The Hilltowns CDC, together with Healthy Hampshire and WalkBoston, are leading a 5-year grant project to promote Age-Friendly Walkability in the Hilltowns Town Centers. Together with community residents and leaders, the team will be conducting a series of walk audits in partnering Hilltowns. The goal of these walk audits is to identify infrastructure improvements and policy changes to make town-center walking safer and more enjoyable for people of all ages in the Hilltowns. The Town of Chesterfield is one of the partnering communities in this grant project.
Participants walk along Route 9, a common walk for Cummington residents to access the Creamery Co-op
WalkBoston, along with a group of about 8 participants including residents, Select Board members, and a representative from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, conducted an in-person walk audit along Cummington’s Main Street to the Town’s grocery store (Creamery Co-op), on Friday, October 15th. This walk audit was preceded by a virtual Ped101 session with a group of 10 residents.
Residents in Cummington, are interested in improved walking connections to the Creamery, finding ways to calm traffic through Main Street, and to reduce speeds throughout town, especially heavy trucking traffic. Cummington faces unique challenges as Route 9, a MassDOT owned and operated road, runs through town and vehicles often travel at high speeds. WalkBoston’s forthcoming summary report of the walk audit process in Cummington will offer recommendations to the Town for improvements and funding opportunities that will help support and encourage walking for those of all ages and abilities in Cummington.
The Hilltown CDC, together with Healthy Hampshire and WalkBoston, are leading a 5-year grant project to promote Age-Friendly Walkability in the Hilltowns Village Centers, funded by the Dept. of Public Health’s Healthy Aging Fund. In partnership with community residents and leaders, the team will be conducting a series of walk audits in partnering Hilltowns villages. The goal of these walk audits is to identify infrastructure improvements and policy changes to make village center walking safe and enjoyable for people of all ages in the Hilltowns. The town of Cummington is one of the partnering communities in this grant project.
Chesterfield Town Center was an important point along the walk audit, as participants were eager to find ways to reduce speeds here.
WalkBoston, along with a group of about 9 participants including residents, Select Board members, Town Highway staff, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator for Chesterfield’s MassDOT District, conducted an in-person walk audit along Chesterfield’s Main Road through the Town Center, on Thursday, September 23rd. This walk audit was preceded by a virtual Ped101 session with a group of 11 residents.
Residents in Chesterfield, are interested in improved walking connections around the Town Center, including more pedestrian visibility at crossings on Main Road, reducing speeds in the Town Center, and considering extending the sidewalk to the Chesterfield General Store. Residents are also eager for more age-friendly walking infrastructure, particularly in Russel Memorial Park, where seating options for those looking for a spot to rest or place to sit with friends and neighbors are few and far between or inaccessible. WalkBoston’s forthcoming summary report of the walk audit process in Chesterfield will offer recommendations to the Town for improvements and funding opportunities that will help support and encourage walking for those of all ages and abilities in Chesterfield.
The Hilltown CDC, together with Healthy Hampshire and WalkBoston, are leading a 5-year grant project to promote Age-Friendly Walkability in the Hilltowns Village Centers, funded by the Dept. of Public Health’s Healthy Aging Fund. In partnership with community residents and leaders, the team will be conducting a series of walk audits in partnering Hilltowns villages. The goal of these walk audits is to identify infrastructure improvements and policy changes to make village center walking safe and enjoyable for people of all ages in the Hilltowns. The town of Chesterfield is one of the partnering communities in this grant project.
Participants in the Chesterfield walk audit stop at a crosswalk to discuss safety.
WalkBoston, along with more than 10 people committed to making Blandford more walkable, conducted a masked, in-person walk audit in Blandford’s Village Center on Friday, April 30. Residents are interested in improved walking connections between key destinations in the village center – including the library, the Country Store, and Town Hall – with Watson Park, the White Church, and the Town Common. Next steps include preparing a summary report which will be incorporated into the other planning activities in Blandford including the Blandford Resilient Master Plan and and Open Space and Recreation Plan.
The Hilltown CDC, together with Healthy Hampshire and WalkBoston, are leading a 5-year grant project to promote Age-Friendly Walkability in the Hilltowns Village Centers, funded by the Dept. of Public Health’s Healthy Aging Fund. In partnership with community residents and leaders, the team will be conducting a series of walk audits in partnering Hilltowns villages. The goal of these walk audits is to identify infrastructure improvements and policy changes to make village-center walking safe and enjoyable for people of all ages in the Hilltowns. The town of Blandford is one of the partnering communities in this grant project.
Age-Friendly Shared Streets for COVID Response and Recovery
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, towns and cities have successfully been repurposing street space to make room for safer mobility with the help of state and private funding streams. WalkBoston partnered with the Solomon Foundation team on outreach for their Streets for Recovery funding opportunity to encourage shared streets strategies that would serve older adults. We reached out to our Housing Authority and Council on Aging partners across the state to think through strategies to help older adults keep walking during the pandemic. As a part of this outreach, the Solomon Foundation and WalkBoston worked with the Billerica Housing Authority to brainstorm healthy pathway strategies to better connect the town’s older adult housing complex to the nearby library and the Council on Aging. Solomon has committed funding towards placemaking elements of the Billerica healthy pathways project that will include raised bed gardens, seating, and wayfinding signage to encourage walking. This project has started a broader town conversation on long-term, accessible connections between these key destinations to encourage active mobility and healthy aging. WalkBoston is looking forward to seeing the Billerica Pollinator Pioneers out walking and gardening this summer.
WalkBoston, along with more than 10 people committed to making Blandford more walkable, conducted a masked, in-person walk audit in Blandford’s Village Center on Friday, April 30. R