On Tuesday, June 18, 2023, we cosponsored a forum for the candidates running to represent District 5 (much of which is in Roslindale) on the City Council. The candidates were (alphabetically) incumbent Ricardo Arroyo, Enrique Pepén, Jose Ruiz, and Jean-Claude Sanon. In case you missed the forum, a video of the event is below. You can also read a summary on Universal Hub. Our own Rob Orthman asked questions about our priority housing and transportation issues about 39 minutes into the event.
Category: Government
District 5 Candidate Forum Tomorrow – Tuesday July 18, 2023 – 7pm
We are co-sponsoring a District 5 City Council candidate forum tomorrow night, Tuesday, July 18, from 7pm-8:30pm. Other co-sponsors include Forum for Racial Equity via Educational Experiences in Hyde Park, Hyde Park Neighborhood Association, Keep Hyde PArk Beautiful, Longfellow Area Neighborhood Association, Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale, RozzieBikes, and the Ward 18 Democratic Committee. Four candidates, eight community organizations, and lots of questions!
Every councilor impacts policy citywide by the votes they take, the policies they put forth, and the committees they serve on, so this election impacts everyone, even if you’re not a D5 voter.
To join on Zoom, register here. And don’t forget to vote on Tuesday, September 12!
Arborway Bus Maintenance Meeting – In Person – TOMORROW – 22 June 2023 – 6 pm at English High School
We’re boosting the signal on this one kind of late, but better late than never. If you’re able, please do attend and show your support for our beleaguered transit agency and their attempts to move forward with electrification of their bus fleet by, among other things, replacing the Arborway bus garage with a fully modern facility while making significant land available for development of sorely needed new housing for our city. Thanks!
The MBTA is pleased to announce a public meeting to discuss replacement of the Arborway Bus Maintenance Facility. The in-person meeting is scheduled for:
Thursday, June 22, 2023
6 PM – 8 PM
The English High School – Auditorium
144 McBride Street
Boston
At this meeting, MBTA project staff will provide an overview of the 15% design plans for the new bus maintenance facility and electrification project. The MBTA is designing the facility to support a 100% battery electric bus (BEB) fleet. BEBs will reduce emissions and improve the air quality around the facility and routes served. The new facility will be located next to the existing facility, on the site of 500 Arborway, and will open up 6.5 acres for housing and other development. The new facility will expand the fleet size to serve additional routes in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan. This will provide capacity for 60-foot buses that carry greater numbers of riders on busy routes.
The MBTA encourages public participation and invites all to join this meeting. The MBTA will facilitate a Q&A period to respond to inquiries and gather public feedback about this project.
This meeting will be held in person. Please click here to register so that we can account for attendance and accommodate accessibility needs.
For questions and comments, you can email us at arborwaybus@mbta.com.
Accommodations
Haitian Creole and Spanish interpreters, translated materials, and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) services will be provided for this meeting. American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters will be provided via Zoom.
Accessibility accommodations and language services will be provided free of charge, upon request, as available. Such services include documents in alternate formats, translated documents, closed captioning, and interpreters.
For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation and/or language services, please email publicengagement@mbta.com or call tel: 857-327-3282. Requests should be made at least 10 days before a meeting.
Para más información o para pedir arreglos razonables y/o servicios lingüísticos, por favor envíe un e-mail publicengagement@mbta.com.
如需进一步了解或要求合理的便利设备和/或语言服务，请电邮 publicengagement@mbta.com.
Para mais informações, ou para solicitar serviços de acesso e/ou linguísticos em termos razoáveis, contactar por email publicengagement@mbta.com.
Pou plis enfòmasyon oswa pou mande yon aranjman rezonab ak/oswa sèvis lang, tanpri voye yon imèl bay publicengagement@mbta.com.
