We are fortunate to have neighborhood-level professional journalists at the Roslindale Bulletin covering important local issues; even more so now that the entire paper is available online. In late January, the Bulletin reported several stories that should be of interest to the WalkUP community. Highlights below:
Pedestrian/Cycling track getting feasibility study
[Adam] Rosi-Kessel said at the moment the group feels the project will not be completed in 2016, but that plans are getting more and more detailed. “At the end of the year we hope to have a line in the sand, a plan and some realistic parameters for it,” he said. Rosi-Kessel said the Gateway project is one aspect of increasing pedestrian and cycling opportunities in Roslindale, and said it is the only way for the neighborhood to continue to grow.
(as a side note, it was probably supposed to be “we hope to have a timeline in hand,” although “a line in the sand” sounds pretty serious!)
Council says Hubway station placements needs process
[Councilor Michael] Flaherty said he has heard numerous complaints from local businesses in the areas of Hubway stations that say business has suffered because of their installation. Street parking spaces, Flaherty said, are essential to certain businesses, like a pick-up pizza or deli. Flaherty related a story of a local barbershop in Mission Hill that woke up one day to find the parking space directly in front of the business taken by a Hubway Station.
As another aside, this 35-minute video of the Council hearing mentioned is worth watching if you’re interested in the Hubway cycle-share program.
Pedestrian strike last week may spark undercover stings
Roslindale resident [and WalkUP Steering Committee member] Alan Wright said he believes pedestrians struck in a crosswalk are not the victims of accidents.
“The pedestrians were not accidentally in the crosswalks, but in crashes in which drivers drove their vehicles recklessly,” he said.
Pedestrians were hit by reckless drivers (Letter to the Editor by Alan Wright)
In Roslindale, an effort is underway by the citizen group WalkUP Rozzie to get the City to make changes now. For too long our streets have been designed for the benefit of motorists. Simple changes such as speed humps and sidewalk extensions can slow traffic and provide more protection to pedestrians and bicyclists.
If you come across other news items that warrant dissemination or commentary here, please let us know!