PVPC has completed a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of the City of Northampton’s proposed improvements to Pleasant Street. The results of the HIA show that the proposed Pleasant Street Improvements would have an overwhelmingly positive health impact with local and regional significance.
Pleasant Street Health Impact Assessment (HIA)
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission is working with Metropolitan Area Planning Commission and Massachusetts Department of Public Health on a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of planned street improvements to Pleasant Street in Northampton.
Significant changes are in the works along Pleasant Street. Amtrak service was recently restored to the area. Two significant mixed-use housing projects are in process. The city is taking over a portion of lower Pleasant Street from MassDOT.
With all of these changes underway, the City of Northampton has decided it is time to make significant streetscape improvements to Pleasant St. The improvements will serve existing residents and travelers and support the redevelopment of the street. The Health Impact Assessment will be conducted in parallel with design work for street reconstruction.
Based on preliminary work, we expect that the HIA will make specific recommendations that can help shape the design of the streetscape, including sidewalk design, connections to adjacent neighborhoods, and crosswalk siting and design. In addition the HIA may assess the potential health impacts of Low Impact Design stormwater infrastructure and parklets in crosswalk bumpouts. We also expect to examine broader social determinants of health that may have impact on the street's users like, housing availability, or economic opportunity.
Overall, the HIA will help the city prioritize which aspects of their project deserve the most budgetary and design attention based upon potential health impacts. The HIA will also contribute to long-range planning for revitalization of the Pleasant Street neighborhood.
Continuing, Comprehensive, and Cooperative Planning Process
Average Annual Daily Traffic
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)
Average Daily Traffic
American Farmland Trust
Alternative Fuel Vehicles
American Heritage Rivers Initiative
American International College
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Approval Not Required
American Planning Association
Aquifer Protection District
Air Quality Index
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American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (of 2009)
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Best Management Practice
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Board of Health
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990
Commercial Area Revitalization District
Community Action Statement
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Cape Cod Commission
Cooperating Colleges of Greater Springfield
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Community Development Action Grant
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Centers for Disease Control
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Community Development Fund
Community Development Plan
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Citizen Housing and Planning Association
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Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission
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Compressed Natural Gas
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Council of Governments
Commonwealth Procurement Access and Solicitation System
Community Preservation Act
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Combined Sewer Overflow
Department of Conservation and Recreation
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Division of Employment and Training
Department of Housing and Community Development
Direct Local Technical Assistance
Department of Energy Resources
Department of Revenue
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Developments of Regional Impact
Executive Order
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Environmental Impact Report
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Environmental Site Assessment
Economic Target Area
Federal Aid
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Federal Highway Administration
Franklin Regional Council of Governments
Federal Transit Administration
Greenhouse Gas
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Geographic Information System
Global Positioning System
Housing Appeal Committee
HAPHousing
Holyoke Community College
Housing Development Support Program
Housing Innovation Fund
Home Modification for Individuals with Disabilities Loan
Highway Overlay District
Historic Overlay District
Homeownership Opportunities Program
High Occupancy Vehicle
Housing Preservation Grant
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Invitation for Bid
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Jacob's Ladder Scenic Byway
Jacob's Ladder Trail
Joint Transportation Committee
Local Board(s) of Health
Limited English Proficiency
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Level of Service
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National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Transportation Safety Board
Old Colony Planning Council
Overall Condition Index (Pavement)
Open Space and Recreation Plan
Pavement Condition Index
Priority Development Fund
Purchase of Development Rights
Peak Hour Traffic (or Trips)
Payment in Lieu of Taxes
[Metropolitan] Planning Funds
Pavement Management System
Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area
Pavement Management Users Group
Planner on a Disc
Public Participation Process
Planned Unit Residential Development
Pioneer Valley Regional Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund
Pioneer Valley Transit Authority
Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp.
Rental Development Action Loan
Regional Employment Board
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Request For Proposal
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Revolving Loan Fund
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Regional Pavement Management System
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Statewide Transportation Improvement Program
Surface Transportation Program
Targeted Brownfields Assessment
Transportation and Community System Preservation [Pilot Program]
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Transfer of Development Rights
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
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Transportation Improvement Program
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Turning Movement Count
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Transportation Research Board
Trip Reduction Ordinance
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Urban Growth Boundary
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Urban Revitalization Development Grant
U.S. Department of Agriculture
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News and Articles
23 Sep
MassLive covered a recent meeting for Pleasant Street improvements. The end of the article includes a very brief summary of PVPC's health impact assessment of this project.
11 Jun
The Daily Hampshire Gazette published an article following up on the Pleasant Street Walk Audit on June 25. This article may be behind a paywall:
22 May
Please come to a health-focused walk audit of Pleasant Street in Northampton on June 10 at 5:30 p.m. Join your neighbors to walk, talk, and share how Pleasant Street affects your health.
22 May
An Advisory Committee for the Pleasant Street Health Impact Assessment (HIA) has been formed. The Committee will work with the PVPC project team to steer the HIA, obtain local input, review draft documents and prioritize recommendations.