Articles from 2017 and earlier
BU News Service | Sep 30, 2017 | By Antonia DeBianchi
Art Starts a Dialogue on Climate Change at the MFA Adi Nochur, a panelist and project manager for WalkBoston, an organization dedicated to making walking in Boston more safe and sustainable, pointed to how the recent hurricanes that impacted Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, Florida and Houston were related to climate change. He said art could help to open up a broader conversation about what to do next. “This isn’t just about flooding. This isn’t just about the environment,” Nochur said. “It’s about what are the impacts on our communities if we don’t actually address this issue?” READ MORE
The Daily Free Press | Sep 28, 2017 | By Megan Forsythe
MFA engages residents in City Talks forum on climate change Adi Nochur, a program manager at WalkBoston, said during the forum that climate change is an issue that is expansive and requires a lot of different people to confront and challenge it. “Addressing climate change is such a multifaceted struggle where we expend our energy,” Nochur said. “We need people who are going to be working on all of those different front lines and lending their skills and capacities in whatever unique way they can contribute. We need to recognize on a local level we can tangible progress we are able to make victories on a local level.” Nochur said forums like this are important to show people that they can come together to tackle big systematic issues like climate change. “Really being able to give people a sense of how they can come together and get involved and take action on these issues … [is] going to make us think about our practices moving forward,” Nochur said. “It’s important to create spaces like these for dialogue.” READ MORE
Wicked Local | Jul 3, 2017 | By Conor Powers-Smith
Melrose seeks Complete Streets via roadway improvements Public outreach, including at last year’s Victorian Fair and Sally Frank’s Farmers’ Market, helped the city focus on the most pressing projects, with further input from the Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee, and advocacy groups like the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition and Walk Boston. READ MORE
Jamaica Plain Gazette | May 26, 2017 | By Beth Treffeisen
Residents demand slower, safer streets “This really gets to the heart of a lot of people’s lives around the city,” said Wendy Landman, who is the executive director of WalkBoston. “If you’re scared to let your 10-year-old cross the street even if you live on a residential street it makes a difference.” Brendan Kearney, who is the communications director of WalkBoston, believes that the City isn’t doing enough to ensure that these Slow Streets get implemented. “The Neighborhood Slow Streets has definitely struck a cord with neighborhood groups across the city,” said Kearney. “The staff is working incredibly hard…but they’re spread too thin.” He believes that best practices that work and have been established elsewhere around the U.S. and the world is something that BTD can tap from. During the hearing they asked for the department to consider taking on more staff dedicated to Vision Zero. “Signs don’t do everything,” said Kearney. “You need to make physical changes in the streets too.” Landman added, “There are many, many, projects that can come at much lower costs.” READ MORE
Beacon Hill Times | May 26, 2017 | By Beth Treffeisen
Residents Demand More Slow Streets for Boston Neighborhoods “This really gets to the heart of a lot of people’s lives around the city,” said Wendy Landman, who is the executive director of WalkBoston. “If you’re scared to let your 10-year-old cross the street even if you live on a residential street it makes a difference.” Brendan Kearney, who is the communications director of WalkBoston, believes that the City isn’t doing enough to ensure that these Slow Streets get implemented. “The Neighborhood Slow Streets has definitely struck a cord with neighborhood groups across the city,” said Kearney. “The staff is working incredibly hard…but they’re spread too thin.” He believes that best practices that work and have been established elsewhere around the U.S. and the world is something that BTD can tap from. During the hearing they asked for the department to consider taking on more staff dedicated to Vision Zero. “Signs don’t do everything,” said Kearney. “You need to make physical changes in the streets too.” Landman added, “There are many, many, projects that can come at much lower costs.” READ MORE
Boston Globe | May 24, 2017 | By Joan Vennochi
Boston needs to figure out how to share the roads Yet Walsh’s overall reaction to the controversy is also disappointing. Instead of stewing self-defensively, he should meet with advocates like Becca Wolfson of Boston Cyclists Union and Brendan Kearney of WalkBoston. They are capable of dialogue, not diatribe, and want to talk about issues like dangerous intersections, the need to fix signal timing, and creating more protected bike lanes. “This really is about making Boston a city where it is safe for people to get around no matter how they are doing it,” said Kearney. READ MORE
Boston Globe | May 21, 2017 | By Dante Ramos
The myth of the beleaguered Boston driver It’s easy to blame crazy cyclists or headphoned jaywalkers for getting hit by cars, but the victims are often children and elderly people. Calls for personal responsibility also mask the underlying issue: Many streets and intersections in Boston aren’t properly designed for the mix of people using them. On the radio show, Walsh took a call from a Jamaica Plain resident who bemoaned rampant jaywalking in the Longwood Medical Area, near South Station, and elsewhere. “It’s impossible to drive without everybody running out in front of you,” the caller said. “It’s dangerous.” The other possibility is that, when throngs of transit commuters pour out of South Station every morning and jaywalk across the street, they’re sending a message of their own: We’re focusing too closely on the needs of motor vehicles, and not enough on all the people around them. READ MORE
Boston Globe | May 19, 2017 | By Nestor Ramos
Street safety comments walk Walsh into trouble Others said Walsh’s comments were based on misconceptions and inaccuracies. Though the mayor’s comments focused on people wearing headphones or darting in and out of traffic, data show that at least four of the 15 pedestrians killed in Boston last year were over 65. Two others were children under 3. The ages of five of the 15 victims have not been released, according to data from the pedestrian advocacy group WalkBoston. — The city committed to a Vision Zero policy in 2015. The concept, said Brendan Kearney, communications director for WalkBoston, “is grounded in the premise that people make mistakes — so the streets should be designed to minimize injury and loss of life no matter how people are getting around.” “We should not be blaming the people that were hit and killed,” Kearney said in an e-mail. READ MORE
Boston Globe | May 18, 2017 | By Nestor Ramos and Steve Annear
Bump for Walsh on city’s mean streets The city committed to a Vision Zero policy in 2015. The concept, said Brendan Kearney, communications director for WalkBoston, “is grounded in the premise that people make mistakes — so the streets should be designed to minimize injury and loss of life no matter how people are getting around.” “We should not be blaming the people that were hit and killed,” Kearney said in an e-mail. READ MORE
Boston Magazine | May 1, 2017 | By Rachel Slade
Boston Traffic Sucks—Here’s How to Fix It Those goals are shared by local transportation advocates. WalkBoston’s Kearney, for one, believes many of the city’s intersections offer opportunities to prioritize increasing mobility over moving cars. At Park Street, “the sheer number of [pedestrians] is so much greater than the number of vehicles going down Tremont,” he says. “Those light cycles should be shorter. Instead of waiting a minute and a half and then getting a long pedestrian walk signal, why not cut that to 60 seconds, or 45 seconds?” READ MORE
Boston Globe | May 1, 2017 | By Renée Loth
One legacy of Jane Jacobs: community walks around the globe “We want to get people more devoted to the idea that this is their neighborhood,” said [WalkBoston Board President] Matt Lawlor, cofounder of WalkUp Roslindale, the local advocacy group organizing the walk. “If you don’t speak up for it, who will?” READ MORE
Boston Globe | Apr 15, 2017 | By Andy Rosen
Opening of new park is new era for Emerald Necklace “This series of changes along the Emerald Necklace is terrific,” said Wendy Landman, executive director of the group WalkBoston. “It’s creating all sorts of connections that have been missing, or fixing things in the system that haven’t been working.” There will always be disagreement and negotiation over the competing needs of drivers and pedestrians, but advocates for bicyclists and walkers say the recent changes represent a generational shift in how residents and leaders think about parks. READ MORE
Wicked Local Melrose | Feb 13, 2017 | By Jeannette Hinkle
Melrose pursues grant to increase transportation connectivity A recent condition assessment of every Melrose road conducted by the engineering department, a free citywide bike-ability assessment by the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition and a free WalkBoston and Watson Active assessment on accessibility of Melrose schools for pedestrians and bicyclists will all be entered into the GIS before the city determines its priority projects for Complete Streets. READ MORE
