June 17, 2013

Neponset Greenway

Artist Rendering of Future Neponset Greenway

Image Courtesy of DOT News

 

$$ marks the spot in parking auction Boston Herald

Donna Goodison-- Two coveted Back Bay parking spaces — much in demand, but short in supply — will hit the auction block next week.

Real estate agents expect the tandem spaces behind 298 Commonwealth Ave., essentially one long space for two cars, could fetch up to $250,000 or more given the primo location.

“It’s a great address,” said Beth Dailey, broker/owner at Boston Realty Sales & Services. “That could go for $250,000, or it could go for more. Most recently people have been willing to pay a lot for parking spaces, condos, whatever.”

 

What the Boston Cyclist Safety Report actually found Boston Streets

When the City’s Boston Bikes program released its much-anticipated safety report last month,reports immediately focused on an unbelievable finding: cyclists running red lights were the most common cause of crashes in Boston. No doubt guilt-ridden drivers were relieved to learn that scofflaw cyclists were the problem all along.

Within a few hours, however, reporters were correcting their stories. The most common behavior actually cited in bicycle crashes was the ambiguous “Driver did not see bicyclist,” whatever that means.

So what happened? 

 

Patrick administration commits to finishing Neponset Greenway, announces $1.9 million for design DOT News

Gov. Deval Patrick said on Tuesday that his administration will provide $1.9 million in capital funds for designing the completion of the Neponset River Greenway Trail. Administration officials added that the state Department of Transportation is committed to funding the completion of the project, which is expected to cost between $11 million and $15 million and will take place over several phases before wrapping up in three years.

 

At Barclays Center Events, Fewer Cars Than ExpectedNY Times

Matt Flegenheimer-- An engineer’s scheme to “scare drivers away” from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn by curtailing parking appears to have tamed congestion outside the arena, aided in part by a New Jersey fan base expressing little interest in following its basketball team across state lines.

More than a year after Samuel I. Schwartz, a traffic engineering expert, recommended cutting the number of proposed parking spaces from 1,100 to about 540 — to discourage driving — the figures suggest that car use has been even lower than had been projected.

In fact, Mr. Schwartz said that so far, only eight events, including concerts by Barbra Streisand, Justin Bieber and Andrea Bocelli, had filled even half of the on-site parking spaces.

 

Nørrebrogade in Copenhagen: Proof of concept that low-car streets work Bike Portland

Jonathan Maus-- Despite what the naysayers continue to push back against, once you've spent time in cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam you realize that yes, indeed, it's absolutely possible to have a low-car city that teems with economic vibrancy and happy, healthy citizens that have access to all the services they need without having to use a car.

Take Nørrebrogade in Copenhagen for instance. This street was transformed back in 2007-2008 by a visionary mayor who had the guts to push a revitalization of this previously lackluster thoroughfare that put people above auto capacity. Nørrebrogade was reconstructed with bus-only priority lanes, cycle tracks that are 16-feet wide in some sections, and improved sidewalks. There is no on-street auto parking and for several blocks, if you want to drive on the street you must turn off it and go around a bus/bike only section. The result is a 50% reduction in auto volume, large increases in people cycling, taking transit, and walking, and a commercial environment that would be envy of any business owner.

 

"Streets"

Walking

  • Painting Your Own Crosswalk: Crime or Civic Opportunity? Atlantic Cities
  • Study: Walkability Linked to Much Lower Risk of Default on Housing Loans StreetsBlog
  • Walkable Somerville The Somerville News
  • Editorial: Unleash the dog-walking talk JP Gazette
  • Woman dies after being hit while crossing street in downtown Boston Boston.com
  • Raised crosswalks coming to Medford Boston.com

Parks

  • In Mattapan residents continue push for greenway Boston.com
  • Major Greenways Link for Watertown-Cambridge Greenway Acquired Cambridge MA
  • Boston Has One of the Best Parks Systems in the Country​ Boston Magazine
  • Parklet to cost up to $25K JP Gazette
  • Franklin Park off-leash dog area plan moves forward JP Gazette
  • Letter: Thanks to DCR for park fix-ups JP Gazette
  • Patrick administration commits to finishing Neponset Greenway, announces $1.9 million for design DOT News
  • Neponset River Greenway gets $1.9 million from state Boston.com

