Rally For Safer Streets Sept 29th!

From Livable Streets:

The program will start at 6pm sharp with City Council President Michelle Wu and Chief of Streets Chris Osgood. Show up early to meet with Councilor Wu and share your street safety concerns!

Streets are For People Rally
Thursday, September 29, 2016, 6-7pm
@ City Hall Plaza, Boston
**rally will go on rain or shine

Many of you have been helping us to spread the word via social media, thank you! Keep the momentum going so we can get the biggest crowd possible!

Together we can urge our leaders to prioritize safer options for people who walk, bike, and take transit. 

What you can do:

1. Share this email with your friends and neighbors and encourage them to join you on September 29th!

2. Invite 5 friends to the event:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1590398451256994/

3. Wear yellow to the rally. Yellow is a color of solidarity for those killed or seriously injured in crashes.

4. Spread the word via social media before and during the rally using #visionzero and #crashnotaccident

By participating in this rally you can show your continued support for Vision Zero efforts and making Boston’s streets safer to navigate — no matter how people get around.

We know that Vision Zero can save lives. We hope to see you at City Hall Plaza this Thursday!

Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition

Event Co-Hosts: WalkBoston, T4MA, TransitMatters, USPIRG, Safe Roads Alliance, MassBike, LivableStreets Alliance, DotBike, Boston Cyclists Union, StreetsPAC Boston, Walk UP Rozzie, Green Streets Initiative, Cambridge Bicycle Safety, Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition

Dear Boston City Council,

Yesterday, the Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition invited Mayor Walsh to speak at a Vision Zero rally taking place on September 29th at 6pm at City Hall Plaza. (We’ve included the invite below). We would like to invite City Council President Wu to speak at the rally, and invite all of you to be there to show your continued support for Vision Zero efforts and making Boston’s streets safer to navigate — no matter how people are getting around.

Sincerely,

Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition

WalkBoston, T4MA, TransitMatters, USPIRG, Safe Roads Alliance, MassBike, LivableStreets Alliance, DotBike, Boston Cyclists Union, StreetsPAC Boston

September 14, 2016

Mayor Martin J. Walsh
1 City Hall Square, Suite 500
Boston, MA 02201-2013

Dear Mayor Walsh,

On behalf of the Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition we would like to invite you to speak at a rally on September 29th at 6pm at City Hall Plaza, where we will gather with our friends and neighbors in solidarity with those who have been killed in traffic crashes to call for swifter action to prevent these tragedies in the future.

Specifically, we hope you will recommit to Vision Zero, the pledge to eliminate fatal and serious traffic crashes in the city by 2030, and share what actions the City will take before the end of the year to achieve the goals it set forth in the Vision Zero Action Plan released in December of 2015. Additionally, we hope that you will commit more financial resources for additional staff and capital projects to ensure that the Transportation Department has the support it needs to reach these important goals.

Committing to Vision Zero was an important first step in improving safety on our streets. Unfortunately, in the wake of a series of tragic and preventable crashes, injuries, and fatalities, including 13 pedestrians who have died so far this year in the City of Boston, it is more important than ever to focus the priority of transportation policies and projects on safety.

The status quo is not working. We desperately need to invest in the infrastructure of Boston’s streets and sidewalks — and we need your leadership to show it is the mandate of city government to prioritize safer options for people to walk, bike, take transit and drive.

Thank you for considering this invitation. We hope to see you on September 29th and look forward to working with you to accelerate progress toward achieving Vision Zero in the City of Boston.

Sincerely,

Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition

WalkBoston, T4MA, TransitMatters, USPIRG, Safe Roads Alliance, MassBike, LivableStreets Alliance, DotBike, Boston Cyclists Union, StreetsPAC Boston

The Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition advocates for the implementation of Vision Zero in Boston and for the adoption of Vision Zero throughout the metro area and state of Massachusetts. The growing coalition includes community-based organizations, nonprofits, businesses, civic groups and individuals representing communities across the state.

