths and serious injuries

Connect with your municipal planning, school department, and/or department of public works to learn if your municipality has policy or is participating in a program to reduce the risk of crashes, injuries, and death and increase physical activity.

For Mass in Motion coordinators, your technical assistance providers are great first stops to learn more and talk about advocating for change.