00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:38.285 


00:00:38.285 --> 00:00:40.410 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Thank you
for joining us, everyone.

00:00:40.410 --> 00:00:42.320 
We're going to get started.

00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:47.150 
Tonight we are--
sorry about that--

00:00:47.150 --> 00:00:50.010 
we're going to start
tonight with a presentation.

00:00:50.010 --> 00:00:52.280 
And once we have finished
that presentation,

00:00:52.280 --> 00:00:57.260 
there will be time for questions
and answers and comments.

00:00:57.260 --> 00:00:59.610 
When we finish up
with the presentation,

00:00:59.610 --> 00:01:03.920 
you'll be able to raise
your hand if you would like

00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:06.320 
to speak, and then we will
call on people in the order

00:01:06.320 --> 00:01:08.000 
that hands are raised.

00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:11.660 
And you are also able to
submit written questions

00:01:11.660 --> 00:01:15.800 
through the Q&A function,
if you prefer that option.

00:01:15.800 --> 00:01:18.500 
Also after tonight's
meeting, the online survey

00:01:18.500 --> 00:01:20.930 
is still open and
available if you'd

00:01:20.930 --> 00:01:24.120
like to provide us
feedback that way.

00:01:24.120 --> 00:01:26.590 
And in terms of the
Q&A section tonight, we

00:01:26.590 --> 00:01:28.840 
are going to be doing things
a little bit differently.

00:01:28.840 --> 00:01:32.450 
We're going to call on people
to talk for a little while,

00:01:32.450 --> 00:01:35.383 
and then we're going to
stop, answer questions

00:01:35.383 --> 00:01:37.550 
that we've heard from
commenters and also that we've

00:01:37.550 --> 00:01:39.890 
gotten through the Q&A.

00:01:39.890 --> 00:01:42.500 
We'll then switch back
to the commenting,

00:01:42.500 --> 00:01:46.610 
and then we'll stop periodically
to answer the questions.

00:01:46.610 --> 00:01:48.350 
And we'll be looking
to answer questions

00:01:48.350 --> 00:01:50.360 
based on the themes
about what we're hearing,

00:01:50.360 --> 00:01:54.500 
rather than every individual
question that is asked.

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So with that,
everyone's camera is off

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and your microphone will be
enabled if you raise your hand

00:02:00.440 --> 00:02:02.060 
to speak.

00:02:02.060 --> 00:02:05.390 
Again we're recording
tonight's presentation,

00:02:05.390 --> 00:02:10.130 
and it will be available
online in just a few days,

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once we're able to have
the closed captioning done.

00:02:13.140 --> 00:02:15.178 
And with that, I
will hand things over

00:02:15.178 --> 00:02:16.970 
to Joe Barr, who's
going to get us started.

00:02:16.970 --> 00:02:19.638 


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JOE BARR: Thanks a lot, Brooke.

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I'm Joseph Barr.

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I'm the director of the
Cambridge Traffic, Parking,

00:02:24.290 --> 00:02:26.300 
and Transportation
Department, and I'd just

00:02:26.300 --> 00:02:28.490 
like to welcome everyone
who's joining us

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this evening to learn more
about where we stand today

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with our Porter Square
Safety Improvement Project,

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which is looking
at Massachusetts

00:02:36.230 --> 00:02:40.010 
Avenue between Roseland
Street and Beech Street.

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I'm joined this evening
by a number of City staff

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who will be available to answer
questions and provide feedback,

00:02:49.387 --> 00:02:51.470 
in addition to Brooke
McKenna, who's our Assistant

00:02:51.470 --> 00:02:53.780 
Director for Street
Management, who you just

00:02:53.780 --> 00:02:55.670 
heard from in the intro.

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From the Traffic, Parking,
and Transportation Department,

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we also have
Andreas Wolfe, who's

00:03:00.440 --> 00:03:03.380 
the Project Manager for the
Porter Square Improvement

00:03:03.380 --> 00:03:07.940 
Project, as well as Patrick
Baxter, who's our engineering

00:03:07.940 --> 00:03:12.200 
manager, and Stephen Meuse who's
another Street Design Project

00:03:12.200 --> 00:03:14.480 
Manager like Andreas.

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From the Community
Development Department,

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we have Andy Reker, who
is a transit planner,

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as well as Cara Seiderman.

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She's the Bicycle and
Pedestrian Planner for the City.

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And then from the
Department of Public Works,

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we're also joined
by Kathy Watkins--

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she's the City Engineer--
as well as Jerry Friedman,

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who's a Senior Supervising
Engineer within DPW.

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And we also have a couple of
members of our consultant team

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who are helping us out
with meeting logistics

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and who have also
been working hard

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on the design of the project.

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So with that quick
intro to who's here--

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and you'll be hearing from
probably many of those people

00:03:53.210 --> 00:03:55.100 
during the Q&A--

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I will go over the
agenda for our meeting,

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and then do some background.

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So we'll be talking, like
I said, about the project

00:04:01.850 --> 00:04:07.400 
background, and why we're
doing this project and some

00:04:07.400 --> 00:04:10.460 
of the needs that are
out there in terms

00:04:10.460 --> 00:04:13.552 
of the specific reasons
for the project.

