Last month, the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organisation (MPO) brought together municipal planners, Vision Zero Task Force members, and other regional stakeholders for two days of workshops and a site visit led by iRAP, focused on advancing road safety in 97 cities and towns through the Safe System Approach.

The Boston MPO is responsible for conducting the federally required metropolitan transportation planning process. It uses this process to develop a vision for transportation in the region, to decide how to allocate federal and state transportation funds to programs and projects that improve roadway, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian infrastructure.

The June workshops focused on actionable strategies for aligning the region’s roadway design practices and policies with global safety standards. Participants also had the opportunity to talk about the cultural and institutional shifts needed to move toward Vision Zero.

The workshops included a tour of the area around Josiah Quincy Elementary School in downtown Boston near the intersection of Tremont Street and Shawmut Avenue, where they explored tools for evaluating and improving school-area safety for all modes and mobility needs around the school.

iRAP’s Operations Lead for Latin America and the Caribbean Morgan Fletcher and Dave Shelton, Road Safety and Transport Specialist led the iRAP training, with support from usRAP lead Bruce Hamilton, Executive Director at Roadway Safety Foundation, and iRAP Safer Journeys Specialist Samar Abouraad

The potential of the iRAP methodology and tools to support safer roads and streets was shared, building organisational skills and capacity.

As the MPO moves forward with implementing the region’s Vision Zero Action Plan, they’ll draw on the insights and methods shared during the workshops to ensure a proactive, systems-based approach to roadway safety planning in the Boston region.

Read Boston MPO’s draft Vision Zero Action Plan here and submit feedback at visionzero@ctps.org.

The workshops included classroom and in-field training on Boston’s streets looking at how tools like Star Rating for Schools can support active travel and safer urban journeys for all.