Target is replacing Staples at 4165 Washington Street soon. They are holding a community meeting tonight, Thursday, May 18, 2017 at 7pm at the Roslindale Community Center, 6 Cummins Highway.
While the new lease may be a done deal, there is still an opportunity to use this changeover to urge badly-needed walkability improvements in this part of the neighborhood. One likely concern of residents will be increased traffic on an already congested block; the best way to mitigate this impact is to make it easier for people who prefer to walk or bike to Target to do so.
We at WalkUP Roslindale brainstormed a quick list of ideas that Target should implement to make the new store a net positive for the neighborhood. These initial thoughts are below, but please add other ideas in the comments or show up tonight and speak up for walkability!
- Sponsor Roslindale Village’s Hubway
- Provide a bike corral or rack, sufficient for both Target employees and customers
- Rearrange parking area exit and entrance to be safer for pedestrians on Washington Street
- Provide an outdoor sitting area, more than a bench or two–a well designed area
- Add crosswalk from Target to other side of Washington Street
- Improve sidewalk area with more attractive streetlights, greenery and trees
- Help repave badly-damaged Washington Street from Firth Road up to the square (see our earlier post on this topic)
- Restripe bicycle lanes for same stretch as lines have nearly disappeared
- Better crosswalk markings – including bollards to prevent people from parking in the cross walk
- Removal of “Bike Lane Ends” sign in front of business
- “Don’t block the box” square for entrance to Bexley Road so southbound traffic can turn and not back up