Somerville Times | Feb 2, 2017 | By Jennifer Mazzola
Letter to the Editor The past year has been a tumultuous one filled with surgeries, physical therapy, scars, and a lot of tears as I recovered from what happened to me that night. I have joined organizations such as WalkBoston and Livable Streets, that fight for safety on our roadways, for all of us who use them. READ MORE
WCVB News (TV) | Jan 26, 2017 | By Rhondella Richardson
Steps being taken in Boston to curb crashes involving pedestrians In recent months, Boston has seen a spike in car crashes involving pedestrians. [See video interview at link.] READ MORE
Boston Herald | Jan 25, 2017 | By Brian Dowling and Meghan Ottolini
Striking Level of Carnage “It’s a small staff in the planning department with these large tasks ahead of them and these wonderful, audacious goals that are bold and would make the city a better, livable place, but I don’t think they have the staff or the funding to implement these things,” said Brendan Kearney, of WalkBoston, a member of the city’s Vision Zero task force. READ MORE
BostInno | Jan 18, 2017 | By Brendan Kearney
Pricier Boston Parking Meters Should Be Just the Beginning The City of Boston recently rolled out a performance parking initiative that includes flexible parking meter pricing in the Seaport and Back Bay. Prices will be lower on streets that consistently have availability, while the meter price will be higher on streets that are often filled. You may be able to park a little further away to save a few quarters, which frees up a spot closer for someone who needs it – or doesn’t mind paying a little more. Kudos to Mayor Walsh. The city is on the right track with a pilot project like this one. Boston is home to an innovation economy. We should be pushing for more pilot projects to change how our streets and curbside spaces are allocated. READ MORE
Boston Globe | Jan 6, 2017 | By Andrew Ryan
New South Boston zoning could mean more parking and slow down development “They should be reducing these parking minimums,” said Brendan Kearney, communications manager for the pedestrian advocacy group WalkBoston. “The city of Buffalo just removed parking requirements entirely. You don’t think of Buffalo as a paragon of forward urban thinking, but if Buffalo can do it, why not Boston.” READ MORE
The Bulletin Newspapers | Dec 14, 2016 | By Jeff Sullivan
Pedestrian safety hot topic at transportation policy briefing The Boston City Council Committee on Parks, Recreation and Transportation met last week to hold a transportation policy briefing that focused on pedestrian services and safety. The meeting was focused on decreasing traffic collisions and fatalities involving pedestrians in the city. Wendy Landman, executive director for WalkBoston, said the most critical factor in pedestrian collisions is that of speed. She said that a pedestrian’s chance of survivability in a crash at 20 miles per hour (mph) is 90 percent, while at 40 mph, it’s 10 percent. “That difference, bringing speed down from 40 mph to 20 mph, or thereabouts, is critically important to making a safe walking environment,” she said. “It’s something we’re seeing actually around the world. City planners and transportation planners are thinking very hard about transportation speed because that’s what is the most basic element of a safe walking environment.” READ MORE
7 News: Hank Investigates | Nov 16, 2016 | By Hank Phillippi Ryan
Crosswalk Confusion And woe to those who try to obey the law… Brendan Kearney: “Let’s see how long it is before people start honking their horns for the right turn… Ah, there we go.” Driver peer pressure forces them to break it.
SouthCoast Today | Nov 6, 2016 | By Paige L. Jones
Community members seek to make New Bedford South End more walkable The New Bedford walk was led by WalkBoston, along with the United Way of Greater New Bedford. Their South End Engaged initiative included 40 stakeholders whose efforts were guided by the vision statement: “All residents of the South End of New Bedford are safe, healthy, and have the knowledge and skills to thrive.” READ MORE
WBUR | Oct 3, 2016 | By Simón Rios
Boston Launches App-Based Competition To Encourage Safe Driving Brendan Kearney of the pro-pedestrian group WalkBoston says the app won’t be a silver bullet, but it’s another tool to use in the Vision Zero program. “If this helps get the word out about Vision Zero and reducing fatalities and serious crashes by being more courteous about how you get around the roads, it’s great,” Kearney said. READ MORE
Salem Patch | Sep 30, 2016 | By Joe Lipovich
Salem to Hold Group Walks for Elementary Students WalkBoston, a nonprofit pedestrian advocacy organization that has conducted walking audits of the downtown and South Salem neighborhoods, offers a walking map of the City… READ MORE
Boston Globe | Sep 30, 2016 | By Meghan E. Irons
Bike, pedestrian advocates to press mayor on road safety At least 13 people have died in traffic crashes this year, said Brendan Kearney, spokesman for the pedestrian advocacy organization WalkBoston. Last year, there were 23 fatalities, according to data on the Vision Zero website. Kearney said the city needs to devote more funding for improvements and hire additional staff to make them happen. “They have a great staff right now,’’ he said. “But they don’t have the capacity to tackle all of the needs.” READ MORE
Beacon Hill Times | Sep 29, 2016 | By Beacon Hill Times Report
MassDOT installs two pedestrian hybrid beacons to improve pedestrian safety Brendan Kearney of WalkBoston added, “WalkBoston is pleased that walking and running safety measures have now been added in the project area, instead of waiting until the end of the construction process.” READ MORE
Dorchester Reporter | Sep 22, 2016 | By Brianne Garrett
‘Vision Zero’ to outline traffic calming plans for Talbot-Norfolk “People are looking forward to being part of this pilot,” said Seskin. “They want to be able to feel comfortable going outside and walking with their kids or their pets, no matter what age they are.” According to the City of Boston’s Vision Zero crash map, Boston had a total of 512 bicyclist injuries and three bicyclist fatalities in 2015. Two of these three fatalities occurred in Dorchester. The TNT neighborhood has already made efforts to reduce this number. Activists have previously worked with local non-profits such as WalkBoston and have even developed their own report based on “a walking audit of the neighborhood,” says Seskin. READ MORE
WBUR CommonHealth | Sep 16, 2016 | By Carey Goldberg
Magic Pill, Episode #17: Location, Location, Location: It Can Impact Your Exercise Habits Too. This is a tough one: What do you do if where you live and work gets in the way of moving more? No gym nearby, streets that don’t feel safe, bad air. It makes getting out there all that much harder. But from biking to walking groups to special programs, there are ways around those barriers. READ MORE
Boston Globe | Sep 2, 2016 | Letter to the Editor
Leaders must make safer streets a priority We desperately need the state, cities, and towns to invest in infrastructure. The status quo is not working. Leaders must prioritize safer options for people to walk, bike, and take transit. READ MORE
Boston Magazine | Aug 18, 2016 | By Spencer Buell
Car Strikes Pedestrians on Freedom Trail in Downtown Crossing Witnesses say the suspect, a woman, tried to leave the scene of the crash, according to Brendan Kearney, communications director for the nonprofit advocacy group WalkBoston, who rushed over to the intersection when he saw reports about it on Twitter. He didn’t see it himself, he says, but witnesses told him a crowd of people, including a man in a Minuteman costume, helped subdue the driver and came to the aid of the victims. “It’s scary. I’m still a little stunned that something like this can happen,” Kearney says. “It happened at, like, noon. This place is slammed with people on a normal day and this is August, midweek. This is the height of tourist season on the Freedom Trail.” READ MORE
Metro Boston | Aug 2, 2016 | By Chris Caesar
Jaywalkers have little to fear in Boston — at least from the law Brendan Kearney, a spokesperson for WalkBoston, said the concept of jaywalking and laws prohibiting the practice first emerged in the early 20th century, as the automobile industry engaged in a widespread marketing campaign to redefine the public road as the domain of vehicles — not walkers. “If you look at the term ‘jay,’ [in the early 20th century] it meant kind of like a hick, a country bumpkin that doesn’t know what’s going on,” Kearney said. “There was a lot of marketing … to make this a real [patriotic] sort of thing: ‘Don’t be a jaywalker.’” Kearney said lawmakers have more effective means at their disposal to cut back on pedestrian deaths, rather than punishing pedestrians: increase fines and enforcement for speeding, paint more crosswalks in the city, and employ shorter times for light signal changes to cut down on the time pedestrians wait at the curb. READ MORE
Wicked Local Weymouth | Jul 22, 2016 | By Ed Baker
