RFP SS4A Action Plan Question & Answer

• Posted 11/6/2023

Q: I was wondering if you were able to provide a list of general consultants.

A: We will not be able to learn which general consultants have applied for the RFP until after the deadline has passed on November 13. We expect that businesses within Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Capital District of New York, with experience in the fields of transportation engineering and urban planning, may submit proposals as prime consultants.

Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Funding

Pursuant to our regional planning goals, BRPC has applied for and been awarded a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Action Plan grant of $198,593 from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The SS4A program is funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), otherwise known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). This grant is an 80/20 split, with 80% of the financing provided by the FHWA, with 20% contributed via local match. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has agreed to provide the 20% matching financing of $49,648. The total grant award is therefore $248,241.

Goals of the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan

The first phase of the SS4A program is The Comprehensive Safety Action Plan (“Action Plan”). BRPC will be developing the Action Plan to later pursue the second phase of SS4A, which is project Implementation. In order to receive SS4A funding for an Implementation project, an approved Action Plan must be developed. The goals of the SS4A program reflect the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS), first published by the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) in January 2022. With the ultimate goal of reducing fatalities and serious injuries on roadways down to zero, the NRSS, and therefore the Action Plan, are pursuing the following programs:

• Safer People
• Safer Roadways
• Safer Speeds
• Safer Vehicles
• Post-crash Care

The Action Plan will use utilize crash data, network screening, qualitative and quantitative feedback, and research of best practices and innovations to recommend safety countermeasures on Berkshire County roads that conform to one or more of the above-listed programs. Projects will also pursue the “Big E’s” of transportation planning: Engineering, Education, Enforcement and Equity. Finally, the Action Plan will provide opportunities for public engagement and input, especially for communities which have been historically disadvantaged and are pursuing Environmental Justice.