Category: In The News

WBZ NewsRadio: “Vigil Held At Mass. State House For Victims Of Traffic Accidents”

WBZ NewsRadio: “Vigil Held At Mass. State House For Victims Of Traffic Accidents”

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WBZ NewsRadio: “Vigil Held At Mass. State House For Victims Of Traffic Accidents”

Legislation was a focus this year for the group. On Friday, a committee of lawmakers reached an agreement on the distracted driving bill, which has been in the works for years.

“This is the first time that we feel really excited to say we’re looking at a hands-free bill that is almost about to pass,” Stein said.

The bill is set to be filed on Monday morning.

Walk Boston Executive Director Stacey Beuttell said the end goal is to save lives.

“This is a day for both promoting legislation and a rallying cry to make sure that our state legislators and all of us are still working toward safe streets, but it’s also a day to remember those who have fallen that didn’t have to,” Beuttell said. “These are crashes, not accidents. And we need to change that.”

However, according to Beuttell, there is still a lot advocates want to see get done.

“Until we have safe crosswalks, until we have protected bike lanes, and networks that allow people to move throughout the city, we won’t consider our job finished,” Beuttell said.

Posted November 17, 2019

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

iBerkshires – “Williamstown Planning Board Grapples with Lighting Bylaw”

iBerkshires – “Williamstown Planning Board Grapples with Lighting Bylaw”

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iBerkshires: “Williamstown Planning Board Grapples with Lighting Bylaw”

Puddester talked about a recent workshop she attended in Cheshire hosted by Age Friendly Berkshires and Walk Boston on the issue of walkable neighborhoods.

“They gave us a walking tour of a small part of Cheshire and showed us some of the places where their might be safety issues,” Puddester said. “Some of the things were crosswalks not being where they should be because they were faded. Or another issue was: Corners are cut wider than they used to be, allowing cars to go around the corner more quickly; they recommend painting a line that cuts the curb and people will use that as a guideline.”

The board voted unanimously to authorize Puddester to work with other stakeholders in town, like the Council on Aging, to see if the town can partner with Walk Boston to do a walkability study in the community.

July 11, 2019

Wicked Local Saugus – “Saugus residents and stakeholders invited to town-wide speed limit analysis public meeting”

Wicked Local Saugus – “Saugus residents and stakeholders invited to town-wide speed limit analysis public meeting”

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Wicked Local Saugus: “Saugus residents and stakeholders invited to town-wide speed limit analysis public meeting”

“Last year the Town of Saugus partnered with WalkBoston, a non-profit membership organization dedicated to improving walking conditions in cities and towns across Massachusetts, to conduct an initial assessment of the community’s roadways and crossings. Residents’ concerns and comments were also shared with WalkBoston, and the organization recently completed a comprehensive report of their findings with recommended improvements for the town.

The Town of Saugus also recently received a shared grant of $1.5 million from the Baker-Polito Administration to fund trail designs for the Northern Strand Community Trail project in Saugus, Everett, Lynn, Malden, and Revere. The town has requested that safer crossings, wayfinding, and landscape amenities be major components of the improvement project. The town distributed a copy of WalkBoston’s report to the architectural firm working with the town on the design for the Northern Strand Community Trail project, Brown, Richardson + Rowe, so that it will be taken into consideration for the project’s final design.”

July 3, 2019