BETA Group, Inc., Town of Plymouth win APA-MA Award

Norwood, MA – The BETA Group, Inc. team, led by Senior Vice President Anthony Lionetta, PE, recently joined Jonathan Beder, Director of Public Works in Plymouth, Massachusetts, to celebrate at the American Planning Association, Massachusetts Chapter (APA-MA) and Massachusetts Association of Planning Directors (MAPD) Annual Awards Luncheon. BETA worked with Mr. Beder and the Town of Plymouth on the South Water Street Reconstruction Project, which received the 2018 Transportation and Mobility Award at the awards luncheon, held on December 14, 2018. The Transportation and Mobility Award honors an individual or group for transportation planning, corridor studies, transit planning, non-motorized plans, pedestrian plans, TDM, and transportation capital planning.

The Town of Plymouth is a top travel destination and the largest town by population in Massachusetts. The busy South Water Street Corridor serves residents and visitors who arrive by bus, car, bicycle, or on foot. The street runs directly in front of Plymouth Rock and Pilgrim Memorial Park and is the site of events such as the 4th of July and Thanksgiving Day Parades. BETA and the Plymouth Department of Public Works collaborated on the project from the early visioning, to design and permitting, and through the completion of construction in 2018.

BETA’s integrated in-house team included specialists in traffic and transportation, landscape architecture and placemaking, stormwater management, and construction. To improve pedestrian safety, the team applied traffic calming /road diet strategies, urban design elements, and landscaped curb extensions and large raised crosswalks. The project also included new lighting, seating areas, and plantings. The final product is a well-designed space constructed with attractive and quality materials that will improve safety and increase the ability for visitors to enjoy their waterfront experience. The South Water Street Reconstruction Project has resulted in a significant upgrade for residents and tourists to the Downtown and Harbor Districts.