Bay State Banner: “Elected officials blast planned MBTA fare hikes”
Brendan Kearney, communications director for WalkBoston, said, “Massachusetts is not short on ideas [to raise revenue for the T]. What is lacking is the political will.”
Posted March 6, 2019
WBUR: “Proposed T Fare Hikes Get Pushback From Community At Hearing”
Brendan Kearney of the group WalkBoston said policymakers need to rethink the way transit is funded rather than always resorting to fare hikes.
“This problem has been studied extensively — what is lacking is the political will,” said Kearney. “We encourage the MBTA to work with MassDOT and other stakeholders to find new sources of revenue to equitably invest in the 21st century transportation system we all deserve.”
This segment aired on February 28, 2019.
A recent study shared at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Conference titled “Editorial Patterns in Bicyclist and Pedestrian Crash Reporting” examined ways that media coverage of crashes could influence public perception, looking at word choice and agency. (Read the 2 page summary handout or the full paper.)
You wouldn’t know someone was driving this truck by the initial news report, since “a city-owned truck struck a pedestrian.” We reached out to the reporter and station on Twitter, and asked them to clarify that a person driving was behind the wheel in this crash.
Local reporting helps shine a light on common-sense ways we can make our streets safer for people: fixing the way our roads are designed. Tens of thousands of Americans die in car crashes each year (both in and outside the vehicle), with roughly 350 fatal crashes in Massachusetts alone. There are many thousands more incapacitating injuries. We need to reduce illegal speeding to help prevent and/or reduce the severity of these crashes. Road design influences behavior!
Are you a reporter covering traffic crashes or a dangerous intersection? Please reach out to WalkBoston if you need a comment about safety issues, or if you are looking for recommendations about public health or road design questions. If we don’t have the answer, we’re happy to be a resource and point you in the right direction.
Stacey Beuttell recently promoted the WalkBoston’s newest statewide program, the WalkMassachusetts Network, at the Livable Streets Alliance StreetTalk 10-in-1 event. Launched at last year’s WalkBoston annual meeting, the Network aims to connect advocacy organizations, municipal committees, and community groups working on walking. Stacey summarizes the benefits of joining the Network and shares the results of our first Network forum held in December 2018 in this video.
WBZ 1030 Jay Talking Podcast: “Talking About Walking” (37 min)
Brendan Kearney (WalkBoston) wants you to get out and stretch your legs, but first, what can we do to make our streets safer for walkers, bikes and motorists?