Key Route 71 Meeting, June 27 at 8:00pm

The following message comes from Watertown Town Councilor Susan Falkoff:

The Watertown Committee on Public Works (Chairperson, Susan Falkoff) and Watertown Committee on State, Federal, and Regional Government (Chairperson, Angeline Kounelis) are convening a joint meeting to discuss the MBTA Route 71 Key Routes Improvement Program.

MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011 @ 8:00 PM
RICHARD E. MASTRANGELO COUNCIL CHAMBER
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972-6470

This is a follow up to the Key Routes meeting held by the T last Monday where they described their preliminary ideas for improvements. We (Susan and Angeline) would like to write a comment letter to the MBTA on behalf of Watertown. Comments are due on July 8.

LivableStreets June 22 at 4:00pm

LivableStreets presents:

StreetTalk w/ Project for Public Spaces Founder and President Fred Kent.

LivableStreets office
100 Sidney St
Cambridge, MA 02139 [map]

Wed, June 22, 2011
4:00 - 7:00 pm
(talk 4:30-5:30, followed by happy hour)

Open to the public. Suggested $10 donation.

Project for Public SpacesFred Kent, one of the leading thinkers on livability and smart growth, is coming to Boston and is making a special visit to the LivableStreets office. Having worked with William (Holly) White, which resulted in the book The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, Fred Kent has become an expert on human behavior in the urban environment.

"If you plan for cars and traffic, you get cars and traffic. If you plan for people and places, you get people and places."

Fred Kent and Project for Public Spaces has helped transform thousands of communities and worked with hundreds of organizations all over the world. As of June 1, the National Center for Bicycling & Walking will become a program of PPS. Come and get inspired as you listen to Fred Kent talk about his revolutionary vision for public space and transportation.

More info / Questions? E-mail kara@livablestreets.info / call 617.621.1746 / visit www.LivableStreets.info

June 17 Charles River Bike Convey

Join the "Bike Friday" bicycle commuter convoy to Boston that rides Friday June 17th (and get free breakfast in Government Center provided by Boloco)! The Newton Bicycle/Pedestrian Task Force (BPTF) is sponsoring this relaxed and scenic ride via the Charles River bike paths to the rally at Government Center Boston. We will be assembling at Newton City Hall at 6:45AM. Additional meeting points to join the convoy are at Walnut Street & Washington Park in Newtonville at 7:10AM.

The group expects to reach the Newton side of Watertown Square at the Laundry Brook footbridge at 7:20AM. Miles Smith will be waiting at this pickup point to orient riders.

The ride will happen rain or shine! Bring your helmet! Bring your friends to enjoy the ride into Boston!

If you have questions of comments, contact newtonbikeped@gmail.com which will reach George Kirby, the Chairman of the Newton BPTF.

Boston Region MPO Public Meetings

The following message comes from the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The meetings will discuss future plans and activities recorded in the linked document (see below) that the MPO intends to pursue.

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization will hold a series of public workshops in June to discuss Version Two of a proposed amendment to its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and seek input from the public. The workshop dates, times, and locations are:

Two meetings in Boston on Wednesday, June 15

Meeting 1: 12:00pm to 1:00 PM
Meeting 2: 5:30 to 6:30 PM

State Transportation Building,
MPO Conference Room (Suite 2150)
10 Park Plaza, Boston

A meeting in Waltham on Tuesday, June 21

6:30 to 7:30 PM

Waltham Government Center, Auditorium
119 School Street, Waltham

A meeting in Braintree on Wednesday, June 22

6:30 to 7:30 PM

Braintree Town Hall, Cahill Auditorium
1 JFK Memorial Drive, Braintree

A red line copy of Version Two, showing the proposed changes, can be viewed here.

Bus Routes 71 and 73 Community Meetings

The following message comes from the MBTA regarding a program to improve conditions for their Key Routes Program.

Dear MBTA Riders and Interested Parties,

The MBTA invites you to attend community meetings to introduce the Key Bus Route Improvement Program. The project’s goal is to improve overall quality of service for customers on the Key Bus Routes by providing a more reliable, faster service with enhanced bus stop amenities. 

The following meetings will discuss potential improvements to Bus Routes 71 and 73: 

Wednesday, June 15, 2011
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Harvard Law School, Pound Hall
1563 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge

Monday, June 20, 2011
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Coolidge School Apartments Auditorium
319 Arlington Street, Watertown 
All are invited to attend these meetings. Project handouts will be available for viewing before the meeting. Please join us to share your ideas. Your input will help create a better bus service for your community!
If you have a disability or need an accommodation to fully participate in the meeting, American Sign Language interpreters, assistive listening devices, handouts in alternate formats, etc. will be provided upon request. 

Please contact Charlie Patton, Regina Villa Associates, at (617) 357-5772 ext.16 or at cpatton@reginavilla.com no later than June 8. For detailed project information, please visit www.mbta.com/keybusroutes.

Please forward this information to anyone you think may be interested in this project.