Tag: Mass in Motion

Downtown Walk Assessment Pittsfield

Downtown Walk Assessment Pittsfield

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The purpose of this walk assessment was to identify ways of improving the walking connections between downtown businesses along North Street, the Big
Y shopping area along West Street, and the newly constructed children’s carousel along Center Street and South Church Street. While the downtown sections of North Street and Columbus Avenue proved to be highly walkable, Center Street and West Street were less walkable with uninviting and potentially unsafe pedestrian conditions. The construction of the children’s carousel along Center Street will draw more families to this area. Developing greater pedestrian connectivity between the shopping areas and the residential areas to the north could reduce traffic congestion and promote a safer and more walkable area.

Read the full report here:
WalkBoston-DowntownWalkAssessment-Pittsfield

Burgy Village Center Walk Audit

Burgy Village Center Walk Audit

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The Town of Williamsburg has engaged planning, transportation, and healthy community design experts in efforts to assess the vitality and safety of Burgy’s town center. Burgy’s town center is loosely de ned as the Route 9 corridor between Buttonshop Road and South Street. This walk audit is part of the town’s effort to address healthy aging through healthy community design.

Read the full report:
WalkBoston-BurgyVillageWalkAudit-Williamsburg

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

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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

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Check out our new report – “Pedestrian Infrastructure: Strategies for improving pedestrian safety through low-cost traffic calming.” (Click for instructions to download PDF). 

Low cost fixes to calm traffic and enhance safety on municipal streets and state roads can be a great place to start, as they are likely to be adopted and completed sooner than more expensive projects, and can serve as catalysts for long-term change.

This report was prepared by WalkBoston for Mass in Motion, an initiative of the MA Department of Public Health.

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School Street Walk Audit Manchester By the Sea

School Street Walk Audit Manchester By the Sea

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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