Regional Transportation Plan

A Regional Transportation Plan is the long-range plan that guides transportation investments in Berkshire County for the next 25 years. The Plan addresses both state and federal planning requirements. This important document guides investments in the region's transportation system to achieve system improvement and preservation goals such as congestion reduction, the design and construction of new sidewalks and bicycle facilities, improved transit service, continuation of adequate freight access, and other transportation projects. The Plan ensures that various transportation projects are consistent with the area's overall development policies and are coordinated with one another to provide an effective transportation system that makes efficient use of available funds. Specifically, the Plan:

• sets the direction and guides the planning for improvements to the region's transportation system during the next 25 years
• establishes policies and priorities for all forms of travel including the personal motor vehicle, transit, pedestrian, bicycle and freight modes
• anticipates the region's current and future travel needs based on forecasts of growth in population, households and jobs as well as future travel patterns and analysis of travel conditions
• evaluates federal, state and local funding that will be available for transportation improvements
• estimates costs of projects and proposes funding strategies to meet these costs

Federal regulations require an adopted regional transportation plan as a condition for funding of transportation improvements. Projects must be consistent with the Transportation Plan and listed in a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Policies in the Regional Transportation Plan are based on the Regional Plan for the Berkshires, which is the principal policy document outlining the planning philosophy for Berkshire County

2007 Regional Transportation Plan