Author: WalkMassachusetts

POSTPONED: Upcoming City of Boston Transportation Department Open Houses 

POSTPONED: Upcoming City of Boston Transportation Department Open Houses 

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Update, 3/13 11:00am – OPEN HOUSE SERIES POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
We are postponing our series of Open Houses scheduled for the Tremont Street Design Project. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The postponed Open Houses are as follows:

Open House #1: Monday, March 16, from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Revolution Hotel, located at 40 Berkeley Street
Open House #2: Saturday, March 21, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the South End Branch Library, located at 785 Tremont Street
We will reschedule the Open House series as soon as we can.
We look forward to meeting with you again in the near future!

AVISO EN ESPAÑOL

ENGAGING WITH YOU ELECTRONICALLY
As we continue to take precautions around public gatherings, we are working on ways to engage with you electronically. We will update you via email when we have more information. You can also check the Tremont Street Design Project webpage and @BostonBTD on Twitter for updates.

Previous Update, 3/11 12:30pm – the March 11th Open House for Connect Downtown has been postponed due to COVID-19 precautions. No decision has been made about Saturday’s Open House or the Tremont Street meetings.

There are upcoming Boston Transportation Department open house meetings scheduled for the Connect Downtown Project and the Tremont Street Design Project.We encourage you to attend and weigh in positively about the important changes that will make downtown safer for people walking!

An open house meeting is designed to make it easier for you to stop by for a short time to look at project boards, ask questions, and give feedback. Sign up for updates for either project on the project page.

Connect Downtown

PROJECT VISION: Walking will be pleasant and easy. Safe, separated bikeways will serve and connect residents, employers, and local businesses. Families will explore Boston’s neighborhoods and iconic parks together, from the Esplanade to the Boston Common to the Southwest Corridor.

Through this project, BTD will:

  • Improve pedestrian crossings along the route
  • Provide comfortable, reasonably direct routes for bicyclists, and
  • Enhance pedestrian access to the Public Garden and Common.

March 11, 6-8pm
Hill House
127 Mt Vernon St

March 16, 1-3pm
Boston Public Library
Orientation Room
230 Dartmouth St

Additional office hours available at 3 Boston Public Libraries (see full schedule)

Tremont Street Design Project (South End) 

Boston Transportation Department is designing changes to make Tremont Street safer for everyone with an emphasis on pedestrian safety at intersections. Tremont Street is in the top 3 percent for pedestrian crashes on City-owned streets. In recent years, two people lost their lives while attempting to cross Tremont Street at one of the many four-lane crosswalks. Data show that 53 crashes resulted in an EMS response in the last 3 years. This includes 19 that involved people walking. BTD is currently focused on Tremont Street between Massachusetts Avenue and Herald Street.

March 16, 6-8pm
Revolution Hotel
40 Berkeley St

March 21, 11a-1pm
Boston Public Library
South End Branch
785 Tremont St

Contact your State Rep About Transportation Funding

Contact your State Rep About Transportation Funding

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This week, the Massachusetts House is taking up two significant bills about transportation spending for all modes of transportation: H4508 is the House transportation revenue bill, and H4506 is the House version of the Governor’s transportation bond bill, authorizing new transportation spending.

As a follow up to last week’s Transportation for Massachusetts Call to Action event, please reach out to your State Representative before the end of the day Tuesday 3/3 to express your support of H4508 & H4506, especially for key elements of the bills which will provide the resources we need to make walking safer, make transit work better, to reduce the air quality impacts and greenhouse gas emissions of our transportation system and reduce congestion on our roadways.

Click to send your State Rep an email
about the need for statewide funding

(Want to call your State Rep instead? House Rep Phone Directory | Find My Legislator)

  • Express your strong support for new revenue to improve transportation all across Massachusetts (H4508 & H4506). In particular, we believe it is important to raise revenue that is directly tied to transportation and that encourages fewer vehicle miles traveled, reduces carbon emissions, encourages public transportation, walking, and cycling, and reduces roadway congestion.
  • We support investments that include expanded RTA service, accelerated investment in public transit, complete streets and safer biking and walking routes, and getting our roads and bridges into a state of good repair.

You can read about specific suggested amendments from MAPC & T4MA. WalkBoston is a founding member of Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA), a coalition of 60+ organizations working for better transportation across the State.

What’s next? 

Debate is scheduled for this Wednesday (3/4) on H4508 (Revenue), and Thursday (3/5) for H4506 (Bond Bill) and could spill into Friday. Debate will be streamed at malegislature.gov.

After the House votes these bills, the Senate will take them up with its own process. All action on these bills, including either the Governor’s signature or an override of a veto, must occur before July 31st, 2020.

See the full list of Amendments to both bills:
Revenue Bill Amendments | Bond Bill Amendments

Event: 1 Month until Annual Party, March 25th 5-8pm

Event: 1 Month until Annual Party, March 25th 5-8pm

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Update, 3/10/2020: 

WalkBoston is postponing our annual celebration scheduled for March 25th in response to the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.

We are suspending current ticket sales until a new date is confirmed. Those who have purchased tickets will stay on the guest list. You will not need to buy another ticket. We will update the Eventbrite registration page with any changes.

We apologize for any inconvenience. We look forward to celebrating with all of you and our Golden Shoe winners in the near future!

Please contact Kathleen Ghio 617-367-9255 with any event questions.

