Project Background

The Blue Hills Regional Coordinating Council (BHRCC) is a group of voluntary stakeholders working together to build a healthier community by addressing accessibility barriers and ensuring that residents have equitable access to transportation in the Massachusetts communities of Braintree, Hingham, Hull, Milton, Quincy, Randolph, and Weymouth.


Phases I & II:
Needs Assessment
Sep ‘19 - Mar ‘20

Understand needs and assets related to transportation, accessibility, and mobility.


Phase II:
Action Plan
Apr ‘20 - Jun ‘21

Identify a set of regional priority outcomes that align with local, regional, and state partners.


Phase III:
Pilot Programs
Jul ‘21 - Dec ‘21

Design, approve, and roll out pilot programs in three BHRCC towns.


Phase IV:
Program Expansion
Starting Jul ‘21

Scale existing pilots and best practices in remaining BHRCC communities.

Assessment Summary

From September 2019 through March 2020 the Blue Hills RCC conducted a regional needs assessment to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of our seven towns and cities as it relates to transportation and accessibility. With technical assistance provided by the public health team at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), we explored demographic data, created maps of current transportation services and important locations, and reviewed the transportation-related strategies outlined within municipal plans. We held resident focus groups to learn the important locations where people want/need to go and barriers to getting there, and in collaboration with the UMass Boston Center for Gerontology, engaged municipal officials, health and human service providers, and residents around the topic of healthy aging. Findings from these activities are highlighted in the infographics below.

View all needs assessment documents here.

Strengths Infographic_Final.png
Challenges Infographic_Final.png

Action Plan Highlights

The action plan plan articulates a set of strategies and related actions for addressing transportation inequities and accessibility barriers in the Blue Hills region of Massachusetts. A “Strategy” describes an informed approach for achieving the BHRCC goal and an “Action” describes a specific and measurable step in implementation of a strategy. Click here to read the full action plan.

Next Steps

Since Fall 2020, the BHRCC has been working to further promote the action plan to the broader public and engage community members in an action plan prioritization process. Through June 2021, we will continue to:

  • Refine action plan strategies and develop pilot programs with community input;

  • Align pilot projects with current priority work; and

  • Build partnerships with municipal departments, community organizations, and individuals to advance pilot projects.

Check out our project updates page to learn about specific actions you can take to help us achieve these goals.

Ways to Get Involved