00:04:13.552 --> 00:04:15.260 
We'll be talking about
community feedback

00:04:15.260 --> 00:04:19.760 
that we've received via
a survey and other means

00:04:19.760 --> 00:04:22.370 
based on the meeting
we had in January.

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We'll be talking about the
different specific alternatives

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that we've come up with for this
area of Porter Square in terms

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of safety improvements
and making the whole area

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work better for all users.

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And then talk about summary
and next steps for the project,

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and then as Brooke
mentioned, we'll

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be turning over
to the Q&A process

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that she described a minute ago.

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So in terms of the planning
background for the project,

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really, this starts from our--

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or sorry, I was just
going to give you

00:04:54.420 --> 00:04:55.760 
a sense of the project area.

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As I mentioned, it's
along Massachusetts Avenue

00:04:58.280 --> 00:05:02.240 
from Roseland Street
to Beech Street.

00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:05.010 
It's a relatively short
stretch of Mass Ave,

00:05:05.010 --> 00:05:07.535 
but it's a very complicated
area, particularly

00:05:07.535 --> 00:05:09.410 
with the intersection
with Somerville Avenue,

00:05:09.410 --> 00:05:12.990 
but also you've got an
MBTA transit station,

00:05:12.990 --> 00:05:15.440 
a number of buses that
come through there,

00:05:15.440 --> 00:05:19.460 
and relatively dense
neighborhood, as well as

00:05:19.460 --> 00:05:22.610 
the commuter rail tracks that
create both access to the area,

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but also a physical barrier that
means that the street grid is

00:05:26.330 --> 00:05:29.420 
not particularly connected,
particularly on the south

00:05:29.420 --> 00:05:32.450 
and west sides of Mass
Ave. It's also very

00:05:32.450 --> 00:05:33.830 
close to the Somerville border,

00:05:33.830 --> 00:05:36.830 
so we only own the
very first bits

00:05:36.830 --> 00:05:42.480 
of the streets that are
north and east of Mass Ave.

00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:47.220 
So one of the main impetuses
behind this project and really

00:05:47.220 --> 00:05:50.190 
moving it forward at this moment
is the City Cycling Safety

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Ordinance, which
requires us to implement

00:05:54.390 --> 00:05:57.408 
specific mileages and
specific locations of what

00:05:57.408 --> 00:05:59.700 
are called separated bicycle
lanes, which I'll describe

00:05:59.700 --> 00:06:02.580 
in a little bit more
detail in a minute

00:06:02.580 --> 00:06:06.640 
as well as when we go
through the presentation.

00:06:06.640 --> 00:06:10.140 
The CSO builds on a
number of policies

00:06:10.140 --> 00:06:13.920 
that are intended to promote
the use of sustainable

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modes of transportation, and
really set us up for a world

00:06:18.030 --> 00:06:20.257 
where we're not having
to drive as much,

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and where people have many
different options for getting

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around Cambridge.

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The ordinance, which was amended
in October of 2020 to include

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many of the deadlines and
requirements that are in there,

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has a stated deadline for us to
install separated bicycle lanes

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using quick-build methodology
by April 30 of 2022,

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so just a few months from now--
although I'll mention an update

00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:49.650 
to the timeline in a minute.

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And Porter Square is
the last major section

00:06:52.308 --> 00:06:54.600 
where we have to put in these
quick-build lanes by that

00:06:54.600 --> 00:06:57.570 
deadline on Mass
Ave, which is one

00:06:57.570 --> 00:07:01.200 
of the initial focuses of
the Cycling Safety Ordinance,

00:07:01.200 --> 00:07:04.440 
is getting separated bicycle
lanes on significant segments

00:07:04.440 --> 00:07:08.220 
of Mass Ave, since it is
a main artery of the city.

00:07:08.220 --> 00:07:09.720 
In addition to this,
we'll be making

00:07:09.720 --> 00:07:12.937 
some very minor adjustments
to the areas of south Mass Ave

00:07:12.937 --> 00:07:15.700 
near MIT this spring as well.

00:07:15.700 --> 00:07:20.340 
And with this project and
those small changes near MIT,

00:07:20.340 --> 00:07:24.270 
we'll have completed the
requirements for that April 30

00:07:24.270 --> 00:07:26.520 
deadline, as stated
in the ordinance.

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You can find out more
information about the ordinance

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at www.cambridgema.
gov/cyclingsafetyordinance--

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all one word-- and
link to a whole bunch

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of information
about the ordinance,

00:07:38.760 --> 00:07:41.330 
as well as the actual
legal text of it,

00:07:41.330 --> 00:07:43.650 
if folks want to learn
more about the ordinance.

00:07:43.650 --> 00:07:47.460 


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As I mentioned, this
ordinance and the projects

00:07:50.670 --> 00:07:52.050 
we're doing under
it really build

00:07:52.050 --> 00:07:55.770 
on a lot of different
policies and strategies

00:07:55.770 --> 00:07:59.820 
that we've been employing
to create a more multimodal

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transportation network.

00:08:00.780 --> 00:08:02.610 
So it's important
to talk about what

00:08:02.610 --> 00:08:06.540 
drives the design of our streets
as background for this project.

00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:08.310 
As the slide says,
we design our streets

00:08:08.310 --> 00:08:09.900 
for people of all
ages and abilities,

00:08:09.900 --> 00:08:11.650 
and really for all user groups.