VERY BIG NEWS: BTD’s “Safety Surge” means the end of doling out street safety with an eyedropper…
This was definitely something not to be missed at the start of this week: On Monday, as StreetsblogMass reported, Mayor Wu and the Boston Transportation Department held a press conference in Mattapan to announce that they had laid the groundwork and were now ready to move forward with what they are dubbing a “Safety Surge” on 3 meaningful, citywide safety initiatives, starting more or less right away:
- Speed Humps. A new, comprehensive speed hump program that will roll out 500 new speed humps on residential streets throughout Boston based on analysis of crash day and vulnerable populations instead of the frankly take-it-slow, Hunger Games-like approach of the now-sunsetted Neighborhood Slow Streets program. NOTE: These are not car-frame/axle-jarring speed bumps but instead broader, more rounded humps in the street designed to be negotiated safely without incident as long as the motor vehicle operator is going not more than a safe-for-all-street-users 20 mph. Many (though not nearly enough) have been installed under the NSS program, including several in the Mt. Hope/Canterbury NSS area of Roslindale. We advocated for NSS districts in Roslindale and were fortunate to see some success in bringing the program here, but we have always agreed with Mayor Wu that, from the moment the NSS program was started and the mayor was just an at-large city councilor, it was woefully inadequate to meet the need, shouldn’t have been based on particular kinds of advocacy, and should have just gone citywide as a basic public health and safety measure like piping our sewer output and having lights on our street. We’ve said this before and are glad that this is finally the city’s real goal: Everyone deserves to live on a safe street. Everyone on every street in every neighborhood. As soon as possible. No exceptions.
- Safer Intersections. The goal here is to redesign and reconfigure 25-30 intersections across the city, again based on crash data and vulnerable population information, to prioritize safety. Most crashes happen at intersections, so this work is absolutely critical and we look forward to seeing major, highly dangerous intersections that today act like major obstacles (ahem, the American Legion/Cummins/Canterbury intersection being a big one around here) made safer and more inviting for everyone.
- Safer Signals. This is another in the long-time-coming category. The way signals and control of motor vehicles are undertaken at signalized intersections has been a depressing prospect in this city for as long as your correspondent has lived here. The last citywide policy redo, in 2018, was deeply insufficient to meet the moment and failed move us away from a car-first mindset. The new policy stands a chance of making the changes we need made, especially through leading pedestrian intervals at key signalized crossings, prohibiting right-on-red in more places, and setting an overall goal of safety over motor vehicle throughput.
So, a momentous set of changes and ones that we look forward to following and enjoying with all of our neighbors as they roll out. Stay tuned as that happens.
BTD Better Bike Lanes PLUS: Engagement Opportunities for Poplar Street Improvements (with Spanish translation)
The Boston Transportation Department is seeking feedback on design and implementation of new street safety infrastructure, including a contraflow bike lane on the close-in portion of Poplar Street from Washington Street to Sycamore Street and speed humps from there out to Canterbury Street. See the flyer below. Thanks!
Comments on Roslindale Parking and Curb Use Plan
Over the past two years, the City has conducted a study of parking and curb use in and around the Roslindale central business district. It recently published a proposed plan for comment coming out of that study. Our comments are below (also available as PDF), and we encourage everyone to submit comments by the April 7, 2023 deadline. We generally support the proposed changes, and offer pedestrian safety improvements and other changes we hope will be implemented in connection with the new plan.
Public Meeting 5 Days Right Ahead – Thursday, 9 March 2023 – Return of 4198 Washington Street
As those who follow this weblog know, WalkUP Roslindale followed this project closely through the public process that unfortunately resulted in an effective ZBA denial in the fall of 2021. (See 2 of our posts below). Now, the owners of the property are thankfully back with a renewed push on redevelopment of this 8,982 square foot site at 4198 – 4206 Washington Street in Roslindale Square. Physically, their proposal hasn’t changed: in place of the existing one-story retail structure, it still calls for construction of a new five (5)-story, mixed-use building containing approximately thirty-one (31) residential units, approximately 6,800 square feet of retail/community theater space, and approximately thirty-eight (38) bicycle storage spaces. The sole change, and it is significant, is that the owners have increased the share of income-restricted residential units from 42% to 61%, such that 19 of the 31 units are committed to be affordable to households earning between 60% and 100% of area median income. Not only is this substantively good on its own and makes an already great project that much better, it is also puts the project into the category of affordable residential developments that the Mayor’s Affordable Housing Executive Order of last fall expressly wants to advance more quickly and efficiently in light of the long-standing housing crisis in our city. In other words, this is exactly the kind of project that the Wu Administration wants to see a lot more of. Its time has come.
