The Town of Hingham is launching a public engagement process as it prepares to apply to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) Complete Streets Funding Program.
Complete Streets was launched by MassDOT in 2016 to assist the Commonwealth’s 351 municipalities in accommodating public ways for a wide range of uses beyond vehicle traffic that acts as just a link from one point to another. Complete Streets principles include a transportation system that serves all users, from pedestrians and bicyclists to transit passengers. The program contributes to the safety, health, economic viability, and quality of life in a community.
The Complete Streets process is designed to help communities move from planning to construction. Hingham is embarking on its prioritization planning through public engagement to identify the Town’s local needs from a broad cross-section of stakeholders and develop a project list.
The types of Complete Streets projects the Town will be asking residents to consider include:
- Intersection Redesigns that may involve addressing barriers that impede walking or biking
- Street Reconfigurations & Traffic Calming measures that could reallocate road space for pedestrians and bicycles
- Enhanced Pedestrian Crossings
- Pedestrian & Bike Network Connections such as new sidewalks or shared-use paths
- Transit Investments focusing on station and stop improvements
- Environmental & Streetscape Investments from street lighting to bicycle parking.
Members of the public will be able to use a map-based website (WikiMapping) to place points (or lines) at locations throughout the town, identify concerns, and make suggestions that will then be made available in a Geographic Information System (GIS) map that analyzes and displays the public’s input. This input will supplement the Town’s existing project list, to establish a prioritized list of projects and develop a formal Complete Streets application for construction.
Follow this link to begin sharing your feedback: https://wikimapping.com/Hingham.html
Residents are encouraged to utilize this community engagement tool. In addition, a public listening session will be held in late January or early February. A separate announcement will follow with specific meeting information.
