Understanding Obstacles to Improving Road-Stream Crossings in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, many of the 30,000+ existing road-stream crossings are barriers to aquatic organism passage and interrupt natural stream processes. Efforts to inventory these crossings have been ongoing since 2000, and improved crossing design standards have been developed, revised, and incorporated into regulatory processes since that time. Additionally, storms such as Hurricane Irene in 2011 have increased awareness among Massachusetts communities of the public safety hazards caused by undersized crossings. Despite heightened interest among municipalities, few projects that meet standards have been completed.  In response, the Division of Ecological Restoration developed a Stream Continuity Program to provide assistance to municipalities for overcoming obstacles posed by implementing improved crossing projects. Prior to developing technical assistance tools, DER conducted a needs assessment to identify specific obstacles that municipal infrastructure managers face. Road managers from 351 Massachusetts municipalities were surveyed to identify common problems experienced state-wide, by geographic region (terrain type), and by town population (urban vs. rural). Although lack of construction funding was a common problem state-wide, other factors such as navigation of regulatory requirements, lack of experience in culvert design, and a lack of municipal staff resources were also cited as critical obstacles.