Weymouth planners look to improve Columbian Square’s village appeal Columbian Square could be a marquee attraction in South Weymouth for visitors to dine at a sidewalk café or shop at an open air market if traffic can be slowed down at the busy intersection, says Wendy Landman, executive director of WalkBoston, a non-profit pedestrian advocacy organization. READ MORE
Boston Globe | Jul 10, 2016 | By Jan Ransom, Trisha Thadani and Nicole Fleming
After 2nd duck boat crash this year, a renewed call for change Brendan Kearney, a spokesman for Walk Boston, a nonprofit that advocates for pedestrian safety, said duck boats are not suitable to urban environments where people are walking, biking, and driving. “I’ve never sat in the driver’s seat of a duck boat, but I’m sure they are very difficult to drive,” he said. “They are vehicles that were meant to storm the beaches of Normandy. They were designed to do a very different thing than they are used for today.” READ MORE
Boston Globe | May 18, 2016 | By Steve Annear
“Would closing Newbury Street to cars be a good idea?” WalkBoston, a pedestrian advocacy group, tweeted that “we’re certainly in favor of trying things out!” In a follow up e-mail, Brendan Kearney, the group’s spokesman, said sections of the Back Bay near Newbury Street could be a great choice. “WalkBoston is supportive of open streets programs to allow people to be more active and engaged in their community, while also giving residents and visitors the opportunity to safely use one of the city’s largest assets, our streets, in a way they normally are unable to,” he said. “The City of Boston has mentioned that they’re considering pilot locations; we’d love to see this done!” READ MORE
CBS Boston | May 18, 2016 | By Louisa Moller
“Boston Considering Pedestrian Only Streets During Summer” Is Boston making strides towards walking-only streets? Watch this interview with WalkBoston board president Matt Lawlor from CBS Boston. READ MORE
Fox 25 Boston | Mar 21, 2016 | By Kerry Kavanaugh
Driver crashes Bentley while drag racing in Back Bay On Monday, FOX25 met with a number of safety advocacy groups that say the latest accident highlights the need to slow traffic down. READ MORE
Scout Somerville | Mar 17, 2016 | By Emily Cassel
Somerville Road Runners Make A Plea For The Community Path Extension Ultimately, Kearney says that extending the Community Path and making the city safer for runners and pedestrians actually makes this a better, safer place for all of Somerville’s residents—whether or not they’ve ever strapped on a pair of running shoes. READ MORE
PRI’s The World | Feb 23, 2016 | By Jason Margolis
Many Americans want to behave more Swedish on the road (audio at link) I spoke with Thompson and Kearney at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Beacon Street, a notoriously dangerous spot. A young surgeon was killed on a bicycle here last year when a truck turned into her. The city made some quick changes like placing flexible posts in the ground to mark off the bike lane. Kearney says the city can do more, like changing the timing on traffic signals. “There are no leading pedestrian indicators, meaning the walk signal comes on in advance of the traffic, which would basically let people walking and biking be halfway out in the intersection, give more visibility to any turning vehicles,” said Kearney, who was frustrated it hasn’t happened yet. READ MORE
Boston Globe | Nov 2, 2015 | By Elizabeth Cooney
Survival Guide for running and biking in the dark With so many users sharing the roads in the dark, drivers and exercisers can each be tempted to blame the other. Like the vision scientists, Brendan Kearney, communications manager for the nonprofit WalkBoston, takes no sides, but he offers practical advice to runners as they leave the relative safety of sidewalks. “Just make sure as you approach the crosswalk that you see that [drivers] acknowledge you have the right of way,” he said. “You have much more to lose than the cars. They have airbags and you don’t.” READ MORE
The Herald News | Oct 2, 2015 | By Eric Andrade
Guest Opinion: The importance of pedestrian advocacy in Fall River One of the main components of the grant was to recruit senior “champions.” These champions would go out, and, with training from WalkBoston, a statewide pedestrian advocacy group, conduct walk audits of various areas of the city. Six walk audits were conducted, and through this effort, the city started painting more noticeable striped crosswalks. They also installed in-street crosswalk signs, many of them specifically requested at dangerous intersections. READ MORE
Universal Hub | Jul 21, 2015 | By Shelagh Dolan
Imagine a Boston with just a fifth as many cars WalkBoston representative Wendy Landman made the case for humanity’s oldest form of transportation: our feet. Boston is already extremely walkable, she said. It has the highest walk to work score in the United States, as well as one of the lowest pedestrian fatality rates. The area for opportunity, she said, is connecting walkable places like Newbury Street and Mass Ave to less walk-friendly neighborhoods like the proposed tennis venue at Harambee Park. “We need to create corridors in parts of the city that may not have corridors that feel lively and engaged,” she said. With regards to the Boston 2024 Olympics, Landman emphasized the importance of improving areas away from the venues, such as where passengers initially get on a train to go to an event. “A lot of the excitement of the venues will be because you’re with other people and it’s a celebratory event,” she said. “What we can leave behind is what [else] is along those routes.” READ MORE
BostInno | Jul 6, 2015 | By Nick DeLuca
Redesigning This Somerville Highway Underpass Is More About Function Than Fashion “Incorporating an arts project while creating safe transportation connections between neighborhoods is a win-win. We’re hopeful that improving the street crossing on the approach to the underpass would be a priority as part of the project, too,” said Brendan Kearney, Communications Manager at WalkBoston. “Drivers treat this section of the road as an extended acceleration zone before the 93 on-ramp, and don’t expect people walking or biking here; re-painted lane lines and a raised crosswalk would go a long way to improving safety for everyone.” READ MORE
ArchitectureBoston Magazine | Jul 1, 2015 | By Wendy Landman
Letters – On “Public/Private” (responses to Spring 2015) The “Public/Private” issue captured ideas about many of the boundaries and mixing zones that exist in modern cities and raised some provocative questions about how we should govern and regulate space to meet the diverse needs of city dwellers. However, I hope a future issue will focus on that most significant and largest element of our communities’ shared space, comprising more than 30 percent of total land area: streets and sidewalks. READ MORE
BostInno | May 14, 2015 | By Nick DeLuca
The Case For More Car-Free Zones in Downtown Boston “A unifying theme is slowing things down so it is safer for all users, reclaiming/opening alleys to connect the city more and eliminating large blocks,” said Brendan Kearney, spokesperson for pedestrian advocacy group WalkBoston. READ MORE
Boston City Council Minutes | May 13, 2015 | By City Councilor Michelle Wu
Boston City Council Official Resolution – Ann Hershfang Day Official Resolution OFFERED BY CITY COUNCILOR Michelle Wu WHEREAS: Ann Hershfang was born on May 1, 1935; and Ann and her husband Herbert purchased their home on West Rutland Square in the South End in 1965 and have been fixtures in the local community ever since; and WHEREAS: Ann and Herbert raised their two daughters, Rachel and Jennifer, in the South End and contributed greatly to the Boston Public Schools as active parents at the Rice-Bancroft School; and WHEREAS: In the 1970’s Ann became the first woman appointed to the Board of the Massachusetts Port Authority because of her transportation policy work as a member of the League of Women Voters, Ann was instrumental in defeating the proposed South-End By-Pass Road, and, while Massachusetts under-Secretary of Transportation and Construction, in causing the substituted railroad tracks to be placed underground and the creation over it of the Southwest Corridor Park; and WHEREAS: Ann has shown lifelong dedication to her neighborhood of the South End, the Southwest Corridor and the City of Boston as a community advocate, volunteer and founder and board member of WalkBoston, among many other endeavors; Be it Therefore RESOLVED: That the Boston City Council hereby expresses its congratulations and best wishes for continued success, that this Resolution be duly signed by the President of the City Council and attested to and a copy thereof transmitted by the Clerk of City of Boston; and Be It Further RESOLVED: That the Boston City Council, in meeting assembled, hereby declares May 1, 2015 ANN HERSHFANG DAY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON READ MORE DOWNLOAD
Belchertown Sentinel | May 7, 2015 | By Aimee M. Henderson