00:08:11.650 --> 00:08:13.860 
And so that includes people
who are driving cars,

00:08:13.860 --> 00:08:17.280 
but also includes people on
bikes, people who are walking,

00:08:17.280 --> 00:08:20.100 
people who are taking
public transportation,

00:08:20.100 --> 00:08:24.630 
people who have
disabilities, people who have

00:08:24.630 --> 00:08:27.010 
different needs for travel--

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whether that's for work or
for school or for just getting

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to shopping, or what have you.

00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:33.150 
And so we really
think very carefully

00:08:33.150 --> 00:08:34.346 
about all of those needs.

00:08:34.346 --> 00:08:36.929 
But it's important to say that
does include people who may not

00:08:36.929 --> 00:08:40.049 
have access to a car
for whatever reason,

00:08:40.049 --> 00:08:42.090 
and we're very focused
on creating facilities

00:08:42.090 --> 00:08:44.700 
that are safe and
accessible for everyone

00:08:44.700 --> 00:08:47.010 
and that can be used by
a wide range of people.

00:08:47.010 --> 00:08:49.830 
And that includes our bike
lanes and our bike facilities.

00:08:49.830 --> 00:08:52.050 
And one of the benefits
of separated bike lanes,

00:08:52.050 --> 00:08:53.940 
as we'll talk about
in a minute, is really

00:08:53.940 --> 00:08:58.230 
that they are usable by a
much wider range of riders

00:08:58.230 --> 00:08:59.970 
than either not
having bike lanes

00:08:59.970 --> 00:09:02.070 
or having the type of
conventional bike lanes

00:09:02.070 --> 00:09:06.030 
that exist on many streets
in Cambridge right now.

00:09:06.030 --> 00:09:09.300 
And then in addition
to that, thinking

00:09:09.300 --> 00:09:11.340 
about all these
different users, we also

00:09:11.340 --> 00:09:15.720 
think very carefully about how
we manage congestion and delay.

00:09:15.720 --> 00:09:18.930 
And we're very focused on moving
people as quickly as possible,

00:09:18.930 --> 00:09:21.660 
but moving people as
safely as possible.

00:09:21.660 --> 00:09:24.340 
And that often means
moving more slowly.

00:09:24.340 --> 00:09:26.610 
We have a 25-mile-per-hour
city-wide speed limit,

00:09:26.610 --> 00:09:29.010 
and we've reduced many of
the streets in the city--

00:09:29.010 --> 00:09:31.840 
although not Mass Ave-- to a
20-mile-per-hour speed limit.

00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:34.020 
And that's just part of
our overall commitment

00:09:34.020 --> 00:09:35.430 
to Vision Zero.

00:09:35.430 --> 00:09:38.108 
And so like I said,
we're not focused on

00:09:38.108 --> 00:09:39.900 
the speed of people's
movement, but more so

00:09:39.900 --> 00:09:42.130 
on the safety of their movement.

00:09:42.130 --> 00:09:46.410 
And we also are not able
to really prioritize

00:09:46.410 --> 00:09:49.327 
eliminating or significantly
reducing delay for people

00:09:49.327 --> 00:09:50.910 
who are driving
alone, both because we

00:09:50.910 --> 00:09:53.040 
have a very constrained
street network,

00:09:53.040 --> 00:09:55.770 
and so there's very limited
opportunities to improve

00:09:55.770 --> 00:09:57.390 
traffic flow, but
also because we

00:09:57.390 --> 00:09:59.070 
are trying to
promote sustainable

00:09:59.070 --> 00:10:02.070 
modes of transportation like
public transportation, walking,

00:10:02.070 --> 00:10:04.120 
and biking.

00:10:04.120 --> 00:10:07.030 
And this really builds on-- as
the next slide talks about--

00:10:07.030 --> 00:10:10.630 
a whole range of policies really
going back to the early '90s.

00:10:10.630 --> 00:10:12.340 
The Vehicle Trip
Reduction Ordinance,

00:10:12.340 --> 00:10:15.220 
which was passed in 1992,
really set the stage

00:10:15.220 --> 00:10:17.230 
for a lot of this work.

00:10:17.230 --> 00:10:22.210 
But there's very many
additional policies beyond that.

00:10:22.210 --> 00:10:24.850 
The Parking and Transportation
Demand Management Ordinance

00:10:24.850 --> 00:10:29.380 
that was passed in 1998, the
City's long-term initiatives

00:10:29.380 --> 00:10:31.930 
as well as more recent
activity on climate protection

00:10:31.930 --> 00:10:34.180 
and trying to reduce
greenhouse gas

00:10:34.180 --> 00:10:37.960 
emissions, wellness
policies for schoolchildren,

00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:41.020 
and then the Envision Cambridge
Master Plan that was created

00:10:41.020 --> 00:10:43.090 
a couple of years ago,
which again, all of these

00:10:43.090 --> 00:10:45.370 
really put together, really
point towards a future

00:10:45.370 --> 00:10:47.980 
where we are trying
to promote sustainable

00:10:47.980 --> 00:10:50.750 
modes of transportation
and make it

00:10:50.750 --> 00:10:54.520 
not focused on making it easier
to drive around Cambridge.

