Planning 101 Blog – Page 2

Beat the Heat This Summer With Keep Cool

Posted on June 21, 2017 at 12:43 pm. Written by Elise Harmon

Just in time for the official start of summer, MAPC has rolled out its pioneering Keep Cool app. In partnership with the Metro Mayors Coalition Climate Preparedness Taskforce, MAPC soft launched this innovative new web application last summer as a resource for those who live and work in the Coalition’s 14 cities and towns in […]

Bike Sharing Programs Expand – and Not Just in Boston

Posted on June 14, 2017 at 11:31 am. Written by Elise Harmon

On May 25, 2017 Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced the largest expansion of the Hubway system since 2011. In honor of the regional bike-sharing system’s plans to add over 70 new stations in Boston alone, we’re looking back at the development of bike-share in Boston – including the role MAPC has played – and […]

Piloting Bus Rapid Transit in Boston

Posted on June 7, 2017 at 1:20 pm. Written by Elise Harmon

For the past two weeks, MAPC employees have been assisting with an exciting bus rapid transit (BRT) pilot on the Silver Line. From May 22 to June 6, two staff members stood by the Temple Place bus stop outside our downtown offices every day, informing commuters and casual riders of the two-week pilot, which was […]

What We Do: Homeland Security

Posted on June 5, 2017 at 2:46 pm. Written by Elise Harmon

In the video above, Assistant Director of Municipal Collaboration Amy Reilly discusses MAPC’s Homeland Security Division. MAPC serves as Massachusetts’ Homeland Security fiduciary, distributing Federal Department of Homeland Security grants received by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to partners throughout the state. MAPC’s team manages grants given to four regional Homeland […]

What We Do: Clean Energy

Posted on May 30, 2017 at 10:10 am. Written by Elise Harmon

In the video above, Cammy Peterson, Director of Clean Energy, explains the role of the Clean Energy Department at MAPC. MAPC’s clean energy services range from local energy and climate action planning to energy-related technical assistance to state and regional procurements. Recent projects include LED streetlight retrofits, community electricity aggregation, municipal climate preparedness and resiliency, […]

Introducing Trailmap, Your Comprehensive Guide to Local Trails

Posted on May 18, 2017 at 11:25 am. Written by Elise Harmon

On the first day of Bay State Bike Week, MAPC celebrated by announcing the launch of Trailmap, a comprehensive online map of trails for cyclists, walkers, and others engaging in active transportation and looking to explore the trails and other amenities throughout the MAPC region and beyond. Senior Transportation Planner David Loutzenheiser unveiled the tool […]

Heat and Cool Your Town More Efficiently with Clean Technologies

Posted on April 27, 2017 at 2:28 pm. Written by Elise Harmon

On Tuesday, April 4, MAPC and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) convened a workshop for municipalities on clean heating and cooling. The event was the first in a series of upcoming events and publications to promote the adoption of efficient heating and cooling solutions in municipal facilities and in the residential and commercial sectors. […]

New Toolkit for School Threat Assessment and Response

Posted on April 25, 2017 at 2:43 pm. Written by Elise Harmon

MAPC’s homeland security team recently worked to help produce a toolkit providing schools and school districts with guidance on assessing and responding to threats and crises. On Friday, March 17, the Northeast Homeland Security Regional Advisory Council (NERAC) – for which MAPC serves as fiduciary and program manager – and the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement […]

What We Do: Arts and Culture

Posted on April 18, 2017 at 8:51 am. Written by Elise Harmon

In the video above, MAPC’s brand-new Arts & Culture Manager, Jenn Erickson, discusses arts and cultural planning at MAPC. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council has a new service area! Last week, Executive Director Marc Draisen announced a new division within MAPC: Arts & Culture. Arts and culture was already a growth area at MAPC. Recent […]

How Can We Tell if Complete Streets Policies are Working?

Posted on April 12, 2017 at 10:14 am. Written by Elise Harmon

How do we measure what really matters? As a planner, I know the plan is important but it is not what really counts at the end of the day. It’s the changes that follow the plan – changes in policies, funding, and social capital among others – that really count. And, to get to the things […]