Issue #41 / January 2010
StreetLife
#41 / January 2010 The monthly newsletter of the LivableStreets Alliance |
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In this issue
StreetTalk
· Streets for whom? by Barbara Knecht, Thurs, Feb 4, 7-9 pm >>>
Recent Activity
· Packed House for Second Annual Boston Bikes Update
· Winning Improvements on the Longfellow Bridge
· Options for the Anderson Memorial Bridge, Charles River · Extend Green Line to Route 16; Build Community Path
· Dropping the Official Ban on Bicycling in Franklin Park
· Blog: How to Make Boston World Class for Bikes & Peds Announcements · Pedestrian Enhancements Around Jamaica Pond
· MPO and MAPC Open Houses
· Planning Meeting for Centre & South Street in JP
Calendar -- Click here to view full calendar of public meetings and related events |
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StreetTalk ____________________________________________________________________
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Streets for whom?
by Barbara Knecht, Director of Design, Institute for Human Centered Design
Thurs, Feb 4, 7-9 PM
@ LivableStreets office, 100 Sidney St, Cambridge [map...]
Open to the public. Suggested $5 donation. Complimentary beer provided by Harpoon.
 Should Segways be allowed on sidewalks? Should all bicycles travel only in designated bike lanes? Should motorized scooters be treated as if they are wheelchairs? Where should rollerblades, skateboards, adult tricycles, bikes with trailers or kick scooters travel? The world of personal mobility is expanding. But all those other modes are having a hard time finding their place on the streets and sidewalks of our cities. It seems someone always thinks one or more of the alternatives is unsuitable. The solution becomes clear if one applies a universal -- human centered -- design approach to the problem. It isn't simple, it is just clear. It ends the discussion about vehicles. It starts a discussion about people and how they can get around in the city. Barbara will discuss the concept of human-centered design and showcase examples of streets in South America, the US and around the world. A Q&A discussion will follow the talk.
Barbara Knecht, R.A. is Director of Design at the Institute for Human Centered Design. She is also co-director of the IHP "Cities in the 21st Century" and a consultant to Westhab, Inc., an affordable housing and community development organization. Ms. Knecht holds a BA from UC Berkeley and a Master of Architecture from Columbia University. She was awarded a Kinne Fellowship, a Loeb Fellowship, and received a Graham Foundation grant. She serves on the Metropolitan Life/Enterprise Foundation Awards for Excellence in Affordable Housing, the Board of Directors of Care for the Homeless, and the Streetscape committee of the Municipal Art Society.
Hosted by LivableStreets Alliance.
For more information: www.livablestreets.info/node/2450, events@livablestreets.info
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Recent Activity
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Packed House for Second Annual Boston Bikes Update Bike Advocacy Fits into Efforts to Create More Livable City
 Hundreds of people packed into the Copley Sq library lecture hall on December 10 to get an update on Boston's progress and plans for becoming a world-class bicycling city. Nicole Freedman, Director of Mayor Menino's Boston Bikes Program, said that the city's goal was to make bicycling safe and attractive for the majority of citizens. Expanded bike lanes, off-road paths, bike sharing systems (due to appear by this July!), festivals for families, and lots more bike parking facilities are on the list of upcoming projects.
LivableStreets Alliance board member, Steve Miller, presented an overview of how improved bicycle facilities fit into an overall vision of more livable communities and urged attendees to get involved/support with the groups and organization's that are improving the quality of urban life. > Click here to read Boston Bikes Year-End Update (pdf)
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Winning Improvements on the Longfellow Bridge
LivableStreets, other advocates and MassDOT agree on construction-period fix
For years, LivableStreets Alliance and other advocates have demanded that legal sidewalks on the Boston side of the Longfellow Bridge be put into place. The lack of adequate sidewalks is an immediate danger - forcing all people, including those using a wheelchair and pushing baby strollers - to step into traffic in order to cross the bridge. At a meeting on January 5, MassDOT Highway Division leadership, a coalition of advocates and elected officials, came to an agreement on a short-term fix at the Charles Circle approach of the Longfellow Bridge.
The improvements, however, are just intended as a stop-gap solution while the bridge undergoes desperately needed structural repairs. Still in dispute is the best final surface layout for the rebuilt bridge. Again, DOT's Highway Division promised to work with advocates to analyze the suitability of possible alternatives - although they didn't promise they'd end up with the dramatically improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities that the advocates were pushing for.
