July 17, 2013

Boston says goodbye to Dewey Sq.'s controversial Os Gemeos mural

Photo courtesy of Boston Globe

 

Boston limiting new parking as number of residences soars Boston Globe

Casey Ross-- “We don’t need a parking space for every bedroom in every new building,” Peter Meade, head of the Boston Redevelopment Authority, said in a recent interview. He cited US census data showing that one in three Boston residents is between 20 and 35, and most bike, walk, or use public transportation to get to work.

But the reduction in spaces is roiling residents in some of Boston’s densely populated neighborhoods, with critics arguing that officials are allowing high-minded planning principles to trump the needs of residents who wage a daily battle over precious street spots.

 

State unveils $2.5m plan to upgrade Weeks footbridge connecting Allston, Cambridge Boston.com

Matt Rocheleau-- State officials plan to start construction next month on a $2.5-million project to improve accessibility along the historic John W. Weeks Footbridge, which spans the Charles River connecting Allston and Cambridge.

The project will include replacing stairs at either end of the footbridge with ramps. Those ramps, along with existing and new paths approaching the bridge, will be built at widths and slopes that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, officials said.

 

Longfellow Bridge Construction Begins Amid Traffic Concerns MassBike

This week, MassDOT held the second public information meeting focused on the construction and traffic management plans for the Longfellow Bridge rehabilitation project. If you frequent the area, you may have noticed some of the preparatory work already in progress (in Charles Circle, in Kendall Square, and in front of the Museum of Science), and construction is scheduled to start in earnest later this month and run through September 2016.

 

Bloomberg’s Traffic Ideas - First the World, Then, Maybe, the City​ NY Times

Matt Flegenheimer-- Though often hamstrung at home by headstrong state lawmakers, an entrenched taxi industry and a city in which even a single bike lane can inspire years of litigation, Mr. Bloomberg has found success overseas in pushing — and financing — a global transportation agenda during his final years as the mayor of New York City.

 

How should cyclists protect against pollution? BBC

Philippa Roxby-- It is not unusual for city streets to be filled with cyclists as well as cars and buses in the morning rush hour.

Following the publication of research showing that air pollution can cause heart failure in people with weak hearts, should cyclists be wary of breathing in toxic traffic fumes?

Blocking out gases such as carbon monoxide, ozone and nitrogen dioxide, as well as fine particulate air pollution - all contained in the exhaust fumes from buses, taxes and lorries - is a tall order.

But these are the harmful elements that can get into the lungs and into the bloodstream, and have a negative impact on our health.

 

"Streets"

Walking

  • Why Walkability Is Key To A City’s Vitality WBUR
  • Will Allston overpass continue as soulless, unsafe span for pedestrians? Universal Hub
  • WalkBoston Comment Letter Cambridge St Overpass
  • Wondy Pedestrian Bridge, Plaza Opens Quietly Revere Journal
  • Sad sidewalks Word on the Street
  • Put that phone down and just walk -- As distracted texting rises, so do pedestrian deaths​ Boston Globe
  • State unveils $2.5m plan to upgrade Weeks footbridge connecting Allston, Cambridge Boston.com

Bicycling

  • Cargo Bikes -- The New Station Wagon WSJ
  • Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan are good places for bike lanes Boston Globe
  • A new kind of problem: Where to park your bike? Boston Globe
  • Brookline bait bike catches another suspected bike thief Wicked Local
  • Bike trips in Somerville Somerville Resistat
  • Hubway might be coming to JP in late summer JP Gazette
  • On Biking: cycling helped turn his life around Boston.com
  • Boston police vehicle strikes bicyclist, 63, on New Chardon Street​ Boston Globe
  • Hubway Installing New Somerville Stations Somerville Patch
  • Bike to Work Shirt Hits Market BostInno
  • Boston Bike Party – July Edition Cycle Style Boston
  • Springfield Youth Report On Bike Safety MassBike
  • Letters: What’s a $200 bike rack in a city with soaring costs? Boston Globe
  • Letters: Warning signs are not enough to protect cyclists from hazards Boston Globe 
  • Boston Bikes to host annual Hub on Wheels event in September​ Boston.com

Transit

  • MBTA chief Beverly Scott's plan to speed up buses makes sense as a first step Boston Globe
  • MBTA pilot program aims to boost ridership on Fairmount commuter line by 20 percent Boston Globe
  • LETTER: Eliminate one bus stop at MIT Wicked Local
  • MBTA to eliminate 225 bus stops Wicked Local
  • Three Options on the Table for Silver Line Route in Chelsea Chelsea Record
  • Cape Cod car traffic could signal more business for CapeFlyer train service Boston Globe

Cars/Parking

  • Another car sharing company lands at Logan Airport​ Boston Globe
  • Somerville alderman looks to change 48-hour parking rule Wicked Local
  • Rental empires bare teeth at car-sharing startups​ Boston Globe
  • Mandatory Parking Requirements: A Debate
    • What Do You Know About Boston's Parking? WGBH
    • Boston limiting new parking as number of residences soars Boston Globe
    • Boston To Developers -- Build Fewer New Parking Spaces WBUR
    • Parking is tough enough without loosening requirements on developers Boston Globe
    • Don’t require more spaces; price curbside ones properly Boston Globe
    • Letters: City takes bold lead in drawing a line on new parking Boston Globe
    • Letters: Public transit must improve before easing requirements for parking Boston Globe
    • Letters: Cars have overrun the landscape​ Boston Globe
    • Letters: We can’t very well carry our cars onto the T​ Boston Globe
  • The Government Center Garage Project -- Boom times need infrastructure​ Boston Column

