WalkBoston – Page 23 – WalkMassachusetts

Manchester By The Sea Village Walk Audit

By WalkBoston | July 17, 2019

On Monday, June 3, 2019, WalkBoston conducted a walk audit in Manchester-by-the-Sea in the area between Manchester Memorial Elementary School and the village center. This walk audit was completed through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Mass in Motion program, which grants funding and provides technical assistance to help communities eat better and be more active. WalkBoston has been providing technical assistance to Mass in Motion projects throughout the state, and has previously conducted a walk audit along Manchester’s School Street in 2015 through Mass in Motion.

The area covered in this walk audit includes Manchester Memorial Elementary School, Manchester Essex Regional Middle High School, and Tara Montessori School. The southern portion of the audit cuts through the village center, which houses several restaurants, cafes and shops, and is proximate to the Manchester commuter rail station and Singing Beach. Though the area is well-frequented, most access is by car. Sidewalks are typically narrow and only on one side of the street, and several crosswalks have low visibility and insufficient signage.

To access the complete report, please click the link below.

WalkBoston-MBTSVillageWalkAudit

Can we help make crossing Route 2 in Concord safer?

By WalkBoston | July 11, 2019

That’s the question the Town of Concord, Emerson Hospital, MassDOT District 4 and WalkBoston were asking on Tuesday at the Route 2/Old Road to 9 Acre Corner intersection. Currently, Emerson Hospital runs a shuttle across Route 2 to get their staff safely back and forth – a distance of less than a 1/4 of a mile. While there are no easy answers, the group discussed adjusting signal phasing, exploring the pros/cons of Right-Turn-On-Red, and educating Emerson staff about how pedestrian signals work. Some improvements are already in process – new sidewalks, curb ramps and countdown signals. We look forward to hearing back from all involved to see what additional safety improvements are made.

Beachmont Neighborhood, Revere – Cummings Square Walk Audit

By WalkBoston | July 2, 2019

The Beachmont Improvement Committee (BIC) and City of Revere Staff identified Cummings Square as an area in need of improved walking infrastructure given the number of pedestrians moving through the square, its proximity to Beachmont Veterans Memorial School, and the fast-moving traffic experienced by neighborhood residents. The City Department of Public Works (DPW) is in the process of repaving several of the roads surrounding the square (Crescent Avenue and Orchard Street), which will allow some of the short-term recommendations described in this memorandum to be put in place quickly. The long-term recommendations should be considered as priority projects to be named in the Revere Complete Streets Prioritization Plan or other infrastructure planning document.

To access the complete report, please click the link below.

WalkBostonBeachmontCummingsSqAudit

Making it happen in Revere!

By WalkBoston | July 1, 2019

In two months time, this section of Crescent Avenue in the Beachmont neighborhood of Revere saw real change. Thanks to the work of resident advocates, dedicated City staff, and WalkBoston’s timely walk audit funded by the Cummings Foundation, new sidewalk, curb ramps, and pavement markings now support people walking to the Beachmont T station, schools and local shops. You might notice in the photograph that more work needs to be done – one more crosswalk leading from the island to the distant sidewalk. Its in the works – just have to wait for a new curb ramp to be installed.

There’s more! Crosswalks, parking lanes, and no parking zones were painted on Crescent Avenue near its intersection with Winthrop Avenue.

WalkBoston loves seeing action after a walk audit. Thanks to all who helped make this section of Beachmont more walkable!

Walking in Manchester by the Sea

By WalkBoston | June 11, 2019

On one of the few beautiful days this spring, WalkBoston led a walk audit in Manchester by the Sea (MBTS) to evaluate the walking routes students use to reach Manchester Memorial Elementary School and Manchester Essex Regional Middle and High Schools. Walk audit participants included the elementary and middle/high school principals, the Town Administrator, the Cape Ann Mass in Motion Coordinator, and representatives from the police department, town departments of public works and planning, and the MBTS Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee. Together, we identified areas where pedestrian safety can be improved using low-cost traffic calming strategies.

It is worth noting that MBTS instituted a 20 mph speed safety zone within 1 mile of the MBTA commuter rail station in September 2017. While we did not record speeds on our audit, it was clear that not all drivers were respecting the 20 mph limit. Setting lower speed limits and redesigning our streets are critical to safer, more walkable communities.