Tide Turning in Bike Cage Push
December is bike cage month in DotBike land, as DEHC’s Pete Stidman and DotBike’s Vivian Girard have been gathering support for a bike cage at the JFK/UMass station near Columbia Point. The MBTA is building six to 10 bike cages within their transit and commuter rail system as part of a $4.8 million chunk of stimulus money specifically targeted to improving bike parking.
DEHC used the Freedom of Information Act to acquire a list of all the stations the T is considering for the new cages, as well as 50 bike shelters they intend to build. What we discovered is a strange bias toward suburban stations, and the likelihood that there would not be a bike cage in Dorchester, where bike theft is the number one deterrent to cycling!
As it turned out, the proximity of other stations worked against Dorchester and other urban neighborhoods in the T’s assessment of need for bike cages. They didn’t prioritize the positive effect on bike-ability neighborhood density has, nor the fact that cyclists might avoid other nearby stations due to theft risk. And most surprising-they didn’t compare or even look at rates of bike theft for any station! Continue Reading »
Support a new process on Blue Hill Avenue
It is now certain, the $140 million proposal to install a faster bus line on Blue Hill Avenue is dead, and that TIGER grant will not be obtained from the federal government. The good news though is that there is now much wider support for bike lanes on the street.
State legislators along the corridor have proposed a longer, more community-based process, to take advantage of the hundreds of thousands the state has already invested in the project. There is a roll plan of the street now, complete with bus boardings, turning movements, and tons of other data. And after the lengthy 28x controversy, we feel it’s time to really determine what the neighborhood would like to see on Blue Hill. But this longer process is not ensured. It would require funding for the process itself.
It is also unclear which government agency would carry on this process. If there is no large transit element, it would not be a state, but rather a city project. And of course money is tight everywhere.
If you’re interested in seeing the process continue, contact Mayor Thomas Menino’s office, contact your City Councillors about it, and also let your state legislators, Governor Patrick and Secretary of Transportation Jeffrey Mullan know that you support a continued public process on Blue Hill Avenue.
And, while you’re at it, suggest expanding the Public Advisory Group to include representation for cyclists!
Talbot Bike Lane design on schedule
DEHC and St. Marks Area Main Streets met with Nicole Freedman and Nick Jackson of Toole Design (the city’s contractor for bike lane design) earlier this week, and the news is a 25 percent design is expected sometime in December. We’ll be letting you know how it looks shortly after the Boston Transportation Department reviews.
With your support, DEHC influenced the city to install a bike lane on Talbot from Peabody Square to Blue Hill Avenue when we learned the section near Franklin Field was scheduled to be repaved as part of the stimulus funding to the city. We are on the lookout for more opportunities, and your continued vocal support of bike facilities in the neighborhood is absolutely necessary for our continued success! Thank you!
Bike Cages requested on Red Line
Working with DotBike, DEHC is building support in the community for card-accessed bike cages at two Dorchester Stations on the Red Line. Recently, the MBTA installed a basic bike cage at Forest Hills that holds around 100 bikes, is accessed by a special Bike Charlie Card, and has four surveillance cameras!
In Dorchester, we are requesting one or two bike cages at JFK/UMass Station and one at Ashmont Station (which connects with our future Talbot Avenue bike lane!). DotBike and DEHC are researching different bike cage designs and exploring the two stations to determine where to put them and what they might look like.
The MBTA has received $4.8 million for bicycle improvements to their system, and we want to let them know that secure bike parking should be a priority, particular in Dorchester. We’ve all seen bike skeletons on their current bike racks! Get in touch with us if you’d like to help us with this initiative, and make sure your local civic associations and institutions are aware.