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Reminder: Speak Out For Safety On Mass. Ave. Wed. June 15th!

From Livable Streets:

Now is the time to speak up for a safer Massachusetts Ave!

This Wednesday, June 15^th the City of Boston is holding a community meeting to share proposed design improvements for Massachusetts Avenue from Beacon Street to Harrison Avenue. This is a critical meeting. Will you be there? 

Vision Zero Priority Corridor Mass Ave Public Meeting
June 15, 2016, 6pm – 7:30pm
@ Saint Cecilia Parish, 18 Belvidere St, Boston

Through participating in this meeting you are demonstrating your support not just for a safer Mass Ave, but for strong Vision Zero implementation throughout Boston.

You can do a few things to help out:

1. Share this with your friends and neighbors and encourage them to join you on Wednesday.
2. Wear yellow to the meeting. Yellow is an international color of solidarity for those killed in crashes.
3. Spread the word via social media before and during the meeting using #visionzero, #ProtectMassAve and#crashnotaccident 
4. Speak up at the meeting. Tell the city about your personal experiences and the improvements you’d like to see on Mass Ave

Here are a few suggested talking points:

• Thank you for your commitment to Vision Zero and making Mass Ave safer for everyone!
• Please add protected bike lanes on both sides of Mass Ave, the whole way.
• Re-pave Mass Ave by the Christian Science Center Plaza as soon as possible!
• In areas where protected bike lanes can’t be added this year, please make a commitment to implement them as part of your long-term plan for the street.
• Please make signals shorter to reduce the wait time for pedestrians crossing the street;
• And give pedestrians at least a 6 second head start when they are crossing
• Please make every intersection ‘no right on red’ — and enforce it!

This project is an important step in bringing the number of fatalities on our streets to zero and has the potential to be a model street for other safety improvements throughout Boston.

We know that improving Mass Ave will save lives. We hope to see you on June 15^th!

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Action Alert: Speak Up For A Safer Mass. Ave. June 15th

From Livable Streets:

Now is the time to speak up for a safer Massachusetts Ave!

Next Wednesday, June 15 the City of Boston is holding a community meeting to share proposed design improvements for Massachusetts Avenue from Beacon Street to Harrison Avenue.

This is a critical meeting. We’ve been waiting for this since the City first announced Mass Ave as a Vision Zero priority corridor last December.

The City’s goal is to use the feedback from this meeting to make safety improvements to Mass Ave this year.

Vision Zero Priority Corridor Mass Ave Public Meeting
June 15, 2016, 6pm – 7:30pm
@ Saint Cecilia Parish, 18 Belvidere St, Boston

We know that improving Mass Ave will save lives. Will you join us on June 15th?

This project is an important step in bringing the number of fatalities on our streets to zero and has the potential to be a model street for other safety improvements throughout Boston.

We’ll follow up with more details about the meeting early next week. In the meantime you can:

1. Mark your calendar for June 15 and plan on attending the meeting.
2. Share this email with your friends and neighbors and encourage them to join you.

Thank you for making our streets safer and more livable for everyone!

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Join The Vision Zero Movement

Got this in the email. For far far too long Americans have had an at best un-examined relationship with the effects of the cars they drive. Vision Zero highlights the most tragic effect of our transportation choices.  We should commit to zero deaths on our streets.

A Tough Start to the Year: How you can get Involved

There have been more than two dozen pedestrian fatalities statewide in 2016, including the tragic death of a child near Tufts Medical Center last Saturday. Another person was hit this morning at the corner of Mass Ave & Albany Street – part of the 1.6 mile stretch of Mass Ave from Melnea Cass Blvd to Beacon Street that has been highlighted as a Vision Zero Priority Corridor. While we are seeing some positive incremental progress, we still have a tremendous amount of work to do to bring the number of fatalities and serious crashes down to zero in Boston and throughout the state.