00:10:54.520 --> 00:10:56.980 
And then more specifically
within transportation,

00:10:56.980 --> 00:10:58.570 
we have a Complete
Streets Policy,

00:10:58.570 --> 00:11:00.070 
which encourages
creating streets

00:11:00.070 --> 00:11:03.040 
that are usable
safely by everyone,

00:11:03.040 --> 00:11:04.540 
regardless of how
they're traveling,

00:11:04.540 --> 00:11:08.230 
our Vision Zero policy, which
aims to eliminate fatalities

00:11:08.230 --> 00:11:11.170 
and serious injuries from
our transportation network,

00:11:11.170 --> 00:11:13.480 
and then the Cycling
Safety Ordinance,

00:11:13.480 --> 00:11:15.970 
which is the most recent of
all of these, which again, was

00:11:15.970 --> 00:11:18.910 
amended in 2020, and really
points towards building out

00:11:18.910 --> 00:11:22.270 
our bicycle network vision,
which is represented by the map

00:11:22.270 --> 00:11:22.883 
that you see.

00:11:22.883 --> 00:11:25.300 
Obviously, you can't actually
read the individual streets,

00:11:25.300 --> 00:11:26.842 
but there's a lot
of good information

00:11:26.842 --> 00:11:30.325 
about that on the City's website
under the Bicycle Plan website.

00:11:30.325 --> 00:11:34.715 


00:11:34.715 --> 00:11:36.590 
So one thing that we
really want to emphasize

00:11:36.590 --> 00:11:39.890 
is that Cambridge really is
a city where people bike.

00:11:39.890 --> 00:11:43.130 
It's not certainly how the
plurality or the majority

00:11:43.130 --> 00:11:46.490 
of people get around, but it
is a very significant mode

00:11:46.490 --> 00:11:48.230 
for Cambridge.

00:11:48.230 --> 00:11:51.080 
And many, many, many people
in Cambridge bike at least

00:11:51.080 --> 00:11:53.870 
occasionally, and many
people who live in Cambridge

00:11:53.870 --> 00:11:55.580 
would like to bike
more regularly,

00:11:55.580 --> 00:11:57.860 
as these statistics show.

00:11:57.860 --> 00:12:04.208 
And part of the goal
of a project like this

00:12:04.208 --> 00:12:06.000 
and the Cycling Safety
Ordinance in general

00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:07.170 
is to create an
environment where

00:12:07.170 --> 00:12:08.880 
the people who would
like to bike more

00:12:08.880 --> 00:12:11.430 
are able to do so
safely and comfortably,

00:12:11.430 --> 00:12:14.070 
and that you don't have
to be a super confident

00:12:14.070 --> 00:12:17.160 
cyclist in order to be able
to use our streets on a bike.

00:12:17.160 --> 00:12:21.270 
I just want to be clear
that the survey results that

00:12:21.270 --> 00:12:25.500 
are represented here are from
the city's city-wide survey

00:12:25.500 --> 00:12:27.750 
that's done every
two years, which

00:12:27.750 --> 00:12:29.560 
focuses on a whole
wide range of issues.

00:12:29.560 --> 00:12:33.480 
And it's done in a very
statistically valid way.

00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:36.030 
So this isn't a survey that's
focused on biking-- it's really

00:12:36.030 --> 00:12:38.100 
a survey that's focused
on understanding

00:12:38.100 --> 00:12:40.840 
Cambridge residents' attitudes
on a whole variety of issues.

00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:42.810 
And so one of the
questions we've been asking

00:12:42.810 --> 00:12:44.520 
is about biking,
and that's really

00:12:44.520 --> 00:12:46.710 
what this graph in
particular represents,

00:12:46.710 --> 00:12:49.740 
is that people really
do want to bike more,

00:12:49.740 --> 00:12:52.740 
and that a lot of people
already do bike around the city.

00:12:52.740 --> 00:12:56.150 


00:12:56.150 --> 00:12:58.660 
As I mentioned, installing
separated bicycle lanes

00:12:58.660 --> 00:13:02.630 
has a number of benefits,
which you can read here.

00:13:02.630 --> 00:13:04.450 
They're safe and
comfortable for people

00:13:04.450 --> 00:13:06.190 
of all ages and
abilities, and that's

00:13:06.190 --> 00:13:08.260 
a really important goal for us.

00:13:08.260 --> 00:13:10.810 
They do result in fewer
crashes for cyclists.

00:13:10.810 --> 00:13:13.925 
There's good statistical
evidence to go with that.

00:13:13.925 --> 00:13:15.550 
They also eliminate
the threat of being

00:13:15.550 --> 00:13:17.217 
gored by a parked
vehicle because you're

00:13:17.217 --> 00:13:19.930 
riding next to the
sidewalk rather than next

00:13:19.930 --> 00:13:24.160 
to a line of parked cars, in
many cases, as the two images

00:13:24.160 --> 00:13:27.340 
at the bottom show,
what's the difference

00:13:27.340 --> 00:13:31.540 
between conventional bike
lanes and separated bike lanes.

00:13:31.540 --> 00:13:33.700 
It creates buffer
space when people

00:13:33.700 --> 00:13:36.310 
are turning across a
bike lane and gives them

00:13:36.310 --> 00:13:39.370 
an opportunity to stop before
they cross the bike lane.

