Announcement – Page 34 – WalkMassachusetts

Contact your State Rep About Transportation Funding

By WalkMassachusetts | March 2, 2020

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

By WalkMassachusetts | February 26, 2020

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!

T4MA’s Transportation Call to Action on Feb. 25th

By WalkBoston | February 21, 2020

What is your vision for the future of transportation in Massachusetts?

Join WalkBoston and our partners, Transportation for Massachusetts, for the Fix Our Transportation Crisis: Call to Action next Tuesday, February 25th at 10 am to show support for and talk with your representatives about transportation funding and policy.

For more details, see the Facebook event here: Fix Our Transportation Crisis: Call to Action Facebook event

RSVP for this event here: tinyurl.com/transpo-2020

We hope to see you on Tuesday!

Brighton Walk Audit Examines Pedestrian Challenges on Washington

By WalkBoston | February 4, 2020

On Friday, January 24th, WalkBoston met with City Councilor Liz Breadon and representatives of the Office of Neighborhood Services and Age Strong Commission at the B’nai B’rith Housing’s Covenant House & Patricia White Apartments to conduct a walk audit of the surrounding area. Attendees shared that drivers speed along Washington Street mainly during non-rush hour times of day as they come down the hill on Washington away from Commonwealth Avenue, which leads to dangerous conditions for pedestrians trying to use this crosswalk. During our walk, Eversource was on site doing construction in the middle of the road with a police detail. As a result, there was slower moving traffic – we referred to it as a traffic calming pilot project. Despite the construction, participants noted that many drivers failed to yield for pedestrians in the following crosswalks along Washington near Whole Foods. In addition, walk audit participants recorded vehicle speeds at over 25 mph even though they were coming through a work zone.

Attendees shared that lighting at night along this corridor can also be a challenge for people walking, and especially for people with low vision. The walk audit was a great opportunity to look at both built-environment assets as well as opportunities to improve pedestrian safety in the area, which WalkBoston looks forward to synthesizing in a report that will be available soon. Many thanks to all of the participants who spent their morning with us!

Walk audit participants notice most drivers fail to yield for pedestrians at a crosswalk.

“Youth Working Towards Walkable Streets” in Framingham

By WalkBoston | February 4, 2020

With grant support from the MetroWest Community Care Health Foundation, WalkBoston will spend this year working closely with Framingham youth to improve walkability through our Youth Working Towards Walkable Streets program. Program staff Elena Ortiz and LeighAnne Taylor began the project last month, guiding a group of MetroWest Boys and Girls Club participants, grades 5th-8th, through active learning sessions on pedestrian safety, resources and tools to improve the built environment for walking, and civic engagement. Through these bi-weekly lessons, youth will learn about proven solutions to walkability challenges, and explore their own community to identify walking assets and opportunities. With WalkBoston staff support, the youth will plan and lead walk audits near the Boys and Girls Clubhouse, inviting representatives from local government agencies to participate. The results of the audits will be presented to Framingham City Council with the goal that built environment improvements and policy recommendations will be adopted and implemented by the city.

The Framingham Youth Working Towards Walkable Streets program strives to address physical and mental health issues reported in the 2018 MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey, which highlights high rates of youth obesity and stress, and to improve walking safety in the community. Since 2016, there have been 118 pedestrian crashes in Framingham. In downtown Framingham alone, where the Boys and Girls Club is located, there have been 15 pedestrian crashes since 2016. This program aims to bolster the youth’s knowledge and ability to advocate for a more walkable Framingham, which we hope will contribute to improvements in physical and mental health outcomes.

Along with the MetroWest Community Health Foundation, WalkBoston is eager to partner with local representatives of Framingham Public Safety, City Council, and Department of Public Works. Staff also expect that collaboration with the Framingham Youth Council will be an especially inspiring opportunity for participants to learn from local youth leaders. WalkBoston looks forward to growing partnerships in the Framingham community and sharing more updates about this exciting project.

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

What’s next?

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