Tag: age-friendly walking

City of Boston aims to create an Age-Friendly Cummins Highway

City of Boston aims to create an Age-Friendly Cummins Highway

The City of Boston is currently designing the complete reconstruction of Cummins Highway in Mattapan and they are calling out the project as Age-Friendly Cummins Highway! This is exactly the outcome WalkBoston hoped to see when we began our age-friendly walking work with the City in 2016. Many of the design elements are a direct reflection of what WalkBoston and the City learned during meetings and walk audits with Mattapan residents. 

The project will include a total rebuild of the street, including sidewalks, curbs, street lights, traffic signals, road pavement, and replacement or updating of utilities with a project budget of approximately $24 million.

Mattapan residents and WalkBoston staff walk down a sidewalk in Mattapan Square during the 2016 WalkBoston Mattapan Square walk audit; photos included in the 4/26/22 Cummins Highway BTD/PWD Presentation.

The proposed Cummins Highway design includes narrower street crossings with curb extensions, fully accessible sidewalks, longer WALK times and audible signals, high visibility crosswalks, raised crosswalks to slow drivers turning onto or from side streets, new trees and plants to reduce the heat effect, new street lights, bus shelters and benches.

Age-friendly intersection design shown in the 4/26/22 Cummins Highway BTD/PWD Presentation, showing plans to narrow crossing distances, add accessible ramps, raise crosswalks and increase crosswalk visibility.

As city staff said during a recent public meeting, the goal is to:

Transform Cummins Highway into a tree-lined neighborhood street that is safer for families to walk, wait for the bus, ride bikes, or travel by vehicle. It will connect residents to the City’s network of open spaces and make it easier for elders to cross the street.”

WalkBoston is thrilled to see the City of Boston’s adoption of some many age-friendly walking elements in the project and to see age-friendly street design come of age in the city. 

Want to learn more?

Chesterfield Town Center Walk Audit

Chesterfield Town Center Walk Audit

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.

Read the full report here.

Creating Walking Connections in Cummington

Creating Walking Connections in Cummington

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.

Improving Walking Conditions in Chesterfield

Improving Walking Conditions in Chesterfield

Image of Chesterfield's Town Center, a white 2-story building, with a lawn and concrete sidewalk in front and steps leading to the building. On the other side of the sidewalk, a blue minivan waits at a T-intersection to cross onto the 2-lane road.
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.

A group of people stand at a mid-block crossing with pedestrian signage and discuss conditions.
Participants in the Chesterfield walk audit stop at a crosswalk to discuss safety.
Improving Snow and Ice Clearance to promote Age-Friendly Walking in the Berkshires

Improving Snow and Ice Clearance to promote Age-Friendly Walking in the Berkshires

Snow and ice present challenges to walkers. Cleared sidewalks are critical for people to access everyday goods and services, and are particularly vital to seniors. Icy sidewalks and snow-piled curb ramps can further isolate seniors in the winter months. As part of our Age-Friendly Walking initiative, WalkBoston is working with communities across the Commonwealth to improve their sidewalk snow and ice clearance to improve year-round walking conditions for people of all ages.

WalkBoston worked the Dalton Traffic Commission chairman and Dalton Council on Aging Director to identify priority sidewalks for snow and ice clearance that would help connect older adults walking from senior housing complexes to the Dalton Council on Aging in winter months. We are excited to work with towns like Dalton to set priorities for sidewalk snow clearance that identify the most critical sidewalks – such as those near schools, transit stations or senior centers – to ensure that enforcement and public snow clearance are focused on the most important locations.

For more information about how cities and towns can improve sidewalk snow and ice clearance see WalkBoston’s Keep it Clear snow clearance report.