North Shore Coalition
The North Shore Coalition is an organization of 18 cities and towns on the North Shore of metropolitan Boston, facilitated by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC).
The municipal officials comprising this group represent nearly 400,000 residents from Beverly, Danvers, Essex, Gloucester, Hamilton, Ipswich, Lynn, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, Middleton, Nahant, Peabody, Rockport, Salem, Saugus, Swampscott, Topsfield, and Wenham.
In November 2019, the North Shore Coalition released its future transportation vision for the region. Read the vision below.
Want to get more involved? Click HERE to let your legislator know that now is the time to make critical investments in transportation.
Questions?
For more information about the North Shore Coalition, please contact Diego Huezo, Government Affairs Specialist at 617-933-0711 or [email protected].
Transportation Vision
The North Shore will have a transportation system with a diversity of travel modes (walking, cycling, transit, and automobile) that provides access and mobility to all. Residents, workers and visitors will have greater access to jobs, housing, educational opportunities, tourist and recreational destinations, and services without the need of a personal automobile. The North Shore will have more options to avoid congestion on our roadways and transit system, and the economic vitality of our region will be enhanced by a well-functioning transportation network.
For too long, the North Shore’s transportation has been underfunded. Our region has been depending on a crumbling infrastructure that must be updated to enhance our residents’ quality of life, the vitality of our businesses and educational institutions, and our natural and recreational treasures. The North Shore and its residents deserve a 21st century transportation system and it requires both short-term and long-term actions.
Full documents:
This webpage includes an overview of NSC's vision and goals. Download full PDFs below:
In the News:
- "Leaders Call for North Shore Transportation Fix" - Salem News/Gloucester Times
- "North Shore Officials Talk Transportation Gridlock" - Lynn Daily Item
- "Gas Tax Hike, More Tools Would Pay for North Shore Transit Plan" - Patch
Guiding Principles:
Geographic Diversity: The 18 cities and towns in the North Shore are urban, suburban and rural, and require varied solutions to meet the access and mobility needs of all the residents who live there.
Economic Development: Local transportation and housing investments will prioritize not just moving traffic, but focus on connecting workers, employers, students and tourists in our region to foster economic growth.
Mobility: Residents, workers and visitors in the North Shore will have more reliable access to their destinations in and around the region, both trips to the inner core, reverse commutes, and east-west travel, along with good alternatives for avoiding traffic congestion.
Efficiency: We will find innovative ways of using existing resources to help meet mobility and access needs.
Equity: Seniors, persons with disabilities, low-income people, youth, and households without automobiles will have greater affordable access to places to expand their opportunities and to meet their daily needs. Changes in our transportation system will not place disproportionate impacts on vulnerable and disadvantaged populations.
Natural and Human Environment: Transportation investments and policies will prioritize reducing greenhouse gases emissions and be resilient to the effects of climate change. Public transit, walking, cycling and other non-automobile travel modes will have precedence in our public streets and spaces.
Goals:
Goal 1: All North Shore residents will be able to access their daily needs and most North Shore workers will be able to access their jobs without the need to own a personal automobile.
Goal 2: The North Shore will be a leader in reducing greenhouse gas pollution from transportation and in combatting climate change, including meeting the goals set by the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA)and the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI).
Goal 3: The North Shore will see an increase in transit and active transportation. Non-automobile travel modes such as transit, walking, cycling will have precedence in our policies, public streets and spaces, particularly for populations that are cost-burdened and/or do not have access to a private automobile.
Goal 4: The North Shore will better manage traffic congestion, and the impacts of traffic congestion will not hinder economic growth in our communities.
Goal 5: Traffic fatalities and severe injurieswill be eliminated, while increasing safe, healthy, and equitable mobility for all.
ACTIONS
To help achieve this vision and goals, by 2022, each of the cities and towns making up the membership of the North Shore Coalition must develop and/or update at least four of the transportation actions listed below:
1
Assess what current transportation options and access challenges exist in the North Shore communities; this is a critical first step to comprehensive tackle the other action steps below and is the baseline for the evaluation of actions and commitments.
2
Support the implementation of regional transportation efforts (including water transportation, bus, and rail), which advance the Vision and Guiding Principles and Goals above, in collaboration with MassDOT, the MBTA, and neighboring municipalities, through joint planning, design and funding of projects and programs.
3
Advocate for the modernization of our region’s transportation system to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation –including electrification of our rail networks, adoption of zero-emission transit vehicles by local and regional transit, and adoption of zero-emission privately-owned vehicles.
4
Advance water and coastal transportation services to enhance travel options to, from, and within the North Shore region.
5
Advance water and coastal transportation services to enhance travel options to, from, and within the North Shore region.
6
Coordinate and/or consolidate existing municipal transportation services, including Council on Aging and medical transportation to make these service more efficient and effective.
7
Develop a transportation action plan for the most vulnerable populationsin the community, including households without automobiles, seniors, persons with disabilities, low-income households, and young people.
8
Implement local transit services, or work with neighboring municipalities jointly to create regional transit services.
9
Implement bus priority infrastructure (including bus priority lanes, shelters, and signal prioritization) on municipally-owned streets.
10
Evaluate the feasibility of implementing neweron-demand transit services (microtransit) in areas with housing and employment densities, and service times (e.g., mid-day) that do not support fixed-route transit.
11
Join a Transportation Management Association (TMA)to develop partnerships with businesses and non-profits to provide employees alternative transportation options.
12
Create mobility hubs in downtowns, major employment centers, and commuter rail stations to provide sites for mobility options, including regional and local transit, bicycle and e-bicycle share, scooter-sharing, car-sharing, ride-hailing (taxis, transportation network companies), and rail trails.
13
Adopt Complete Streets policies and plans, and implement projects in locations that provide critical links to jobs, schools, and daily services.
14
Substantially increase Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD), by establishing and continuing to enhance zoning and land use measures consistent with the scale and character of high-density, mixed-use developments, including affordable housing.
15
Expand active transportation infrastructure and services that encourage biking and walking, including implementing a bicycle-share program and expanding the LandLine and other trails.
16
Evaluate the feasibility of allowing micro-mobility personal vehicles and shared services (battery powered personal scooters, skateboards, etc.) and, where necessary, adopt appropriate regulations.
17
Substantially increase the placement of electric vehicle and/or hydrogen fuel cell charging stations through regional purchasing, partnerships with employers and developers, and zoning reform.
18
Adopt a green fleet policy for new and replacement municipal vehicles.
19
Limit required parking for new residential and commercial development in downtowns and near transit to reduce vehicular traffic congestion and to encourage active transportation and transit use.