Bill > H2966

This bill requires the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to establish or integrate into its existing traffic data collection program a system for collecting and managing data from mobility studies conducted in connection with construction projects funded by MassDOT. This system will include a database and a data dictionary, which is a set of definitions for the data being collected, to support data analysis and reporting. The database will capture location information such as county, city, zip code, route, street name, and street number, and will accommodate multi-modal traffic counts, meaning it will record data for various transportation methods including bicycles, pedestrians, trucks, and public transit. MassDOT will decide whether users can directly upload data or if it must be submitted to the department first, and will set a standard format for data submission. Any mobility study for a MassDOT-funded construction project must include all required information, including multi-modal traffic counts, and this data must be submitted to MassDOT in the standard format by deadlines set by the department. Furthermore, MassDOT will make the data dictionary and the collected mobility study data publicly available in an open data format that allows for easy uploading, retrieval, indexing, and searching, and will establish a schedule for how often this data will be updated. The bill will become effective 180 days after it is passed.