Watertown Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee

Feb 28 Boston Bikes Update

2012-02-01T19:45:00.000-08:00

This message comes from Boston Bikes! What follows is a public invitation that is cross-posted here.

What will you ask Boston Bikes Director Nicole Freedman at the 4th Annual Boston Bike Update? Get your question ready and save Tuesday, February 28 as the new date for the Bike Update. Please help us spread the word and we hope to see you there!

Hosted by LivableStreets Alliance. Free and open to the public.

4th Annual Boston Bike Update
with Nicole Freedman,
Director of Boston Bikes, City of Boston

Tuesday, February 28

5:45-6:15 PM Transportation Community Showcase - come learn what all the different community groups are doing to make Boston a world-class bicycling city
6:15-7:30PM Presentation (6:15 Menino, 6:30 Freedman)
7:30-8:30PM Q&A/Discussion

Boston Public Library
Rabb Lecture Hall
700 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116

Have you taken a ride around town on a Hubway bike yet? Has there been a new bike lane installed in your neighborhood this past year? Have you heard about the Boston Bike Network Plan? If yes, then you know that 2011 has been a big year for Boston Bikes.

For the fourth year in a row, LivableStreets Alliance will host the annual Boston Bike Update event. Nicole Freedman, Director of the Boston Bikes Program, will present her fourth report on past achievements, challenges, and future goals of the Mayor's effort to create a "world class bicycling city." Come hear details on the Hubway bike share, the Bike Network Plan, parking facilities, youth programs, festivals, and more.

Special guest, Mayor Menino, will speak about his "car is no longer king" policy for the city.Join us at this public forum on bicycle planning in Boston.LivableStreets is your advocate for a balance of biking, walking, and transit with automobiles-creating safe streets and livable communities-making the Boston region a better place to live, work, and play.

Jan 31 Special MBTA Meeting

2012-01-31T07:36:00.000-08:00

The "Government Subcommittee" of the Watertown Council (chaired by Angie Kounelis) is holding a meeting on Tuesday, January 31 to talk about the changes in the MBTA routes. It's purpose will be to decide on whether the Council should submit a letter about the proposed cuts and, if so, what it should say. Do note: this meeting is being organized by the Watertown Town Council, not the MBTA. Details follow:

Date: January 31
Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Location: Richard E. Mastrangelo Council Chamber
Address:
149 Main Street
Administration Building
Watertown, MA 02472
Contact: 617-972-6470
Email: valerie papas
http://www.ci.watertown.ma.us/Calendar.aspx?EID=9099&month=1&year=2012&day=31&calType=0

Please share this with anybody who you think may be effected by the the MBTA proposed changes to service in Watertown.

MassDOT WeMove Information

2012-01-29T19:57:00.000-08:00

The following message comes from Trey Wadsworth, Project Manager for MassDOT:

In 2009, MassDOT’s youMove Massachusetts project team met with people across the Commonwealth to learn about the transportation challenges individuals faced on a daily basis. From this effort, we developed a list of ten core themes: statements of fundamental importance that articulate the concerns, needs, and aspirations of Massachusetts residents for their transportation network.
I am writing to you because, as part of weMove Massachusetts (the next step in this initiative), we'd like to hear in more detail about the transportation experiences and needs of a wide range of stakeholders. We are collecting these transportation experiences and ideas to incorporate them in our goals and implementation of transportation reform. This information is being used to develop a system of priorities for transportation system investments.
I hope you will share this [blog post] and information about this effort with your colleagues and stakeholders you represent. We hope a large number of participants will visit the youMove Massachusetts website and fill out our online questionnaire (available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole and Portuguese). Individuals may also use our interactive map (available in Spanish and English) to pinpoint a specific issue or need.
If you need a print copy of the questionnaire, please contact Rachel Hammerman, Regina Villa Associates, rhammerman@reginavilla.com, and she will mail it to you. Please specify the language you need.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions about this project.
Thank you,
Trey Wadsworth
Project Manager
Massachusetts Department of Transportation – MassDOT
Office of Transportation Planning
trey.wadsworth@state.ma.us
www.massdot.state.ma.us/wemove
For transportation news and updates visit MassDOT at our website: www.mass.gov/massdot, blog: www.mass.gov/blog/transportation, or follow MassDOT on twitter at www.twitter.com/massdot

The Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee hopes that you'll take some time to do the online questionnaire (available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole and Portuguese)!

Jan 26 Bicycle Winter Workshop -- FREE

2012-01-20T12:44:00.000-08:00

The following announcement comes from Price Armstrong of MassBike!

The City of Newton is sponsoring a free MassBike winter workshop next Thursday, and it would be much appreciated if you could help spread the word. Attached is a flyer, and you can see below for details.

Where: Newton City Hall, Rm 222
1000 Commonwealth Ave
Newton, MA

When: Thursday, January 26, 7:00 – 8:00 PM

Contact Info: price@massbike.org, or call 617-542-2453.

All are welcome to attend this free event!

Urban Trend: Parklets

2012-01-11T06:16:00.000-08:00

The new trend in urban design is "parklets".

According to Wikipedia, a parklets is "a small urban park, often created by replacing several under-utilized parallel parking spots with a patio, planters, trees, benches, café tables with chairs, fountain(s), artwork, sculptures and/or bicycle parking."

An article in the San Francisco Gate recently drew attention to these miniature creations. Click here to be redirected to that article, but here's a highlight which illustrates how much parklets are being embraced in the the Golden Gate City.

There are 22 of these little parks sprinkled throughout San Francisco, the most recent of which is being built at Devil's Teeth Baking Co. on Noriega Street between 45th and 46th avenues in the Sunset District. A recent request by the city for more proposals elicited 31 applications, showing the growing support for parklets - and the likelihood that more will be added soon.

Thanks go to Watertown Senior Planner, Gideon Schreiber, for sharing this link with the WBPC supporters.

Pleasant Street Bike Lanes

2011-12-06T16:38:00.001-08:00

A few supporters have written lately to ask if the completion of the resurfacing on Pleasant Street means bike lanes are on the horizon. Unfortunately, the Pleasant Street project followed a previous set of MassHighway design guidelines and wasn't required to include bike lanes. This is an example where some major road redesigns take more time to complete than it takes for standards to evolve.

As designed, there are several sections of Pleasant Street that have two 11 feet wide travel lanes, one 11 foot wide turning lane, and two 4 feet wide shoulders. This is arguably wide enough for many experienced cyclists to use safely, but not wide enough for official markings. For official bike lane markings, 5 feet is required in both directions.

The good news, though, is that Pleasant Street runs parallel to the Charles River Multi-use Path with numerous access points on both sides of the river. Except at night, that's arguably a more enjoyable ride anyway.

Follow-up to Oct 19 Public Meeting

2011-10-21T13:20:00.000-07:00

There is an informative article over on the Watertown Patch site Trapelo Road/Belmont Street Public Meeting that occurred this past Wednesday. To summarize: The residents of Templeton Road and Arlington Street convinced the planners to leave these streets as is, rather than making Templeton a one-way southbound street and widening Arlington Street to add a left turn lane. The road will generally be reduced to one lane in each direction with bike lanes and parallel parking and 2 lanes in each direction at the intersections to allow for turns and queuing.

Street Redesign Public Meeting Oct 19 at 7:00pm

2011-10-14T04:48:00.000-07:00

This post comes from information published by the Boston Globe. This article has more details. What follows is a summary of selected key pieces of information.

The Trapelo Road/Belmont Street corridor in Belmont and Watertown has long suffered from an identity crisis, to the chagrin of befuddled motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians unable to figure out whether it has two lanes or four.
Plans call for a long-awaited $14.6 million makeover (paid by federal and state funds) with construction poised to start next year to bring the 2.5-mile stretch of roadway, which skirts Watertown, down to two lanes, as well as expanding sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides and modernizing traffic signals. The project, while it is drawing strong support from local officials, is also raising some concerns.
The work includes some small-scale land takings in Watertown as well as turning a two-way neighborhood street into a one-way road, said Angeline Kounelis, a town councilor in Watertown. She contends Watertown residents have not had a chance to see the latest version of the corridor’s revamping. “It’s important that we have the opportunity as residents to view the 75 percent design plan and voice concern over the immediate impacts,’’ Kounelis said.
Kounelis has arranged a public informational meeting on the project with state transportation officials for Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Town Council chambers.

What: 75% Trapelo Road/Belmont Street Public Information Meeting
When: Wednesday October 19, 2010 at 7:00pm
Where: Watertown City Hall (Town Council Meeting Room)
Who: Motorists, Pedestrians, Cyclists who use these roads

MBTA Route 71 October 5 at 6:30pm

2011-09-29T10:37:00.000-07:00

The following comes from the MBTA to announce a Bus Route 71 Community Meeting on October 5 at 6:30pm.

Dear MBTA Riders and Interested Parties,

The MBTA is hosting a follow-up meeting on Bus Route 71 as part of the Key Bus Route Improvement Program. Based on community feedback, preliminary recommendations have been refined to the following types of improvements: bus stop consolidation, new bus shelters, benches and trash receptacles. Bus stop consolidation will result in changes to the location of some bus stops. Bus stops may be relocated and/or eliminated. Passengers on non-Key Bus Routes will benefit from improvements, and be affected by changes made, at Key Bus Route stops.

Bus Route 71 operates between Harvard Square and Watertown Square via Mt Auburn Street. This route also provides high frequency service to important destinations such as Harvard University, Mount Auburn Hospital and the Tufts Health Plan Building. This route provides connections to the Red Line as well as many bus routes including Key Bus Routes 1, 57, 66, 73 and 77 and the following local routes – 52, 59, 68, 69, 70/70A, 72, 74, 75, 78, 86, 96, 502, 504, and 554.

The following meeting will discuss potential improvements to Bus Route 71:
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Mount Auburn Hospital Auditorium
330 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge
Mount Auburn Hospital can be reached by Bus Routes 71 and 73.