00:13:39.370 --> 00:13:41.410 
It can create shorter
crossing distances

00:13:41.410 --> 00:13:44.083 
for people walking by
narrowing the street.

00:13:44.083 --> 00:13:46.000 
And as we talked about,
it enables more people

00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:49.138 
to choose cycling as a
transportation option,

00:13:49.138 --> 00:13:50.680 
particularly given
that demand that's

00:13:50.680 --> 00:13:53.633 
out there that that survey
showed, the people who

00:13:53.633 --> 00:13:56.050 
would like to bike more and
perhaps don't feel comfortable

00:13:56.050 --> 00:13:57.220 
doing so.

00:13:57.220 --> 00:13:59.648 
Drivers also experience
an increase in comfort

00:13:59.648 --> 00:14:01.690 
because they know where
cyclists are going to be,

00:14:01.690 --> 00:14:04.720 
and they too have some
physical separation from them.

00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:07.240 
And then more broadly
it's, absolutely

00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:09.160 
supports the City's
climate goals

00:14:09.160 --> 00:14:10.840 
and reducing greenhouse
gas emissions

00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:15.260 
and trying to avoid some of the
more dire impacts of climate

00:14:15.260 --> 00:14:15.760 
change.

00:14:15.760 --> 00:14:18.970 


00:14:18.970 --> 00:14:21.390 
And then just getting a
little bit more specific--

00:14:21.390 --> 00:14:23.693 
this is a confusing
set of projects

00:14:23.693 --> 00:14:25.860 
that are going on under the
Cycling Safety Ordinance

00:14:25.860 --> 00:14:26.705 
right now.

00:14:26.705 --> 00:14:28.080 
And so I just want
to distinguish

00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:30.247 
between what we're going
to be talking about tonight

00:14:30.247 --> 00:14:32.490 
and Porter Square, and
then a set of projects that

00:14:32.490 --> 00:14:36.300 
have been collectively referred
to as the MassAve4, which

00:14:36.300 --> 00:14:37.830 
you can also see on the map.

00:14:37.830 --> 00:14:40.410 
So the MassAve4,
first, is four sections

00:14:40.410 --> 00:14:43.590 
of Mass Ave that don't
include Porter Square--

00:14:43.590 --> 00:14:45.060 
so Dudley Street
to Beech Street,

00:14:45.060 --> 00:14:48.060 
so from the existing
separated bike lanes

00:14:48.060 --> 00:14:49.590 
that were installed
last year down

00:14:49.590 --> 00:14:50.965 
to where this project starts--

00:14:50.965 --> 00:14:53.340 
and then from Roseland Street
down to Waterhouse Street--

00:14:53.340 --> 00:14:56.760 
which is beyond Porter Square
towards Harvard Square--

00:14:56.760 --> 00:14:59.730 
and then two large bus
stops in Harvard Square

00:14:59.730 --> 00:15:01.590 
that require special
treatment in order

00:15:01.590 --> 00:15:04.320 
to create safe facilities
for both cyclists and bus

00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:05.790 
passengers.

00:15:05.790 --> 00:15:11.040 
And so the MassAve4
projects will

00:15:11.040 --> 00:15:12.900 
be also installing
separated bicycle lanes,

00:15:12.900 --> 00:15:14.618 
but on a slightly
longer timeline.

00:15:14.618 --> 00:15:16.410 
There have been a couple
of public meetings

00:15:16.410 --> 00:15:18.883 
about those set of projects
over the last couple of weeks,

00:15:18.883 --> 00:15:20.800 
so hopefully folks who
are interested in those

00:15:20.800 --> 00:15:23.790 
had an opportunity to
participate in those meetings.

00:15:23.790 --> 00:15:26.640 
And there'll be some additional
outreach happening actually

00:15:26.640 --> 00:15:28.770 
this weekend for this
project, but there'll also

00:15:28.770 --> 00:15:31.680 
be an opportunity to learn
more about the MassAve4.

00:15:31.680 --> 00:15:35.310 
And for this project, we are
designing separated bike lanes

00:15:35.310 --> 00:15:38.460 
that will go in more quickly
and that will happen separately

00:15:38.460 --> 00:15:41.310 
from the work that's happening
on these other segments of Mass

00:15:41.310 --> 00:15:41.995 
Ave.

00:15:41.995 --> 00:15:43.620 
So hopefully that
gives you an overview

00:15:43.620 --> 00:15:45.037 
of the difference
between the two,

00:15:45.037 --> 00:15:47.380 
but certainly, we can clarify
that more if necessary

00:15:47.380 --> 00:15:49.320 
as time goes by.

00:15:49.320 --> 00:15:52.260 
And then lastly before I
turn it back to Brooke,

00:15:52.260 --> 00:15:54.720 
there has been a change in
the schedule for this project

00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:57.900 
at the March 7 Council meeting--
so last week's City Council

00:15:57.900 --> 00:15:58.830 
meeting.

00:15:58.830 --> 00:16:01.470 
The City Manager submitted
a letter to the Council

00:16:01.470 --> 00:16:04.020 
explaining that we
are not going to be

00:16:04.020 --> 00:16:06.720 
able to complete the
improvements to Porter MassAve4

00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:09.630 
by the April 30, 2022 deadline.

