Candidates Talk Transportation And Smart Growth

Starts off a little slow, but a really good insight into what our potential new leaders think about the future of transportation in this state.

From Livable Streets:

Massachusetts gubernatorial candidates took the stage at the Boston Public Library to discuss top transportation and smart growth priorities in front of hundreds of people watching in-person and through the live-stream.

The forum was sponsored by two state-wide coalitions, Transportation For Massachusetts and Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance. As a member of Transportation For Massachusetts, LivableStreets helped coordinate the forum, building off the success of the Mayoral Forum we helped coordinate last September with 28 partner groups. These forums provide an opportunity to elevate the issues we all care so much about, to hear directly from candidates about how they plan to improve transportation to make our communities more livable, and inform voters – that’s you – about where they stand on these issues

The full house and dynamic twitter conversations (#MovingMAForward) show that people in Boston and across the state hold transportation as a top priority. It was energizing to see you all there. With so many of us that care about these issues, we are well poised to make our city safer and more livable.

Forward this email with the video to a friend to help raise awareness about important transportation issues and to grow the community of people invested in improving our streets for people.
Thank you,

Jamie
Jamie Maier, Campaign Coordinator
LivableStreets Alliance
[email protected]
www.LivableStreets.info
T: @StreetsBoston
F: LivableStreets

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The Future of Transportation in America With Ray LaHood

Pretty interesting. More here.

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Mayoral Candidate Forum On Transportation Tonight!

The Boston Mayoral Candidate Forum on Transportation & Livable Communities is happening tonight!

TODAY, September 17th from 6-8PM (doors open at 5:30PM)

@ the Boston Public Library Rabb Lecture Hall, 700 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02116

The mayoral election is a huge opportunity to improve our city and our communities.

The forum is sponsored by LivableStreets Alliance and 27 other organizations throughout Boston. The forum will be moderated by Paul McMorrow, Associate Editor at CommonWealth magazine, and Stephanie Pollack, Associate Director at the Kitty & Michael Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy and LivableStreets Board Member.

RSVP today for easy sign-in. RSVP doesn’t guarantee seat. First come, first serve.

They are expecting over 400! People to attend so if you want to be there, get there early!  Hopefully someone will video tape it and put it on youtube when its over for those of us who can’t make it.

SHOW UP!  Make sure these people know that we care about these issues and that we want more and better bicycle infrastructure!

Here are three mayoral candidates views on biking from BCU:

Boston’s 12 mayoral candidates are in an all out sprint to determine which two hopefuls will stride past the primary election. Two weeks ago, 10 members of the bike community put 10 questions to them-and so far, three campaigns have answered. Does their timely response indicate the amount of priority they will give bicycles in their administration? You be the judge.

First to respond: Bill Walczak, Dorchester

Second to respond: John R. Connolly, West Roxbury

Third to respond: Felix G. Arroyo, Jamaica Plain

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Mayoral Candidate Transportation Forum

I have talked a bit about select candidates and how they feel about transportation issues, but you can listen to them all at once at the Mayoral Candidate Transportation Forum presented by Livable Streets:

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It’s Not Too Late To Make Your Voice Heard For Better Transportation

from Livable Streets:

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Latest update -decisions are being made in next few days! Monday night, the Massachusetts House passed the Joint Ways and Means transportation package. The package provides an average of $500 million in new funds for transportation. By approving only $500 million, the House rejected Governor Deval Patrick’s push for a heftier tax hike he said was needed to upgrade the state’s aging and debt-ridden transportation system. On Wednesday, the Senate released its bill that is a step in the right direction, but still falls short. It allocates an average $600 million per year to transportation.

The plan still falls short for 3 reasons:

1. There isn’t enough funding to fix and modernize our system as we need and begin work on projects like Green Line extension.
2. There isn’t enough funding to ensure that tolls, fees and fares do not rise sharply.
3. There is no dedicated funding for biking and walking improvements in either bill!

Together, we can secure long-term dedicated transportation funding for biking, walking and public transit. Make your voice heard now! Thank you. 

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