TIP Amendment Comment letter
November 2, 2009
Boston Region MPO
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150,
Boston, MA 02116-3968
RE: TIP Amendment
Dear MPO Members:
WalkBoston writes to express our support for two of the projects included for ARRA funding in the recommended TIP Amendment that is currently under consideration. Of particular importance to WalkBoston’s members – because of their benefits for pedestrian safety and encouragement of active transportation and access to transit are the Alewife Greenway (Minuteman-Mystic River Connector) and the reconstruction of Nonantum Road. Each of these projects will serve large numbers of people – including walkers, bicyclists and drivers – and each addresses pressing safety concerns.
This Alewife Greenway will develop a critical pedestrian and bicycle off-road link between two of the region’s most heavily used pedestrian and bike path corridors (Minuteman and Mystic River Reservation) and will provide a new direct off-road link to the Alewife T station, the most highly accessed T station via bicycle in the Boston area. Safety improvements will be provided at the crossings of Massachusetts Avenue and Broadway, thus helping to provide safe linkage for major residential neighborhoods and Tufts University to the Mystic River, Dilboy Stadium, Dilboy area ballfields and children’s playground, DCR pool and basketball courts, the Minuteman Bike path and the Alewife T station. Presently there are no safe sidewalks, crossings or paths serving many of the aforementioned facilities. The project will include development of two new ADA accessible public paths in a highly urbanized area and will feature ecological restoration of sections of the Alewife Brook, thus serving as a nature trail as well as a bike/pedestrian path.
The Nonantum Road project is intended to improve the safety of all roadway users – pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers – in this dangerous roadway alignment. This badly needed project gives important consideration to all roadway users, and pedestrian access is especially important because residents of the neighborhoods adjacent to Nonantum Road must be able to cross the road to safely access the path and the river’s edge.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to provide comments on the Amendment. Please let us know if you have any questions or need further detail.
Sincerely,
Wendy Landman
Executive Director
Cc Secretary Jeff Mullan, MassDOT
Dan Driscoll, DCR Bicycle and Pedestrian Planner