You can visit the project’s page on the BPDA website for more information. Most importantly, you can find information on the upcoming public meeting over zoom that is scheduled for this coming Thursday, 9 March 2023, at 6:00 pm. We urge supporters of this worthy proposal to attend the meeting and make your voices heard in support. You can register here.
Hyde Park Ave Safety Walk – January 28 at 1pm (Forest Hills Station)
We’re happy to see City Councillors Kendra Lara and Ricardo Arroyo, along with the Boston Transportation Department and neighborhood resident Nathan Eckstrom, are leading a safety walk on January 28th at 1pm, focusing on road safety issues along Hyde Park Avenue. The walk will meet at Forest Hills Station (Upper Level). Advance registration is recommended. More details here:
WalkUP Roslindale – 2022 in Brief
So, 2022 definitely had its share of ups and downs, but in taking stock on the eve of 2023, three posts stand out as particularly worth looking back on and noting (in roughly reverse chronological order):
- Taking first place, after a long, COVID-impacted process, the Lower South Street Neighborhood Slow Streets project obtained its final municipal approval and heads to installation this spring. The comments from Chief of Streets Jascha Franklin-Hodge at the conclusion of the hearing were especially encouraging. This post also features a major advancement for us that started in the fall of this year – we have started to translate our posts into Spanish.
- In second place, we gave significant attention and sought to provide assistance to Roslindale residents in navigating the Orange Line shutdown from late August to late September in two posts that included links to official guidance as well as our own review of available substitute services, especially Needham Line and other commuter rail trains that made additional stops at Forest Hills and Ruggles during that month-long period.
MBTA adds additional service to Forest Hills starting today – 6 September 2022
- In a 3-way tie for 3rd place, we had Mayor Wu’s inaugural group bike ride into downtown Boston from Roslindale (not officially a WalkUP Roslindale event, but many of us were very involved), plus our support for the successful permitting effort around the redevelopment of the funeral home site at 59-63 Belgrade Avenue, and our Poplar Street Walk Audit report (all from August, though the walk audit itself occurred in May).
Calles Lentas de South Street Baja y el Vecindario Cercano
El 17 de noviembre, el plan de Calles Lentas de South Street Baja y el Vecindario Cercano fue aprobado por la Comisión de Mejoramiento Publico, Public Improvement Commission (PIC). Este logro fue la culminación de años de abogacía por parte de residentes y el trabajo del equipo de Calles Lentas de Boston, Boston Slow Streets team. Estos avances serán construidos en 2023. Vea las especificaciones:
Después del voto, el Jefe de Calles, Jascha Franklin-Hodge tomó un momento para decir unas palabras sobre el compromiso por parte de la administración para reconstruir las calles de Boston incluyendo este extracto:
“Debemos hacer más, debemos hacerlo más rápido – para reconstruir nuestras calles con el fin de que sean seguras y cómodas para todos. Y debemos ver y cambiar las políticas y los procesos que muchas veces resultan en un proceso prolongado y tardanzas excesivas al hacer este tipo de trabajo crítico. Así que solo quisiera decirles a los miembros del público aquí que yo al igual que la administración estamos comprometidos a hacer estos cambios.”
Nosotros aplaudimos esta declaración y hemos incluido una transcripción completa con sus palabras abajo. Mientras el programa de Calles Lentas en Vecindarios, Neighborhood Slow Streets, a sido un programa exitoso, este solo no puede solucionar el peligro a nivel general que viven las personas vulnerables en vecindarios alrededor de la ciudad. Nosotros alentamos a la ciudad que cumplan con su compromiso de acelerar el paso de cambio, y esperamos trabajar en conjunto para brindar calles seguras a Roslindale.