Bicycling

  • Letters: Cyclists must curb their recklessness Boston Globe
  • Letters: With right skills, gear, and attitude, cycling is safe Boston Globe
  • Naked Bike Ride? Boston can promote bicycling without gimmicks Boston Globe
  • Longfellow Bike Traffic update Amateur Planner
  • What the Boston Cyclist Safety Report actually found Boston Streets
  • In bike-share, Boston-New York rivalry becomes camaraderie Boston Globe
  • Somerville residents criticize Gilman Street bridge plans, want more bicycle access Wicked Local
  • No room to ride Boston Herald
  • Bike advocates lead South Boston community ride to improve safety Jsons
  • Brookline installing new contra-flow bike lanes Boston.com

Transit

  • Live MBTA bus speeds Bostonography
  • Effort to halt ethanol transport by train scores key victory in State House Boston.com
  • Ethanol trains put profits over people, public safety The Somerville News
  • MBTA Alert System Will Announce Train Delays BostInno
  • Lucky Star shutdown halts company’s bus service between Boston and New York Boston.com
  • MBTA: Wedgemere Station Reopens MA Transpo Blog
  • Lucky Star Bus Ordered Off The Road Charlestown Patch
  • Arlington design firm helps rework T alerts Wicked Local 
  • MBTA ridership down in 2013, but fare revenue higher than expected Metro
  • Attacks On MBTA Bus Drivers Are On The Rise WBUR
  • Report details Boston neighborhoods with the lowest commute times -- among other things Boston.com

Cars/Parking

  • Menino should move now on major reform of taxi system Boston Globe
  • Ridesharing App Lyft Launches in Boston BostInno
  • Ross wants transportation officials to regulate taxis Boston Globe
  • Dukakis and mayors bristle over lack of approval for MassDOT digital billboards Boston Globe
  • Parking System Starts on Monday Brookline Patch
  • State Police to Crack Down on Texting While Driving South End Patch
  • $$ marks the spot in parking auction Boston Herald
  • Hands-Free Gadgets In Car Don't Mean Driving Is Risk-Free WGBH

Transportation financing/Government

  • Mayoral Race
    • Mayor hopefuls steer debate to JP overpass​ Boston Herald
    • Boston mayoral candidates joust at two public forums​ Boston Globe
  • Secretary Bialecki Announces Multi-Family Advisory Committee; Joint Partnership with EEA and DOT Realestaterma
  • Somerville board acquires land for Green Line Extension Wicked Local
  • MassDOT official no longer in post Boston Herald
  • Opinion: The politics of crumbling bridges Wicked Local 
  • THE SOMERVILLE FILES: PART 1: THE FIXED GEARS Dig Boston
  • MassDOT takes on the last mile​ Commonwealth Mag

Development projects

  • Big housing plans for smaller cities Boston Globe
  • Development talks continue for redesigned Sullivan Square Boston.com
  • Slow pace of Marketplace revitalization irritates BRA Boston Herald
  • Beacon Hill neighbors receptive to Mass. Eye & Ear expansion Biz Journals
  • 600-foot tower proposed for Government Center Garage​ Boston Globe
  • State plans 2-year, $10m project to rebuild Cambridge Street bridge over I-90 in Allston Boston.com
  • Government Center towers - before and after​ Boston Globe
  • Route 39 project to start this month JP Gazette
  • New Apartment Building Proposed on Polk Street Charlestown Patch
  • Eye and Ear Seeks Public Support as It Eyes Expansion for Campus Beacon Hill Times
  • Hancock Village developer submitting smaller project Wicked Local
  • Neighbors voice support for proposed 13-story, 195-unit apartment building in Jamaica Plain Boston.com
  • Updated Cranberry Highway plans feature new U-turn, wider shoulder Wareham MA
  • Emerson College announces plans to expand into Boylston Place Boston Globe

