Mayor Walsh announces 2019 Environment and Transportation Legislative Agenda

(BOSTON - Tuesday, January 8, 2019) - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced his environment and transportation legislative package, the second of four legislative packages the City of Boston will be submitting to the Massachusetts Legislature. The six-bill package will strengthen the Commonwealth's commitment to the goals set out in the Paris Agreement and the City's goals to be carbon neutral by 2050. Mayor Walsh's legislative agenda builds upon the work of the Administration to ensure equity, opportunity and resilience for all residents by strengthening current systems and creating new tools to adapt, mitigate and invest in local transportation and the environment.

"Addressing the threat of climate change and making sure we keep up with our transportation needs goes beyond city limits. That's why we must work together with the Massachusetts Legislature on issues of climate mitigation and adaptation, and do everything we can to address congestion and increase safety in our streets," said Mayor Walsh. "I'm proud to propose legislation that will explore incentives to reduce pollution and create a statewide vehicle to work on resiliency projects, as well as proposals that would provide investment in transportation infrastructure."

Environment

Mayor Walsh's second legislative package of the year focuses on Boston's shared commitment and leadership with the Commonwealth to be robust environmental stewards, strengthening our ability to address climate change and its impacts. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to be in line with the Paris Agreement while preparing for rising sea levels and extreme weather events is a shared responsibility that requires immediate legislative action. To that end, the environmental bills proposed seek to create a statewide vehicle to work on resiliency projects and explore market incentives to reduce pollution.

This work builds on Mayor Walsh's recent vision plan for a Resilient Boston Harbor. This comprehensive and transformative vision calls for investing in Boston's waterfront to protect against the impacts of rising sea level and climate change. The Mayor's plan lays out strategies along Boston's 47-mile shoreline that will increase access and open space along the waterfront while better protecting the city during a major flooding event.  

The City has already completed segments of the Resilient Boston Harbor plan through district-level projects in East Boston, Charlestown, and South Boston. These projects led to immediate action along the East Boston Greenway where a deployable flood wall was installed last year, an elevated section of Main St. in Charlestown was added to the design of the City's Rutherford Ave. and Sullivan Square project, the ongoing planning for Moakley Park in South Boston to prepare it for coastal and stormwater flooding, and the construction of Martin's Park in the Seaport, which is expected to be completed this year.

Most recently the City, in partnership with the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA), submitted its proposal for a $10 million FEMA pre-mitigation grant to begin resilience work along the Fort Point Channel. As the City continues to make strides towards building a more climate-ready Boston, it will begin its next district-level planning project for the Downtown and North End neighborhoods early this year and begin the same work in Dorchester later this year.  

Furthering strengthening Mayor Walsh's commitment to protecting Boston against rising sea levels and climate change, the City is accelerating its progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The City of Boston is committed to being carbon neutral by 2050. Early this year the City will begin the process to update its Climate Action Plan. The update will provide an implementation roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality in Boston, identifying the immediate next steps Boston must take to reach its goals. Most recently the City rolled out its regulation of single-use plastic bags, encouraging all customers to switch to reusable bags when shopping in Boston and help move the City toward zero waste. The City also took a big step forward in implementation of Community Choice Energy by seeking proposals from qualified consultants to develop a municipal energy aggregation program and by convening a community-led working group to inform the program design.  

As a leading city on climate action, the City was named a winner of the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge as Boston works to strengthen and accelerate its progress toward reducing carbon emissions. The City will receive a support package, valued at up to $2.5 million, to increase low-carbon mobility choices and improve energy performance of Boston's building sector.

"Massachusetts residents are already feeling the impacts of climate change, from hotter summers to increased coastal flooding and heavier rainfall. Our research has shown that to address these challenges and protect vulnerable communities, we need partnership among local, regional and state government," said Rebecca Herst, Executive Director of the Sustainable Solutions Lab at UMass Boston. "We applaud Mayor Walsh for proposing a comprehensive approach to protect communities throughout the Commonwealth and encourage better governance for all."

The environmental bills in the Mayor's legislative package include:

An Act to Establish a Commission for a Climate Ready Commonwealth: would create a regional commission to determine which entity should lead major coastal and inland resiliency projects, how such projects might be funded and how those projects should be prioritized. Boston is not alone in facing the threat of climate change, and all communities are experiencing the reality of extreme heat, snow, rain, and flooding. As the impacts increase and intensify, it's more important now than ever before to coordinate investments to adapt infrastructure and our natural and built environment to future climate conditions.

