Recent Streetsblog MASS posts about Advocacy Opportunities

Senators John Barrasso and Tom Carper (left) introduced a $287 billion transportation infrastructure plan Monday.

Senate’s $287B Roads Bill Offers Just 0.4% for Walking and Biking

By Aaron Short | Jul 30, 2019

Believe it or not, that's nearly double what the feds set aside in the last big transportation bill.

In June, the MBTA issued a solicitation for bids from private developers for the use of this mile-long rail corridor in East Boston. The corridor connects the Logan Airport area to the doorstep of Suffolk Downs, where builders have proposed 10.5 million square feet of new development.

Advocacy Works: MBTA Cancels East Boston Rail Corridor Sale

By Christian MilNeil | Jul 22, 2019

After receiving intense scrutiny from transit advocates, the MBTA is withdrawing its effort to sell easement rights to an abandoned mile-long rail corridor along the Chelsea Creek waterfront in East Boston. As reported last week on StreetsblogMASS, the MBTA quietly issued an “invitation for bids” on June 21 to sell off a non-exclusive easement to […]

Why Is the T Trying to Sell Off an East Boston Rail Corridor?

By Christian MilNeil | Jul 16, 2019 | 2 Comments

Two former state Secretaries of Transportation are raising serious concerns over the MBTA’s attempts to sell easement rights to private developers for the use of an abandoned mile-long rail corridor along the Chelsea Creek waterfront in East Boston. The former railroad right-of-way, which extends from the Chelsea Street bridge northward into Revere, runs parallel to […]

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has painted new bike lanes on Fenway near Simmons University. The lanes have been criticized for their lack of physical protection, and for their poor design at intersections. During the morning rush hour on July 11, 2019, dozens of safety advocates lined the new bike lanes to create a "people-protected" barrier.

Photos: ‘People-Protected’ Bike Lane on Fenway

By Christian MilNeil | Jul 11, 2019 | 1 Comment

A crowd of over 100 street safety advocates spent a pleasant morning in one of Boston’s Olmsted parks (albeit one that’s largely been paved over to give drivers more places to get stuck in traffic) as they created a “people-protected bike lane” on Fenway and Brookline Avenue during the morning rush hour. As reported previously, […]

An aerial view of the Back Bay Fens, looking east towards downtown Boston. Brookline Avenue runs diagonally from the upper left to the lower right in this image.

Unforced Error on the Fenway: New Bike Lanes on Busy Roads Lack Physical Protection

By Christian MilNeil | Jul 10, 2019 | 3 Comments

A repaving project of the Fenway and Park Drive near the Landmark Center is drawing criticism from Boston-area cyclists for installing new unprotected bike lanes in dangerous, heavy-traffic locations where parking-protected bike lanes appear to be feasible. The project includes the intersection of Park Drive and Brookline Avenue. In February, a driver at that location […]

A derailed Red Line car blocks the tracks at the JFK/UMass station on June 11, 2019. The derailment destroyed signal equipment and is expected to disrupt service on the Red Line for most of the summer. Photo courtesy of the Boston Fire Department.

Higher Fares Take Effect, and Elected Officials Respond With a ‘Boston T Party’

By Christian MilNeil | Jul 1, 2019

A fare increase for most MBTA subway and commuter rail tickets takes effect today, but dozens of local elected officials and activists are responding with a “Boston T Party” during this morning’s commute. The higher prices take effect nearly three weeks after a Red Line train went off the rails at the JFK/UMass station and […]

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