A walking audit Senior citizens leant a helping hand – actually feet – last week as they participated in a walk audit of the corridor from the Town Common to the courthouse through Healthy Hampshire and funding through the Mass Councils on Aging and Mass in Motion. A group of 19 adults, aged 55+, gathered at the Belchertown Council on Aging on Friday morning to hear from Sarah Bankert, coordinator at Healthy Hampshire, and Stacey Beuttell, program director at WalkBoston. Bankert, who has now appeared in front of the Planning Board, Board of Selectmen and Health Board in town to talk about Healthy Hampshire, talked with the volunteer walkers about why the audit was being done, as well as answered questions regarding her organization. She told them the focus group is part of a longer process focused on creating a community vision and recommendations for increasing pedestrian accessibility in the State Street/Route 202 corridor. READ MORE
Boston Globe | Apr 15, 2015 | By Steve Annear
Bostonians answer mayor’s call for acts of kindness Mayor Martin J. Walsh encouraged residents to carry out random acts of kindness across the city Wednesday to commemorate the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings on the second anniversary of the terror attack, and inaugurate a new tradition called “One Boston Day.” For members of Walk Boston, a pedestrian advocacy group, that meant sprucing up crosswalks to make travel by foot safer for those heading to work in the morning. Brendan Kearney, Walk Boston’s communications manager, used spray chalk Wednesday to outline two faded and forgotten crosswalks on School Street, restoring their ability to usher pedestrians across the road and slow down drivers who typically barrel down the busy street. “They were almost completely faded, so we just wanted to repair the crosswalks to make them more visible for drivers, so they knew pedestrians would be crossing there,” Kearney said. Kearney said Walk Boston’s plan worked and as motorists approached the impromptu crosswalks, they pumped the brakes. Members of the group stood on the street corner holding brightly colored signs, and cheered for drivers who let pedestrians pass. “Some of the drivers gave us the thumbs-up or honked,” he said. READ MORE
Jamaica Plain Patch | Apr 13, 2015 | By Mike Bednarsky
Boston Marathon 2015 Runner Profile: Kevin Handly, of Jamaica Plain Kevin is running in the Boston Marathon for the fifth time. Boston Marathon 2015 Runner Profile: Kevin Handly, of Jamaica Plain Name: Kevin Handly Age: 62 Profession: I am a corporate and bank regulatory attorney. Marathon experience: This will be my 5th Boston Marathon, my 8th overall. Reason for running: I run the Boston Marathon because I can, because Susan Hurley and all my other charity team running mates are doing it, because I don’t have tickets to the Red Sox game that day and because there is no better, more joyful way to celebrate living in this great city of ours. This is one of the greatest athletic events in the world and I have a chance to participate as a competitor. Charity: I’m running for the charity WalkBoston, which is dedicated to promoting pedestrian activity, safety, access and awareness throughout Massachusetts. Click here to view the charity page and/or to make a donation. Training tip: If your knees will permit it, it’s never too late to start training for the Boston Marathon. Run for a charity you believe in and you will find great meaning and great friends in your life. Bib number: 16852 READ MORE
Somerville Times | Apr 3, 2015 | By Mayor Joseph Curtatone
Walkability creates community Somerville was honored at WalkBoston’s 25th anniversary gala last week, where I accepted a Golden Shoe Award on behalf of all our community partners who have worked tirelessly to advocate and help us build a walkable community. We are committed to making Somerville the most walkable, bikeable, transit-accessible city in the nation, and the data behind walkable neighborhoods make the benefits clear. Transportation costs for families are lower, while sales for local businesses are higher. By giving people the option of not having to use their cars to run errands, air pollution goes down while our residents’ personal health gets better as they choose to walk more. And the greatest benefit of walkability is perhaps the hardest to measure, but easiest to identify: it creates community. READ MORE
Bay State Banner | Mar 6, 2015 | By Sandra Larson
City pursues improvements for elderly residents Many at the forum were people working for elder-serving organizations or advocating for a more accessible city overall. Wendy Landman of WalkBoston suggested the city should form a cross-department working group that includes Elder Services, the Boston Transportation Department and the Commission on Disabilities to examine crosswalk improvements, slow zones and lowered speed limits. READ MORE
WGBH | Feb 22, 2015 | By Rupa Shenoy
Boston’s Snowed-Over Sidewalks Create A Mess For Pedestrians Kearney’s point is the situation isn’t safe for the guy with the stroller, or really any pedestrians these days. Unshoveled or half-shoveled sidewalks and tall mounds of snow blocking sidewalks from intersections make difficult obstacle courses for the most able-bodied. Everyone from walkers to people in wheelchairs are forced out onto the streets, and then forced to scatter when cars appear. READ MORE
Boston.com | Feb 6, 2015 | By Adam Vaccaro
Six Takeaways From Boston’s First Community Meeting on 2024 Olympic Bid Transit improvement is a hot topic. Perhaps this was exacerbated by the horrible week on the T, but many members of the audience focused on the opportunity for improved infrastructure. Davey, whose last job was as the state’s secretary of transportation, eagerly took most of those questions on. At least two people at the meeting suggested Boston 2024’s transportation plans don’t go far enough, and that the group should utilize the Olympics bid to connect North and South stations by rail—long on the wishlist of transit activists. Another person said that officials should consider working new track for the Green Line into the bid. Others spoke for the potential added water transportation should the games come, and pedestrian improvements. Davey at one point suggested that a representative from WalkBoston, which focuses on making Boston more walkable, get in touch after the meeting lest he “nerd out” for too long on the topic. READ MORE
The Boston Globe | Feb 5, 2015 | Editorial Staff
Get it right for pedestrians after big snowfalls BOSTON PRIDES itself on being a walkable city, but if that’s to be true in the winter, City Hall needs to pay more attention to getting the pedestrian details right. With more bad weather looming, that should be one big takeaway from this winter’s first two big storms. At times when the MBTA is turning in another of its late and lamentable storm performances and driving in the city is nightmarish, foot travel is an alternative the city should work hard to enable. But there City Hall has fallen down on the job. For those on foot, the last week has proved almost as frustrating as it has been for motorists and public-transit-takers. One problem has been the uncleared median islands. Those areas, which divide traffic lanes and frequently sit between sections of crosswalk, have been neglected across wide swaths of the city. That has left walkers to make their way, single file, through a narrow, sometimes icy, sometimes slushy rut tramped down by other pedestrians. READ MORE
Boston Globe | Feb 4, 2015 | By Megan Johnson
Northern Avenue bridge closure felt by businesses, residents For Seaport-area bars and restaurants that relied on the Old Northern Avenue Bridge for a constant stream of patrons on foot, the bridge’s shutdown in December has put something of a damper on things. READ MORE
Boston Globe | Feb 3, 2015 | By Meghan E. Irons and Andrew Ryan
As complaints mount, Walsh firm on Patriots parade Brendan Kearney, communications manager for WalkBoston, a nonprofit group dedicated to improving walking conditions, urged parade spectators to use caution. “It’s going to be difficult for pedestrians to even walk down the sidewalks, let alone try to see over giant snow mounds,’’ Kearney said. READ MORE
Boston Globe | Feb 2, 2015 | By Steve Annear
Snow-covered sidewalks, cleanup complicate parade plans As if it wasn’t enough to clear Boston’s streets after two major snow storms, municipal workers now must prepare a parade route to bring the champion New England Patriots on a victory ride through the city — an undertaking that has some worried about pedestrian safety. READ MORE
Living on Earth | Nov 28, 2014 | By Jake Lucas
Building Complete Streets On a bright Tuesday morning, in Boston’s western neighborhood of Allston, a small group of locals with picket signs crowds onto a little wedge of concrete. They’re standing on Cambridge Street, right where a highway on-ramp splits off from the fiercely busy six-lane road that has been a sore point for years. READ MORE
The Herald News | Oct 27, 2014 | By Herald News Editorial Board
Our View: Fixing Fall River’s sidewalks The senior champions program is a good community partnership aimed at addressing a big problem in clear view that has been neglected as people zip by in their cars. No road maintenance program in the city can be complete without also ensuring safer pedestrian travel. READ MORE
Fall River Herald | Oct 25, 2014 | By Deborah Allard
Pounding the Pavement, Seniors study city’s sidewalk conditions Drivers whizzing through intersections and over city streets may complain of potholes, but some of Fall River’s sidwalks could rival even the deepest of road craters. Walkers, especially the elderly and disabled, can attest to the sometimes deplorable conditions of city sidewalks. “There’s nothing like getting out of the car and walking,” said Julie Kelly, coordinator of Mass in Motion, who implemented a project to audit city neighborhoods that get the most foot traffic. DOWNLOAD
