Tag: WalkMassachusetts Network

November 2023 Network Meeting: MA Safe Routes to School Recording

November 2023 Network Meeting: MA Safe Routes to School Recording

Judy Crocker joined us for this month’s WalkMassachusetts Network discussion to share about the MA Safe Routes to School program.

Since 2005, the federally funded Massachusetts Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program (nationally #1 ranked program of MassDOT) has been working to increase safe biking and walking for students grade K-12 by using a collaborative, community-focused approach that bridges the gap between health and transportation. Join this  as we discuss Their latest efforts include the recent inclusion of high schools, driver education materials, and DESE-accreditation for professional development of their pedestrian and bike safety curriculum.

The session was recorded, and you can view the presentation below.

Links shared during the discussion

The WalkMassachusetts Network typically meets every third Wednesday of each month at 1 pm. Register for upcoming Zoom calls at this link.

Anyone can listen in and participate in monthly calls! Join the Google Group to get a reminder about these Zoom calls.

Do you have a topic that should be discussed at a future meeting? Suggestions welcome!

October 2023 Network Meeting: CultureHouse and Social Infrastructure Recording

October 2023 Network Meeting: CultureHouse and Social Infrastructure Recording

Aaron Greiner joined us for this month’s WalkMassachusetts Network discussion to share about his organization CultureHouse and gave a presentation titled “Vacant to Vibrant: Creating Walkable Neighborhoods with Social Infrastructure.”

Making an area walkable requires paying attention to more than what is on the street—also critical is what happens on the edges. Having good civic spaces creates communities that are strong and resilient and neighborhoods that have accessible, walkable destinations. Aaron Greiner, the director of CultureHouse, will talk about how they use a community-driven model to reimagine vacant storefronts as pop-up community spaces that meet local needs.

The session was recorded, and you can view the presentation below.

Links shared during the discussion

The WalkMassachusetts Network typically meets every third Wednesday of each month at 1 pm. Register for upcoming Zoom calls at this link.

Anyone can listen in and participate in monthly calls! Join the Google Group to get a reminder about these Zoom calls.

Do you have a topic that should be discussed at a future meeting? Suggestions welcome!

September 2023 Network Meeting – “Mass Central Rail Trail” Recording

September 2023 Network Meeting – “Mass Central Rail Trail” Recording

Craig Della Penna joined us for this month’s WalkMassachusetts Network discussion to share about the Mass Central Rail Trail. This is the longest and most complicated former RR corridor to reassemble in New England. Running from Northampton to Boston, it has been a 40+ year journey so far. It is the longest developing rail trail in New England. Today we have 59 of the 104 miles open as a trail. 90.5 miles are in a protected status. 12 miles are currently under construction. In two-years we are likely to have 75 miles open. https://www.masscentralrailtrail.org/ Within 150 miles of Northampton, MA lies the densest network of former steam railroad corridors in the United States. A report by MassDOT showed that the MCRT can be completed, but it begs the question: What would a completed 100 mile long walking and biking trail mean to the Commonwealth?

The session was recorded, and you can view the presentation below.

Links shared during the discussion

The WalkMassachusetts Network typically meets every third Wednesday of each month at 1 pm. Register for upcoming Zoom calls at this link.

Anyone can listen in and participate in monthly calls! Join the Google Group to get a reminder about these Zoom calls.

Do you have a topic that should be discussed at a future meeting? Suggestions welcome!

August 2023 Network Meeting – “All Things Pedestrian & Traffic Signals” Recording

August 2023 Network Meeting – “All Things Pedestrian & Traffic Signals” Recording

Peter G. Furth, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University,  joined us for this month’s WalkMassachusetts Network discussion. Peter shared about accommodating slower peds, ped recall, protection from concurrent conflicting turns, and more, including Boston’s new traffic signal policy which has enormous improvements for pedestrians.

The session was recorded, and you can view the presentation below. You can also view the presentation slides.

Links shared during the discussion

  • NCHRP Report 969: Traffic Signal Control Strategies for Pedestrians and Bicyclists (2022). Download site.
  • City of Boston, Traffic Signal Operations Design Policy (2023). Download link.

