Greater Lowell Regional Safety Toolkit

Building Safer Streets Together

The Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG) is developing the Greater Lowell Regional Safety Toolkit as part of the implementation of the Greater Lowell Vision Zero Plan. The Toolkit is designed to help municipalities advance roadway safety and work toward the elimination of traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries. This ongoing project will provide practical, easy-to-use resources, including data collection and benchmarking tools, design strategies, planning and policy guidance, communication and outreach templates, funding navigation resources, and a decision matrix to guide the selection of effective countermeasures.

Why the Toolkit?

Every community faces challenges in making the streets safer. Municipal staff often cite:

  • Limited staffing and technical capacity.
  • Barriers in navigating funding and grant requirements.
  • Project implementation challenges related to standards and procedures (e.g., crosswalk installation, speed zoning, RRFB eligibility).
  • Gaps in consistent public engagement strategies.
  • Difficulties with collecting and benchmarking data to track progress.

The Regional Safety Toolkit will help address these gaps by translating Safe System and Vision Zero principles into practical resources for day-to-day use.

What the Toolkit Will Include

When complete, the Toolkit is expected to feature:

  • Data Collection & Benchmarks – Guidance on crash data, dashboards, equity-driven analysis, and benchmarking methods to measure progress.
  • Planning & Policy Strategies – Vision Zero resolutions, governance tools, funding readiness checklists, policy integration, and enforcement strategies.
  • Design Strategies – Countermeasure guidance (crosswalks, RRFBs, speed management), self-enforcing roadway design, and a decision matrix linking local challenges to effective treatments.
  • Communications & Outreach – Templates, multilingual resources, public engagement guides, and video-based learning tools.
  • Resources & Best Practices – References to national, state, and regional examples, along with practical case studies from Greater Lowell municipalities.

Current Project Stage (Fall 2025)

NMCOG has completed several key steps in building the Toolkit:

  • Collected input through municipal staff surveys and MassDOT District 3 & 4 staff surveys.
  • Conducted interviews with municipal staff to gather deeper insights.
  • Identified key themes, including staffing limitations, challenges in project design, development, and implementation, funding readiness needs, and the need for practical, accessible Toolkit content to guide municipalities.
  • Drafted the outline and format of the Toolkit and began developing several sections of the Toolkit. 

Next, staff will begin drafting the full Toolkit report chapters, ensuring resources are practical, implementation-focused, and aligned with regional safety goals.

Stay Engaged

The Regional Safety Toolkit is an ongoing, collaborative effort. Municipal staff, community members, and partner organizations will continue to play an active role in shaping its development and ensuring it reflects local needs.

For more information or to participate in the Toolkit project, please contact Amanuel Regassa. 

Sign up to stay informed:

Be part of NMCOG’s effort to advance the region’s Vision Zero Plan. Sign up to receive project updates, share your insights, and engage in regional safety efforts. Your participation will help shape the Greater Lowell Regional Safety Toolkit and support ongoing progress toward safer streets for everyone. Sign up here