00:16:09.630 --> 00:16:12.840 
We had made certain commitments
in terms of outreach

00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:15.990 
to the community, part of
which is happening tonight,

00:16:15.990 --> 00:16:18.000 
as well as to making
sure that we implemented

00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:22.800 
the project in the best
sequence possible and carefully

00:16:22.800 --> 00:16:25.830 
manage it to try
to minimize some

00:16:25.830 --> 00:16:27.630 
of the impacts on
the local community

00:16:27.630 --> 00:16:30.450 
during implementation.

00:16:30.450 --> 00:16:34.200 
So we've been clear now that
we can't meet this April 30

00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:36.600 
deadline, but we're
still intending

00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:39.120 
to move this project forward
as quickly as we can.

00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:41.250 
It certainly will be built
within this construction

00:16:41.250 --> 00:16:45.570 
season, but we don't
have a specific date yet.

00:16:45.570 --> 00:16:48.240 
But hopefully we'll be able to
get to that a little bit more

00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:49.630 
concretely as time goes by.

00:16:49.630 --> 00:16:51.540 
But again, we are
definitely not going

00:16:51.540 --> 00:16:53.580 
to make the April 30 deadline.

00:16:53.580 --> 00:16:56.220 
And just to be clear,
the City Council

00:16:56.220 --> 00:16:58.275 
approved the letter
by an 8 to 1 vote,

00:16:58.275 --> 00:17:00.150 
and the only dissenting
vote was from someone

00:17:00.150 --> 00:17:04.470 
who was not in agreement with
the project being delayed.

00:17:04.470 --> 00:17:06.720 
So we feel like we have
strong support from the City

00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:10.079 
Council for the fact that we
need a little bit more time

00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:12.359 
to move this project
forward, but that we also

00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:14.640 
do need to continue to
move it forward relatively

00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:16.194 
quickly, as the slide says.

00:17:16.194 --> 00:17:17.819 
So with that, I'm
going to turn it over

00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:20.400 
to Brooke to talk a little bit
about the additional project

00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:21.392 
background.

00:17:21.392 --> 00:17:23.432 


00:17:23.432 --> 00:17:24.349 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great.

00:17:24.349 --> 00:17:26.420 
Thank you, Joe.

00:17:26.420 --> 00:17:33.260 
So this project, as part of
the Cycling Safety Ordinance,

00:17:33.260 --> 00:17:35.750 
because of the
timeline will be done

00:17:35.750 --> 00:17:37.490 
using quick-build materials.

00:17:37.490 --> 00:17:40.580 
And this means in our
quick-build toolbox

00:17:40.580 --> 00:17:45.410 
is pavement marking changes,
installation of flex posts,

00:17:45.410 --> 00:17:48.230 
changes to signage and
some limited modifications

00:17:48.230 --> 00:17:50.490 
to signal timing.

00:17:50.490 --> 00:17:57.470 
So that is the plan for
this segment of Mass Ave.

00:17:57.470 --> 00:18:01.430 
Some of the biggest design
considerations or constraints

00:18:01.430 --> 00:18:03.530 
that we're working
with here regard

00:18:03.530 --> 00:18:07.260 
the existence of the catenary
and the median in this section.

00:18:07.260 --> 00:18:09.290 
So because of the
catenary and the median,

00:18:09.290 --> 00:18:13.130 
we can't do typical parking
that floats off of the curb,

00:18:13.130 --> 00:18:17.570 
that is, where the bike lane
is adjacent to the curb,

00:18:17.570 --> 00:18:21.630 
then there is what we
call floating parking.

00:18:21.630 --> 00:18:24.260 
And that's because that
floating parking pushes

00:18:24.260 --> 00:18:28.160 
the positioning of the
fire department equipment

00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:33.110 
too far away from the
curb, and both there

00:18:33.110 --> 00:18:35.570 
is a conflict with
the catenary wires,

00:18:35.570 --> 00:18:41.030 
and also with deploying the
stabilizers, which come out

00:18:41.030 --> 00:18:44.990 
from the side of the fire truck
and they give extra stability

00:18:44.990 --> 00:18:47.540 
when the ladders are deployed.

00:18:47.540 --> 00:18:51.710 
And unfortunately even
when the catenary wires

00:18:51.710 --> 00:18:54.470 
are not energized
or are turned off,

00:18:54.470 --> 00:18:57.140 
they are still a hazard
for the fire department

00:18:57.140 --> 00:18:58.940 
with that positioning.

00:18:58.940 --> 00:19:02.738 
So that is why those are some
of the main constraints we're

00:19:02.738 --> 00:19:03.280 
working with.

00:19:03.280 --> 00:19:05.830 


00:19:05.830 --> 00:19:09.430 
And just a little more
information on the overhead

00:19:09.430 --> 00:19:11.110 
catenary bus wires.

00:19:11.110 --> 00:19:13.210 
The MBTA did have
a community meeting

00:19:13.210 --> 00:19:17.110 
last month, just a month
ago on February 15,

00:19:17.110 --> 00:19:20.320 
to talk about their
plans to transition

00:19:20.320 --> 00:19:23.290 
from the overhead catenary
buses in the longer

00:19:23.290 --> 00:19:26.920 
term to electric battery buses.

00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:32.080 
And the buses ran on
the catenary wires

00:19:32.080 --> 00:19:34.810 
actually for the last
time this past weekend.

