Tag: continuous sidewalk

Melrose High School/Middle School Campus Bicycle and Pedestrian Accessibility Project: Final Report

Melrose High School/Middle School Campus Bicycle and Pedestrian Accessibility Project: Final Report

WalkBoston and WatsonActive observed Middle School/High School arrival on April 25 and 27, 2017. Dismissal was not observed, as the traffic and safety issues identified by the key informants were focused on arrival. Additional infrastructure observations were also made.

The City Engineer requested a preliminary report recommending a project for possible inclusion in the City’s Complete Streets Prioritization Plan. WalkBoston and WatsonActive delivered a report of infrastructure recommendations for Melrose Street on April 28, 2017.

With the assistance of the MassDOT Safe Routes to School Program, online travel surveys were administered for both the High School and Middle School. These surveys collected information about how far away from school students live and their travel modes in the morning and afternoon. An additional parking survey was administered only to High School students who drive themselves to school. The High School travel and parking surveys were administered to students during class on June 6, 2017.

The Middle School travel survey was made available to Middle School parents from May 24 to June 12, 2017. Due to low initial participation, the Middle School travel survey was re-administered from June 14-30, 2017.

High School student focus groups were conducted on June 13, 2017 at Melrose High School.

Read the full report here:

WalkBoston-MelroseCampusBikePedProject-Final Report

Letter of Support for Belchertown’s Reconstruction of Maple and State Street: Project Need

Letter of Support for Belchertown’s Reconstruction of Maple and State Street: Project Need

Mr. Richard J. Masse, P.E.
Acting District Highway Director
811 North King St. Northampton, MA 01016

October 15, 2015

Dear Mr. Masse,

I am writing to express my support for Belchertown’s Project Need Form for the reconstruction of Maple Street and State Street. I am the Program Director at WalkBoston, a state-wide non-profit working to create more pedestrian-friendly communities across Massachusetts. We provide technical assistance to municipalities in partnership with MassDOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Awareness and Enforcement program, as well as the Department of Public Health’s Mass in Motion program to promote physical activity and healthy living. We are proud to work closely with our partner and Mass in Motion grantee Healthy Hampshire to support efforts to make Belchertown more walkable.

On May 1, 2015, in partnership with Healthy Hampshire, WalkBoston conducted a walk audit of the Route 202 corridor along Maple Street and State Street to assess existing pedestrian conditions and identify potential infrastructure improvements. Eighteen Belchertown residents, as well as municipal staff from the Planning Department and Conservation Commission, attended the walk audit. The audit found a number of barriers to walking along the Route 202 corridor, including a lack of continuous sidewalks on both sides of the road, a lack of pedestrian safety facilities such as signage, pedestrian lights, raised crosswalks and detectable warning strips, and overly long crosswalks.

The pending redevelopment of the Belchertown state school on Route 202 presents a powerful opportunity to incorporate more pedestrian-friendly designs and infrastructure into this important corridor. Traffic calming techniques, continuous sidewalks and/or off-road paved paths, beautification of public spaces, and better connectivity to local trail networks will all improve the walking environment in Belchertown. Implementing these measures will enhance Belchertown residents’ access to their homes, businesses, schools and social services, as well as future economic opportunities from the state school redevelopment.

Thank you for your timely consideration of these issues. WalkBoston looks forward to working with you to advance active transportation and safe walking in Belchertown.

Sincerely,

Stacey Beuttell
Program Director, WalkBoston

School Street Walk Audit Manchester By the Sea

School Street Walk Audit Manchester By the Sea

School Street connects Route 128 to Route 127, Manchester’s “Main Street,” and because it is one of the town’s connecting streets it carries fairly heavy traffic traveling at speeds that make walking uncomfortable. Pedestrians crossing the street feel unsafe, and many of the people who attended the walk audit had stories of cars failing to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk or waiting to cross. Because School Street provides walking access to the community’s elementary, middle and high schools there is great interest in increasing pedestrian safety along the street.

Read the full report here:
WalkBoston-School Street Safety Recommendations-ManchesterByTheSea

Beacon Street Multimodal Improvements and Streetscape Enhancement Comment Letter

Beacon Street Multimodal Improvements and Streetscape Enhancement Comment Letter

The Beacon Street project area extends from the bridge abutment at Oxford Street to Dickinson Street, a distance of approximately 1.1 miles. The project is intended to enhance pedestrian and bicycle movements with improved streetscape, wider sidewalks, a new cycle track/bicycle lanes, and new ADA compliant curb ramps. The project goal is to enhance the multimodal connectivity of the Beacon Street Corridor.

Read the full letter here:
WalkBoston-CommentENF-BeaconSt-Somerville