The WalkMassachusetts Network typically meets every third Wednesday of each month at 1 pm. Register for upcoming Zoom calls at this link.

Anyone can listen in and participate in monthly calls!  Join the Google Group to get a reminder about these Zoom calls.

Do you have a topic that should be discussed at a future meeting? Suggestions welcome!

Upcoming WalkMassachusetts Network Learning Opportunities

Upcoming WalkMassachusetts Network Learning Opportunities

The WalkMassachusetts Network Zoom calls take place on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 1pm, and generally are topic focused with a guest speaker. We’re excited to announced August, September, October, and November’s speakers!

Can’t attend mid-day, but really interested in one of the talks below? Don’t worry: each talk/presentation will be recorded so we can share it afterwards. We’ll stop the recording before Q&A as we have the last few months to encourage open discussion. Recordings are posted to our YouTube channel and linked on our website at the bottom under “past events.”

Quick RSVP links are here, full descriptions below and on the WalkMassachusetts Network page.


August 16th: Register for 8/16 1pm on Zoom.
All Things Pedestrian & Traffic Signals

Based on recent conversations on the WalkMassachusetts Network Google Group, we’ve lined up a speaker for August who is very knowledgeable about traffic signals! Come with your signal questions, and be ready to learn about RRFBs, accommodating slower peds, ped recall, protection from concurrent conflicting turns, and more, including Boston’s new traffic signal policy which has enormous improvements for pedestrians.
Speakers include: Peter G. Furth, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University

September 20th: Register for 9/20 1pm on Zoom.
Piecing together, the Mass Central Rail Trail. It is like putting Humpty Dumpty together again.

This is the longest and most complicated former RR corridor to reassemble in New England. Running from Northampton to Boston, it has been a 40+ year journey so far. It is the longest developing rail trail in New England. Today we have 59 of the 104 miles open as a trail. 90.5 miles are in a protected status.
12 miles are currently under construction. In two-years we are likely to have 75 miles open. https://www.masscentralrailtrail.org/ Within 150 miles of Northampton, MA lies the densest network of former steam railroad corridors in the United States. A report by MassDOT showed that the MCRT can be completed, but it begs the question: What would a completed 100 mile long walking and biking trail mean to the Commonwealth? That is what we’ll be talking about on Sept 20th.
Speakers include: Craig Della Penna
Craig is the author of 5 books, the forwards to several more, op-eds in numerous newspapers and in the past few years, 5 books have been written that feature him in them as a case study in various realms. Including two about his innovative real estate practice; specializing in the sale of houses near rail trails. He is the first Realtor in the US to specialize in this niche. He and his wife Kathleen, also operate an award-winning bed & breakfast that sits 8 feet from the now rail trail, in Northampton’s historic Civil War era industrial village of Florence. He has given over 1,200 lectures in 21 states on various topics related to the conversion of former RRs into linear parks known as rail trails.

October 18th: Register for 10/18 on Zoom.
Vacant to Vibrant: Creating Walkable Neighborhoods with Social Infrastructure

Making an area walkable requires paying attention to more than what is on the street—also critical is what happens on the edges. Having good civic spaces creates communities that are strong and resilient and neighborhoods that have accessible, walkable destinations.
Speakers include: Aaron Greiner, the director of CultureHouse, will talk about how they use a community-driven model to reimagine vacant storefronts as pop-up community spaces that meet local needs.

November 15th: Register for 11/15 on Zoom.
MA Safe Routes to School

Since 2005, the federally funded Massachusetts Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program has been working to increase safe biking and walking for students grade K-12 by using a collaborative, community-focused approach that bridges the gap between health and transportation. Join this nationally #1 ranked program of MassDOT as we discuss their latest efforts, including the recent inclusion of high schools, driver education materials, and DESE-accreditation for professional development of their pedestrian and bike safety curriculum.
Speakers include: Judy Crocker, Statewide Coordinator, Massachusetts Safe Routes to School – a program of MassDOT.