Manchester-By-The-Sea Archives

Manchester By The Sea Village Walk Audit

On Monday, June 3, 2019, WalkBoston conducted a walk audit in Manchester-by-the-Sea in the area between Manchester Memorial Elementary School and the village center. This walk audit was completed through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Mass in Motion program, which grants funding and provides technical assistance to help communities eat better and be more active. WalkBoston has been providing technical assistance to Mass in Motion projects throughout the state, and has previously conducted a walk audit along Manchester’s School Street in 2015 through Mass in Motion.

The area covered in this walk audit includes Manchester Memorial Elementary School, Manchester Essex Regional Middle High School, and Tara Montessori School. The southern portion of the audit cuts through the village center, which houses several restaurants, cafes and shops, and is proximate to the Manchester commuter rail station and Singing Beach. Though the area is well-frequented, most access is by car. Sidewalks are typically narrow and only on one side of the street, and several crosswalks have low visibility and insufficient signage.

To access the complete report, please click the link below.

WalkBoston-MBTSVillageWalkAudit

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