All are invited to attend this meeting. Project handouts will be available for viewing shortly 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 Jamie Simchik, Regina Villa Associates, at (617) 357-5772 ext.17 or at jsimchik@reginavilla.com no later than September 28. For detailed project information, please visit www.mbta.com/keybusroutes.

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

Wednesday September 28 Ribbon Cutting

2011-09-26T09:22:00.000-07:00

This is a follow-up to a previous post from last week. It has been confirmed by Greg McGowan of MassDOT that the ribbon cutting ceremony for Phase 1 of the Watertown Greenway (the paved path between School Street and Arlington St constructed during the past year) will be a 10:00am. The early-morning time was selected for the convenience of local elected officials.

Representatives of the Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee will be in attendance. We are extremely grateful that work on Phase I is complete and we look forward to pushing for Phase II between Arlington Street and Fresh Pond during the upcoming year.

More Bike Parking Coming for Watertown Parks

2011-09-26T06:20:00.000-07:00

Through a grant program run by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) a total of 134 addition bicycle parking spots are coming to Watertown during the next few months. The Watertown Recreation Department (many thanks to Peter Centola), Planning Department (credit to Danielle Evans and Gideon Schreiber), and Department of Public Works are responsible for making this possible. The new racks will be installed at the following parks in town during the Fall.

Arsenal Park (14 [u])
Bemis Park (6)
Browne School Park (10)
Casey Park (10)
Cuniff School (6)
Filippello Park (14)
Hosmer School (O'Connell Park) (14)
Howe Park (6)
Lowell School (6)
Moxley Park (10)
Saltonstall Park (6 [u])
Sullivan Park (8)
Victory Field (16)

The number in parenthesis is a preliminary count of the number of bikes that can be parked at new racks after the installations are complete. The [u] symbol indicates where older racks are scheduled to be retired from service. More information of the town's parks can be found here.

Executive Director of MassBike October 3 at 7:30pm

2011-09-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

The Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee would like to announce that on October 3rd, Dave Watson (Executive Director of MassBike) will meet with us to discuss a number of key topics! All are invited to attend to enjoy the opportunity to hear from an influential member of the Massachusetts cycling community. Read on for details.

Who: Dave Watson, Executive Director of MassBike

When: Monday October 3 @ 7:30pm

Where: Watertown City Hall (map)

149 Main St. Watertown, MA 02472

(in the Lower Hearing Room - basement level)

Cost: Free!

The following topics are on tap for discussion:

How MassBike is working with the Registry and DOT... goals and accomplishments.
Same Roads, Same Rules campaign... goals, enforcement, road design, and accommodating cyclists.
The Reasonable Distance proposed law. What's the proposal and what's happening in the Legislature?
Redesign of the Charles River bridges... latest status.
Coordination with other local/ town committees. How does MassBike work with other local groups? How can we exchange information better? One particular topic pertinent to WBPC is bike parking ordinances and master plans.

Hope you'll be available so you can attend!

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Sept 28

2011-09-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

The following post comes from Greg McGowan of MassDOT:

MassDOT Government Affairs would like to invite you to a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Watertown bike path. The event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, September 28th and run for approximately30 minutes on the section of the path located behind the Watertown RMV (see map). The exact time of the event is still being organized but an estimate of 10:00am is anticipated. Once a time is confirmed, it will be communicated.

The event will be led by Highway Administrator Frank DePaola on behalf of Secretary Davey.

We look forward to your response and hope that you are able to attend. Please do not hesitate to email or call Greg at gregory.s.mcgowan@dot.state.ma.us or 617-248-2993. He would be happy to speak with you.

Walking Companion(s) Wanted

2011-09-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

Today's post is an invitation from a Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Supporter who we'll call Ms. PH. If you'd like to respond to Ms. PH's invitation, you are encouraged to contact the WBPC at watertown.bikeped@gmail.com and we'll put you in touch with her.

Watertown to Cambridge Commuters

Please consider leaving your car in the driveway and getting off the bus to join me one or more days a week in the morning for walking commutes from Watertown Square to Harvard Square, Cambridge.

This walk of about 3.5 miles takes about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Starting time is 7:30 AM for an arrival time about 8:45 AM in Harvard Square via Mt. Auburn Street and Brattle Street. This is a great way to start each day and I plan to continue into the cold weather until the sidewalks become icy.

Thank you for your consideration.

Ms. PH

Happy Pedestrian Commutes!

Sept 15 Lecture by NYC DOT Commissioner

2011-09-13T07:20:00.000-07:00

Roadmap to Sustainable Infrastructure & Green Cities with Janette Sadik-Khan, NYC DOT Commissioner, Co-Sponsored by LivableStreets Alliance

When Thursday, September 15 at 06:30pm - 07:30pm

Where Piper Auditorium, Gund Hall, 48 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA

Audience Free and open to the public

Event Description

Janette Sadik-Khan, Commissioner of the New York City Department of TransportationIntroduced by Aaron Naparstek, Founder, Streetsblog.org
LivableStreets Alliance is the Local Community Sponsor for this keynote lecture

Sponsor

Organized by the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at Harvard GSD.
Co-sponsored by LivableStreets Alliance

Contact infrastructure@gsd.harvard.edu

Exciting Events at the End of September

2011-08-24T04:57:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars!

Saturday the 24th of September:
Watertown Faire on the Square 10am - 4pm

Sunday the 25th of September:
Boston Hub on Wheels 8am - 2pm

Route 71 Key Route Improvement Presentation

2011-07-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

The MBTA has published the presentation made on June 21, 2011 to Watertown residents concerning proposed changes to the Route 71 trackless trolley between Watertown Square and Harvard Station. A set of preliminary recommendations were also published.

MAPC's Amazing Trailmap!

2011-07-13T07:07:00.000-07:00

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is a regional planning agency serving the people who live and work in the 101 cities and towns of Metropolitan Boston.

We work toward sound municipal management, sustainable land use, protection of natural resources, efficient and affordable transportation, a diverse housing stock, public safety, economic development, an informed public, and equity and opportunity among people of all backgrounds.

One of their most recently accomplishments is the brand-new fully up-to-date Boston Metropolitan Area Bicycle Trailmap!

Watertown Traffic Commission Opening

2011-07-12T06:42:00.000-07:00

This message comes from the Watertown Town Manager via Watertown Patch. The following is copied verbatim from this link. The purpose of posting it here is to give information about about a position which is available that may influence positive changes for bicycle/pedestrian issues in Watertown.

Town Manager Michael J. Driscoll is seeking Watertown citizens interested in serving on the Traffic Commission.

Vacancy/Term: One Member - Two Year Term.

The duties and responsibilities of the Traffic Commission shall include: study the traffic situation in the Town and shall suggest and advise the Town Manager in ways and means to regulate traffic in the Town and recommend changes and amendments to the Traffic Rules and Orders of the Town with a view towards reducing accidents and relieving traffic congestion. The Traffic Commission meets the last Wednesday of each month.

Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest accompanied by a resume or other information concerning background or experience by email to townmgr@watertown-ma.gov or Town Manager's Office, 149 Main Street, Watertown, Massachusetts 02472.

Congresspeople Against Transportation Enhancements

2011-07-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

This message comes from the League of American Bicyclists. They urge you to take action to contact your Senators and Representative today to advocate for important legislation.

Lawmakers threaten to end Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and Rec Trails Programs.

Key Congressional leaders are attacking Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, and Recreational trails and are taking steps to cut off dedicated federal funding for bicycling and walking.

House Transportation Chairman John Mica (R-FL) announced today that his transportation bill will eliminate dedicated funding for bicycling and walking, including Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and the Recreational Trails Program, and discourages states from choosing to spend their dollars on these activities that are “not in the federal interest.” Chairman Mica’s statement that these programs remain “eligible” for funding is worthless; without dedicated funding for these three programs, they are effectively eliminated.

Things on the Senate side are not much better. Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), the lead Republican negotiator on the transportation bill, declared that one of his TOP THREE priorities for the transportation bill is to eliminate ‘frivolous spending for bike trails.’ This is in direct conflict with Senator Barbara Boxer’s (D-CA) commitment to maintain dedicated funding for biking and walking. However, the Senate is working towards a bi-partisan solution, and Senator Inhofe’s comments mean funding for bicycle and pedestrian programs is at risk of total elimination.

Help protect Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and Recreational Trails. Contact your Members of Congress and tell them to reach out to Senators Inhofe, Boxer, and Congressman Mica to urge them to continue funding for these important bicycling and walking programs.

Need some good facts to bolster your argument? Read on:

Not in the federal interest? Biking and walking make up 12 percent of all trips in the US – even as funding for biking and walking projects only accounts for 1.5% of the federal transportation budget. That is more than 4 billion bicycle trips and 40 billion walking trips a year, including trips to work, school, shopping and for recreation and tourism.

Frivolous? Two-thirds of all pedestrian deaths are on federally funded highways. One-third of children’s traffic deaths happen when children are walking or bicycling and are struck by cars. Bicycling and walking programs build sidewalks, crosswalks and bikeways—improving accessibility and saving lives.

The Facts:

Biking and walking are important forms of transportation, and funding for bicycle and pedestrian improvements is a very efficient use of federal transportation dollars. Portland, OR built 300 miles of bike lanes and trails for the cost of one mile of highway.
These projects create jobs and build local economies. Building bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure creates 46% more jobs than building road-only projects per million dollars spent. Cities that invest in bicycle and pedestrian projects turn downtowns into destinations, and capitalize on increased business activity.
Eliminating the 1.5% of transportation funding spent on bike/ped would have no meaningful impact on the federal budget, but instead, decreases transportation options for American families in a time of rising gas prices and an uncertain economy.

Why Act Now? Both the House and Senate long-term transportation bills are being written as we speak. We still have a chance of influencing the outcomes. Let’s make sure that funding for biking and walking programs don’t disappear for many years.

