Author: WalkMassachusetts

What a difference a walk can make!

What a difference a walk can make!

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WalkBoston was joined by Interim Boston Transportation Commissioner, Greg Rooney; Chief of Streets Chris Osgood; and BTD Director of Planning Vineet Gupta for a “traffic signals walk” on August 1. The first impacts of the walk are now visible!

The misleading and incorrectly timed traffic signal at the intersection of Milk and Washington Streets has been replaced with a much more appropriate flashing Red Light. This means that all the traffic (of which there is not very much) will stop and yield to the (many) pedestrians crossing the street. We want to thank BTD for this fix, and look forward to many more fixes in the coming months. WalkBoston will continue working to improve traffic signals for pedestrians across the City and beyond.

Energy News Network – “Massachusetts bill aims to reduce traffic congestion, but will it help climate?”

Energy News Network – “Massachusetts bill aims to reduce traffic congestion, but will it help climate?”

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Energy News Network: “Massachusetts bill aims to reduce traffic congestion, but will it help climate?”

The money dedicated to pedestrian and bicycle networks is welcome, said Wendy Landman, executive director of WalkBoston, a nonprofit that promotes efforts to make Boston a more walkable city. Safe, robust pedestrian options are necessary not just for those who travel primarily by walking, she said, but also to support public transportation, as most transit riders start and end their trips on foot. Still, more could be done, Landman said.

“We see it as steps in the right direction, but not as being transformational,” she said…

The bill is now under consideration by the joint committee on transportation, and activists are hoping it signals progress despite its imperfections.

“Will this do everything we need to do to get us to our climate goals? No,” Landman said. “Is it trending in the right direction? Yes.”

Posted August 16, 2019

SAMPAN News: “Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition and City of Cambridge release first Cambridge Vision Zero progress report”

SAMPAN News: “Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition and City of Cambridge release first Cambridge Vision Zero progress report”

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SAMPAN News: “Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition and City of Cambridge release first Cambridge Vision Zero progress report”

“It’s important that the City of Cambridge is clearly communicating what data is available to them,” said Wendy Landman, executive director of WalkBoston. “We’re confident that the City will work with local partners in the healthcare field, as well as continue to work closely with the Cambridge Police Department, to tackle these issues around crash reports and reliable data.”

Posted August 12, 2019

Downtown Boston “signals walk” with Boston Transportation Department

Downtown Boston “signals walk” with Boston Transportation Department

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WalkBoston took a downtown Boston “signals walk” with Boston Chief of Streets Chris Osgood, Acting Transportation Commissioner Greg Rooney and Boston Transportation Department Chief Planner Vineet Gupta on August 1st. We looked at several pedestrian-filled downtown Boston intersections and discussed the many ways in which Boston’s traffic signals are not yet fulfilling the policies outlined in GoBoston 2030 such as: making “walk-signals intuitive and giving people walking a head start,” or “shortening wait times at crossings and make signals adapt in real time to pedestrian behavior and flows.” (Check out page 140 for Pedestrian-First Traffic Signals.)

At 9 AM, during heavy commuting hours for walkers and T riders, the crosswalk across Cambridge Street in front of the Government Center T Station required pedestrians to wait 90 seconds to get a WALK signal. We also looked at several intersections where STOP signs would provide better service for both walkers and drivers – such as at Milk Street/Washington Street in front of the Old South Meeting House.

As we have for many years, WalkBoston will continue urging the Boston Transportation Department to fulfill the City’s motto of being “America’s Walking City” by making traffic signals in Boston work better for walkers.

We’re hiring an intern for the fall semester!

We’re hiring an intern for the fall semester!

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WalkBoston interns gain experience in transportation-related planning and design, community engagement, advocacy, and neighborhood revitalization efforts. If you have an interest in learning firsthand how walkability affects community health, civic participation and overall quality of life, then an internship at WalkBoston could be a career-enhancing experience for you.

Tasks include:

  • Assisting with walkability assessments and advocacy training
  • Researching and preparing white papers on transportation-related topics that affect the
    communities WalkBoston serves
  • Representing WalkBoston at community events and public meetings

Interns provide valuable substantive contributions to our work, and have the opportunity to
choose among a variety of projects. This is a paid internship; work study preferred.

Expectations

Interns are expected to work during their scheduled hours – we are flexible and will find a time that works around class schedules. If an intern cannot come to work, then they should notify the office as soon as possible.

Please submit your resume and a cover letter to jobs@walkboston.org