MassDOT 2022 Moving Together Conference

Last week WalkBoston had the opportunity to attend and table at MassDOT’s Moving Together Conference. It was wonderful to be surrounded by colleagues who are as passionate about the possibilities of active transportation and public transportation as the WalkBoston staff is. Walking, alongside bicycling and public transport, encourages better health, a cleaner environment, and more vibrant communities in Massachusetts.

Iolando, Brendan, Althea and Wendy attended workshops and panels, networked with fellow transportation advocates, and shared about WalkBoston’s work while tabling. It was especially great to talk to so many people on November 1st, day one of this year’s Beat the Bay State Challenge, and encourage them to sign up and create teams! 

One panel that stood out to Brendan was “MassTrails – Investments in Trails Across the Commonwealth,” which featured Dan Driscoll and Stella Lensing from the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Megan Mello of Kittelson, and Pete Sutton and Kayla Sousa of MassDOT. Officially launched in 2018, the MassTrails Team has recently completed its fourth round of grant awards funding $11.8 million in MassTrails Grants to 81 projects throughout the Commonwealth. The team is seeking to create a cohesive network of trails across Massachusetts; excitingly, Dan Driscoll announced that $40 million was recently appropriated by the Governor for funding the Mystic River bridge crossing and they will be restarting the design process soon!