We need every Senator to tell Senators Boxer and Inhofe that bicycling and walking are vital parts of our transportation system, and that there must be dedicated funding for sidewalks, bike lanes and trails to ensure that bicyclists and pedestrians are safe. And we need every Representative in the House to tell Chairman Mica the same.

Please contact your Senators and Representatives TODAY to tell them that bicycling and walking are a critical part of a safe and equitable transportation system. Ask them to tell Representative Mica and Senators Boxer and Inhofe that a federal transportation bill must continue dedicated funding for bicycling and walking.

Opinion about More Bikes / Less Cars

2011-07-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

FACT: Adding bike lanes along popular routes while decreasing car lanes increases bicycle traffic, while decreasing car traffic.

A recent editorial in the Boston Herald evidently doesn't grasp this relationship. It seems like there are harsh feelings towards the 400 bicyclists who use the Boston University Bridge from the 41,000 daily car users of the same bridge.

The opinion doesn't seem to get that thousands of other bicyclists will start using that route once construction is complete. The opinion also ignores the thousands of car commuters who will transform into bike commuters when a safe route from Cambridge to Boston near BU opens. Traffic planners, I think, get the most bang-for-their-road-reconstruction-buck by making changes that decrease car traffic.

It is frustrating to see opinions where fewer lanes will automatically lead to increased car congestion. The truth is that additional bike lanes lead to fewer cars which translates to faster, safer, and less congested roads for everybody. And as anybody who regularly uses Commonwealth Blvd through BU knows, buses, cars, bikes, and the Green Line all go approximately the same speed with moderate traffic. The motorized vehicles travel faster in light traffic, but the bikes are extremely faster during rush hour. Thus, incentivizing bikes during rush hour is a huge win for everybody.

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

2011-06-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-08T05:59:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-07T14:58:00.000-07:00

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.

May 20 Charles River Morning Commuter Convey

2011-05-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

The flyer for this event is posted here.

Join the first "Bike Friday" bicycle commuter convoy to Boston this season that rides Friday May 20th! 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.

MBTA Route 71/73 Meeting

2011-05-10T05:30:00.000-07:00

A meeting is scheduled to discuss the MBTA Trolley System, Routes #71 and #73. The discussion will concern a proposal that has been pushed by the Town of Belmont to eliminate the overhead wires that provide electricity to power the #71 and #73 Trolleys which serve Watertown and Belmont. This is a Joint Meeting between two Watertown-based Committees to provide an opportunity for a public dialog to help decide what opinion Watertown has towards this issue. The competing solutions which each have noteworthy pros and cons are:

leave the electricity-power cable in place and continue the status quo
remove the wires and switch to diesel fuel powered buses

Details for the meeting are here.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011 @ 7:00 PM
Richard E. Mastrangelo Council Chamber
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972-6470

Committee on State, Federal, and Regional Government
Angeline B. Kounelis, Chair

Committee on Public Works
Susan G. Falkoff, Chair

May 4th is Walk to School Day

2011-05-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

This message comes from "Jeannette Belcher-Schepis" who is the Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) coordinator for Watertown.

This Wednesday, May 4th is Massachusetts Walks to School Day. Please join Watertown Community SRTS and thousands of students from all over the state by walking, riding, or scootering to school. Join the community for this very special annual walk & ride day event, which celebrates walking to school for health and the environment!

SRTS is a nationwide movement to encourage students from an early age to lead an active lifestyle.

"Hubway Stations" coming in July

2011-04-28T13:16:00.000-07:00

An interesting item just came across my e-mail from Congressman Michael Capuano. This references a much anticipated Boston/Cambridge deployment of Bicycle Sharing. Boston will be the sixth major US city to provide a Bicycle Sharing program. The others are Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, Miami and Washington.

Bike Sharing

Last week I joined Mayor Menino at the official launch for the City of Boston’s bike share program, Hubway. This initiative will make 600 bikes available at 61 locations throughout the city. Those interested can sign up for membership, which will then make the bikes available for use. A rental under 30 minutes will be free and for a nominal fee the bikes will be available for longer periods of time. This program will make bikes available to city residents who may not have the space to store their own bike, occasional riders, and tourists. Boston joins Paris and other great cities in an environmentally friendly and healthy initiative.

By searching for "Hubway Boston" a couple of news items came up:

City of Boston Announcement
Harvard to Sponsor Five Hubway Stations
A Promising Sign for Bicycle Sharing

The "Hubway" will be administered by Alta Bicycle Share, a Portland Oregon based company. These are the same people who do the Capital Bikeshare in Washington D.C. http://www.altabicycleshare.com/

The Alta website says the first "Hubway Stations" will be available in July. I'm curious about how long it will take to bring this bike sharing program into Watertown. I'm sure the fine folks of Somerville are thinking the same thing.

Somerville Bicycle Expo: May 7 and 8

2011-04-06T04:51:00.000-07:00

The New England Bicycle Expo rings in Boston's celebration of National Bike Month, May 7th and 8th, at Arts at the Armory in Somerville, MA. There will be over 40 bicycle companies and organizations on hand and our schedule includes presentations, lectures, an outdoor bike swap, live music, bike rides and fun for all. More information can be found on our website www.newenglandbciycleexpo.com. Tickets are $6 each day and children under 10 are free.

9am - 5pm
May 7th - 8th 2011

Arts at the Armory
191 Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02134

Preliminary Schedule:

Saturday

9-10am: vacant
10am-Noon: Family Cycling, hosted by Carfree with Kids and Friends
Noon-1pm: vacant
1-2pm: Regionalizing Walk Ride Days in Greater Boston, GoGreenStreets.org, Janie Katz-Christy & Nicole Rioles
2-3pm: Bikes, Farmers' Markets & Backlash, Boston Cyclists Union, Pete Stidman
3-4pm: Carfree Panel, hosted by GoGreenStreets.org
4-5pm: Ideas for Getting a Bigger Piece of the Transportation Pie, Friends of the Bruce Freeman Trail, Tom Michelman

Sunday

9-11am: vacant
11am-noon: TROMP (Travel Responsibility Outreach and Mentoring Project), TROMP, Rozan Kraus
Noon-1:30pm: vacant
1:30-2pm: Mass Bike Pike Tour, Bruce Lederer
2-3pm: Organized Bike Rides in the Boston Region, MassPaths and Bike Rides for Ordinary People, Doug Mink, Bruce Lederer and Dick Bauer
3-4pm: Greenways: A Network of Bicycle Highways Throughout Greater Boston, Peter Furth
4-5pm: vacant

Bike Repair Workshop, Saturday March 26

2011-03-01T07:14:00.000-08:00

Saturday, March 26, 2011 9:45AM - 3:30PM

Trinitarian Congregational Church,
54 Walden Street,
Concord, MA 01742

Come to the Bike Repair and Information Workshop to improve your bike knowledge and ride preparedness! It is worthwhile for both new and experienced riders wanting more information and more confidence on the road and trail. Matters addressed include:

* types of bikes
* maintenance
* clothing and equipment
* riding technique

Concepts and repairs will be discussed and demonstrated at four stations: basic bike, general maintenance, flat tires, and brakes & derailleurs. Attend all four stations. Receive an extensive handout to take home. During lunch discuss with the instructors topics such as touring, safety, bike accessories, bike clothing, what to carry with you on a ride, finding bike routes, and where to shop.

Advance registration is recommended. Prices are: $25 for AMC members, $30 for non-members, and $35 at the door for all.

Visit http://www.amcboston.org/bicycle/workshop.php for more registration information.

MBTA Route 57 Meeting

2011-01-26T12:41:00.000-08:00

Meeting Date	January 31, 2011
Meeting Time	06:30 PM - 08:00 PM
Subject of Meeting	Key Bus Route Improvement Program: Bus Route 57 - Boston
Location	Boston Arts Academy; 174 Ipswich Street, Boston
Directions	174 Ipswich Street, Boston Bus Routes 8, 55, 57, 60 and Green Line’s Kenmore Station
MBTA Attendees	Project Planners

The MBTA will introduce the Key Bus Route Improvement Program. The project’s goal is to improve overall quality of Route 57 bus service for customers by providing faster and more reliable service along with enhanced bus stop amenities. We want your feedback on how we might improve Route 57. This initiative is funded under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA).

The latest meeting information is posted HERE.

Initial Thoughts about the 57 (39 Illustrated Pages)
Preliminary Recommendations (3 Mapped Pages)
Preliminary Recommendations (11 Text & Map Pages)

New Watertown Snow Ordinance

2011-01-14T05:56:00.000-08:00

Recently, the city known as the Town of Watertown added Article II, Section 28 to the town ordinances. This change essentially makes it possible for the police to cite anybody using motorized vehicles to cover public roads and sidewalks with snow.

For convenience, the text of the new ordinance is reproduced below.

Town of Watertown

Traffic Rules and Orders of the Town of Watertown, issues by the Town Manager under the authority of Section 22 and 22A of Chapter 40 of the General Laws, Chapter 90 of the General Laws, and Section 7 of Chapter XI of the Watertown Ordinances. Adopted May 7, 1991 including all Amendments;

Approve the following changes:

Add Article II, Section 28 Placing snow or ice on a public way by a motor vehicle.

Any person who operates a motor vehicle as defined by Chapter 90, section 1 of the Massachusetts General Laws, or any four wheeled motorized Loader, Backhow, Bobcat, or similar heavy equipment that is capable or designed for the throwing, pushing, placing, moving, or piling of any snow or ice, shall be prohibited from throwing, pushing, placing, moving, or piling of any snow or ice onto any public way, sidewalk, or median. A violation of this seciton shall be punishable by a fine of $500.00 for a first offense in a calendar year;$750.00 for a second offense in a calendar year, and $1,000.00 for a third or subsequent offense in a calendar year. The section excludes any motor vehicle being operated under contract with the City known as the Town of Watertown whose purpose and agreement under contract requires the pushing, placing, moving, or piling of any snow or ice onto public ways, sidewalks, and medians during the course of clearing streets and sidewalks of any accumulation of snow or ice. Any duly sworn Police Officer of the Watertown Police Department may issue a civil motor vehicle infraction citation to the operator of said motor vehicle if the offense is observed by the officer, or the the owner or record or record of the motor vehicle based on probable cause after investigation.