00:19:34.810 --> 00:19:37.660 
And for the next few years
before the full transition

00:19:37.660 --> 00:19:45.100 
happens, they will be running
diesel buses on the lines that

00:19:45.100 --> 00:19:47.530 
had been using the catenary.

00:19:47.530 --> 00:19:52.060 
So the MBTA is very
excited about that project

00:19:52.060 --> 00:19:55.330 
to move forward with
electrification,

00:19:55.330 --> 00:19:59.050 
but in the meantime, there is
no schedule yet for the removal

00:19:59.050 --> 00:20:01.810 
of the overhead wires.

00:20:01.810 --> 00:20:04.477 
But really most importantly,
that is not holding up

00:20:04.477 --> 00:20:05.560 
the Porter Square project.

00:20:05.560 --> 00:20:07.660 
We're able to move
forward independent

00:20:07.660 --> 00:20:10.000 
of the removal of the wires.

00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:12.730 
And since this is a
quick-build project,

00:20:12.730 --> 00:20:14.530 
we can make changes
down the road

00:20:14.530 --> 00:20:20.410 
as needed to improve operations
as the wires are removed.

00:20:20.410 --> 00:20:24.580 
And we do continue to work very
closely with the MBTA regarding

00:20:24.580 --> 00:20:26.800 
the schedule for the removal
of the catenary wires.

00:20:26.800 --> 00:20:30.700 


00:20:30.700 --> 00:20:33.200 
So a little bit about what we've
done in terms of engagement

00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:35.180 
on this project up until now.

00:20:35.180 --> 00:20:37.730 
We did have our first
community meeting on Zoom

00:20:37.730 --> 00:20:42.800 
back on January 25 where we
introduced the project, talked

00:20:42.800 --> 00:20:46.970 
about some potential layouts
and background information.

00:20:46.970 --> 00:20:50.450 
And all of that information
and a copy of the Zoom meeting

00:20:50.450 --> 00:20:54.350 
is available on the
project web page below.

00:20:54.350 --> 00:20:58.610 
We also, following that meeting,
opened a public feedback

00:20:58.610 --> 00:21:00.800 
survey, which is still open.

00:21:00.800 --> 00:21:05.780 
So we welcome as many responses,
we welcome more people

00:21:05.780 --> 00:21:07.500 
to continue to respond to that.

00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:09.110 
We've gotten over
1,000 responses

00:21:09.110 --> 00:21:13.280 
so far in addition to some
600 other emails that came

00:21:13.280 --> 00:21:15.650 
to us separate from the survey.

00:21:15.650 --> 00:21:18.410 
And again, you can
visit that link,

00:21:18.410 --> 00:21:25.680 
www.cambridgema.gov/porter
square cycling safety for that

00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:26.180 
survey.

00:21:26.180 --> 00:21:28.950 


00:21:28.950 --> 00:21:32.040 
Now we just wanted to talk a
little bit about what we did

00:21:32.040 --> 00:21:36.570 
hear back from you guys,
both during the last meeting

00:21:36.570 --> 00:21:38.490 
and through that
survey and emails.

00:21:38.490 --> 00:21:41.430 


00:21:41.430 --> 00:21:44.640 
At the last meeting
we talked a little bit

00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:48.060 
about some possible
changes to Upland Road.

00:21:48.060 --> 00:21:50.590 
By making Upland Road
one-way in either direction,

00:21:50.590 --> 00:21:53.820 
it would simplify operations
on Mass Ave a little bit.

00:21:53.820 --> 00:21:56.790 
And we really heard back pretty
resoundingly from the community

00:21:56.790 --> 00:22:00.730 
that that was not an option
that people were interested in.

00:22:00.730 --> 00:22:03.900 
So we will not be making
changes to the directionality

00:22:03.900 --> 00:22:04.740 
of Upland Road.

00:22:04.740 --> 00:22:05.820 
It will remain two-way.

00:22:05.820 --> 00:22:09.170 


00:22:09.170 --> 00:22:12.440 
Regarding parking and
loading, at the last meeting

00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:14.660 
we talked a little bit
about the possibility

00:22:14.660 --> 00:22:17.300 
of part-time
loading on Mass Ave.

00:22:17.300 --> 00:22:20.330 
And again, we specifically
say loading versus parking

00:22:20.330 --> 00:22:25.160 
because the only type
of stopping of vehicles

00:22:25.160 --> 00:22:27.920 
we can have is very
short-term right

00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:30.750 
now due to the other constraints
that we're working with.

00:22:30.750 --> 00:22:33.950 
So we do specifically talk about
loading, which is shorter-term.

00:22:33.950 --> 00:22:37.280 
And what we heard back is
that really, customers want

00:22:37.280 --> 00:22:39.830 
more than 15 minutes to park.

00:22:39.830 --> 00:22:42.800 
Loading zones don't
meet customer needs--

00:22:42.800 --> 00:22:45.800 
they meet loading needs
but not customer needs--

00:22:45.800 --> 00:22:50.810 
and the public would really like
to see opportunity for parking

00:22:50.810 --> 00:22:51.815 
for one to two hours.

00:22:51.815 --> 00:22:55.650 


00:22:55.650 --> 00:22:57.870 
Regarding separated bike
lanes, we talked a lot

00:22:57.870 --> 00:23:00.180 
about the need for
separated bike lanes

00:23:00.180 --> 00:23:02.400 
in this section at
the last meeting.

