COVID-19 Response: Shared Streets

Written by
COVID-19 Resources

Shared Streets

COVID-19 Response: Shared Streets
CHANGE FONT SIZE

MAPC >> Resources >> Transportation >> COVID-19 Response: Shared Streets

Repurposing street space to accommodate
increased walking, biking, dining, and retail

As we begin to reopen and public health guidelines continue to encourage physical distancing, how can municipalities repurpose street space to accommodate increased demand for walking, biking, and outdoor retail?

MAPC is helping our municipalities answer that question. We're eager to support our cities and towns in thinking through ways to repurpose street space to allow for safe walking and biking, more efficient bus service, and expanded outdoor dining and retail options. Here are some ways we can be of help:

  • Regional visioning and planning
  • Collective procurement of materials
  • Coordination and sharing best practices
  • Technical assistance at the local level

On this page, find resources and grant opportunities for shared streets initiatives. Please reach out with questions and project ideas!

Questions?

If you have questions or would like to work with MAPC on shared streets initiatives, reach out to MAPC Transportation Director Eric Bourassa at ebourassa@mapc.org.

More on COVID-19

Resources & Opportunities for Municipalities

Grant Opportunities

MassDevelopment Commonwealth Places: COVID-19 Response Round

Commonwealth Places' COVID-19 Response Round: Resurgent Places aims to help community partners prepare public space and commercial districts to best serve their population during communities’ economic recovery efforts. Eligible projects will comply with the Commonwealth’s Reopening Massachusetts plan, and may include outdoor seating spaces, sidewalk retail venues, partitions to support social distancing, and more.

Non-profits and community groups are eligible to apply to MassDevelopment for grant awards of up to $25,000. Up to $10,000 per project may be awarded as an unmatched grant; awards greater than $10,000 must be matched with crowdfunding donations. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until July 31, 2020. Learn more here.

MassDOT's Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Shared Streets and Spaces quick-launch/quick-build grant program will provide grants as small as $5,000 and as large as $300,000 for cities and towns to quickly implement or expand improvements to sidewalks, curbs, streets, on-street parking spaces and off-street parking lots in support of public health, safe mobility, and renewed commerce in their communities.

The 100-day grant program is geared at quick-build projects: funding will be awarded on a rolling basis and funding will be made available as simply and quickly as possible once awarded. Applications accepted June 22 to September 29. Projects must be mostly or completely implemented by October 9. Learn more here.

The Lawrence & Lillian Solomon Foundation Grants

The Lawrence & Lillian Solomon Foundation, in partnership with the Barr Foundation, is providing technical assistance to help municipalities plan for and pilot shared streets as communities reopen. Municipalities and/or non-profits in partnership with municipalities are eligible to apply. Priority will be given for projects that can be delivered quickly and that will benefit communities that have been most affected by COVID-19. Learn more here.

Webinar:
Sharing Our Streets

MAPC held a webinar on Thursday, June 4 on how municipalities can create more space for walking, biking, and outdoor retail. Missed it? You can watch the recording below.

Our speakers included:

Procurement

Materials to establish interim roadway projects

Statewide Contracts Guide

Guide to statewide contracts that can be used to facilitate shared streets equipment purchases.

Vendor Guide

List of vendors that offer materials for shared streets and spaces programs. The listed vendors may or may not be under a Massachusetts Statewide Contract administered by the Operational Services Division. Neither the Metropolitan Area Planning Council nor the Massachusetts Department of Transportation endorse any vendor. This list is provided as a convenience and it is not represented to be a complete of all vendors that provide the materials.

Case Study: Arlington Shared Streets Pilot

A description of  a residential shared streets project piloted by the City of Arlington between April 27 and June 1, 2020.