Eastham to develop Complete Streets Prioritization Plan

The Town of Eastham is looking to improve the safety and accessibility of town roadways and has asked the Cape Cod Commission for assistance in developing a Complete Streets Prioritization Plan. Complete Streets address the needs of all modes of transportation- pedestrian, bicycle, automobile and transit and looks to make streets safer and with greater accessibility.

Eastham is one of 19 Complete Streets communities in MassDOT’s district 5, which includes the Cape, Islands and Southeastern Massachusetts, and one of 90 statewide.

The town was awarded $25,000 for the development of the plan and will be eligible for a construction grant up to $400,000 from the state once the plan is complete. Improvements can be made on town owned roadways; this excludes Route 6 since it is a state-owned highway.

On February 28, the Town and the Commission held a Complete Streets public hearing. Residents discussed the need for more sidewalks and bike access and better connections to the rail trail. This input will be included in a draft prioritization plan, which should be released by the end of June 2018.

Two additional Cape communities are taking advantage of the Complete Streets Program. The Town of Sandwich completed its prioritization plan and was recently awarded $200,000 through the MassDot Complete Streets Program for construction of a sidewalk along Sandy Neck Road. The Town of Bourne has registered to be part of the program.

For more information and to read the Complete Streets/Living Streets: A design manual for Cape Cod, visit the Commission’s Eastham, Complete Streets page, www.capecodcommission.org/easthamcompletestreets