For more information about COVID-19: MA DPH Info | City of Boston Info

Come join us on March 25th from 5-8PM for our annual party! This year’s keynote speaker is Mark Fenton. Mark Fenton and WalkBoston have been at the forefront of the walking movement since its inception. Mark is an authority on public health issues and the need for community, environmental, and public policy initiatives to encourage more walking/biking. He will entertain us with his dynamic storytelling and share his vision for the future of walking advocacy.

This year’s celebration will include a presentation of Golden Shoe Awards to:
Boston Public Library | Renovations that enhance walkability
Coalition for a Better Acre Walking Champions | Advocating for safer walking in Lowell
Tufts Health Plan Foundation | Boston Age Strong Commission | Advancing age-friendly walking throughout Massachusetts

Learn more about all of our previous award winners.

What: WalkBoston Annual Party
When: March 25, 2019 5-8PM
Where: Fort Point Room / Atlantic Wharf, 290 Congress St, Boston, MA (same venue as last year!)
Cost: $30 – Beer, wine + food included with your ticket. Get your ticket on Eventbrite today

Hope to see you on March 25th!

January/February 2020 Newsletter

January/February 2020 Newsletter

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articles

“Snow clearance: my view (and queries) from my wheelchair”
By Amy Hunt/South End resident
“Newton’s snow evolution”
By Andreae Downs/Newton city councilor
“Digging in on snow”
By Wendy Landman/WalkBoston senior policy advisor

snow quotes

Well, I know now. I know a little more how much a simple thing like a snowfall can mean to a person.
—Sylvia Plath (born in Jamaica Plain)

Snowflakes are one of nature’smost fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together.
—Vista M. Kelly

A lot of people like snow.
I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.
—Carl Reiner

When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels.
—Unknown

calendar

Registration or info for other events and public meetings can be found at walkboston.org/events

February 12, 2020 1-5PM
WalkMassachusetts Network 2020
South Middlesex Opportunity Council, Inc., 7 Bishop St, Framingham, MA 01702, USA (within a short walk of Framingham/ Worcester line.)

Our second in-person gathering of the WalkMassachusetts Network, at South Middlesex Opportunity Council in Framingham, MA (we will meet in their Cafe). This event is open to any local organizations working on walking! Free with RSVP. Please register by Wednesday, February 5th so we can plan for food.

March 25, 2020, 5-8PM
WalkBoston’s 30th Annual Party & Golden Shoe Awards
Boston Society of Architects
Fort Point Room / Atlantic Wharf 290 Congress Street, Boston
5:00 Eat, drink, schmooze
6:00 Program and Golden Shoes
Keynote Speaker: Mark Fenton
Tickets: $30 includes beer, wine and food.

Download the January/February 2020 Newsletter PDF

Digging in on snow

Digging in on snow

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By Wendy Landman/WalkBoston senior policy advisor

One thing stays true for Massachusetts: It snows. And 11 years after it was written, WalkBoston’s report on better sidewalk snow clearance, Keep It Clear: Recommendations for Sidewalk Snow and Ice Removal in Massachusetts, remains shockingly relevant (download at walkboston.org/snow). While some cities and towns have adopted a more proactive approach to better clear sidewalks, walking after a snowstorm is still a challenge statewide.

Whether it’s from individuals with disabilities or parents who push strollers, each year WalkBoston receives calls and emails from people across the state—especially older adults—asking how we can help improve the conditions of sidewalks, curb ramps, traffic islands and paths.

While we would love to see municipalities take full responsibility for sidewalk clearance, today’s budget realities make this an unlikely scenario. However, the actions described below could significantly improve winter walking conditions at a much more modest cost.

  • Require municipal sidewalk snow clearance plans that set priorities for both public and private clearance, (municipalities)
  • Clear key walking routes—sidewalks and curb ramps—that provide access to transit, schools, public buildings, and senior housing, (municipalities, MassDOT)
  • Prioritize enforcement of private sidewalk clearance by zones that reflect walking demand. For example, homeowners in low-density areas with low demand might be exempt from clearing their sidewalks, while businesses in shopping areas with high demand would be ticketed promptly if they fail to shovel. (municipalities)
  • Develop engineering design improvements for curb ramps, intersections and raised crosswalks that specifically address the need to reduce slush and run-off pooling at the base of curb ramps. (MassDOT)
  • Establish protocols for snow plow operators to reduce amounts of snow piled up on curb ramps. (MassDOT, municipalities)
  • Create and disseminate a well-funded, multi-year public campaign about the importance of sidewalk snow clearance to the safety, health and economic strength of Massachusetts. (WalkBoston with MassDOT, Mass Department of Public Health/MDPH, and Executive Office of Elder Affairs/EOEA)
  • Develop guidance and legal mechanisms to help create a robust set
    of volunteer and paid programs to recruit snow shoveling assistance for people who cannot do this work themselves. (MassDOT, DPH, EOEA, municipalities)

Massachusetts sits in a climate zone that is especially slushy—with many freeze and thaw days that make winter walking conditions particularly difficult. Better sidewalk snow clearance is a critical component of Governor Baker’s commitment to be an Age-Friendly state, to Boston’s GoBoston 2030 transportation plans, and to the quality of life and economic development goals of every community in the state. Together, let’s take action to keep our sidewalks clear this winter.

This article was featured in WalkBoston’s January/February 2020 newsletter.
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