November 2, 2010.

/* signed */
Michael J. Driscoll, Town Manager

/* signed */
John E. Flynn, Town Clark
ATTEST

The Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee believes this ordinance will improve conditions within the city following snowstorms, like the one we just had this past week that dropped 16 inches of snow in the Northeast.

Charles River Path to be Plowed After Snow Storms

2011-01-13T12:54:00.000-08:00

New Balance just finalized a deal with DCR to sponsor the 17-mile stretch of multi-use path to receive plowing attention 24-hours after future snowstorms. The WickedLocal article is here. The area that will be plowed is the span that runs from the Museum of Science to Galen Street in Watertown. This is great news.

It'd be even better if a business from Watertown, Waltham, or Newton could step forward to sponsor the section of multi-use path that runs along the Charles River between Galen Street and downtown Waltham.

Boston Bike Survey

2010-12-09T20:12:00.000-08:00

I am passing this message along from our big-city neighbors to the east.

Dear Friends,

The City of Boston is conducting a brief 2010 year-end survey of people who bicycle in Boston. If you ride a bike in Boston--rarely, occasionally or perhaps every single day--please take a moment to complete this important survey. We will ask questions about your riding habits and ask for your feedback on our events.

To take the survey go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BostonBikes.

Please forward this to anyone else you know who bikes in Boston. Thank you very much for your input and have a safe and happy holiday season!

Sincerely,
The Boston Bikes Team

I'd like to encourage you to take this survey is it pertains to you.

MassBike Blog

2010-12-04T16:17:00.000-08:00

MassBike.org has posted a number of useful links during the last few weeks.

Make Bicycling Better by becoming a member of MassBike.org!
MassBike Annual Meeting in Boston on Tues Dec 14.
Wear a Light at Night to be safe!
MBTA Bike Improvements with station parking and bus racks!
If You Crash there are some recommended steps to take.

Hopefully one or more of these links is helpful for you. I looked into it but there doesn't seem to be a way to sign-up to get MassBike's Blog posts sent to your e-mail. They do offer RSS Feeds through Feedburner if you're into that sort of thing and want to receive regular updates about the what's going on at MassBike.

Snow Procedures

2010-11-29T13:51:00.000-08:00

It seems like most area towns have specific plans in place for dealing with snow emergencies. The intent of this post is to gather a number of these resources and link them all from the same place as a convenience to readers who may find themselves visiting somebody who lives out-of-town during a snow storm.

Belmont's Winter Storm Information (PDF from 2009)
Boston's Know Snow
Cambridge's Snow Storm Procedures
Lexington's Piblic Grounds
Newton's Public Works Winter Page
Salem's Snow Emergency FAQ
Somerville's Snow Emergency Procedures
Waltham's Snow Storm Policy

And for good measure:

Watertown's Public Works Page

There are also a number of roads in Watertown that get plowed by a partnership of MassDOT and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). There are listed here and repeated here:

Charles River Road
Greenough Blvd.
Grove Street – From Coolidge Ave. to Greenough Blvd.
Nonantum Road
North Beacon Street

Snow Shoveling

2010-11-18T21:06:00.000-08:00

The Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee made a poster (8.5"x11" sized) about snow shoveling last year. Since the cold weather is right around the corner, it's an appropriate time to reprint that poster.

Click here to download the original PDF version.

Read ahead for the text:

Snow is starting to fall and winter shoveling becomes necessary.

Watertown encourages all residents to shovel their sidewalks to enable pedestrians to walk safely. Remember, these are your neighbors: students walking to school, the elderly, disabled people and commuters going to the bus. If sidewalks aren’t shoveled pedestrians will walk in the street where they may be hit by cars.

Homeowners are required by ordinance to NOT pile snow from their driveways on sidewalks. All of us shoveling make Watertown a better place to live and work.

If you are unable to shovel the Watertown Senior Center provides a list of people who can do the shoveling (for a fair, negotiated price). Call: 617-972-6490

Thank you everybody in town in advance of the 2011 winter season for making the streets and sidewalks safe for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Event: Bridges or Barriers on Nov 9 at 7:00pm

2010-11-08T20:42:00.000-08:00

Will our river crossing be Bridges or Barriers?
Tue, 11/09/2010 - 7:00pm
LivableStreets, 100 Sidney St, Cambridge [map]

This event is a Panel Discussion with LivableStreets board members Ken Kruckemeyer, Charlie Denison and Steve Miller

Come to the StreetTalk to learn about LivableStreets and partner organizations efforts to create better bridges in our region - from vision to implementation. See examples of bridges from around the world, and discuss the impact of getting the bridges right today for future generations to come.

Details are here.

Boston Bike Drive from Roll It Forward

2010-11-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

Roll It Forward is encouraging everybody in the Boston Metro area who has a usable bike that they no longer ride to donate it between now and December 10, 2010. Roll It Forward is organized by Mayor Menino's Boston Bikes program and the Boston Public Health Commission. It sounds like a great deal of effort is being made to ensure that your donation will be given to somebody who will truly appreciate it.

From their website:

Now is a great time to donate your bike to Roll it Forward. We're collecting bikes in the fall so that there's enough time during bike shops' "off season" to make sure they get repaired in time for distribution this coming Spring. So even if your summer riding season is over, we're still collecting donated bikes through December!

-All you need to do is take your bike to any of the donation locations that we've partnered with: Eastern Mountain Sports, Wheelworks Cycling Centers, or Giant Cycling World. These shops are offering a valuable coupon with your usable donation. After checking over your bike and performing some basic repairs, they'll get the bikes back to our program. We'll match your bike with someone who can use it. Bike education and a helmet are a part of the deal.

-We need all kinds of bikes in all sizes, for adults and kids. But please, no junker bikes or bikes that are beyond repair.

-Keep your bike out of a landfill and ROLL it FORWARD!

Additional information about which bike shops will accept your donation is listed here. There's also a chance that you can receive a free bicycling jersey if you email rollitforward@gmail.com to get a jersey claim form (while supplies last).

Meeting Moved

2010-11-02T05:38:00.000-07:00

The November meeting for the Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee was moved from November 1 to November 8 because of elections taking place on November 2.

Sorry for not posting this announcement prior to November 2.

Bike Sharing

2010-10-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

An article was posted in the Boston Globe in July entitled "Bike sharing in Boston gets $3m federal grant". These funds are expected to be pooled with $2m from various local sponsors and grants and used to buy 500 bicycles that will be available from about 50 bike stations around the city.

For those unfamiliar, bike sharing programs are a little bit like ZipCar except you don't have to bring the vehicle back to the same spot that you picked it up from. Another bonus with bike sharing is that the first 30 minutes of each rental is free with most services assuming you've first paid $5 for a day of access or $85 for use all year long.

Another article in the Globe from last month talks about a rider who recently experience with the Bixi (Bicycle Taxi) system in nearby Montreal.

Presently, the officials in Boston are deep into the process of making huge advances to make biking easy and safe within the city. During 2010, 35 miles of bike lanes and 750 public racks are scheduled to be added, which will help make the bike sharing program into a success.

According to a 2009 presentation referenced by MassBike, the city is estimating 600,000 rentals which will transport riders close to 2,000,000 miles during the first year of service for the highly anticipated bicycle sharing program.

Once bike sharing gets going in Boston surrounding cities like Cambridge, Brookline, Newton, Somerville, and Watertown are bound to launch their own investigations into how to get bike rental stations installed near their busy commercial centers. The Watertown Bicycle Committee looks forward to championing the efforts to make sure our city gets its fair share of these new access points to improve public transportation within our city.

Better Video of Vision for Community Path (7 minutes)

2010-10-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

Last month I posted a short video about the Watertown Community Path that's envisioned to run between the Charles River, Town Hall, and School Street at Arsenal Street. I just came across a much better video on the town's Community Path Project webpage. There is a wealth of extra information about the Community Path (credit to the students from Tufts for their hard work) linked on that page, as well.

Climate Action Day Bike Ride

2010-10-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

Peter Brooks (a former member of the Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee) will be leading a bike ride from the Waltham Green at 10:00am on October 10, 2010 (10/10/10).

This is an event for Climate Action Day and the ride is mostly on 8 miles of paths, plus low traffic roads with a good view of the river. The route goes up river to the Marriott in Newton and back again. All are invited to participate in this ride along the Charles River.

The purpose of the ride is to raise awareness of energy conservation and efficiency issues within Metro-West area. The focus will be on saving energy through transportation, bicycles and home green improvement. Green contractors, educators and efficient transportation advocates will be participating in the ride to raise awareness and action for clean air.

Upcoming Meetings Focused on Transportation

2010-09-29T11:16:00.000-07:00

MassDOT Moving Together 2010

Join us for the Commonwealth's annual statewide walking and bicycling conference, focusing on GreenDOT and GreenDOT's core emphasis on healthy transportation. GreenDOT is the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's bold new initiative that will establish MassDOT as a national leader in promoting sustainability in the transportation sector. Central to GreenDOT is the promotion of the healthy transportation modes of walking, bicycling and transit. Jeffrey B. Mullan, Secretary and CEO of MassDOT, will deliver the conference keynote highlighting what GreenDOT means to transportation in the Commonwealth. Registration fee is $50, which includes conference registration, continental breakfast, refreshments, lunch, and conference materials. (Registration fee is $60 at the door). Learn more and register here.

October 13
Marriott Courtyard Downtown Hotel
275 Tremont St, Boston

Two Opportunities on Shared Streets with Ben Hamilton-Baillie

Can you imagine streets that cars, trolleys, cyclists and pedestrians all share? Are you interested in traffic, transportation modes, and what makes an enjoyable street or square? Join Ben Hamilton-Baillie, a Harvard University Loeb Fellow Alumnus and principal of Hamilton-Baillie Associates in England, for a talk on shared streets and how to reconcile traffic movement with good urban design. Mr. Hamilton-Baillie's work is creative, his expression is whimsical, and his practice is forward thinking.

