Tag: walk audit

A Walk Audit Academy on the North Shore

A Walk Audit Academy on the North Shore

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Residents of at least eight communities joined WalkMassachusetts staff for a half-day Walk Audit Academy training seminar on the North Shore on January 25, organized with the Beverly Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC).

Carl Kooyoomjian, chair of BPAC, brought together local advocates who had collaborated before on bike lane and resurfacing projects that crossed municipal boundaries. Participants learned about improving walkability and creating safer, more accessible communities.

Building on feedback from past Walk Audit Academies in Worcester and Springfield, the North Shore training included a demonstration walk audit in downtown Beverly, so all participants could get hands-on experience before preparing to lead their own walk audits.

BPAC intends to complete a series of ward based audits informed by incident data, routes to schools, and councilor input on residents’ concerns. The goal is to materially complete the audits by early May and have a formal City Council review in late May. The initial schedule has been planned to coincide with budget discussions for the remainder of the year.

A special thank-you to Gentile Brewing for hosting us! We look forward to seeing the results of BPAC’s efforts and to collaborate more in the future.

If you’d like to follow steps on how to lead your own walk audit, check out our Walk Audit Academy series and supporting materials at https://walkmass.org/waa.

Links we promised to share: 

D.W. Field Park Walk Audit Report with Wildlands Trust’s Green Team – Brockton, MA

D.W. Field Park Walk Audit Report with Wildlands Trust’s Green Team – Brockton, MA

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A walk audit was conducted in Brockton on August 16th in collaboration with the Wildlands Trust Green Team, a youth service-learning program that employs 15 teens from the Brockton area to work on projects at D.W. Field Park. WalkMassachusetts facilitators worked with the Green Team to conduct a walk audit of D.W. Field Park, gathering insights and identifying challenges that impact walkability and pedestrian safety. The audit began on Oak Street in Brockton and continued into the park on shared-use roadways and short pedestrian trails. This report aims to provide recommendations and insights to municipal decision-makers and stakeholders connected to D.W. Field Park to make necessary built environment changes that will improve mobility for all park users, particularly pedestrians.

Read the full report.

Roosevelt Ave Walk Audit in Springfield

Roosevelt Ave Walk Audit in Springfield

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On Thursday July 20th, WalkMassachusetts joined WalkBike Springfield, Wayfinders, Mass in Motion Springfield, and local residents to complete a Walk Audit of Roosevelt Avenue. After a round of introductions, the group left from Springfield High School of Science & Technology  (SciTech), and continued down Roosevelt before turning back at the Wilbraham Rd intersection.

This walk audit was part of a bigger WalkBike Springfield effort. With support from America Walks and the Safe Roads Alliance, the group is gathering input regarding how people use Roosevelt Avenue, how safe they feel, and what changes they would like to see on the 3.3 mile stretch of Roosevelt in Springfield from Island Pond Road to East Street. This corridor reaches the East Forest Park, Upper Hill, Bay/McKnight and East Springfield neighborhoods. More info can be found here.

Walk Audit participants begin at SciTech with some introductions and friendly conversation.

This stretch of Roosevelt Ave had previously been highlighted by residents as an area of concern, given the many dangers faced by pedestrians, particularly those at SciTech. People driving frequently hurtle down the road at speeds well over 40 mph; there is one sidewalk along the street, and no crosswalk directly connects the school with the sidewalk on Roosevelt.

WalkMassachusetts Deputy Director of Advocacy Brendan Kearney uses a radar gun on Roosevelt Ave, observing speeds well over the legal limit.

Walk Audit participants identified a clear need to implement more traffic calming measures and expand the crosswalk and sidewalk network. Better maintenance of existing pedestrian infrastructure was also discussed, with overgrown vegetation both blocking walkways and obscuring driver views.

Due to Roosevelt Avenue’s high speeds and a lack of crossings, participants chose to wear high visibility vests on this walk audit.

All the written notes, observations, and conversations between WalkMassachusetts and other participants will be instrumental in generating a final report of the audit. The information will allow us to highlight pressing issues in pedestrian safety, supporting advocacy efforts to create a safer Springfield for all.

WalkMassachusetts expresses its gratitude to our collaborating partner organizations, local community members, and MAPC, the funding source for this project. The collective effort demonstrated during the Walk Audit is a significant step towards fostering a more pedestrian-friendly Springfield.

Plainfield Walk Audit

Plainfield Walk Audit

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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 Plainfield is one of the partnering communities in this grant project.

Read the full report here.

Westhampton Walk Audit

Westhampton Walk Audit

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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 Westhampton is one of the partnering communities in this grant project.

Read the full report here.