Brookline Tab | Oct 20, 2014 | By Staff
Teens, seniors wanted to measure traffic speeds in Brookline Seniors and teens walk more than other people, according to WalkBoston. Many teens walk because they are too young to drive or don’t have access to cars. READ MORE
Boston Globe | Aug 19, 2014 | By Nestor Ramos
Most Boston pedestrian accidents go unreported Data that would provide a clearer picture of pedestrian safety in Boston do exist. Following a series of requests from the Globe, Boston police and Emergency Medical Services released internal data that showed that the agencies each responded to more than 750 pedestrian accidents in 2013 alone, nearly as many as the state has on record for Boston in the previous three years combined. “Understanding what’s going on is important before you come up with solutions,” Landman said. READ MORE
Boston Globe | Aug 19, 2014 | By Nestor Ramos
In Chelsea, top crash cluster gets a closer look The places in Massachusetts where pedestrians are most often injured by motor vehicles have a few things in common, specialists and advocates say: more people and more cars, of course, but also the very thing that makes Greater Boston so pedestrian-friendly — high-use public transportation stops. “We see transit stops as being big pedestrian attractors,” said Gabe Rousseau, manager of the Federal Highway Safety Administration’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Program. “It’s quite possible that you would have more crashes there, but given the high volumes of pedestrians there, you might have a lower rate,” said Rousseau. READ MORE
Wicked Local | Jul 30, 2014 | By Matthew M. Robare
Allston, Brighton residents rally for safer Cambridge Street Standing on a little triangle of raised asphalt with around 30 other people at a WalkBoston and Livable Streets Alliance rally Tuesday morning, one became conscious that the only “protection” from the cars and trucks rushing by at over 35 mph was a bit of paint on the pavement. The rally was held where the on ramp for the Massachusetts Turnpike peels off from Cambridge Street. There’s a stop for the 64 bus from Oak Square to Kendall Square and a 26 year-old man, whose name has not been released, was hit and killed crossing the Pike entrance trying to get to it on July 17. But the whole stretch of Cambridge Street, from its intersection with Brighton Avenue and North Beacon Street in Union Square to the spaghetti junction with the Pike and Soldier’s Field Road, has been the site of numerous pedestrian and cyclist fatalities. READ MORE
Boston Globe | Jun 26, 2014 | By Catherine Cloutier
Pedestrian-friendly development leads to profits, study finds “Because we’re a state that had a lot of development in colonial and post-colonial times, cities and towns grew up around walkable, higher density town centers,” said Wendy Landman, senior project manager at Walk Boston. “In some cases, these cores lost a lot of people, but they didn’t lose their framework. Now, they are ripe for being reinvigorated.” READ MORE
Boston.com | May 21, 2014 | By Zeninjor Enwemeka
Boston Area Named Safest Place for Pedestrians in US This city was made for walking. A new report by an urban planning group has rated the Greater Boston area as the safest place for pedestrians in America. READ MORE
Boston Magazine | May 21, 2014 | By Eric Randall
Boston’s Small, Winding Streets Are Good for Something: Pedestrian Safety The, uh, quirky design of our city streets here in Boston elicits a lot of complaints from a lot of groups: tourists trying to find their way around, drivers who don’t want to share the road with cyclists, cyclists who want things like protected bike lanes, etc. But the city of paved cow paths is good for one group: pedestrians. READ MORE
WBUR | May 20, 2014 | By Abby Elizabeth Conway
Boston Is Safest Metro Region For Pedestrians, Report Finds The Boston metro area is the safest place in the country for pedestrians, according to a report out Tuesday from the advocacy group Smart Growth America. Among the 51 largest U.S. metropolitan areas, the Boston region — which stretches from Quincy to southern New Hampshire — had the lowest number of pedestrian deaths relative to the number of people who walk to work. The report says there were 476 pedestrian fatalities between 2003 and 2012. WalkBoston, an organization that aims to make walking safer and easier in Massachusetts, says that while the region is ranked No. 1, the number of deaths is still unacceptable. READ MORE
BostInno | May 20, 2014 | By Nick DeLuca
If You Love Walking to Work & Everywhere Else, Live in Boston People may not consider Boston one of the most pedestrian-friendly cities in the country, and for good reason. The streets are narrow, windy and difficult to navigate via any means of transportation. The drivers have something of a spotty reputation, and some people will do anything to avoid public transportation. A new study, though, alludes that these actually work in Boston’s favor, and make it one of the best cities for walking. READ MORE
MassLive | May 20, 2014 | By Garrett Quinn
Study: Greater Boston area rated safest place for pedestrians in United States A new report released by an urban planning group found the Greater Boston region to be the safest in the country. The report, released by the group Smart Growth America, contends that the street design of many Boston roads and places has drastically reduced the number of pedestrian deaths in the area while improving the experience of walking. Smart Growth America calculated that Boston’s pedestrian danger index was the lowest in the country, effectively ranking Boston ahead of other northeast urban centers like New York and Washington, D.C. “I’m proud to hear of this recognition for the city. One of Boston’s greatest assets is our walkability – particularly during the warmer months, we see huge amounts of pedestrian traffic enjoying our fantastic outdoor spaces,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh in a statement. READ MORE
Boston Globe | May 6, 2014 | By Martine Powers
In a first, highway safety grant program focuses on bikes and pedestrians A new program announced this week by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation seeks to raise awareness about bike and pedestrian safety in 12 Massachusetts towns by training police in laws related to cyclists and those on foot. That training will help them regulate commuters of all modes who violate the rules of the road. READ MORE
Patriot Ledger | May 6, 2014 | By Gerry Tuoti, Wicked Local Newsbank Editor
Quincy receiving grant to improve bike and pedestrian safety QUINCY – A dozen communities with high rates of car accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists are getting federal funding for a new safety campaign. “It’s really exciting that Massachusetts is doing this,” said Wendy Landman, executive director of WalkBoston, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving pedestrian conditions throughout the state. READ MORE
SouthCoast Today | May 5, 2014 | By Gerry Tuoti, Wicked Local Newsbank Editor
Cities get funds for bike, pedestrian safety Fall River and 11 other communities with high rates of car crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists are getting federal funding for a new safety campaign. READ MORE
The Daily Free Press | Apr 29, 2014 | By Kelsey Newell
MassDOT launches biker safety program In an effort to reduce the number of accidents involving bikers and pedestrians, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation is launching a new safety awareness and enforcement program. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Awareness and Enforcement Program will provide $461,851 in federal highway safety funding, which will support partnerships with local officials, police departments, MassBike and WalkBoston. These funds will go to getting police officers more involved in pedestrian and bicycle issues and an awareness campaign. READ MORE
BostInno | Apr 3, 2014 | By Nick DeLuca
Boston Bike Community Lobbies for Passage of Two Bike Protection Bills Members of Boston’s biking community took to the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill to participate in the 2014 Bike/Walk Summit Thursday afternoon to lobby for the passage of two bike and pedestrian protection bills. The event was spearheaded by MassBike and WalkBoston who hosted Public Health Commissioner Cheryl Bartlett as their speaker in Nurses Hall. READ MORE
WERS | Mar 18, 2014 | By Bridget Morawski
Walk Boston to award pedestrian activists On Tuesday, non-profit Walk Boston will honor two local officials during their annual celebration. The Golden Shoe Award is given to up to five recipients for their work improving pedestrian conditions. For the twenty-fourth annual celebration, two Malden residents – local artist and community advocate Sharon Santillo as well as the Mayor of Malden Gary Christenson – will be honored. “The work that they’re doing goes unnoticed or unheralded and we really like to do this to recognize that we see them giving back to their communities,” said Brendan Kearney, the development and communications manager for WalkBoston. READ MORE
Wicked Local Malden | Mar 17, 2014 | By Maxwell Means