October 6 @ 6:00pm
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
60 Temple Place, Boston

Sponsored by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, MetroFuture, and the MA Smart Growth Alliance. Attendance is free but space is limited. Please click here to register.

October 7 @ 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Lincoln House
113 Brattle Street, Cambridge

Sponsored by the Lincoln Institute for Land Policy. The event is free, but pre-registration is required. Contact lincolninstitute@resource-plus.com or call (888) 845-8759 to register and for directions. Register online.

Transportation for America with James Corless

Join us for an event with James Corless, Director of Transportation for America (T4A). Mr. Corless has over 15 years of transportation and campaign experience including support of transit oriented development, environmental justice, and reduction of transportation demand through smart growth strategies. Come hear how he is leading Transportation for America, a coalition of over 400 organizations, to promote a new, transformative federal transportation policy that is smarter, safer, cleaner, and provides more choice. Sponsored by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and MetroFuture. Attendance is free, but registration is required and space is limited. Please click here to register.

October 13 @ 6:00pm
Metropolitan Area Planning Council
60 Temple Place, Boston

Connector Path Photos!!!

2010-09-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

We have several pictures of the recent progress made on the Charles River to Alewife Connector Path. You can see that they've paved large sections of it and there are a number of recognizable landmarks (such as the Panera Bread sign on Arsenal Street and the NECN Building behind the Arsenal Mall). Landscaping remains a going concern (large pathces of dirt lie alongside the path where grasses and benches will eventually live).

So far, I think everybody agrees that it looks great!

Community Path Video (92 seconds)

2010-09-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

Students from the Tufts University Graduate School of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning created this video to accompany a presentation on the feasibility of a Watertown Community Path.

October 2nd :: Historic Bike Tour of Middlesex Canal

2010-09-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 2, 2010, MassBike, along with the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission, the Middlesex Canal Commission and the Middlesex Canal Association will sponsor the 8th annual historic bicycle tour of the southern portion of the Middlesex Canal.

The Canal was the “big dig” of the end of the 18th century. Completed in 1803 after 10 years of construction, the Canal connected the Merrimac River in what is now Lowell with the Charles River at Sullivan Square in Charlestown. In many ways it served as a model for later canals including the Erie Canal. The Canal remained in operation for 50 years, providing both passenger and freight service, but could not compete successfully with the Boston and Lowell Railroad which began operation in the 1830’s.

The ride will meet at the Canal marker on the Sullivan Square MBTA station at 9:00am (take you bike onto the T if you need a lift to this Orange Line station).

From there we'll ride about 28 miles to the Historic Mill Village and Canal Museum on the Millpond in North Billerica. We'll make a lunch stop in Woburn, so we recommend that you bring a lunch. We should get to North Billerica in time for anyone who wants to catch the 3:07 train back to Boston. The ride will then follow the northern section of the Canal another 10 miles from North Billerica to Lowell and catch the 5:00 train back from there.

The route is pretty flat and level and we will average 5 miles per hour, so the ride will be easy for most cyclists. Along the way we'll stop at a number of remnants and restored sections of the Canal, as well as the Mansion of Loammi Baldwin, the chief engineer of the Canal (who discovered the Baldwin apple while building the Canal), the two remaining aqueducts (which carried the Canal over rivers and brooks), and the northern end of the floating towpath that carried horses over the Millpond.

The ride will be led by Dick Bauer of the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission and the Middlesex Canal Commission, Robert Winters of the Middlesex Canal Association, and Bill Kuttner of the Shirley-Eustis House. Steady rain cancels. For more information, contact

Dick at dick.bauer@alum.mit.edu (857-540-6293)
Robert at robert@middlesexcanal.org
Bill at bkuttner@ctps.org

For more information about the Middlesex Canal go to the MCA website.

Newton-based Bike Convoy August 27th Morning

2010-08-25T16:36:00.000-07:00

The Newton Bicycle/Pedestrian Task Force is leading a bike convoy to Boston this Friday morning, August 27th with a pickup point at the Laundry Brook footbridge near Watertown Square at 7:20 AM. View the Flyer for this event.

Labor Day Soldier Ride, September 4

2010-08-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

The Wounded Warrior Project is putting together a Soldier Ride for Saturday the 4th of September (yes, that's Labor Day Weekend). This ride is to raise money and awareness for our wounded veterans coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq. If you want to learn more about the overall Wounded Warrior Project you can check out the Wounded Warrior website.

Click here for the Labor Day Wounded Warrior Bike Ride for more information or to register for the event.

At this point they have a location, they have a route, they have sponsors and they have corporate support. What they need now are riders!!!

That's where they're asking for help. Please consider riding or sponsoring a rider, or posting this elsewhere. Whatever you could do to help promote this ride would be much appreciated as well.

MassBike and Adobe Sponsoring Bike Workshops in August/September

2010-07-30T16:31:00.000-07:00

Full information can be found at this MassBike.org link.

Free (open to the public) Bike Commuter and Bike Maintenance Workshops are being offered throughout August and September in Waltham, MA. Space is limited, RSVP information is listed below. Here's the schedule of events:

August

Wed 4th Commuter Workshop
6-7pm Waltham Public Meeting Room Basement of Government Center
Mon 16th Commuter Workshop
6-7pm Waltham Public Library Lecture Hall. Ground floor
Mon 23rd Maintenance Workshop
6-7pm Waltham Public Library Lecture Hall. Ground floor
Thurs 26th Commuter Workshop
6-7pm Waltham Public Meeting Room Basement of Government Center

September

Thurs 2nd Commuter Workshop
6-7pm Waltham Public Library Lecture Hall. Ground floor
Thurs 9th Commuter Workshop
6-7pm Waltham Public Library Lecture Hall. Ground floor
Thurs 16th Commuter Workshop
6-7pm Waltham Public Meeting Room Basement of Government Center
Wed 29th Maintenance Workshop
6-7pm Waltham Public Meeting Room Basement of Government Center

Click here for a map showing the Library and the Public Meeting room, as well as local transit options for getting to the classes.

Each class is one hour long, and is limited to 30 students, these fill up quickly so be sure to RSVP by emailing Shane@massbike.org. Specify how many people will be attending and the date of the class you wish to attend.

Cambridge-based Bike Event for Kids

2010-07-29T18:08:00.000-07:00

Do you love to ride your bike and run? Compete in the first ever, kids only Cambridge duathlon with biking and running in and around CambridgeSide Galleria! "Run & Ride at CambridgeSide" is for kids ages 5-14, with prizes, race T-shirts, giveaways, entertainment, and more. Race with your friends and make new friends - sign up today!

Sunday, August 15, 2010
8am Registration, 9am Event Begins
Charles Park at the CambridgeSide Galleria

Full details are available here.

Become a fan of the CambridgeSide Galleria on Facebook.

Newton-based Bike Convoy July 30 Morning

2010-07-29T17:59:00.000-07:00

The Newton Bicycle/Pedestrian Task Force is leading a bike convoy to Boston this Friday morning, July 30th with a pickup point at the Laundry Brook footbridge near Watertown Square at 7:20 AM. View the Flyer for this event.

Fun Ride with WCES on July 29

2010-07-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

Join the WBPC along with the Watertown Citizen's for Environmental Safety (WCES) on Thursday, July 29th at 5:30pm. People of all ages and skill levels are welcome. In fact, people who might ordinarily be timid about biking around town are encouraged to join the group as one of the focuses of the ride will be to demonstrate that bicycles are a healthy and safe alternative to motorized vehicles.

The rally point will be in front of Donohue's at 87 Bigelow Ave. The destination of the ride will be Saltonstall Park next to Town Hall at 149 Main St where Phil Wilson and the Berklee Rainbow Band will be performing for free as part of the Watertown Summer Concert Series from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.

WCES is planning to provide flags to pin to your back where you can write a customized slogan/message in support of an environmental issue that's important to you, such as "Carbon Free Transportation" or "End Oil Addiction".

It's going to be a good evening.

Same Roads, Same Rules

2010-05-13T06:27:00.000-07:00

MassBike has a new and very important initiative called "Same Roads, Same Rules". Several key state agencies, including the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Department of Transportation, are partners in this project. What it's about is raising awareness on both sides of the car/bike divide, and trying to generate some two-way respect between cyclists and motorists.

The web site has some good instructional material for those interested in learning about vehicular cycling, i.e. conducting your bike in traffic as if you were a slower moving motor vehicle, as opposed to behaving like a pedestrian or a vehicle that is not part of the traffic flow and not governed by traffic rules.

For motorists, there are some very good tips about how to interact safely with cyclists on the roads. Click through and look at the diagrams -- it's all good information.

Mutual respect and awareness of each other's rights will reduce accidents, and should lower the volume of the never-ending squabbling between motorists and cyclists. But it won't happen until both sides change their behaviors.

Same Roads, Same Rules. Well put, MassBike.

Construction Starting on Nonantum Road

2010-05-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

The project to rebuild Nonantum Road is underway. Signs have been raised warning motorists of "Road Work Ahead". Barriers have been set along the river side of the road to prevent runoff. It remains to be seen how much disruption there will be to bike traffic, but inevitably there will be times when it will be difficult to bike. However, it will be worth it for the big improvement to the roadway that this project promises.

Bike Commuting Workshop, May 11

2010-04-25T14:11:00.001-07:00

On May 11, 2010 at 7 PM, the Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee will present a workshop on commuting by bicycle. The workshop will be held in the Watertown Savings Bank Room of the Watertown Free Public Library, Main Street, Watertown.

Committee member and bike commuter Sheila Fay has a very informative presentation, packed with ideas that you can immediately put to work on your way to work. She'll have advice on equipment, choosing routes, and staying safe on the road, as well as set of resources that are available.

Anyone who bikes to work or is thinking about biking to work will get a lot out of this talk. Tell your friends!

Click to view the flyer for this event.

