As Massachusetts continues to reopen and the possibility for a future rise in COVID-19 infection rates remains, we are pushing municipalities and the state to adapt transit service and street space in support of public health, safe mobility, and economic vitality in our communities. Check out the links below for resources and our evolving response to COVID-19.

Policy Recommendations

Recommendations for the MBTA:

• Recommendations for Continuing to Keep MBTA Riders and Employees Safe and to Support the Commonwealth’s Economic Recovery, 6/24/2020: A broad coalition of organizations releases recommendations for the MBTA. These recommendations highlight the efforts the MBTA has already undertaken to ensure rider and operator safety, and the steps the MBTA needs to take to address perceptions that transit is unsafe and enhance the safety and efficiency of the system.

Recommendations and Guidelines for Municipalities to Adapt Streets for Response and Recovery:

• Keeping People Safe While Making Essential Trips During COVID-19 Crisis, 4/13/20
• Guidelines for Municipalities: Adapting Streets for Pandemic Response and Recovery in Massachusetts, 6/16/20

LivableStreets Blog Posts

As the situation continues to evolve, our response and actions must evolve with it. LivableStreets staff have been lending a lot of thought to how the current public health and economic crisis impacts our work as transportation advocates, along with all of the longstanding inequities that it illuminates. Our blog series explores the challenges facing mobility right now and the variety of situations that make this time especially challenging for some people - while we can’t have all the answers, we want to explore this conversation with you.

• Our Streets Can Wait -- For Now, Stay Home, 4/9/20
• Accepting Temporary Discomfort, Fighting for Long-Term Transformation (Part 1), 5/4/20
• Accepting Temporary Discomfort, Fighting for Long-Term Transformation (Part 2), 5/15/20
• Racism and Police Violence are Transportation Problems, 6/2/20

StreetTalks

In these uncertain times, one thing is certain - transportation is more important than ever. In partnership with the WGBH Forum Network, LivableStreets hosted a four-part virtual StreetTalk series focused on our streets, our transportation system, and the future of mobility.

• From the Beltway to the Bay State: How will the Federal response to COVID-19 impact our streets and what can you do about it? | April 22, 2020
• Walk This Way: How do we keep people healthy and safe on our streets? | April 29, 2020
• Keep Transit Moving: How to keep transit workers and riders safe now, and in the future? | May 6, 2020
• Housing, Density, and Transit: What will make communities resilient in the future? | May 13, 2020