To help you can:

• Submit your safety concerns on the City of Boston’s new interactive Vision Zero safety concerns map. You can pick a location and comment on specific street safety concerns in Boston with this tool. Now you can report safety concerns, near misses, and incidents – valuable data that can be added to existing police and EMS crash data.

• Read the City Of Boston’s Vision Zero Action Plan and share it with others via Facebook, email or Twitter. Spreading the word is an important first step in making sure everyone is working to reduce traffic fatalities.

• Contact your city councilors, legislators and other local leaders to encourage them to pass and support the legislation and policies above related to Vision Zero, and to focus efforts and funding on infrastructure that is safer for people walking and biking.

• Share this email with your friends and encourage them to sign up for updates from the Vision Zero Coalition.

Boston City Councilors Support Lowering the Speed Limit to 20 MPH

Boston city councilors held a hearing two weeks ago to lower the default speed limit to 20 miles per hour on city streets.

The measure would decrease the speed limit from 30 miles per hour in residential areas and thickly populated business districts where there are no posted signs. In school zones, the speed limit would be lowered from 20 miles per hour to 15 miles per hour.

Several members of the Vision Zero coalition spoke at the hearing: Jackie DeWolfe from LivableStreets, Wendy Landman from WalkBoston and Becca Wolfson from the Boston Cyclists Union.

The City Council has unanimously passed the proposal, which now goes to Mayor Martin J. Walsh. The measure will also also require the State Legislature’s approval, because speed limits are set by state law.

Giving communities the option to set lower default speed limits is one more tool that can help make our streets safer for everyone.  It should be paired with real infrastructure improvements to change driver behavior and force driving at safer speeds.

We’ll keep you updated as this progresses!

Boston Commits Funds to Vision Zero

Just a few days ago, the City of Boston announced they would set aside $3.1 million for Vision Zero in their 2017 budget, a significant increase from the $500,000 that was in this year’s budget. Another $9.3 million will go toward the project over the next three years.

“The underlying philosophy of Vision Zero is that our streets should be welcoming and safe,” said Boston Transportation Commissioner Gina Fiandaca.

Increasing the Vision Zero budget was one of the key recommendations the Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition made to the city. Click here to read the full list of recommendations.

Cambridge Announces Commitment to Vision Zero

Joe Barr, Director of Traffic, Parking, and Transportation for Cambridge, announcing the commitment to Vision Zero

In March, the Cambridge City Council unanimously passed resolutions to formally adopt Vision Zero and Complete Streets policies! Cambridge follows more than a dozen other cities nationally that committed to Vision Zero.

To read the full text of the resolution click here (resolution starts on p.54). 

We are excited that Cambridge has committed to Vision Zero and hope that other towns and cities throughout the state will follow suit!

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Video Shines Spotlight on Dangerous LMA streets

Check out this great video highlighting the often dangerous streets conditions for people biking in the Longwood Medical Area.

Recent studies show that more than 20 percent of rush hour traffic in the LMA is on bicycle. The video highlights the needs for better street designs that will accommodate emergency vehicles as well as everyone moving to and through the LMA no matter how they get around.

Thank you for helping make our streets safer for everyone!

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Ways You Can Be Part Of Vision Zero

After 4 pedestrian fatalities in January, the Mayor is rolling out new ways to allow you to help reduce all traffic fatalities to ZERO in Boston.

Here are some ways you can help.

1. Submit your safety concerns on the City of Boston’s new interactive Vision Zero safety concerns map. You can pick a location and comment on specific street safety concerns in Boston with this tool. Now you can report safety concerns, near misses, and incidents – valuable data that can be added to existing police and EMS crash data.

2. Read the City Of Boston’s Vision Zero Action Plan and share it with others via Facebook, email or Twitter. Spreading the word is an important first step in making sure everyone is working to reduce traffic fatalities.

3. Sign up for Vision Zero updates. Stay informed and get alerts about important meetings, events and actions you can take to help make Vision Zero a reality.

That map is going to be pretty marked up when I am done with it…

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