Public Works Committee Supports Mount Auburn Street Study

2010-03-30T17:34:00.000-07:00

The Town Council's Committee on Public Works voted unanimously to recommend that the town appropriate $70k to fund a feasibility study and conceptual design for the reconfiguration of Mount Auburn Street between the Cambridge line and Summer Street. The study, to be executed by World Tech Engineering, would include additional traffic data collection to supplement existing data from the 2009 Coolidge Square study and from the project to reconstruct the intersection of Summer and Mt. Auburn St.

The study, if approved by the full Town Council, would delilver an analysis of the feasibility of lane reconfiguration, and would offer several design alternatives. Committee members view this study as a first step in the protracted process of acquiring state or federal funding for the eventual full reconstruction of the roadway.

Gerald Mee, superintendent of the DPW, is to be applauded for taking the long view on this matter. The Mount Auburn Street corridor, last rebuilt in the 1980's, will soon be due for another major update. The long lead time required to get state and federal money for such a project demands that the process get underway long before the situation deteriorates too seriously. Because it takes several years to develop a design of this scale, the Town needs to get the wheels turning now. Mee sees this as the major roadway development project in the Town for the coming decade.

That is not to say that nothing will happen for ten years. To the contrary, part of the study that moved forward at the meeting is to identify short term, "early action", items that can have an immediate impact for relatively small amounts of money. Mee gave the example of shortening crosswalks to increase pedestrian safety near the Hosmer School.

How this project meshes with the Coolidge Square project is not entirely clear, and was the source of some concern expressed by the public at the meeting. Councilor Vincent Piccirilli explained that the Coolidge Square project is still in the very early phases, and could be consolidated with a broader plan that addresses the enitre corridor. Mee advocates doing just that. Councilor Piccirilli noted that the process is indeed long, but assured all that there would be ample opportunity for public input at every stage.

Resident and former WBPC member Deborah Peterson expressed the need for the Town to clearly articulate its objectives for the reconstructed roadway. She pointed out that a too narrow focus on traffic flow alone would ignore the benefits of safety, livability, and economic stimulus that the project should deliver. Richard Benevento, the President of World Tech Engineering, said that the study would be "context sensitive", and would try to balance as many of the competing concerns as was possible.

Projects like this never fully satisfy everybody. The public process attempts to ensure that all are heard. When the conceptual designs are made public, the WBPC will take a careful look at how cyclists and pedestrians are accommodated. The March 30 meeting offered some reassurance that the Town leaders are well aware of the need to get it right. As Superintendent Mee said, "we can take Mt.Auburn St. back as a local road", as opposed to an artery between Cambridge and the Mass Pike. This is the kind of thinking that bodes well for cyclists and pedestrians in Watertown.

We're now on Facebook!

2010-03-26T09:26:00.001-07:00

If you're a Facebook users, become a fan of the Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee. Just follow the link below, and then click "Become a Fan".

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Watertown-MA/Watertown-Bicycle-and-Pedestrian-Committee/317812044935

Mount Auburn Street Reconfiguration

2010-03-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

The Town Council's subcommittee on Public Works will meet in the Council Chambers of the Administration Building, 149 Main Street. The meeting is open to the public.

The reconfiguration of Mount Auburn Street, in conjunction with Coolidge Square improvements, represents a very important opportunity to improve cycling and pedestrian conditions in Watertown. This street is a key artery that is used heavily not only by motorists, but also by cyclists, pedestrians, school children, and the disabled. The current four-lane design was developed in the 1980's when there was minimal awareness to the needs of non-motorized traffic. Now we have the opportunity to rethink that design to accommodate all users.

Please come to the meeting to learn more about the project, and to offer your ideas and opinions on this important topic.

Charles River / Minuteman Connector Path News

2010-02-09T06:08:00.000-08:00

A contract to begin work on the Phase 1 portion of the Charles River / Minuteman Connector Path has been awarded to a Cambridge-based construction firm. Weather permitting, crews will break ground in March 2010, and work is expected to continue throughout the summer months.

The new section of multi-use path will extend from the intersection of School and Arsenal Streets to Arlington Street near Fillipello Park. A map of this project is available on the WBPC website on the Path Projects page (http://watertownbikeped.org/maps/branch.html).

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee recognizes State Senator Steve Tolman, State Representative Jon Hecht, and Dan Driscoll of the DCR for their efforts over the years to make this plan into a reality. Additional thanks are in order to Govenor Deval Patrick for allocating funds for this project back in October.

Let's Keep Those Sidewalks Clear For All

2010-01-02T12:21:00.000-08:00

At the end of last winter, the Town Council took up the question of whether the town should issue tickets to persons who fail to clear their sidewalks of snow and ice. There were passionate arguments on both sides of the issue, but in the end Councilor Susan Falkoff withdrew the proposed ordinance, deciding instead to explore some of the alternatives that came up during the discussions.

Since that time, Police Chief Edward Deveau met with the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee to talk about how to best deal with the public safety issues presented by snowy sidewalks. What came out of that meeting was a three-point plan to address the problem.

The DPW would review their plowing practices so as to reduce the amount of snow piled on sidewalks
The Police Department would be more proactive in enforcing existing snow removal ordinances, especially in business districts
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee would help to raise public awareness about the civic responsibility of citizens to clear their sidewalks. The goal was to improve the sidewalk situation as much as possible without a controversial new ordinance.

By choosing not to introduce a new residential snow removal ordinance, Watertown is depending on its citizens’ sense of civic duty to get the job done. Most of our residents already recognize that shoveling the sidewalk is the right thing to do. They take the time to clear a reasonable path, enough so that people can pass without being forced into the street. They don’t throw snow from their driveways on the sidewalk in big piles that won’t melt away until April. They recognize that an unshoveled sidewalk is for a pedestrian what an unplowed road is for automobile -- not just inconvenient but quite possibly dangerous.

Unfortunately, there remains a small but significant minority who neglect their sidewalks, or worse, heap snow from their driveways onto the sidewalk in large impassable piles. Besides being in violation of an ordinance that has existed since 2003, this practice creates obstacles for all users of the sidewalks, ranging from kids going to school to seniors carrying their groceries. If the people who don’t shovel took the time to think about the consequences of their actions, they might change their behavior.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee encourages all residents to pitch in and do their part to keep the sidewalks clear of snow and ice this winter. If you can’t shovel yourself, get somebody to do it. The Watertown Senior Center maintains a list of students and adults who will do these tasks for seniors. The key is to make an honest effort to consider the needs of all residents, including pedestrians. Although you won’t get a ticket for not clearing your sidewalk, you may well be endangering your neighbors and their kids if you don’t.

Watertown to Get New Bike/Pedestrian Path in 2010

2009-12-10T17:41:00.000-08:00

Nearly two decades after it was first conceived, the Minuteman Connector Path is finally about to be built. MassDOT has notified Watertown officials that the Highway Department is in the process of certifying the low bidder, and construction should be completed in 2010.

The path is intended to provide a key link in the regional network of multi-use cycling and pedestrian routes. It will eventually join the Minuteman Path, which runs from Bedford to Cambridge, to the Paul Dudley White path that runs along the Charles River between Watertown and Boston.

The MassDOT announcement pertains only to Phase 1 of the project, which will run from the intersection of School and Arsenal Streets along the abandoned rail bed to Arlington Street. We hope the momentum created by the construction of Phase 1 will spur development of Phases 2 and 3, which will extend the path from Arlington Street to Fresh Pond in Cambridge.

80% of the construction cost (approximately $1.5M) is provided by the federal government, and the remainder is from Mass Highway.

Detailed drawings of the Phase 1 design are available here (note these drawings are not final).

Results from our Bike and Pedestrian Surveys

2009-12-01T17:46:00.000-08:00

The WBPC conducted two surveys at Faire on the Square this past September, and we present the results here. Although it was obviously not a scientific survey, nor a very large sample, it is still quite interesting to see how people responded.

Results of the Bicycle Survey

1. How often do you usually ride a bicycle?


a. Almost every day          46%
b. Once or twice a week      46%
c. A few times per month      0%
d. Once per month or less     8%

Not surprisingly, most of our respondents ride frequently.

2. For which of the following reasons do you usually ride your bike?


a. To commute to work or school  67%
b. To run errands                25%
c. For fun and recreation        70%
d. For fitness                   63%
e. To help the environment       33%

The interesting point here is the large number of people who use a bike to commute, proving that cycling is a legitimate means of alternate transportation, and not just a recreational pursuit as it too often perceived to be.

3. Please estimate how many miles of driving you save each week by biking instead of driving


a. 0 to 5           21%
b. 6 to 10          29%
c. 11 to 25         17%
d. 26 to 50          9%
e. more than 50     24%

Some Watertown cyclists are saving upwards of 120 gallons of gas a year by cycling. That's a significant reduction of the carbon footprint.

4. Reasons for not biking more often:


a. Not enough time               33%
b. My bike needs repairs          5%
c. I don't feel safe riding      21%
  my bike on Watertown streets
d. Weather is not suitable       62%
e. I need to carry items         31%
  or drop off kids
f. I don't have shower           17%
  facilities where I work

5. Please rate your satisfaction level with bicycling accommodations in Watertown (1 to 4, 4 is best)


a. Painted bike lanes            2.4
b. Dedicated bike paths          2.6
c. Bike racks/stands             2.4

In response to the question of what Watertown can do to improve conditions for cyclists, many said that more bike lanes were desired.

Results of the Pedestrian Survey

1. Which of the following best describes your opinion of sidewalks in Watertown?


a. No real problems or difficulties     6%
  with sidewalks in Watertown.
b. Some, but not that many, have       81%
  poor paving or are overgrown
  with vegetation.
c. Too many sidewalks are in           13%
  serious need of repair.

The first question gauged how people feel in general about the condition of sidewalks in Watertown. The overwhelming majority, 81%, chose the middle choice: "Some, but not that many, have poor paving or are overgrown with vegetation." The conclusion is that the condition of sidewalks is not a major concern, but many people are aware of the problem at some level.

