Recent Streetsblog MASS posts about Tactical Urbanism

It’s #Sneckdown Season

By Christian MilNeil | Dec 21, 2020 | No Comments

One silver lining to the recent snow: it's left thousands of "sneckdowns," places where snowbanks have narrowed down the roadway and forced cars to slow down considerably (a "snow neckdown").

Pedestrians take advantage of expanded walking areas on Beacon Street in Brookline in mid-April. Brookline officials have repurposed on-street parking areas to provide additional space for safe physical distancing in commercial districts and on key routes to area hospitals; City of Boston officials may soon follow suit. Photo courtesy of the Brookline Transportation Department.

MassDOT Announces $1 Million in Grants for Pandemic ‘Shared Streets and Spaces’

By Christian MilNeil | Jul 23, 2020 | No Comments

The first round of grant funding will create safer walking routes to schools in Chelsea, a new bus lane in Somerville, and new protected on-street pathways in Lowell.

Baker Admin. Launches $5M ‘Shared Streets and Spaces Emergency Grant Program’

By Christian MilNeil | Jun 11, 2020 | No Comments

The Commonwealth is launching a new $5 million grant program to create safer walking and biking routes with more room for physical distancing as “stay at home” orders ease this spring and summer. The new program was announced on Thursday afternoon during a press conference with Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito at the […]

Proposed signage for Cambridge's "shared streets" network, part of the city's strategy to provide safe physical distancing routes for car-free residents to get around the city. Courtesy of the City of Cambridge.

Cambridge (Finally) Announces Citywide Shared Streets Network

By Christian MilNeil | May 28, 2020 | No Comments

The conceptual network would extend "all the way from Fresh Pond and Danehy Park, through Harvard Square and down towards Kendall Square... with another piece running down from Central Square to the river along Magazine Street."

Construction barrels block cars and a sign encourages park users to stay 6 feet apart on Parkman Drive next to Jamaica Pond on April 11, 2020. Photo courtesy of Sarah Freeman.

Plans for Boston’s ‘Healthy Streets’ Initiative Expected Later This Week

By Christian MilNeil | May 26, 2020 | No Comments

On Tuesday, the City of Boston briefly published a new website with tentative plans for its “healthy streets” initiative, which would make tactical changes to city streets to provide more room for safe physical distancing among pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders. City officials had discussed the overall strategy at a City Council hearing earlier this […]

Proposed "shared streets" and expanded curbside pedestrian areas, part of the city's COVID-19 mobility plan. Courtesy of the City of Somerville.

Check Out Somerville’s Citywide ‘COVID-19 Mobility Strategy’

By Christian MilNeil | May 24, 2020 | No Comments

The City of Somerville has announced a citywide mobility strategy to provide safer walking and biking routes with more room for physical distancing as “stay at home” orders ease this spring and summer. Roughly a quarter of Somerville’s households are car-free. The city’s COVID-19 mobility plan therefore focuses on creating safer routes between residential neighborhoods […]

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