Transportation financing/Government

  • City councilors can get parking tickets dismissed JP Gazette
  • Mayoral forum puts focus on environmental priorities Boston Globe
  • MBCR Appoints New General Manager Boston to a T
  • Highway Chief DePaola: MassDOT to pay for costs from fallen flag​ Boston Herald

Parks

Development projects

  • Chelsea experiencing building revival​ Boston Globe
  • Kaya Hotel back on track in Porter Square Wicked Local
  • Somerville aldermen seek to block development with historic district Wicked Local
  • ‘Serenity’ approved by BRA JP Gazette
  • A Chelsea housing dream turned nightmare Biz Journals
  • BRA Keeps Border Street Units at Market Rate​ Eastie Times
  • DOT Officials Brief Residents on Plans when Callahan Tunnel Closes Eastie Times
  • LETTER: Broadway reconstruction is 'an unwise idea' Wicked Local
  • A city of architects should promote more experimentation on apartment design​ Boston Globe
  • Longfellow Bridge
    • Groups express concerns over forthcoming Longfellow Bridge detours​ Boston Globe
    • Longfellow Bridge Construction Begins Amid Traffic Concerns MassBike
    • Longfellow Bridge closure will require major adjustments​ Boston Globe
  • City Moves Forward in Securing Retailers for Dudley Square BRA News

Land Use/Planning

  • Letter to the Editor: 181/197 Washington Street Somerville News
  • Somerville officials, residents concerned by direction of Assembly square's growth Wicked Local
  • Planners hear from public on Union Square project Somerville News
  • Jackson Square CAC disbanded JP Gazette
  • Rebooting Jackson Square input JP Gazette
  • Suburbs must adapt or wither -- The coming suburban shakeout​ Boston Globe

Out-of-state

  • NY
    • LIRR Will Try to Revoke 600 Retiree Pensions Mass Transit Mag
    • Interactive Map: Your Biking Wisdom in 10 Words NY Times
    • The Biggest Test Yet of the NYPD's Pledge to Treat Traffic Deaths Seriously Atlantic Cities
    • The Bronx Gets Its Second Select Bus Service Route StreetsBlog
    • City Recommends Turning Sheridan Into Surface Road. Your Move, State DOT StreetsBlog
    • NYC Voters Pleased That Totalitarians Have Begrimed City With Bike-Share StreetsBlog
  • CA
    • That's Right, Los Angeles Is Giving Up Car Lanes for Pedestrians Atlantic Cities
    • The Downtown Los Angeles Livability Wars: Outdoor Seating LA StreetsBlog
    • City Agencies Unveil Final Design for Bartlett “Mercado Plaza” SF StreetsBlog
    • City Officials Unveil a People-Friendly Street in Fisherman’s Wharf SF StreetsBlog
  • DC
    • WMATA Rips Out Guerrilla Gardener's Dupont Metro Flower Garden In the Capital
  • FL
    • Broward road redesign will expand bike lanes, sidewalks, add lighting Sun Sentinel
  • NB
    • Lincoln, Nebraska — That’s Right — Is Planning a Protected Bike Lane StreetsBlog
  • IL
  • UT
    • Salt Lake City: A Red State Capital Builds Ambitious Transit StreetFilms
  • MN

National Trends

  • Lawmakers switch gears on per-mile road-usage charge Statesman Journal
  • Does congestion pricing make cities more car-free? Smart Planet
  • Interactive Tool to Help You Navigate MAP-21 People Powered Movement
  • Departing Secretary LaHood Previews What's Ahead for Transportation Governing.com
  • City Releases New Design Recommendations for Sidewalks StreetsBlog
  • Is Being Able to Walk Around Your City a Right? Atlantic Cities
  • Elf Electric Pedal Car: When 1 Horsepower Is Enough​ WSJ
  • When Hostile Streets Mar What Should Be a Walkable Trip StreetsBlog
  • Passing a Law Is the Easy Part: The Challenge of Building Complete Streets StreetsBlog
  • The Important Difference Between a 'Common' and a Public Space Atlantic Cities
  • Wider Highways Mean More Congested Local Streets  StreetsBlog
  • Bipartisan Bill Would Make Complete Streets the National Standard StreetsBlog
  • What Would Happen if an American Town Went Carless? Planetizen

International news

  • Glasgow's 'Bridge to Nowhere' finally completed BBC
  • China ex-rail boss gets suspended death for graft Yahoo
  • How should cyclists protect against pollution? BBC
  • Bloomberg’s Traffic Ideas - First the World, Then, Maybe, the City​ NY Times
  • Can France create its own Kendall Square?​ Boston Globe
  • Car Ownership May Be Down in the U.S., But It¹s Soaring Globally  StreetsBlog
  • In Copenhagen, Motoring on Cyclists’ Terms StreetsBlog
  • Two Drivers Jump Sidewalk in Toronto, Injure 10 — Cops Blame Pedestrians DC StreetsBlog
  • The World's Most Beautiful Street is a Tree-Filled Oasis in the Heart of Porto Alegre, Brazil InHabitat