Welcome to The Town of Barnstable!
Complete Streets
Complete Streets are designed for people of all ages and all abilities that prioritize safety, comfort and accessibility. In adopting a Complete Streets Policy, a municipality commits to plan, design, maintain and operate right-of-ways, as determined feasible and practical, to improve the quality of life for their community.
Potential Complete Streets improvements include but are not limited to:
Launched in 2016, the MassDOT Complete Streets Funding Program dedicates state transportation funds to plan and implement Complete Streets addressing critical gaps in transportation networks by providing municipalities with tools and funding.
In order to become a Complete Streets community, Town staff must attend Complete Streets training and a Complete Streets Policy must be developed and approved locally by the highest elected official or governing body. The Policy must then be submitted to MassDOT and obtain a qualifying score for approval. Upon becoming a Complete Streets community, the next step is for a municipality to collaborate with the greater community to develop a Complete Streets Prioritization Plan which is a list of at least fifteen (15) priority Complete Streets projects ranked by defined evaluation criteria. Through the MassDOT Complete Streets Funding Program, a municipality can apply for technical assistance to work together with a consultant to develop the Town’s Prioritization Plan.
Once completed, the Prioritization Plan must then be submitted to MassDOT for approval. Upon approval, a municipality is eligible to apply for and potentially receive construction funding to implement projects identified within their Prioritization Plan. A municipality may obtain up to $400,000 in construction funding over the course of four fiscal years.
For more information, please review the MassDOT Complete Streets Funding Program Guidance document which provides further details defining the overview and purpose of the program, the process and frequently asked questions.
At the December 2, 2021 Town Council meeting, the Council affirmatively voted on a Resolve approving the Town of Barnstable’s Complete Streets Policy. The Town of Barnstable officially became a Complete Streets community in January 2022.
Town of Barnstable’s Complete Streets Policy
The Town recently contracted with the Cape Cod Commission to develop Barnstable’s Complete Streets Prioritization Plan. The Commission is currently working with staff to inventory and analyze existing data including traffic and roadway conditions in order to develop a comprehensive inventory of existing conditions. The Commission will use that data to develop maps that illustrate gaps in the Town’s transportation network for consideration when developing the Town’s Prioritization Plan. At this time the Town is currently targeting an initial public meeting to occur July2022.
Cape Cod Commission’s Complete Streets/Living Street: A Design Manual for Cape Cod
If you have comments or questions, please e-mail Kate Maldonado, Assistant Director of Planning & Development at kaitlyn.maldonado@town.barnstable.ma.us