2. Which one of the following best describes your opinion of crosswalks in Watertown?


a. No real problems or difficulties    31%
  with crosswalks in Watertown.
b. There are a few places where I      56%
  walk where I think there should
  be a crosswalk.
c. The Town really needs to spend      13%
  money to study the problem of
  where more crosswalks are needed.

On the question of crosswalks, respondents were once again fairly satisfied with the status quo. 31% responded "no real problem", and 56% chose "There are a few places where I walk where I think there should be a crosswalk." Only 13% saw a need for the Town to make crosswalk improvements a priority.

3. Please check each of the following statements about pedestrian safety that you feel are accurate.


a. Overall, pedestrian safety          31%
  in Watertown is not a problem.
b. There are some bad intersections    19%
  where additional crosswalks are
  needed.
c. Thare are some bad intersections    12%
  where pedestrian crossing signal
  lights are needed.
d. There are many uneven or            44%
  deteriorated sidewalks that present
  a safety hazard for pedestrians.
e. There are many streets where pedestrians are not adequately protected from the flow of traffic. 0%

The responses here suggest concern about pedestrian safety, with only 31% saying it's not a problem. Respondents were most concerned with sidewalk conditions.

4. Please check each of the following statements about snow removal that you feel are accurate:


a. I take responsibility for clearing  63%
  snow from the sidewalk in front of
  my residence.
b. The Town does an adequate job of     6%
  clearing the sidewalks in
  business  districts.
c. The Town does an adequate job of     6%
  clearing the sidewalks
  around schools.
d. I would support a Town ordinance    38%
  that required homeowners and
  landlords to clear snow from the
  sidewalks after a storm.

Most people said that they take responsibility for sidewalk clearing, and do not support a snow removal ordinance.

5. How would you rate Watertown's sidewalks, crosswalks, and traffic signals with respect to accessibility to people with physical handicaps?


a. Very poor            0%
b. Unsatisfactory      19%
c. Adequate            56%
d. Good                 6%
e. Excellent            6%
f. No opinion          13%

Buy a ticket and win a great bike at this year's Faire on the Square

2009-09-22T18:11:00.000-07:00

This year's Faire on the Square will feature a bike raffle sponsored by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee. The money raised from the raffle supports the Safe Routes to School initiative in Watertown elementary schools.

The bike to be awarded to the raffle winner is a terrific kid's mountain bike. The rugged Specialized Hotrock 20 features seven speeds and front shocks. With 20" wheels, this bike is great for kids between 6 and 10 years old.

Tickets for the raffle are $1 each, and will be available at the Faire. If you'd like to purchase tickets before the Faire, send email to watertown.bikeped@gmail.com. The drawing will be held at the Faire. It is not necessary to be present at the time of the drawing.

WBPC acknowledges the help and support of the Hosmer School PTO and Wheelworks Too in making this raffle possible.

Story Walk Comes to Watertown

2009-09-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

What's a story walk? A story walk is a series of signs spaced not too far apart, each of which displays a page from a children's book. The signs are installed in public places like parks and school yards. The idea is that kids walk from page to page, i.e. sign to sign, in order to read the book. In this way, kids combine reading with physical activity.

Watertown has two story walks this fall, one installed at Fillipello Park, and the other at Arsenal Park. The two books chosen are by distinguished children's author D. B. Johnson: Henry Hikes to Fitchburg, and Henry Climbs a Mountain. Johnson is renowned for his superb artwork and gentle story lines. The Massachusetts locale makes them perfect choices for the story walks.

The walks are intended for the 4-7 year old age group. So get out and enjoy them this fall.

The Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee extends its sincere thanks to Staples and Sterrit Lumber for their generous support of this project.

Would "Dual-Use" Work for the Minuteman Connector?

2009-04-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

As Phase 1 of the Minuteman-Charles River Connector becomes a reality, the attention now turns to Phase 2 and beyond. The segment between Grove Street and Fresh Pond will be the most challenging, because it will require dealing with the existing rail. The rail in Phase 1 is not an issue because that segment of the Watertown Branch is officially abandoned.

Abandonment of the remainder of the line has been the presumed scenario all along. The railroad must file with the federal government, and the case must be formally reviewed in order to legally classify the line as abandoned. Purchase of the right-of-way by the Commonwealth at some juncture would pave the way to conversion to a multi-use path.

But what if the line isn't abandoned? Despite extremely little usage, Newly Weds Foods has not indicated a readiness to let go of the option to receive flour by rail. Could the rail and the trail co-exist?

Rail-with-trail, also known as "dual use", is a concept that has been put into practice in some instances around the country. The rail and the trail occupy the corridor together, sometimes separated by a fence. If there is little rail traffic, as is certainly the case on the Watertown Branch, the dual use strategy yields benefits to path users while preserving the economic advantages of rail. In theory, it's the best of both worlds.

How would dual use play on the Watertown Branch? I asked Craig Della Penna about this in a conversation about the project last year. Craig is the Executive Director of Northeast Greenway Solutions, a consulting firm that has done extensive work in rail-to-trail conversions. His opinion was that dual use might possibly work, but it had enough serious drawbacks to make it a distant second choice in comparison to abandonment.

The first big problem he points out is the narrow underpasses. The route passes underneath Grove Street, Mt. Auburn Street, and Huron Avenue. Widening of these structures to comfortably accommodate both rail and trail would be prohibitively expensive.

The second major issue is the width of the right-of-way itself, which is actually narrower than most. As a result, the tracks would have to be moved off the center of the right-of-way, and reconstructed to one side so that there would be room for the trail. Again, the cost makes this infeasible, especially on a rail route that gets so little use.

But Craig is not the first to throw cold water on dual use for the Watertown Branch. This idea has been circulating from the inception of the project, and was looked at closely in a study conducted by the Central Transportation Planing Staff in 1996. The excerpt that follows is from a 1999 Technical Report that references that study:

The CTPS Study found that rail and path use could not both be accommodated in compliance with this guidance. Any bike path built adjacent to railroad tracks in this northerly parcel would require rebuilding the tracks, and, even then, the path width would be substandard. "To accommodate joint rail and trail use, the track would need to be moved over to afford as much room as possible for the trail.” (p.29) Further,

“The widest bridge abutment, at Grove Street, would allow a seven-foot trail. None of the others is wide enough for even a five-foot trail.” (p.32). The width of the three abutments in the core parcel are, from north to south: Kinglsley Park – 27 feet 6.5 inches; Huron Avenue – 26feet 3.5 inches; and Mount Auburn Street, 24 feet 5 inches. (CTPS Study, p 32)
Based upon current rail and bike path design guidance, the ROW is too narrow to accommodate both uses. Therefore a bicycle path is not feasible in the northerly parcel long as freight service is being provided.

The bottom line is that pursuit of a dual use strategy on the Watertown Branch should only be considered as a last resort. The priorities now should be to verify that the track is virtually unused, and to set things in motion for the state to acquire the right-of-way.

Mass Highway Updates Plans for Path

2009-04-01T15:38:00.000-07:00

Mass Highway, in partnership with the Department of Conservation and Recreation and a team from local design firm VHB, presented the latest update in the plans for a multi-use path to be constructed between the intersection of School and Arsenal Streets and the intersection of Nichols Ave. and Arlington St. Another way to think of the route is from Arsenal Park to Fillipello Park.

Eighty per cent of the $1.2M for the path construction comes from the federal government, and the remainder from the state (via Mass Highway and DCR). The path will be owned by DCR.

The path is designed for both bicyclists and pedestrians. The regional model for such paths is the Minuteman Path, which runs on an abandoned rail right-of-way from Cambridge to Bedford. (The Watertown path is also a converted rail bed, and a significant portion of the cost is removing the track.)

If you've had the opportunity to use the Minuteman, you have an idea of the potential that the Watertown path has. More than a means of getting from point to point, the Minuteman has evolved to become a popular linear park. On any given day, there is a diversity of users -- not just cyclists, but walkers, skaters, parents with strollers, joggers, and older adults. The feeling is distinctly park-like.

Ultimately, the goal is to connect Watertown to the Minuteman Path at Alewife Station in Cambridge. From the terminus of Phase 1 at Arlington Street, it will follow the rail right-of-way underneath Grove Street, across Cottage Street, under Mt. Auburn Street near the Star Market, and on to Huron Avenue where it meets an existing path. It will take some time and a lot of money to get there, but building Phase 1 is the best way to build momentum.

In the meantime, we'll have a new linear park, with two beautiful parks at either end. It's been decades in the making, but now, finally, it's really going to happen.

Two Bills Pending in Mass State House Relate to Snow Ordinance

2009-02-20T17:05:00.000-08:00

As Watertown ponders issuing tickets to residents who fail to clear sidewalks abutting their property, there are two bills pending in the Massachusetts legislature that have a direct bearing on the issue.

The first bill, H.1959, concerns a technicality. The existing law limits the size of the fine for a violation of a snow clearing ordinance to $50 per violation. As of its first reading, the new measure in Watertown proposed a top fine of $75 in cases where the initial $50 fine went unheeded. Apparently this would not be legal under state law. However, H.1959 aims to raise the limit to $100 per violation, which would enable Watertown to issue tickets at the higher level. This is a reasonable adjustment simply because of inflation since the creation of the current law.

H.1959 is sponsored by Rep. Peter Kocot of Northampton. According to the Legislature's web site, the bill was introduced in 2007, but has not progressed through the bureaucracy.

Similarly, bill H.1987 also seems to be stalled on Beacon Hill. This purpose of this bill is to address a quirk in state law that some say could increase the liability of homeowners who clear their sidewalks. In some interpretations, the existing law stipulates that no one can be held liable for the natural accumulation of snow and ice, but as soon as an attempt has been made to clear a sidewalk, the homeowner becomes responsible for ensuring that it does not present a danger to people who use that sidewalk. H.1987 would explicitly dispel the possibility of somebody being held liable for shoveling their sidewalk, except in the case of "gross negligence". The liability issue is a distracting sideshow to the question of pedestrian safety, and H.1987 would effectively sweep it away. It would be unfortunate if Watertown had to decide on the proposed ordinance on the basis of some vague or obscure state law that has nothing to do with the real questions at hand.