> LivableStreets in the news: Click here to read Boston Courant article by State Representative Marty Walz
Want to support this advocacy project? Make a tax-deductible contribution today!
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Options for the Anderson Memorial Bridge, Charles River
Pre-design meeting to discuss options is a welcomed change
LivableStreets Alliance and other groups have long pushed transportation planning agencies to hold public meetings about conceptual options for upcoming design projects, rather than waiting until a 25% design is complete - by which time many key issues are typically already decided.
So advocates were pleased when the MassDOT Accelerated Bridge Program (ABP) held a public meeting on December 15th to discuss potential designs for the Anderson Memorial bridge - connecting Harvard Sq to North Harvard St, Allston.
One proposal was to widen the sidewalk and add 5' bike lanes flanking three 10' travel lanes, essentially continuing the current North Harvard Street layout over the bridge. LivableStreets members stressed that ABP should work with Cambridge planners to also restripe JFK Blvd similarly to create a safe walking and cycling route connecting both sides of the expanding Harvard campus.
A second proposal was to widen the bridge, possibly allowing the retention of four traffic lanes, although the current budget does not have enough money to pay for widening or for the full reconstruction of the intersections it would require. In addition, advocates noted that leaving four travel lanes across the bridge would make it nearly impossible to restripe JFK Street with bike lanes.
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Advocates pointed out that given declining trends in traffic volume, the expected growth of non-motorized travel as Harvard's Allston campus is built should be lower than expected. Already, despite the bridge's bike/ped unfriendly layout, rush hour bike-pedestrian counts over the bridge are slightly higher than vehicular counts!
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Extend Green Line to Route 16; Build Community Path
Excepts from letter sent by LivableStreets to Ian Bowles, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs concerning the MEPA Green Line Extension Draft Environmental Impact Report
"...High-quality rapid transit will give people a more frequent and more dependable transit option, which we expect will reduce the amount of automobile usage and automobile ownership in the area, as well as reduce congestion and bring about cleaner air...
 "...MassDOT should commit to work with the City and other State and Federal agencies to obtain the necessary funding to build the Community Path extension as part of the Green Line extensions...The Medford extension should be designed and constructed to Route 16 as one project, not in two phases...Furthermore, the Route 16 terminus should also be designed such that it can be extended to West Medford easily in the future, as originally envisioned (while of course minimizing property takings as well)...
"...A multi-use path should be designed and constructed as part of or parallel with the Green Line Extension project from the Route 16 Station to the West Medford Commuter Rail Station. This is a distance that is easily walkable in 5-10 minutes if there was a direct connection...
"The amount of bicycle parking presently described in the plans (270 spaces) is very welcome but will be insufficient for the expected number of bicyclist coming to the stations. 270 spaces is only about 1% of the expected ridership. Based on the present parking at Red line stations, bike parking at 3-5% of ridership will soon be needed. Therefore we request that the amount of bike parking be increased to approximately 5% at the Union Square, Route 16 and Lowell St. (major intersection with Community Path) stations, and to 3% of ridership at all other stations...."
>> Click here to read full letter.
On January 15, MEPA (Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act) issued a certificate that in general approves the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). However, MEPA is demanding that a Final EIR (FEIR) be created in order to fully address remaining issues such as the location of a maintenance facility in the Inner Belt neighborhood of Somerville and better integration of the stations with surrounding neighborhoods, particularly regarding bicycle and pedestrian access. For more information or to read the certificate, visit the S.T.E.P. website.
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Dropping the Official Ban on Bicycling in Franklin Park Excerpts from letter sent by LivableStreets to Boston Park Commissioners
"...Given the nature of Franklin Park paths - curving, hilly, and in a loop - people tend to move slowly, often accompanied by children, and often simply getting some low-key exercise while enjoying the scenery and each other's company. We do not expect there to be much contention over the shared path space, especially since the most-used path, the Golf Course Loop, is as wide as a two lane road. (Hurrying bike commuters tend to use the roads, which run in a straighter and more efficient line across the Park.)...
"...However, to further reduce possible confusion, we'd suggest that there be good signage indicating where cyclists should, and should not, go. In addition, we hope that in the future the Park Commission can explore the feasibility of widening some of the narrower paths so that there is even more room for increased use by walkers, joggers, and cyclists..."