Land Use/Planning

  • The BRA
    • Should we disband the Boston Redevelopment Authority? Walking Bostonian
    • Op-Ed: Do not get rid of the Boston Redevelopment Authority Boston Globe
    • BRA: How it works — and is funded Boston Herald
    • Agency’s independence has eroded, critics say​ Boston Herald
    • Letters: Boston needs a separate planning board to keep BRA’s clout in check Boston Globe
  • Mayor hopefuls steer debate to JP overpass​ Boston Herald
  • JPNC lawsuit is dismissed JP Gazette
  • Casey design plans move forward JP Gazette
  • Editorial: Close the historic review loophole JP Gazette
  • Letter: JPNDC remains committed to affordable housing JP Gazette

Out-of-state

  • NY
    • Venn Diagram: Why Conservatives Hate Citi Bike NY Mag
    • The Two-Wheeled Amenity​ NY Times
    • The Daily Show on Citi Bike: Doesn't Anybody Have a Real Objection? StreetsBlog
    • Bike-Share Effort Draws Riders and Hits Snags NY Times
    • What's All the Fuss About Bikes? NY Times
    • City leaders want DOT to expand bike share faster to outer boroughs AMNY
    • Bike Sharing Can Mean Safer Biking NY Times
    • At Barclays Center Events, Fewer Cars Than Expected​ NY Times
    • Sunlight in Store for Downtown Subway Crossing NY Times
  • DC Metro
    • Cyclists call for barriers to prevent U-turns on Pennsylvania Ave. WJLA
    • How Better Traffic Models Can Lead to More Mixed-Use Development DC StreetsBlog
    • Can DC decouple growth and "parking pressures"? Greater Greater Washington
  • IN
    • GOP Mayor Greg Ballard: Making Bicycling a Priority in Indianapolis StreetFilms
    • The Indianapolis Cultural Trail: The Next-Gen in U.S. Protected Bike Lanes StreetFilms
  • WI
    • Federal Judge Issues Injunction Against $1.7B Wisconsin Highway Project StreetsBlog
  • UT
    • Salt Lake City: Some Observations on Bicycling,Transit & Open Space StreetFilms
  • RI
    • Providence seeking federal money for streetcars Boston Globe
  • NC
    • NC Gov. McCrory Sets Out to Let Highway Money Flow While Blocking Transit DC StreetsBlog
  • CA
    • Taking Down a Freeway to Reconnect a Neighborhood SPUR
    • In California Cities, Drivers Want More Bike Lanes. Here's Why. DC StreetsBlog

National Trends

  • Why We Shouldn't Rely on Smart Growth Incentives to Fix Sprawl​ Atlantic Cities
  • A Foldable Fix to Public Transit's Peskiest Problem Atlantic Cities
  • ABB demonstrates technology to power flash charging electric bus in 15 seconds ABB
  • Feds wake up to realities of helmet effectiveness Boston Streets
  • Federal govt agrees to withdraw helmet claim WABA
  • The Transit Legacy of Frank Lautenberg Next City
  • The One About the Parking-Pinched Merchant Planetizen
  • Will A Pedometer Get You Off Your Duff? NPR
  • The Biggest Obstacle to Cycling's Egalitarian Aspirations? Distance​ Atlantic Cities
  • Bikes and the End of the World WSJ
  • Now is the time to be an infrastructure hawk, not a deficit hawk Washington Post
  • The Real Reason Cities Are Centers of Innovation Atlantic Cities
  • MIT & Audi Partner Up To Explain Why Driving is Just as Stressful as Skydiving BostInno
  • The life and death urban highways The City Fix
  • Terra Nova: Roads to Rails, and the Streetcar of the Future Design Observer
  • Study: FRA Regulations Make Us Less Safe StreetsBlog
  • When should streets use sharrows, painted lanes and separation? Bike Portland
  • Raquel Nelson: Homicide charge dropped, but the real crime persists T4America

International news

  • High-Tech Sensors Help Old Port City Leap Into Smart Future NPR
  • A day of 'nice cycling' in Den Bosch Bike Portland
  • Learning the Dutch way and exploring Utrecht Bike Portland
  • How to Change the World with Bikes: A Russian Activist's Lesson New Yorker
  • The first EU wide ECF Cycling Barometer launched ECF
  • VIDEO: Japan's Underground Bicycle Garages Are Amazing Good.is
  • Nørrebrogade in Copenhagen: Proof of concept that low-car streets work Bike Portland
  • Bike makes riders high-flyers, if only for five minutes BBC