An Act to Modernize our Natural Gas Infrastructure: would impose a fine on natural gas providers for the total volume of all gas leaks, incentivizing the utility companies to update their infrastructure and providing revenue for climate-ready municipal projects. Natural gas is a powerful greenhouse gas and significant contributor to climate change. The City of Boston and all other cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth have outdated and aging natural gas infrastructure. Gas leaks not only harm the environment but are a public safety issue, public health concern, and financial burden to ratepayers.

For more information on the City's environmental work, please visit  boston.gov/environment.

Transportation

As Boston's population continues to grow, with projected growth to reach almost 760,000 people by the year 2030, Mayor Walsh is proposing four transportation bills aimed at efficiently supporting residents by providing investment in transportation infrastructure, reducing carbon emissions from motor vehicles, and providing for safer streets.

The bills further goals established in Go Boston 2030, the City of Boston's comprehensive transportation plan. Execution of the plan is well underway with action being taken on more than half of the 58 projects and policies identified. These initiatives work to reduce traffic, encourage travel by transit, bike and on foot, and ensure safety and access equitably for all users of Boston's streets.
Examples include partnering with the MBTA to promote the use of public transit by establishing a dedicated bus lane on a section of Washington Street in Roslindale that serves eight different bus lines carrying thousands of passengers daily; incorporating new techniques and upgraded equipment into roadway projects to advance our Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries in Boston by 2030; and working to build a network of low stress, strategically placed, separated or buffered bike lanes to allow for safe travel by bike throughout Downtown and Boston's neighborhoods.

"Mayor Walsh's legislative agenda is comprehensive and future-oriented," said Marc Draisen, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. "It includes incentives to address climate and transportation issues, as well as penalties for behavior that stands in the way of progress. We are particularly pleased that the City of Boston will support Regional Ballot Initiatives to generate revenue for critical improvements in our transportation infrastructure. This is a major source of revenue for roads and transit around the country, and we need this tool in Massachusetts too."

The transportation bills in the Mayor's legislative package include:

An Act to Allow Regional Ballot Initiatives: would allow cities and towns in Massachusetts to work together to pass taxes that would be used to fund specific transportation projects.

An Act to Promote Safe Streets and Reduce Congestion: would allow photo enforcement for school buses with cameras to capture violations when the STOP arm is deployed and for addressing Blocking the Box traffic violations. This bill is part of a broader road safety legislative agenda, which includes support of previously-filed bills related to sideguards on trucks and cell phone use while driving.

An Act to Allow Parking Assessments for Infrastructure Investment: would allow cities and towns to add an assessment to spaces in private parking garages, to be used to build and maintain roads and bridges, as well as bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.

An Act to Update Transportation Network Company Assessments: would update the existing TNC legislation to better align it with the State's and City's climate and mobility goals.  In particular, it would create a lower assessment for shared trips, a higher assessment for solo trips, and encourage walking, biking and transit as primary modes of travel.

For more information on the City's transportation work, please visit boston.gov/transportation.

Wanted: New MBTA fuel efficient, enviro-friendly buses for Meridian Street Routes

This just in from Paul Howes of the Friends of Meridian Street

We the residents of Meridian Street of East Boston would sure love to see these new MBTA buses replace the older MBTA buses that run along the Meridian Street route. There are 115 bus trips traveling on Meridian Street through East Boston weekdays Monday through Friday. The fumes from these older buses are a major pollution and health risk to all the residents. 

The Umana and East Boston School children are all effected by this daily. Living on Meridian Street myself the MBTA always seems to have the older MBTA buses running this route. It sure would be a blessing to have the older fleet replaced by these new higher technical, less polluting buses running the 115 routes through Eastie. 

Let's upgrade Eastie and make it a better place to live. MBTA route numbers 114, 116, 117.

Thank you for your help.
Friends of Meridian Street

November 29: Jeffries Point Meeting with Boston Transportation Department

On November 29, the Jeffries Point Neighborhood Association will meet with the Boston Transportation Department (BTD) to discuss: 

• - Traffic calming measures for Sumner St. from Orleans to Lamson 
• - Adding "No Airport Access" to the 1A off-ramp from the Sumner Tunnel 

The meeting will take place at  6:30-8:30 p.m. at the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center 250 Sumner Street.

