Category: Comment Letter

Exploring East Boston with Caminatas Seguras

Exploring East Boston with Caminatas Seguras

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On June 13th 2023, WalkMassachusetts joined East Boston community members on a walk led by GreenRoots, a non-profit dedicated to improving the local urban environment and public health, with a focus on Chelsea and East Boston. The walking group Caminatas Seguras meets weekly on Tuesdays to help promote walking as a way to enjoy local public spaces, be physically active, and build connections with residents who have historically been excluded from public decision making processes.

Senior Program Manager Iolando Spinola and Summer Intern Chiara Palagi join GreenRoots and Caminatas Seguras on a walk through East Boston.

Around 25 participants, including Senior Program Manager Iolando Spinola and Summer Intern Chiara Palagi, began at Piers Park, a local space overlooking the Boston Harbor. The group engaged in lively conversations throughout the walk, with topics including new developments in the area, recent and upcoming community events, and even just catching up with one another on an individual level. Passionate GreenRoots volunteers provided historical context and relevant information about the spots along the path.

John Walkey of GreenRoots gives community members historical context on spots encountered during the walk.

The day’s route passed by landmarks such as the ICA Watershed gallery and the Navy Fuel Pier park. With a breathtaking view of the Boston skyline across the harbor, the park’s lush green spaces and well-maintained paths provided the perfect setting for our walk.

Members of the East Boston community admire the view from Navy Fuel Pier park.

Our walk culminated at East Boston Memorial Park, giving GreenRoots volunteers the opportunity to engage with the community members and share upcoming events and opportunities for involvement. Information and flyers were distributed bilingually, showcasing local initiatives, events, and programs aimed at addressing pressing issues in the neighborhood while involving and empowering residents.

Through walking, conversation, and shared experiences, the bonds between community members and activist groups grow stronger every week in Caminatas Seguras, paving the way for a more connected and engaged East Boston. WalkMassachusetts is grateful to have had the opportunity to join GreenRoots and Caminatas Seguras for this experience.

WalkBoston Comments on 2022 MassDOT Snow and Ice Control Program EEA#11202

WalkBoston Comments on 2022 MassDOT Snow and Ice Control Program EEA#11202

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February 6, 2023

Secretary Rebecca Tepper
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

Attn via email: Eva Vaughan

Re:  2022 MassDOT Snow and Ice Control Program EEA#11202

Dear Secretary Tepper:

WalkBoston commented on MassDOT’s Environmental Status and Planning Report (ESPR) on Snow and Ice Control in 2018 and again in March 2021. Our 2021 comments were incorporated into the Certificate issued by EOEEA in 2021.

WalkBoston has continued to follow MassDOT’s efforts regarding the clearance of sidewalks, curb ramps and traffic islands that are under the agency’s jurisdiction, and we are pleased that the 2022 ESPR includes several new commitments to sidewalk snow clearance.

One important step that MassDOT has taken since 2021 is the provision of grant funding of up to $50,000 to help municipalities purchase snow removal equipment for pedestrian and bicyclist facilities through its Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program. While not directed to MassDOT owned sidewalks, this program should help to increase sidewalk snow clearance on municipal sidewalks.

As stated on page 15 of the ESPR, approximately 43% of MassDOT roads have adjacent sidewalks amounting to approximately 1,300 miles of sidewalks located mostly in the central village and downtown areas of various communities. The new steps called out by MassDOT in the ESPR (pages ES-5 and 15) are the following:

  • New for the 2022/23 winter, MassDOT plans to hire more “seasonal” snow and ice employees that report directly to MassDOT to help with sidewalk clearing as well as other activities.
  • MassDOT will continue to evaluate vendor reimbursement rates and pay codes to enlist more contractors for sidewalk maintenance services and better reflect the variable snow removal efforts for large storms versus smaller storms.

When MassDOT reports on the outcomes of its 2022 ESPR we ask that the following information be included so that WalkBoston and others can see how successful the new efforts are at providing safe and accessible sidewalks.