Comentarios completos:
“Antes de que sigamos quisiera quitarme el puesto de presidencia de PIC y usar esta oportunidad para decir algunas cosas de parte de la administración de la Alcaldesa Wu en mi capacidad como su Jefe de Calles y Comisario de Public Works. En primer lugar, quisiera decir gracias a ti Stephanie ([Seskin (Directora de Transportación Activa del Departamento de Transportación de Boston)] y su equipo por todos sus esfuerzos trabajando en este proyecto y durante los últimos años – yo se que estos esfuerzos han involucrado (como hemos escuchado) extensa divulgación pública, juntas públicas, oportunidades para dar comentarios, y múltiples rondas de revisión de diseño. Y llegar hasta este punto ha requerido bastante inversión de tiempo y energía por parte del equipo de la ciudad así que estoy muy agradecido por eso.
En segundo lugar, quisiera decir gracias a los miembros de la comunidad quienes han luchado por este proyecto, y quienes han impulsado a la ciudad a crear calles más seguras en los vecindarios por años y por décadas en algunos casos. Pedimos mucho de ustedes, incluyendo venir a esta junta en el medio del día en un Jueves, y eso es solo para obtener algo tan fundamental como una calle donde se sientan seguros.
La tercera cosa que quisiera decir es que la ciudad necesita mejorar. No debería tomar esfuerzos extraordinarios para obtener una básica infraestructura segura en nuestras calles. No deberíamos pedirles que alegen con nosotros por su seguridad o la de sus hijos y vecinos. Casi todos los días escucho de personas en vecindarios de cada parte de Boston sobre el miedo que sienten en nuestras calles – y si, esos sentimientos si importan. Y yo veo las estadísticas – todavía tenemos miles de personas cada año que son lesionadas en nuestras calles y casi todos los años más de una docena de personas mueren en esas mismas calles. Yo se que podemos y debemos hacer más para producir mejor infraestructura que sea más segura en la ciudad de Boston.
Y quisiera decir que lo que acabamos de aprobar, lo que repasamos hoy representa mejores prácticas establecidas para las calles de vecindario. Estas se reflejan en la guía de la ciudad de calles completas: en la guia de calles urbanas de NACTO, en publicaciones de MassDOT, en publicaciones de la Administración Federal de Carreteras, Federal Highway Administration. Estos cambios no son novedosos, no son excepcionales o experimentales, y su eficacia no está en cuestión. Lo que aprobamos hoy son un set de cambios que acercaran a estas calles más cerca hacia lo que décadas de investigación y experiencia han mostrado que resultan en calles más seguras para todos los usuarios. Y entonces, la ciudad siempre aceptara y tomará en cuenta los consejos del público en cualquier proyecto que hagamos, pero la seguridad no debe de estar a debate y no debería de ser tan difícil o tomar tanto tiempo como lo toma ahora para obtener que estos tipos de cambios de seguridad sean implementados en la ciudad de Boston. Así que digo esto para reconocer que nosotros como líderes de la ciudad tenemos trabajo que hacer.
Debemos hacer más, debemos hacerlo más rápido – para reconstruir nuestras calles con el fin de que sean seguras y cómodas para todos. Y debemos ver y cambiar las políticas y los procesos que muchas veces resultan en un proceso prolongado y tardanzas excesivas al hacer este tipo de trabajo crítico. Así que solo quisiera decirles a los miembros del público aquí que yo al igual que la administración estamos comprometidos a hacer estos cambios. Estoy muy emocionado de ver estos mejoramientos ser implementados en Roslindale el próximo año, y eso pasará mientras trabajamos para acelerar el paso de cambio – cambios como estos en vecindarios a través de Boston. Así que gracias, y solo quería tomar un momento para expresar mi posición sobre esto.”