So what are the pertinent questions that our Town Councilors should be asking about the proposed ordinance? The most important question is whether or not it will result in clearer sidewalks and thereby improve public safety. Common sense says it should do just that.

But there are other questions that the Town Council must consider. How will it deal with those who are physically unable to shovel and cannot afford to have it done? Will it result in increased costs to the Town? How will it be enforced? We need to look at how other communities have done this, and try to craft an ordinance that really works well.

In the meantime, those two bills before the House are good bills, and should be passed. You can contact Rep. Hecht and let him know what you think about them.

Town Council to Consider Sidewalk Ordinance

2009-02-12T17:05:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, February 10th, the Town Council gave a first reading of an amendment to the Town's snow removal ordinance. The proposed changes would require residents to clear sidewalks abutting their property within 12 hours of the end of a snowfall.

Councilor Susan Falkoff introduced the measure, and it has the support of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, as well as Watertown Citizens for Environmental Safety (WCES). Fred Hewett of WBPC urged the Council to favorably consider the the changes to the ordinance during the public forum prior to Tuesday's meeting. A full report appears in the Watertown Tab. An on-line at the poll on the Tab's site indicated strong public support for the proposed changes, although some questioned how it would be possible to clear sidewalks if plows created large snowbanks on corners.

The measure now goes before the Committee on Rules and Ordinances, which is chaired by Councillor Angie Kounelis.

Watertown's Odd Snow Removal Ordinance

2009-01-22T17:05:00.000-08:00

Let's begin with the bottom line: failing to shovel your sidewalk endangers pedestrians. Anyone who has to walk our residential streets in winter knows that it only takes one or two short stretches of unshoveled sidewalk to force you into the road. If you're a bus commuter, the walk home from the bus stop involves sharing dark and narrow streets with hurried motorists, who understandably find you difficult to see unless you're in the habit of wearing a day-glo orange safety vest to work.

If everybody cleared the sidewalk in front of his or her residence, this wouldn't have to be a concern. Read the story

WBPC Delivers 2008 Annual Report to Town Council

2009-01-13T17:04:00.000-08:00

WBPC spokesperson Mari Ryan presented the Bike-Ped Committee's 2008 annual report to the Watertown Town Council on January 13th. The report summarizes the Committee's 2008 accomplishments, notably the Safe Routes to School Program, and looks forward to the Committe's plans and projects for the upcoming year.

The slides from the presentation are available for download, along with the supporting documents:

2008 Annual Report slides (requires PowerPoint viewer)
Hosmer School Parents' Survey (pdf)
Community Path Grant Application (Microsoft Word)
Historic Watertown Bke Tour Brochure (pdf)

Watertown's Walking School Bus on NBC Nightly News

2009-01-13T17:02:00.000-08:00

NBC News has a report on the variety of factors contributing to the increase in walking to school.
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The report focuses on a town in New Jersey, but also includes a segment about Watertown.

We have a winner!

2008-10-07T18:01:00.000-07:00

Although the Faire on the Square was rained out this, the WBPC Bike Raffle took place as planned. The raffle was successful in raising several hundred dollars, which will go towards the Safe Routes to School program.

The winning ticket was purchased by Jenny Born of Hingham. Jenny's kids, whose grandmother is a Winsor Avenue resident, are already enjoying the prize. Congratulations!

The WPBC thanks the Lowell School PTO, Farina's Bicycle Center, and all the folks who bought tickets to support this program.

WBPC to Raffle Kid's Mountain Bike at Faire on the Square

2008-09-07T18:01:00.000-07:00

The bike to be awarded to the raffle winner is a terrific kid's mountain bike. The rugged Giant MTX-125 bike features 21-speeds and front suspension. With 20" wheels, Shimano components, and a quick-adjust seat post, this bike is great for kids between 6 and 10 years old.

Tickets for the raffle are $1 each, and will be available at the Faire. If you'd like to purchase tickets before the Faire, send email to watertown.bikeped@gmail.com.

WBPC acknowledges the help and support of the Lowell School PTO and Farina's Bicycle Center in making this raffle possible.

Safe Routes to School Program to Expand in New School Year

2008-08-23T18:01:00.000-07:00

With the addition of a paid program coordinator, the Safe Routes to School in Watertown elementary schools is poised to expand in the coming school year.

Jeannette Belcher-Schepis, the new Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator, will work with the schools and the Safe Routes to School Community Task Force to carry out the program objectives at the Lowell and Hosmer Schools. One of her primary goals is to expand the program to include the Cunniff School.

Jeannette's background makes her especially well qualified for the coordinator position. She is a graduate student in the Sociology department at Boston College and a Research Associate on the study of Children and the Economic World at the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University. She received a B.S. in Business Administration from the Boston University School of Management with a concentration in Marketing and an M.S. in Administration from Boston College. Jeannette was instrumental in the implementation of the Safe Routes to School program at the Hosmer School last fall.

The new position is funded by a grant from WalkBoston. Watertown is one of just a small handful of towns to receive money from WalkBoston's grant program this summer. We were selected based on a strong coalition made up of school administrators, parent-teacher organizations, the police department, public works, and the WPBC. Now more than ever, it's important to teach kids the merits of walking when possible rather than being driven, and to make sure they can do so safely.

National Clearinghouse Showcases Watertown's Safe Routes Program

2008-06-23T18:00:00.000-07:00

The National Center for Safe Routes to School is a nationwide clearinghouse for information pertinent to Safe Routes to School programs around the country. One of the resources they maintain to assist communities in starting SRTS programs is a compendium of case studies. Recently, Watertown's SRTS program was written up, and is now available on the Center's site. Click here to view the article (PDF).

Safe Routes to School awarded grant by Watertown Community Foundation

2008-06-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

Watertown's already successful Safe Routes to School initiative will get another shot in the arm upon receipt of a $1700 grant from the Watertown Community Foundation. The funds are targeted to the purchase of pedometers, which students use to track the distances they walk. Health educators have approved the use of pedometers as a means to motivate students as they are educated on the benefits of walking.

Congratulations are in order for all the people who volunteer to make this program successful, and especially to WBPC member Mari Ryan who has worked tirelessly on the Safe Routes to School program. The Watertown Community Foundation also deserves credit for its thoughtful recognition and support of the initiative.

Boston Globe reports surge in biking, bike commuting

2008-06-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

A recent article in the Boston Globe reports record numbers of bicycles on the road. No doubt the price of gas is convincing more people to get back in the saddle. Anyone who bikes around Watertown will certainly agree -- the number of cyclists out there is definitely up this spring.

If you're new to bike commuting, take a look at the slides from our recent presentation on bike commuting. There's lots of useful pointers about the ins and outs of getting to and from work on your bike.

Watertown Bikers Take Advantage of New Racks

2008-06-01T17:59:00.000-07:00

Earlier this spring, the Watertown DPW installed about 40 new bike racks around town, and they are getting good use. The racks were installed primarlily around Watertown Square and Coolidge Square, and there are new racks at Victory Field and other locations as well. The image to the right was taken in Coolidge Square.

The Town acquired these racks at no cost through a grant program sponsored by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, a state agency whose mission includes the promotion of alternative transportation. DPW Superintendent Gerry Mee recognized this opportunity to realize a a substantial infrastructure improvement at minimal cost to the Town. The work was started last fall, and completed in April.

All around town, cyclists have been locking up to the new racks, most of which are in convenient locations next to businesses and recreational resources. Besides giving cyclists secure parking, the racks have the added benefit of getting bikes off of trees, which can be damaged, and off of signposts and parking meters, where they are often insecure and in the way of pedestrians. The WBPC encourages cyclists to take full advantage of the new racks, and to let us know if there are other places where a rack is badly needed.

WBPC to Receive Richard Mastrangelo Memorial Award for Historic Preservation

2008-05-29T17:59:00.000-07:00

The Watertown Historical Commission has awarded its 2008 Richard Mastrangelo Memorial Award for historic preservation to the WBPC jointly with the Watertown Historical Society. The award is given in recognition of the 2007 Bicycle Tour of Historic Watertown.

The WBPC is proud and honored to receive this award. We extend our thanks to the Watertown Community Foundation, whose grant provided the funds that made the tour possible, and to all those who participated in the ride.

The award ceremony is at the Commander's Mansion in Arsenal Park at 7 PM on June 5, 2008, and the public is invited to attend.

Watertown Police Department Offers Bike Helmets

2008-05-28T17:58:00.000-07:00

An entry in a WPD blog reports that the Police Department has a limited number of bike helmets to offer to residents, both adults and children. The helmets are made available through a grant from the Executive Office of Safety and Security.

The WPBC thanks the Police Department for this action, and encourages residents to take advantage of it. Despite the efforts of countless cycling advocates to promote helmet usage, there are still too many people who are biking without one. Cyclists who wear helmets correctly suffer head injury only under rare or extreme conditions, while those do not wear helmets account for the overwhelming majority of serious head injury cases.

WBPC Sponsors Bike Commuting Workshop

2008-05-08T17:56:00.000-07:00

The WBPC held a workshop at the Watertown Free Public Library on May 8, 2008. Presenter and WBPC member Sheila Fay described some of her experiences as a bike commuter, and discussed topics such as proper gear and clothing, traffic issues, and practical issues surrounding getting to and from work on a bike.

The slides from this presentation are available here. Sheila also made available a handy resource sheet for bicycle commuters.

DPW and Town Council Plan Bacon Street Parking Area and Multi-use Path

2008-05-05T17:56:00.000-07:00

The Town Council and the DPW are developing plans to build a parking area along Bacon Street (off Main St.), and the plan includes a new walking/biking path that runs along an easement owned by the Cambridge Water Department. Read more here.