  1. Provide a map showing the location of the 1,300 miles of MassDOT sidewalks, and indicate which of these miles were covered by work orders for clearance by MassDOT or its contractors.
  2. Include sidewalk clearance responsibilities in the table showing MassDOT SICP roles and responsibilities (Table 1.2 on page 6 of the report)
  3. Provide information about the cost of sidewalk snow clearance provided by MassDOT or its contractors – similar to that provided in Table 1.9 for lane miles.

We look forward to continuing to work with MassDOT on this important public safety and mobility issue.

Best regards,

Brendan Kearney

Deputy Director of Advocacy, WalkBoston

WalkBoston Testimony for Somerville Traffic Commission hearing, 12/20/2022

WalkBoston Testimony for Somerville Traffic Commission hearing, 12/20/2022

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Submitted in advance on 12/20/2022 via email.

My name is Brendan Kearney, I’m the Deputy Director of Advocacy for WalkBoston, the statewide pedestrian advocacy organization in Massachusetts. The term “jaywalking” was created by the auto industry in the 1920s to divert blame from drivers who were hitting and killing people. A century later it has proven to be a highly successful marketing effort.

I’m writing to support the petition that restores the right for people walking to cross the street when it is safe to do so, even where a crosswalk or traffic signal is not present. We acknowledge that people walking must exercise reasonable care for their own safety and yield to people driving if a pedestrian is not crossing in a crosswalk. 

We think it is important to share what this petition isn’t: this is not the right to walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close that it is impossible for the driver to yield the right of way (Section 12-4(a) in Somerville’s Traffic Regulations). 

There are significant equity concerns around jaywalking enforcement. Jaywalking laws contribute to racial profiling. A report by ProPublica and Florida-Times Union found Black people in Jacksonville, Fla. were three times as likely to be stopped and cited as white people. Similar patterns have been seen elsewhere; Streetsblog NYC reported that nearly 90 percent of people issued jaywalk citations in New York in 2019 were Black and Brown. In response, efforts to decriminalize jaywalking have been mounted in a number of places, including Virginia and California.

This proposed Somerville regulation change reflects how many people already use our streets in Massachusetts and how our communities are designed. There is not always a crosswalk where people want or need to cross the street. There have been ill-conceived bills at the State House over the last few sessions that would effectively make it illegal to cross anywhere outside a crosswalk. WalkBoston will continue to testify and speak out against those preposterous bills, and we encourage you to as well. Any proposed bills to crack down on jaywalking places an unnecessary burden on pedestrians without making anyone safer. 

I am grateful to residents in Somerville for moving this effort forward, and encourage you to adopt this change. 

Brendan Kearney
Deputy Director – Advocacy, WalkBoston

Comment Letter Re: Boston Common Master Plan

Comment Letter Re: Boston Common Master Plan

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Nathan Frazee
Project Manager
Boston Common Master Plan
Boston Parks Department
1010 Massachusetts Ave.
Boston, MA 02118
via email: nathan.frazee@boston.gov 

RE: WalkBoston Comments on 2022 Boston Common Master Plan

Dear Mr. Frazee:

WalkBoston has followed the progress for the Boston Common Master Plan over the last few years, and we appreciate the time and attention that has been placed on creating an inviting public realm and an enhanced sense of arrival and safer crosswalks at all entrances. We’ve highlighted some sections from the draft report below.

Park Entrances: 

  • We encourage the Parks Department to work with the Transportation Department to ensure the important mid-block crossing of Charles Street at Mayor’s Walk is a raised crosswalk; the draft language hedges in saying it is “A large crosswalk, possibly elevated.” Many people drive way too fast on Charles Street; a raised crosswalk will help calm traffic between two significant parks. 
  • The Shaw 54th Memorial was left out of an earlier draft since it is not accessible from the Boston Common (and due to restoration work by the National Park Service); we are pleased to see that an accessible entrance to the Common from the Shaw 54th Memorial is incorporated into the draft as an early action project.
  • We are pleased to see an early action project for Park Street Station’s plaza will further develop a proposed grading scheme to create an accessible path similar to how Government Center combines stairs and ramps. We had concerns with the previous draft that seemed to frame a direct route down the hill near Park Street onto the plaza at a location near the curbs of Tremont Street. 

