Staying on top of all of the regulations, standards, guidelines, and funding sources related to the maintenance and improvement of local roadways is a challenge for Towns. To assist with that, the FRCOG Transportation Planning staff have compiled the Franklin County Rural Road Guide, a quick reference for answers to common questions about roadway operations and regulations in Franklin County. It contains summaries of relevant information and links to the most commonly used and referenced transportation legislation, policies, and design manuals in one handy guide. The Rural Road Guide is available here. Please contact Laurie Scarbrough, Transportation Planning Engineer, with any questions or feedback on the Rural Road Guide: lscarbrough@frcog.org.
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Amtrak’s Valley Flyer Back to Full Service!
All aboard Amtrak’s Valley Flyer! The Valley Flyer has service from Greenfield, Northampton, and Holyoke to New Haven, CT. The Valley Flyer connects to New York City and beyond! The Valley Flyer is making stops for Times Square and Columbus Circle. Book your ride today at http://amtrak.com/valleyflyer
Draft Amendment to the 2021 TIP Highway List released for Public Review
The FCTPO released a Draft Amendment to the 2021 TIP Highway Project list on July 27, 2021. The Draft Amendment will be available for a 21-day public review and comment period from Friday, July 30 through Thursday, August 19, 2021. Comments on the Draft Amendment can be submitted in writing to lscarbrough@frcog.org or FRCOG, 12 Olive Street, Suite 2, Greenfield MA 01301.
Public Review of the Draft Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership Recreation Map and Inventory
Through a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation for the Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership area, the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) and the Franklin Region Council of Governments (FRCOG) are developing an inventory and online map of the recreational assets in the 21-town partnership area. At this time, BRPC and FRCOG are looking for feedback on the draft inventory and map, which are available in the following links.
Map of MTWP Recreation Inventory: https://berkshire.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=44be5855f1614d3ea3d076fbbd4caf9d
Berkshire County Recreation Inventory (northern portion of county): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aAeRJZbz9K7UYP9rIe2gV5667DlIAXNx/view?usp=sharing
Franklin County Recreation Inventory (western portion of county): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lGpcbxD9gBzIQPBQaUM3CbtWE-dULlqI/view?usp=sharing
Please give us your comments and corrections by May 31st to:
Franklin County:
Beth Giannini, Franklin Region Council of Governments
giannini@frcog.org
413-774-3167×125
Franklin County Regional Pollinator Action Plan Workshop
The Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) will host a Franklin County Pollinator Planning workshop on Thursday, May 20th at 2:00 p.m. The workshop will be an opportunity to discuss strategies and opportunities for expanding pollinator habitat across the county and reflect on lessons learned from the work FRCOG has been doing with 8 partnering towns: Greenfield, Heath, Shelburne, Conway, Bernardston, Montague, Wendell, and Orange. The Franklin County workshop will also be an opportunity for anyone who missed the town workshops to join the pollinator habitat discussion. Pre-register for the zoom meeting via the registration link.
With funding from an Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Planning Grant, FRCOG is working to map local pollinator habitat and resource areas and identify corridor linkages, recommend updates to local land-use regulations to include requirements for native plantings for development and pollinator-friendly landscape management practices, and create a Pollinator Habitat Corridor Implementation Toolkit. The plan will be expandable so that with additional funding and interest from other Franklin County towns, regional pollinator corridors can be expanded across the county. Local-level strategies such as these are critically needed to respond to climate change, habitat loss, and declining populations of wild, native pollinator species. The sustainability of our local ecosystems, farms, and food systems is linked to pollinators.
Agenda FC Pollinator Plan Workshop 5.20.21
For additional information please contact Helena Farrell at HFarrell@frcog.org.
Public Review Period for a 2021 UPWP Budget Reallocation
The Franklin County Transportation Planning Organization (FCTPO) reviewed and released a budget reallocation to the Franklin 2021 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) for a 21-day public review and comment period on April 27, 2021. This comment period will run from April 30 through May 21, 2021. Public comments should be submitted in writing to Maureen Mullaney at mmullaney@frcog.org.
Public Review Period for the Draft Franklin 2022 Unified Planning Work Program
The Draft Franklin 2022 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) is out for a 21-day public review. The Franklin County Transportation Planning Organization (FCTPO) reviewed and released the Draft Franklin 2022 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) for a 21-day public review and comment period on April 27, 2021. The comment period will run from April 30 through May 21, 2021. Public comments on the Draft UPWP should be submitted in writing to Maureen Mullaney at mmullaney@frcog.org.
Draft 2022-2026 TIP Public Comment Period is Open and Virtual Info. Meeting
The FCTPO reviewed and released the Draft 2022-2026 Transportation Improvement Program for a 21-day public review and comment period on April 27, 2021. This comment period will run from April 30 through May 21, 2021. Public comments on the Draft TIP should be submitted in writing to Laurie Scarbrough at lscarbrough@frcog.org.
Draft 2022-2026 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the Franklin Region
The Franklin Regional Council of Governments is hosting a Virtual Public Information Meeting via Zoom on Thursday, May 6th from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M. See meeting link.
Public Info Meeting Notice Franklin 2022-2026 TIP
The FRCOG is Accepting Traffic Count Requests
The FRCOG’s transportation staff is accepting requests for the 2021 Traffic Counting Program. We offer vehicle volume, classification, and speed counts, as well as bicycle counts and intersection turning movement counts. All traffic counts are available to our member communities at no charge.
Speed counts include detailed reports of vehicle speeding statistics that can help to assess citizens’ concerns, verify if unsafe speeding is occurring, and identify the best times of day to conduct effective speed enforcement. New this year, we are now able to collect spot speed data that can be used to evaluate posted speed limits. Although the Covid-19 pandemic is still with us, traffic volumes are steadily returning to normal levels. The FRCOG Traffic Counting Program will continue to monitor volume trends at key regional locations this season. We can advise on the appropriate timing to collect any traffic data you may need.
Please send in any requests for traffic counts using this form. Please submit a separate form for each count location.
2021 Traffic Count Request Form
Please contact Laurie Scarbrough at LScarbrough@frcog.org for more information.
MA Drought Alert
Please be aware that Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Kathleen Theoharides declared a Level 1-Mild Drought in all seven regions of the Commonwealth. Please see MA Drought Alert – December 2020 for information on the current drought conditions and how communities can mitigate and prepare for long-term drought impacts.
For more information on the current drought conditions, and technical guidance regarding drought management actions, please visit www.mass.gov/ma-drought-management.