AWARD Malden pedestrian program wins recognition It’s official: Malden has an award-winning program to make the city more pedestrian friendly. The city’s efforts were recently recognized by the non-profit WalkBoston, which will present a Golden Shoe award to Mayor Gary Christenson and walking advocate Sharon Santillo on March 18. WalkBoston is a Massachusetts nonprofit committed to improving walking conditions and pedestrian safety. According to its website, the organization was founded in 1990, and represents more than 75 towns and cities across the state. In a letter to city officials, WalkBoston cited recent efforts from the mayor’s office as key to the award. “With initiatives such as the Creation of a Walkability Committee, attention to pedestrian safety through crosswalk and street improvements, instillation of your wonderful new walking way-finding signs and investment in sidewalks, you are truly making a difference for all of Malden’s residence,” said Walk Boston Executive Director Wendy Landman in the letter. READ MORE
The Martha’s Vineyard Times | Dec 11, 2013 | By Barry Stringfellow
Expert panel presents ideas to recharge Circuit Avenue The event was organized by Emmy Hahn from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Alice Boyd of Bailey Boyd associates. The panel included Dennis town planner Dan Fortier, Oak Bluffs SSA terminal architect and urban planner Steven Cecil; Wendy Landman, the executive director of WalkBoston; Elizabeth Worthbain, executive director of the Hyannis Business Improvement District; and David Colombo, president of the Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District. READ MORE
Alliance for Biking & Walking | Dec 2, 2013 | Mutual Aid Conference Call – Recap & Transcript
Messaging For Walking Advocacy Walking advocacy carries its own set of needs around communications and marketing. What works for messaging bike-friendliness may not work for messaging walkability. From touting vibrant main streets to elevating the health benefits of regular exercise, a unique set of messages can be best for effective walking advocacy. On a recent Alliance Mutual Aid Call, leading walking advocates discussed their hardest-learned lessons about effective messages to communicate the urgent need to boost walkability (Lisa Quinn – Feet First, Tony Dang – California Walks, Brendan Kearney – WalkBoston). Check out the below notes for an overview of all we discussed. Alliance members can also listen to a call recording and see additional resources from the panelists in the Resources Library. READ MORE
Alliance for Biking & Walking | Dec 2, 2013 | By Mary Lauran Hall
One Step at a Time, Boston Advocates Boost Walking at the Local, State, National Levels Despite their name, WalkBoston is not limited to Massachusetts’ biggest metropolis. The organization’s work extends to communities throughout the state, permeates state policy, and influences the national walking movement. At the community level, WalkBoston advocates work with public officials across Massachusetts to evaluate the walking environment, improve walking conditions, and engage local residents in walking. Their work is far-reaching — from consulting with planners and commenting on proposed designs for schools and casinos to holding walking audits and creating maps to market walking, WalkBoston advocates will go the extra mile to make sure that public spaces are designed with people in mind. READ MORE
Boston Globe | Nov 17, 2013 | By Wendy Landman
Key ingredient to a richer landscape: great walking environment SUNDAY’S WONDERFUL big ideas for our “new new Boston,” whether a rejuvenated night life, 21st-century bus service, third-graders ready for learning, or a new mecca for art, will all be better with one key ingredient: walking. A great walking environment is the secret sauce. It will let Bostonians get to and from nights on the town and access public transit; let children walk safely to parks and schools; and let art patrons flock to new exhibitions. WalkBoston hopes that as our next mayor, Martin Walsh will appoint a director to oversee retiming traffic signals to provide safe and convenient street crossings; slow traffic in busy retail areas, on residential streets, and near schools and parks; make sure that all of our streets and sidewalks comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act; improve sidewalk snow clearance; and work with the MBTA and state Department of Conservation and Recreation and Department of Transportation to provide marked crosswalks at all bus stops. Boston will be healthier, wealthier, and wiser for it. Wendy Landman Executive director WalkBoston READ MORE
AOL Autos | Oct 18, 2013 | By Pete Bigelow | AOL Autos
Halloween Is One Of The Deadliest Days For Pedestrians: AAA has list of safety tips for concerned parents “For pedestrians, it’s the best pedestrian holiday,” Landman said. “It’s a holiday all about walking, so it’s a pretty great holiday. A lot of communities do special traffic-safety measures, so you can pick some neighborhoods where those are in place and where people are more aware.” The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has a couple of safety tips for both trick-or-treaters and drivers. They’re specifically for Halloween, but they’re also effective for other days as well READ MORE
The Republican / MassLive.com | Sep 27, 2013 | By Jim Russell
Belchertown group eyes pedestrian access in town BELCHERTOWN – Participants at a workshop Thursday about improving the Belchertown walk experience recommended more sidewalks and better markings at existing crosswalks. Specific recommendations included refreshing the paint at crosswalks and extending the sidewalk beyond Chestnut Hill school to the courthouse.
Boston Globe | Sep 18, 2013 | By Martine Powers / Globe Staff
Packed transportation forum touches on the T, parking, and ‘cycle tracks’ Who knew transportation fanatics could pack a house? At a Tuesday night candidate forum at Boston Public Library on transportation and livable streets, more than 450 people filled an auditorium — and more were turned away from the overflow room — to watch eight of the race’s 12 candidates spar on issues ranging from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, minimum parking requirements, Seaport District traffic, speed limits, bus lanes, the state’s transportation finance plan, and, of course, the oft-discussed separated bike facility known as the “cycle track” — perhaps the most popular topic of the night. READ MORE
WERS 88.9 | Aug 5, 2013 | By Victoria Bedford
Building Boston This week, You Are Here explores the city of Boston with an eye on development. Between 1630 and 1880, the city of Boston tripled in size. Its location, prime territory on a harbor, allowed it to attract trade, immigrants and resources. It used these resources to establish itself as a port town, a trading center. From there, it went on to be one of the nation’s industrial hubs. And from there- to a college town, with districts known for the arts and sciences. The city has never really stopped growing. As it’s run out of space, we simply started building upwards. This week, we’ll take a look at some of the driving forces behind the city and the ways in which they’ve shaped your city. We’ll look at some proposed developments and changes, both to the city itself and the process behind decision-making. READ MORE
KCET City Walk | Jul 18, 2013 | By
Bostonians Talk The Walk Nicknamed “The Walking City”, Boston hosts more pedestrian commuters than do other comparably populated cities. Owing to factors such as the compactness of the city and large student population, 13% of the population commutes by foot, making it the highest percentage of pedestrian commuters in the country out of the major American cities. READ MORE
Community Advocate | Jul 10, 2013 | By Sue Wambolt, Contributing Writer
Northborough residents walk their way to health Northborough – As part of Northborough’s “Building a Healthy Northborough” initiative, the town is partnering with WalkBoston on a new walking map. “WalkBoston focuses on getting people outside and walking on sidewalks,” said Joubert. “We planned the routes in town around the emphasis on using sidewalks. I initially selected the routes due to their scenic quality and varied distances. The routes are not physically marked on the streets, but the maps are easy to follow. READ MORE
Newton TAB | Jul 9, 2013 | By Jim Morrison
Newton Center pedestrians feel less safe Dorothea Hass, senior project manager for the pedestrian advocacy group, Walk Boston, said that her group often supports concurrent signalization because it shortens the pedestrian wait for traffic, but never at the expense of safety. “I think this intersection is unsafe and the [designer’s] primary concern has been vehicular movement,” said Hass. “I’m shocked that they haven’t given more consideration to pedestrian safety.” DOWNLOAD
AARAP Livable Communities | Jun 20, 2013 | By
Good Walking is Good Business Local businesses thrive in densely-populated, walkable communities. According to the presentation, workplace fitness and wellness programs have been shown to reduce employer health-care costs by 20 to 50 percent. Working in a walkable community allows employees of local businesses to walk to work, lunch or any other destination they may need to go to during the workday. DOWNLOAD
Barr Foundation | May 24, 2013 | By Mary Skelton Roberts