Seating & Benches:

  • The report states there are approximately 238 benches in different states of repair today on the Common, down from 390 at the time of the 1996 Management Plan. We are very pleased to see a commitment to both increasing the number of benches available in the Common and providing a higher level of accessibility for existing and new locations, including prioritizing bench locations with new tree plantings for shade. 
  • It is noted that “Armrests should be considered as an accessibility measure; armrests help the elderly and all park users more easily stand up from a seated position. In this way, benches can be used to further the social agenda of the park, making the experience more equitable and accessible for all visitors.” During our Age-Friendly work in Boston with the Age-Strong Commission, participants have expressed that benches with arms help them both with sitting and standing back up from a bench. 
  • We encourage you to look at the improvements the City of Boston made to Cassidy Playground in Allston-Brighton. The redesign created many different seating options, including benches with and without arms, that give park users the opportunity to find seating that works best for their needs at the time. We hope that you can find a solution that meets the needs of older adults without creating hostile architecture. 

Safer bike facilities to reduce bike/ped conflict:

  • Thank you for the continuation of the current policy of excluding bicycle riding in the park. We appreciate the support for the Transportation Department’s work to create better bike facilities on the streets surrounding the Common. If those lanes are a safe option, more people biking will use them. This policy assures the safety and calm of the paths for pedestrians and avoids conflicts between walkers and cyclists. 

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Brendan Kearney
Deputy Director of Advocacy, WalkBoston

Comment Letter Re: 40 Roland Street

Comment Letter Re: 40 Roland Street

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August 25, 2022 

Sarah Black
BPDA

RE: WalkBoston Comments on 40 Roland Street Supplemental Filing

Dear Ms. Black:

WalkBoston has reviewed the revised 40 Roland Street project and attended the public meeting held on August 15th.

We believe that the project will improve the walking environment in this portion of Charlestown, which is currently neither attractive nor comfortable and safe for people walking. In order to successfully execute this very large development project, the development team has committed to investments in both the public realm and pedestrian safety. We are pleased to see these initial commitments.

We have several comments that we would like to see addressed in the next iteration of the design and permitting process.

Walking Safety and Connections

The connection between this portion of Charlestown, west of I-93, with the rest of the neighborhood requires walking along Cambridge Street, and underneath I-93. On the south side of the street, pedestrians must cross the exit ramp from northbound I-93. Whether walking between the development sites and Sullivan Square MBTA Station or the heart of the Charlestown neighborhood, people walking will be confronted with both significant streets and intersections and an unpleasant under-highway walking environment.

Walking along and crossing Cambridge Street in the project’s immediate vicinity is also in need of significant improvements. 

With the project’s deep reliance on walking and transit (which of course also includes walking) as it’s primary transportation modes (75%+ of all trips per slide #57 from the presentation), we urge the developers to work with the City of Boston and MassDOT to create a detailed and specific investment plan to improve all of these elements of the walking environment. This should include walking along Cambridge Street, crossing Cambridge Street and crossing the base of the I-93 ramp. If improvements are made to these areas to prioritize people walking, then the residents and workers occupying the development’s buildings can truly become a part of the Charlestown community.

Multi-Modal Path Connection

We are very pleased that the development team has committed to including the path along the southern edge of the 40 Roland Street property which will be a part of the Mystic to Charles off-road multi-modal path network. The potential exists for the path to provide an important transportation connection for the project.

We request that the development benefits include a commitment to design and fund (at least some portion) extending the path through the small triangle of MBTA-owned land to meet and cross Cambridge Street.  This will entail working closely with the MBTA and the City. Given the extent of site work and excavation that the 40 Roland Street project will require, this opportunity to help complete this short portion of the multi-modal path will have a minimal impact on the project budget, but will provide essential connections for people walking and biking to the site.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment. 

Wendy Landman
Senior Policy Advisor, WalkBoston