October 17: Public Information Meeting: Sumner Tunnel Entrance/Toll Plaza Project

Sumner Tunnel Entrance Reconstruction and Toll Plaza Demolition Project 

Public Information Meeting 

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will begin All Electronic Tolling (AET) in the Sumner Tunnel effective October 28, 2016. 

In preparation for the transition MassDOT will host a public meeting in East Boston to provide information about the proposed design of the tunnel entrance and toll booth elimination which will begin at a later date.  

Within the project overview MassDOT will discuss the design and construction process including: 

• timeline of the toll booth demolition process, 
• the alternatives analysis for the design of the Sumner Tunnel entrance, 
• and construction impacts such as 

traffic and noise,
material disposition and
other project-related issues. 

This meeting will ensure that users of the Sumner Tunnel and neighboring communities are fully informed about the project and design and construction process to minimize any public inconvenience.    

If you are unable to attend a meeting, a copy of the presentation will be available at https://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/TollInformation/AllElectronicTolling

Public comments and questions may also be submitted by email AETinfo@dot.state.ma.us.

The meeting will be held from 6:30pm – 8:30pm and is scheduled as follows:

Monday, October 17th – East Boston,
East Boston High School Auditorium
86 White Street 

Locations are accessible to people with disabilities.  

MassDOT provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request (including but not limited to interpreters in American Sign Language and languages other than English, open or closed captioning for videos, assistive listening devices and alternate material formats, such as audio tapes, Braille and large print) as available.  

For accommodation or language assistance, please contact Jim Kersten by phone (857) 368-9041 or by email (james.a.kersten@state.ma.us).  

Requests should be made as soon as possible prior to the meeting. For more difficult to arrange services including sign language, CART or language translation or interpretation, requests should be made at least ten (10) business days before the meeting.

A vision for Suffolk Downs: Former Secretary of Transportation and Local Urban Development Experts Announce New Vision for Suffolk Downs Site

This just in from EastBoston2020:
 
Community group offers five guiding principles to Boston elected officials for development on Suffolk Downs site since casino was voted down


(BOSTON, Mass., Dec. 10, 2013) -- Led by former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation Jim Aloisi, a largely East Boston-based group of urban planners, architects, public infrastructure experts, and representatives of various community groups today released an alternative vision to the proposed casino at Suffolk Downs that was voted down as a result of the November 5 election.


The newly-formed group’s two-page guidance titled “Overarching Principles For Development in East Boston” outlines five principles by which all future significant development proposals in East Boston – and Suffolk Downs in particular – should be measured. The principles, including job creation, community inclusion and a transparent process, environmental impact, transit-oriented development, and economic feasibility, present a framework to ensure that this critical and unique site is developed in a way that enhances quality of life, job creation and return on investment for all residents of Boston and surrounding communities.


"Although Suffolk Downs is privately owned, it is supported by a highway and transit system owned and operated by the state and paid for by the taxpayers of Massachusetts," said Aloisi, a native of East Boston and whose parents still live in the neighborhood. "It is only fair and just that any major development on its grounds be thoroughly vetted by local citizenry and surrounding communities. We hope these principles, which express a positive and forward looking vision for the future of this site and community will be embraced by a broad spectrum of state and local decision makers."


As many real estate and other investment experts contend, the Suffolk Downs site offers a wealth of development possibilities beyond a casino. For example, Banker and Tradesman recently noted that "At a time when home and condo prices are soaring out of reach for middle class families in Boston, Suffolk's 110 or so Boston acres are a huge potential asset, ground zero for the Hub's next big mixed-use neighborhood of shops and homes." (1)


Desirable factors such as quick access to downtown Boston, Logan Airport and the emerging Innovation District in South Boston via the Blue Line and soon the Silver Line, as well as a shared economic center for the communities of East Boston, Revere and Winthrop make Suffolk Downs an exceptional candidate for a mix of housing and commercial development opportunities, according to the group. Also, the adjacent Belle Isle Marsh provides abundant green space and offers potential connections to the East Boston Greenway.


A full version of the  “Overarching Principles For Development in East Boston” can be found at  https://sites.google.com/site/eastboston2020/.  For more information, please contact east.boston.visioning@gmail.com


(1) Banker and Tradesman, "Forget Gambling: Suffolk Downs Has Mixed-Use Development Potential" Sunday, November 17, 2013 http://www.bankerandtradesman.com/news157396.html