Active, Healthy, Ready to Learn (and Fighting Climate Change) with Safe Routes to School In 1969, about half of all American children walked or biked to school. Of those who lived within a mile from school, 87% of children walked or biked. Today, less than 15% do. This has enormous implications not only for reducing vehicle emissions and morning gridlock, but also for children’s health and readiness to learn. WalkBoston has been working on this issue since 2001, when it piloted a first Safe Routes to School Program in Arlington, a Boston suburb. This program was so successful that it spread to other communities in Metro Boston. Meanwhile Safe Routes to School has become a national and even international movement – with many states and localities trying to figure out how and where to implement these approaches. READ MORE
WBUR | May 15, 2013 | By Sacha Pfeiffer
As Millennials Shun Cars, Boston Rethinks Its Transportation System A new report about Americans and their cars says the driving boom is over. It calculates that the average number of miles driven in the United States has been declining annually for the past several years and will keep dropping. Advocates of alternative transportation say that means that as Massachusetts and other states make decisions about roads versus more bike- and pedestrian-friendly projects, they shouldn’t “build projects for tomorrow based on assumptions from yesterday.” READ MORE
Massachusetts Municiple Association | May 13, 2013 | By Public Health Liaison D.J. Wilson
Walkability can boost physical and economic health A new presentation by WalkBoston, an advocacy group that serves all of Massachusetts, shows how an increase in pedestrian traffic provides a boost for local businesses. The slideshow, “Good Walking is Good Business,” is available at walkboston.org/resources/conference-presentations. According to WalkBoston, homeowners and employees do not want to be dependent on a car for every trip from home. Employers may also be looking to locate in areas that have more of a “village” feel, instead of an industrial park off an interstate highway. READ MORE
boston.com | May 3, 2013 | By Terri Ogan
WalkBoston Honors Gloucester with Golden Shoe Award WalkBoston has recently awarded the city of Gloucester the Golden Shoe award for its efforts to make the city more pedestrian friendly. The non-profit organization, which aims to improve walking conditions in cities and towns across the state, has recognized Gloucester for its recent achievements, which include: (1) Creating “Gloucester HarborWalk” to promote accessibility and walkability around Gloucester’s working waterfront (2) Increasing funding to dramatically improve sidewalks and development of a Complete Streets Plan to identify gaps in the existing sidewalk system, (3) Advocating for a transportation bond to improve sidewalks around Gloucester’s elementary schools and to establish a Safe Routes to School assessment for O’Maley Middle School. READ MORE
Walk Score | Mar 22, 2013 | By Jocelyn Milici Ceder
10 Tips to Advocate for Biking and Walkability Want to advocate for improved walking and biking infrastructure, but not sure how to start? Anywhere you live, there is likely to be a walking or biking non-profit ready to help you get involved or be a voice for change. From group bike rides to lobbying tools to encouraging kids to walk or bike more—a bevy of resources is at your fingertips. READ MORE
The Metro | Mar 22, 2013 | By Morgan Rousseau
WalkBoston to hold Annual Walk Over 200 people are expected to gather near North Station then hike over the new North Bank pedestrian bridge, which curves under the Zakim Bridge and over the MBTA commuter rail tracks. The walk will not only raise money for WalkBoston, but will celebrate what organizers describe as “an essential link” between the riverfront parks. READ MORE
The Metro | Feb 20, 2013 | By Morgan Rousseau
‘Revere Walks:’ WalkBoston micro documentary advocates for Safe Routes to School In 1969, about half of all American children walked or biked to school, today that number is less than 15%. As a result, kids today are less active, less independent and less healthy. Not only are children today less likely to get their recommended amount of daily activity, but the morning rush of cars during pick up and drop off makes the air around schools thick with pollution. Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs are designed to reverse this trend. READ MORE
PreventObesity.net | Oct 31, 2012 | By Elizabeth Broth
Bostonians Talk the Walk In Bostonians Walk the Talk Elizabeth Broth paints a holistic picture of the many ways WalkBoston is changing the public’s perceptions about walking while also working on policy efforts to make it easier for folks to incorporate walking into their daily lives READ MORE
MassDOT Blog Commonwealth Conversations | Oct 20, 2012 | By
Moving Together 2012: Record Attendance Conference attendees shared their ideas on strategies to promote mode shift. Wendy Landman (WalkBoston), David Watson (MassBike), Steve Miller (Livable Streets) and Catherine Cagle (MassDOT) from the new Massachusetts Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board focused on the mode shift ideas generated at the conference which will be shared with Secretary Davey. READ MORE
Boston Public Radio | Aug 20, 2012 | By Boston Public Radio Staff
Pounding the Boston Pavement with Bob Sloane Today we talk with Robert Sloane, the founder of WalkBoston. Sloane was recently honored at the White House for his efforts to promote walking in Boston. WalkBoston advocates for investment in “walking infrastructure,” and hopes to get communities together to support this primal, primary method of transportation. READ MORE
Safety Research & Strategies, Inc. | Aug 16, 2012 | By
Why are Pedestrian Deaths Rising? Here’s a traffic safety fact: You don’t really know if an increase in the raw number of pedestrian fatalities really represents an upward trend unless you know how many pedestrians there are and how many miles they’ve walked. That didn’t stop the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from releasing a micro report on the subject, based on data collected for its annual compendium of crash statistics Traffic Safety Facts. Wendy Landman, executive director of WalkBoston, says “What this report doesn’t get into is exposure,” Landman says. “We have one piece of the picture and only one piece. We need better data and more explicative data that could help us figure out what’s going on.” READ MORE
Boston.com | Aug 9, 2012 | By Taryn Plumb
To prod residents to hoof it, towns map out walking routes If you live in Milford or Franklin, you no longer have an excuse not to get out and walk. Through a collaboration between the two towns, the nonprofit WalkBoston organization, and the Hockomock Area YMCA, each community now has its own downtown walking map outlined with numerous routes, time markers, and various points of interest. DOWNLOAD
Boston.com | Aug 8, 2012 | By Matt Rocheleau
White House honors leading member of pedestrian advocacy group WalkBoston Robert Sloane, a senior project manager for WalkBoston and a former assistant transportation secretary for the state, was recognized last week as one of 14 “Transportation Innovators,” who were selected from candidates across the country by the White House’s “Champions for Change” program. DOWNLOAD
Metro | Jul 20, 2012 | By Morgan Rousseau
Do you know Boston enough to Step On It? WalkBoston’s sidewalk scavenger hunt was named a not to miss weekend event by the Metro. “WalkBoston is preparing to host ‘Step On It,’ its first ever sidewalk scavenger hunt, in Downtown Boston.” DOWNLOAD
BostInno | Jul 12, 2012 | By Steve Annear
New Bridge For Bikers and Pedestrians Connects Charlestown to Cambridge Starting Friday, pedestrians and cyclists (ok, fine, rollerbladers, too) will have a new way to get from Charlestown to Cambridge, without hopping in their car. Wendy Landman, Executive Director of Walk Boston, a non-profit membership organization dedicated to improving walking conditions in cities and towns across Massachusetts, called it “a fantastic project.” READ MORE
8-80 Cities | Jun 28, 2012 |
June E-newsletter Speed Kills: Small scale fixes go a long way to slow traffic by walkBoston. Another great resource from the group walkBoston that highlights the importance of lowering speed in order to improve walkability. The resource details small scale improvements that can be made to traffic calm streets such as implementing municipal-wide guidelines, improving street and walkway signage and markings, lane narrowing, increased bumps and barriers, and promoting educational programs for civilians on pedestrian rights and responsibilities. READ MORE
For Your Benefit | Jun 13, 2012 |
Walk to Wellness Walking is an easy, low impact way to increase your physical activity and path to wellness. The benefits of walking are many.WalkBoston, an organization dedicated to making communities across Massachusetts safer and more walkable for pedestrians, cites some compelling studies about the benefits of walking in their “Walk Your Way to Health” brochure: Women who walk three or more hours per week reduce their risk of a coronary event by 35% compared with women who do not walk, according to a Women Nurses’ Health Study; and Retired men who walk more than two miles per day have half the mortality rate as those who walk less than one mile per day according to a Harvard University study. DOWNLOAD