> Click here to read full letter.
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Blog: How To Make Boston World Class for Bikes & Peds Musings on transportation, health, and livable communities
by Steve Miller, LivableStreets board member
Mayor Menino's inauguration for a historic fifth term is the backdrop for several recent postings on transportation and city administration. The collapse of the state's project to upgrade the 28x bus line prompts thoughts on successful urban planning strategies and ideas for keeping all modes of traffic moving while the Charles River bridges are repaired. And the uncertain momentum for federal-level reforms in the financial system, health reform, climate protection - and transportation - sparked the sixth entry. Ten Steps to Make Boston a World Class Bicycling City Making Boston a World Class Walking City How To Prevent Bridge Repair Gridlock Learning from 28x - the Zen of Project Planning Maintaining Momentum as the Wave of Reform Recedes Blog can be accessed from LivableStreets homepage or http://blog.livablestreets.info
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Announcements _____________________________________________________________
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UK Study Shows That Speed Kills
 A new study in the British Medical Journal shows that slowing cars to 15-20 mph in urban core areas is an effective way to reduce pedestrian casualties. According to the study, "The introduction of 20 mph zones was associated with a 41.9% reduction in road casualties. The percentage reduction was greatest in younger children and greater for the category of killed or seriously injured casualties than for minor injuries. There was no evidence of casualty migration to areas adjacent to 20 mph zones, where casualties also fell slightly by an average of 8.0%."
> Click here for full study.
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Creating A Vision for the Esplanade's Next Century
Speaking Up, Being Heard: An Esplanade 2020 Community Input Session
Wednesday, January 20, 5-8 pm @ Boston Public Library, main branch at Copley Sq, Boylston St
 The Esplanade Association, in collaboration with the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation, invites you to the first of four Esplanade 2020 community input sessions: Speaking Up, Being Heard. This event will encourage you to voice your feelings about today's Esplanade, and to dream about what the park might be in the year 2020.
For more information, click here. Photo: Storrow Drive, 1935
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Pedestrian Enhancements Around Jamaica Pond
Wed, Jan 27, 7-8:30 PM
@ Arnold Arboretum Visitors Center (Hunnewell Building), 125 Arborway, Jamaica Plain
The MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Emerald Necklace Conservancy will hold a second public meeting on Jamaica Pond pedestrian access enhancements to three locations - Eliot Street at the Jamaica way, Kelley Circle at Parkman Drive, Parkman Drive at Parkman Memorial. At this meeting, the consultants will present and discuss preferred options that have been developed incorporating public comments received on earlier options.
> Click here to read comment letter by LivableStreets regarding enhancements
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MPO and MAPC Open Houses
Boston Regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) -- Overview of Work The MPO decides how to allocate federal and some state transportation funds to roadway, transit, bicycle and pedestrian programs and projects. MPO staff will host two sessions on Wednesday, January 20 at noon to 2pm and from 5 to 7pm to present recent work to the public. Wed, Jan 20, 12-2 PM & 2-5 PM @ State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, Suite 2150
Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) -- Open House MAPC is a regional planning agency serving the people who live and work in Metropolitan Boston with the mission of promoting smart growth and regional collaboration. It's progressive, citizen-developed long range plan, "MetroFuture: Making a Greater Boston Region," serves as a guide for regional development.
Wed, Jan 27, 4-7 PM @ MAPC office, 60 Temple Place, Boston
Please RSVP online or call 617-451-2770 x2057.
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Planning Meeting for Centre & South Streets in JP Thurs, Jan 28, 6:30-8:30 PM @ Julia Martin House, 90 Bickford St, Jamaica Plain
The community advisory group and the project consultants will discuss progress on the streetscape design guidelines, initiate discussions on options for improvements at Hyde Square and Monument Square, and begin a discussion about the selection of additional areas for design for the Centre & South Street Corridor.
For more information, click here.
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_____________________________________________________________________
Sincerely,
Jacqueline Douglas
LivableStreets Alliance
E: jackie@livablestreets.info P: 617.621.1746
W: www.livablestreets.info
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Sponsors:
 Supporters: Harpoon Brewery, Taza Chocolate, Metro Pedal Power, Regina Villa Associate
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