Complete Streets Initiative

CRWA’s work under the Blue Cities™ initiative with the City of Boston was instrumental in getting us involved with the City’s Complete Street Initiative. Our initial demonstration project at Peabody Square helped build strong, new personal relationships in several City Departments, including Transportation and Parks.  

Rain Garden at Peabody Square Photo Credit: Kate Benisek

In 2009 the Boston Transportation Department (BTD) began an internal planning effort to reexamine and update roadway standards for all streets in Boston. The goal was to look at the entire public realm, from building edge to building edge.  This initiative will result in written guidelines for Complete Streets including sidewalk design, street furniture and trees, signage, crosswalks, curbs, lane widths and markings, bike lanes, parking, and signalization, virtually all elements of streets and sidewalks. As explained by BTD “This effort will build on existing guidelines and projects to introduce new dimensions to building streets such as sustainability principles, appropriate storm water drainage, a more proactive accommodation of bicycles, integration of ‘smart’ technologies and responsiveness to Boston’s unique urban context.”

	Final Design Plan for Peabody Square Boston Transportation Department

Because of BTD’s previous experience with Peabody Square there was an interest in incorporating Low Impact Development (LID) options in the “typical” designs for various elements of Complete Streets.  A series of matrices of options prepared by CRWA provides a good overview of LID design elements and best practices with an evaluation of their relative contributions to various goals of storm water volume, rate and quality; an assessment of site limitations; and a comparison of installation and maintenance costs and requirements.  In the fall of 2009 Mayor Thomas Menino appointed CRWA’s Director of Projects, Kate Bowditch, to serve on a technical advisory committee to inform the development of these city wide guidelines. This new network of connections in City government, added to our existing working relationships with Jim Hunt, Boston Water and Sewer Commission and the BRA, has positioned CRWA solidly at the center of Boston’s efforts to green the City, and has helped keep a strong water-centric focus on planning and policy.   CRWA’s work on the Peabody Square project has helped inform long-term planning efforts by the City for both public works and private development.  CRWA drafted the green language and helped select images and graphics for the sidewalk chapter of the Complete Streets Guidelines.

Other related project highlights include:

• Concept Design Plan for Central Square Boston Transportation Department

  CRWA is working with the Neighborhood of Affordable Housing (NOAH) in East Boston to advocate for incorporation of green streets designs in the reconstruction of Central Square in East Boston, currently at concept design.  Efforts have included meetings with BTD, Boston Parks Department and the design consultants, as well as presentations at public meetings.
  
• CRWA was invited to participate in the Greening of City Hall Plaza design Charette.  The current conceptual plan relies heavily on trees as a central structural and design element, with subsurface stormwater storage and infiltration as a major component of the vision. 
• CRWA was invited to join the team led by Howard/Stein-Hudson for design and reconstruction of Melnea Cass Boulevard.  The team was selected to lead the project by BTD, with CRWA as an advisor on green streets design. The team also consists of Toole Design Group who is the City’s consultant on the Complete Streets and Crosby, Schlessinger and Smallridge who are the City’s consultant on the Audobon Circle Project, another  project currently being led by BTD.
•  CRWA is working with Tri-CAP in Malden to try to get green streets elements included in the MassDOT’s Pleasant Street redevelopment project. 

As a result of its work on the guidelines, CRWA hopes to identify all departments, committees and agencies that play a role in implementation of green street components; and develop a protocol to institutionalize interagency coordination to simplify the implementation of future green street projects in the City.

Updated June 2011