Road and Site Design Standards

The Road Design, Site Plan and Subdivision Standards, and Zoning adopted by a municipality can have a significant effect on driving habits. Using these mechanisms, municipalities can encourage healthy community design practices and promote sustainable travel modes.

Road Design

Road Design Standards are guidelines that provide uniform expectations for road construction projects, including elements such as road dimensions, materials, and considerations for different road users.

• Local governments in Massachusetts often do not control the design of high volume roads or state roads within their boundaries. For these roads or any road project receiving state or federal funding, road design must follow the MassDOT’s Project Development and Design Guide.

• However, local municipalities can establish their own road design standards for locally developed roads. Some cities and larger towns create their own municipal-wide regulations, but most communities will reference MassDOT’s guidance or design standards published by national organizations, like NACTO. i

• The most common local road design standards are found in Subdivision Regulations. ii

Site Plans & Subdivisions

Zoning

Transportation Design Checklist

Below are some best practices to consider:

Roads

• Ensure that street design standards comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and meet the needs of people of all abilities.

• Require roads to be designed to “Complete Streets” standards, with equal attention to the needs of automobiles, cyclists and pedestrians.

• Requiring narrower roads and traffic calming measures (Subdivision regulations can also establish desired road cross-sections that apply to new developments).

• Require a well-connected road and pedestrian network with multiple pathways between destinations.

• Require bicycle and pedestrian linkages to nearby networks.

• Require highly visible and predictable crosswalks at road or driveway crossings.

• Require pedestrian crossings at large or complicated intersections, with pedestrian refuges where needed.

• Require street lighting, especially near parks or schools.

• For new street signs, install highly visible signs that are reflective and have high contrast, large type.

• Enhance pavement markings.

• Install brighter stoplights.

• Encourage pedestrian facilities like benches, shelters, and interesting ground level features including plantings.

• Provide Shelters and benches at bus stops.

• Require shade trees along pedestrian and bicycle pathways.

• Consider maintenance in the design of roads and sidewalks.

• Set appropriate pedestrian crossing signal times.

• Prioritize active transit and public transit traffic at intersections.

• Establish dedicated left-turn lanes at busy intersections.

• Use medians on wide streets and streets with a lot of traffic.

• Limit right turn on red.

• Limit corner radii’.

Developments

Parking

Using the best practices checklist above, review your municipalities’ current road design, site plan and subdivision guidelines, and zoning regulations.

Connect with your municipal planner and local biking and walking advocates (or Bike/Walk Committees) about changes to design standards and zoning that could encourage healthy community design practices and promote sustainable travel modes.

Establish a pre-site plan and subdivision design review process that creates an Inter-Departmental Project Review, including representatives from various municipal departments/boards, including the Board of Health, to provide review and feedback on projects for healthy design strategies while still in design development.

Citations

i City of Boston (2019) ROADWAY DESIGN STANDARDS. https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/imce-uploads/2019-05/roadway_design_standards.pdf

ii American Planning Association - MA Chapter & Homebuilders Association of MA (2011) Sustainable Neighborhood Road Design: A Guidebook for Cities and Towns. https://masscptc.org/docs/core-docs/NRB_Guidebook_2011.pdf