The push for bike lanes on Blue Hill Avenue
For months, DEHC has been building a coalition of groups that support the installation of a bike lane along Blue Hill Avenue as part Continue Reading »
Oct. 22: City Council Candidates Debate Parks & Open Space Issues
The At-large Boston City Council Candidates will debate about Parks & Open Space issues on Thursday, October 22nd, from 6:30-8:00 pm at the Franklin Park Golf Clubhouse. Come hear the eight candidates talk about how they will promote and support greenspace throughout the city of Boston if they are elected. There will be questions about bicycling, public safety in parks, green jobs for youth, arts and nature programs, the link to health and wellness, community gardens, funding, park management and more. Half the program will be devoted to questions from the audience. Show the candidates how important parks and open space are to the quality of life for all Bostonians!
The Golf Clubhouse is on Franklin Park Road in Dorchester and can be Continue Reading »
28X Bus Improvement Community Meeting – Oct 1
From the MA Office of Transportation Planning:
Thursday October 1st, we will be holding a Public Meeting at the
Mattapan Branch Library at 1350 Blue Hill Avenue to discuss the
Route 28X Bus Enhancements Project. We hope you can join us.
The meeting will begin at 6:00 PM and will cover three topic areas:
1. Project schedule update
2. A review of alternative transit concepts identified by the community,
including a discussion of how to evaluate their potential benefits and
impacts
3. Information on our proposed approach to job creation and management of
construction impacts.
As you may know, the grant application was submitted recently. The
submitted application materials can be found atwww.mass.gov/eot/28x as can
other information about the project.
We will continue to hold community meetings and other events as part of
the Route 28X Bus Enhancements Project. We will publicize all meetings
and events.
Please contact the Office of Transportation Planning at 617.973.7210 or
planning@eot.state.ma.us with any questions.
Please help spread the word.
Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation
- DEHC hopes folks from our local cycling community can attend and speak up about considering bike transit in the plans…
Community Advisory Committee on Climate Action – nominations sought
The city of Boston’s Climate Action Leadership Committee needs your help! They are looking for Boston residents to serve on the Climate Action Community Advisory Committee (CAC) that will work alongside the Climate Action Leadership Committee. You don’t have to be a climate expert. You just have to be willing to be an active player on a diverse team that will work together from July 2009 to March 2010.
Nominate yourself or another person.
You can apply on line at http://www.cityofboston.gov/climate/committee.asp.
For more information, contact: Carl Spector at at 617-635-3850 or Carl.Spector@cityofboston.gov.
NOMINATION FORMS DUE BY: Friday June, 26, 2009, 4:00 p.m.
Public Hearing re $13 Mil for Dot Ave Improvements – TUES, MAY 19, 7 PM
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
MASSACHUSETTS HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING
Project File No. 605625
A Design Public Hearing will be held by MassHighway to discuss the proposed:
Signal and Intersection Improvements Project on Dorchester Avenue
WHERE: Dorchester House
1345 Dorchester Avenue, Boston, MA
WHEN: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
PURPOSE: The purpose of this hearing is to provide the public with the opportunity to become fully acquainted with the proposed: Signal and Intersection Improvements Project on Dorchester Avenue. All views and comments made at the hearing will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible.
PROPOSAL: This project seeks to improve the safety of 15 intersections along Dorchester Avenue from the Old Colony Avenue intersection to the Peabody Square Intersection. Continue Reading »
Environmental Summit April 23d
City Council Hearing: Summit on Local and Individual Strategies to Combat Climate Change
Environmental Summit sponsored by the Boston City Council’s Committee on Environment and Health.
Thursday, April 23rd at 5:30 PM
Healthworks at Codman
450 Washington Street, Dorchester MA 02124
Learn quick, easy, energy-saving and money-saving steps that you can take each day that will benefit you, your community, and the world.
Summit Topics Include:
How to Green your Home
Green Driving 101
Green Shopping: What to Look for in Dorchester
“We sometimes emphasize the danger in a crisis without focusing on the opportunities that are there. We should feel a great sense of urgency because it is the most dangerous crisis we have ever faced, by far. But it also provides us with opportunities to do a lot of things we ought to be doing for other reasons anyway. And to solve this crisis we can develop a shared sense of moral purpose.” –Al Gore
Please contact Boston City Councillor At-Large John R. Connolly with any questions at:
(617) 635-3115 or at John.R.Connolly@cityofboston.gov
