WalkBoston – Page 19 – WalkMassachusetts

Improving Snow and Ice Clearance to promote Age-Friendly Walking in the Berkshires

By WalkBoston | November 26, 2019

Snow and ice present challenges to walkers. Cleared sidewalks are critical for people to access everyday goods and services, and are particularly vital to seniors. Icy sidewalks and snow-piled curb ramps can further isolate seniors in the winter months. As part of our Age-Friendly Walking initiative, WalkBoston is working with communities across the Commonwealth to improve their sidewalk snow and ice clearance to improve year-round walking conditions for people of all ages.

WalkBoston worked the Dalton Traffic Commission chairman and Dalton Council on Aging Director to identify priority sidewalks for snow and ice clearance that would help connect older adults walking from senior housing complexes to the Dalton Council on Aging in winter months. We are excited to work with towns like Dalton to set priorities for sidewalk snow clearance that identify the most critical sidewalks – such as those near schools, transit stations or senior centers – to ensure that enforcement and public snow clearance are focused on the most important locations.

For more information about how cities and towns can improve sidewalk snow and ice clearance see WalkBoston’s Keep it Clear snow clearance report.

Williamstown Walk Audit – Age-Friendly Walking

By WalkBoston | November 26, 2019

On Friday, November 22nd, WalkBoston conducted a walk audit in Williamstown, MA. This walk audit focused on recommendations to improve the safety of several high-volume, low-visibility crosswalks near the Williams College campus and of the walkability and connectivity of the main shopping plaza at the edge of town. The group also discussed recommendations for Age-Friendly walking features to improve the safety and comfort of people walking of all ages, such as benches and wayfinding signage. This walk audit was completed as part of WalkBoston’s Age-Friendly Walking initiative, which is a three year, statewide initiative to improve walking conditions for people of all ages in rural and gateway communities of Massachusetts through policy implementation and built environment change.

Ware Walk Audit – Age-Friendly Walking

By WalkBoston | November 26, 2019

On Friday, November 15th, WalkBoston conducted a walk audit in Ware, MA. The town of Ware is currently in the process of developing a Bike and Pedestrian plan and a Complete Streets Prioritization plan. The town requested this walk audit to help inform these processes. The audit focused on the walkability of Ware’s low-income, environmental justice neighborhood and of the connectivity of this neighborhood and senior housing complexes to areas of town with a high density of goods and services. This walk audit was completed as part of WalkBoston’s Age-Friendly Walking initiative, which is a three year, statewide initiative to improve walking conditions for people of all ages in rural and gateway communities of Massachusetts through policy implementation and built environment change.

GoLowell Walks!

By WalkBoston | November 25, 2019

On a beautiful Monday morning, close to 20 of us walked the Acre neighborhood with Lowell City staff, Toole Design Group and other interested stakeholders and residents as part of the Community Walks phase of GoLowell – a year-long process to plan for safer, healthier, and more enjoyable ways to get around our city. The goal was to identify infrastructure gaps and barriers to walking in the neighborhood. We saw intersections without crosswalks and broken sidewalks, but we also found these artists at work.

Positive Street Art, a New Hampshire-based company with a mission “to INSPIRE passion for urban arts in a productive way, and to build stronger communities through educational workshops, community events, and artistic services” was painting their latest mural to brighten the facade of a new business. Love to see how walkability and art can enliven city streets. Go Lowell!

Walk Audit In Worcester’s Green Hill Neighborhood – Report

By WalkBoston | November 25, 2019

On November 2, 2019, WalkBoston conducted a walk audit in the Green Hill Neighborhood of Worcester, MA. The Green Hill Neighborhood association was awarded a Transportation Justice grant from Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) to “reimagine” Lincoln Street from Brittan Square to the Nativity School. As a part of this grant project, Green Hill residents hope to improve the safety and comfort of the walking environment in their neighborhood. The neighborhood association has been working with students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) to develop a re-design of Lincoln Street that makes this street a better place for all road users with enhancements that support people walking, biking, and using transit.

The goal of the walk audit was to provide recommendations to
make the Lincoln Street corridor of the Green Hill neighborhood a
safe, comfortable place to walk. The Green Hill Neighborhood
walk audit was conducted along Lincoln Street from Harlow Street
to Catharine Street. This route was selected by the group for the
focus of this walk audit due to recent pedestrian-involved crashes
on this section of the corridor. Future plans of the Green Hill
Neighborhood Association may include additional walk audits
north on Lincoln Street to Brittan Square and around the Nativity
School.

To learn more about this walk audit you can read the report here:

WalkBoston – Worcester Green Hill walk audit report FINAL