Milford Daily News | Jun 6, 2012 | By Derek Mclean/Daily News staff
Milford wants to stamp out childhood obesity Healthy Futures also announced that they have joined forces with a small non-profit called WalkBoston, which created a map of various walking paths around the town. The maps are currently available to all town residents at various community buildings including Town Hall, the Milford Public Library and the police station. It can also be found on the town website. READ MORE
Sustain Magazine | Jun 6, 2012 | By Wendy Landman
More Walkable Cities Benefit Everyone Imagine being elderly and trapped in an apartment for twelve days because the sidewalks outside your building are covered in snow and have not been shoveled. People confront these obstacles every day in cities large and small across the U.S. Establishing healthy, livable communities means addressing these challenges by creating pedestrian-friendly built environments that encourage and support walking, biking and transit. [see page 31] DOWNLOAD
BelmontPatch | Jun 6, 2012 | By Franklin Tucker
Map Your Walk Around Belmont The map – a pdf version is attached to this web page – displays walking routes that residents and visitors can take to explore neighborhoods, to walk from one center to another, seek out historic houses and barns and to enjoy the town’s conservation lands such as Lone Tree Hill and Rock Meadow. READ MORE
EngageCities | Jun 6, 2012 | By Joseph Cutrufo
Boston Pedestrian Advocates Take Public Participation to the Streets When we think of “public participation” in the planning process, what comes to mind? It probably looks something like this: A weekday evening, a half-full school auditorium, where the same handful of advocates and concerned citizens voice their opinions, as they have many times before. What’s often missing is the voice of the average citizen. READ MORE
Boston.com | May 18, 2012 | By Erik Moskowitz
Wellington Circle all tied up – again WalkBoston, municipal name aside, is a statewide organization that promotes walking as transportation as well as recreation. It advocates for pedestrian-minded policies and infrastructure improvements, such as the more inviting sidewalks that are part of the upcoming reconstruction of the Longfellow Bridge. READ MORE
MetroWest Daily News | May 13, 2012 | By Brian Benson/Daily News Staff
Communities want you to break out your walking shoes “A lot of the work we do in more urban communities is utilitarian walking … geared toward walking as a practical, inexpensive form of transportation,” said Joseph Cutrufo, walkBoston’s program coordinator. “In MetroWest, it’s a little harder to do that. Most people own cars. It’s hard to fit walking into your day to do anything besides exercise.” READ MORE
BelmontPatch | May 9, 2012 | By Frank Tucker
Start Walking: WalkBoston Belmont Map Now Available “Grab a map and start walking,” said Jay Szklut, Belmont’s planning and economic development manager, at the conclusion of the public unveiling of walkBoston’s map of walking routes around Belmont. READ MORE
Prevention Magazine | May 1, 2012 | By Bari Nan Cohen
The 25 Best Cities for Walking Boston has seriously stepped up its efforts to create a citywide walker’s paradise. To wit, WalkBoston—an initiative to make the city safer, easier to navigate on foot, greener, and more community-based, which they do by encouraging businesses and individuals to create a pro-walking atmosphere. READ MORE
The Atlantic Cities | Apr 13, 2012 | By Kaid Benfield
A Data-Driven Case for Walkability Good stuff, and important, too. WalkBoston’s website is chock-full of more information on the group’s activities, policy issues, and even maps of great walking routes in and around Boston. READ MORE
Everett Independent | Apr 4, 2012 | By Independent Staff
Health Department, Energize Everett Get High Honors from U.S. Surgeon General The Energize Everett program was chosen for the WalkBoston Golden Shoe Award for its work to increase access to healthier foods and lifestyles.Energize Everett has been working with area grocery stores, restaurants and convenience stores to improve access to healthier food. Incorporating the WalkBoston map will show residents that the nearest grocery store, or park, or corner store is only a few minutes walk and will encourage walking to a destination rather than driving. READ MORE
Green Streets Initiative | Mar 24, 2012 | By Green Streets Initiative
Our friends at WalkBoston This year, WalkBoston came across the Charles River to Cambridge for their annual meeting, and we were really happy to attend. It was exciting to see so many walkers of all ages turn out with their walking shoes on. READ MORE
Patriot Ledger | Feb 8, 2012 | By Jack Encarnacao
Quincy officials look to change pedestrians’ habits amid high accident numbers The Jan. 31 accident, one of two fatal accidents this year in Quincy, highlights pedestrian habits that police, the mayor and city officials are seeking to break through a forthcoming public education campaign READ MORE
The New York Times | Feb 8, 2012 | By Jennifer Cutraro and Holly Epstein Ojalvo
Walk in the Park: Encouraging Physical Activity in Communities How can people be encouraged to be more physically active? In this lesson, students read about ways to make streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. READ MORE
The Somerville News | Jan 13, 2012 | By Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone
Winter commences January 11 was the first morning since October 31 that we woke up to enough snow that we had to scrape off our windshields. And even then, it was only dusting. Still, it’s only a matter of time. Like every other New England community, we need to be to face the elements as safely and efficiently as possible. READ MORE
The Boston Globe | Oct 27, 2011 | By Johanna Seltz
Paving the way Pedestrians trying to get from one part of Hanover to another – or even from one mall to the next – quickly find that the sidewalk ends before they reach their destination. DOWNLOAD
The Tufts Daily | Oct 27, 2011 | By Alex Kaufma
Somerville named 10th−most walkable city in the nation Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone has over the past several years spearheaded large−scale projects designed to make Somerville more walkable with the aim of improving the health, safety and economy of the city. DOWNLOAD
The Boston Globe | Jul 31, 2011 | By Katheleen Conti
The Center Steps Up Winchester is taking a look at how to revitalize its town center. Major grants are funding several planning endeavors alongside the redevelopment of the Winchester commuter rail station, including a partnership with WalkBoston to improve pedestrian accessibility in the town center area. READ MORE
Belmont Patch | Jun 10, 2011 | By Natalie Trusso Cafarello
Leave the Car – Take the Alternative Belmont’s Energy Committee is supporting a spectrum of alternative transportation modes including a new walking guide. DOWNLOAD
Jamaica Plain Gazette | May 27, 2011 | By Rebeca Oliveira
Casey team revises traffic projections MassDOT reports new projections for traffic on the Casey Overpass that may affect upcoming design debate. DOWNLOAD
Smart Growth America | May 20, 2011 | By Wendy Landman
WalkBoston: Good Walking is Good Business WalkBoston, Massachusetts’ main pedestrian advocacy organization, is working to reach beyond active transportation and smart growth partners to recruit allies in the retail, employer and real estate worlds to promote walkable communities. WalkBoston’s latest publication, Good Walking is Good Business (PDF), presents a wide array of research that shows how walking benefits many elements of the economy. READ MORE
Washington Monthly | Jan 12, 2010 | By Chris Leinberger and Patrick Doherty
The Next Real Estate Boom: How Housing (yes, housing) can Turn the Economy Around Chris Leinberger and Patrick Doherty make the case to rewrite national policies to encourage the construction of walkable urban places. The demand for residences in mixed-use walkable neighborhoods is growing while demand for McMansions has slowed. They also suggest taht this is a great opportunity to get the real estate industry back to work and could help bring an end to the Great Recession. READ MORE
CEOs for Cities | Aug 1, 2009 | By Joe Cortright
Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Home Values in U.S. Cities More than just a pleasant amenity, the walkability of cities translates directly into increases in home values. Homes located in more walkable neighborhoods—those with a mix of common daily shopping and social destinations within a short distance—command a price premium over otherwise similar homes in less walkable areas. READ MORE
Victoria Policy Institute | Dec 7, 1999 | By Todd Litman
Traffic Calming Benefits, Costs and Equity Impacts This paper describes a framework for evaluating traffic calming programs. Potential benefits include road safety, increased comfort and mobility for non-motorized travel, reduced environmental impacts, increased neighborhood interaction, and increased property values. Traffic calming can help create more livable communities and reduce suburban sprawl. Traffic calming costs can include project expenses, liability claims, vehicle delay, traffic spillover, problems for emergency and service vehicles, driver frustration, and problems for bicyclists and visually impaired pedestrians. READ MORE