00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:05.670 
And we heard a
significant amount

00:23:05.670 --> 00:23:09.540 
of community support for
installation of those lanes,

00:23:09.540 --> 00:23:12.600 
both during and after the
meeting, and also requests

00:23:12.600 --> 00:23:14.040 
to address some
additional safety

00:23:14.040 --> 00:23:17.610 
issues such as improving
safety at intersections,

00:23:17.610 --> 00:23:20.430 
making sure that the
separation is continuous,

00:23:20.430 --> 00:23:22.470 
and making sure
that we're planning

00:23:22.470 --> 00:23:25.320 
for appropriate maintenance--

00:23:25.320 --> 00:23:29.430 
snow removal, snow clearance,
street sweeping, and paving.

00:23:29.430 --> 00:23:33.240 


00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:36.480 
We talked also last
time about parking,

00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:39.660 
and the fact that to install
the separated bike lanes,

00:23:39.660 --> 00:23:43.830 
we will need to remove
metered parking from Mass Ave.

00:23:43.830 --> 00:23:45.837 
And we heard from the
public that you really

00:23:45.837 --> 00:23:47.670 
want us to work closely
with business owners

00:23:47.670 --> 00:23:52.860 
to understand needs, include as
many loading zones as we can,

00:23:52.860 --> 00:23:55.350 
and make sure to pay
very close attention

00:23:55.350 --> 00:24:00.690 
and increase accessible
disability parking spaces,

00:24:00.690 --> 00:24:04.350 
and also to relocate,
make metered parking

00:24:04.350 --> 00:24:06.465 
available on side streets
wherever possible.

00:24:06.465 --> 00:24:09.720 


00:24:09.720 --> 00:24:14.390 
And with that, I'm going to
hand things over to Andreas

00:24:14.390 --> 00:24:19.770 
to get a little bit more into
the nitty gritty for you.

00:24:19.770 --> 00:24:21.760 
ANDREAS WOLFE: Great,
thank you, Brooke.

00:24:21.760 --> 00:24:22.680 
All right.

00:24:22.680 --> 00:24:24.670 
So hi, everyone.

00:24:24.670 --> 00:24:26.730 
My name is Andreas
Wolfe, Project Manager

00:24:26.730 --> 00:24:28.450 
for the Porter Square project.

00:24:28.450 --> 00:24:31.050 
So I'll just be going
over design alternatives

00:24:31.050 --> 00:24:34.350 
that we've been
analyzing so far.

00:24:34.350 --> 00:24:37.380 
And so we'll basically
go through the corridor

00:24:37.380 --> 00:24:38.940 
starting at Beech
Street in the north

00:24:38.940 --> 00:24:42.040 
and traveling south together.

00:24:42.040 --> 00:24:44.850 
So starting, the first
section we'll go over

00:24:44.850 --> 00:24:49.110 
is this section from Beech
Street to Porter Road.

00:24:49.110 --> 00:24:52.320 
Porter Road is just before
you get to Somerville Ave,

00:24:52.320 --> 00:24:54.810 
near where there's the
Porter Square Hotel,

00:24:54.810 --> 00:24:56.520 
across from the Dunkin' Donuts.

00:24:56.520 --> 00:24:58.380 
And I'll have a map
later where I can

00:24:58.380 --> 00:25:00.900 
show all this in more detail.

00:25:00.900 --> 00:25:05.460 
But as a general
overview, in this section

00:25:05.460 --> 00:25:07.980 
we're keeping the two travel
lanes in either direction that

00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:11.610 
are out there on Mass Ave, we'd
be adding separated bike lanes

00:25:11.610 --> 00:25:13.630 
in both directions.

00:25:13.630 --> 00:25:16.290 
And then we'll go
over some key features

00:25:16.290 --> 00:25:18.390 
that we have in this
section, first of all,

00:25:18.390 --> 00:25:21.480 
the introduction of a loading
zone between Allen Street

00:25:21.480 --> 00:25:24.960 
and Davenport Street in
front of a set of businesses

00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:28.350 
that you have on the northbound
side of the street there.

00:25:28.350 --> 00:25:31.680 
And then we'll go over
additional accessible

00:25:31.680 --> 00:25:35.790 
disability parking that we'll be
adding in on this section too.

00:25:35.790 --> 00:25:38.760 


00:25:38.760 --> 00:25:41.940 
All right, so first of
all, the loading zone.

00:25:41.940 --> 00:25:43.980 
On the right here
we have a photo

00:25:43.980 --> 00:25:47.290 
of where this would be located.

00:25:47.290 --> 00:25:50.580 
So right now--
this is northbound

00:25:50.580 --> 00:25:54.625 
as you're leaving Porter Square
just after the shopping center.

00:25:54.625 --> 00:25:56.250 
On the right, you
have the post office.

00:25:56.250 --> 00:25:58.950 
There's Newtowne Grille,
and I think Sugar and Spice

00:25:58.950 --> 00:26:01.210 
and a few other businesses.

00:26:01.210 --> 00:26:04.320 
So right now, you have metered
parking up against the curb.

00:26:04.320 --> 00:26:08.820 
So as Brooke explained
earlier, metered parking

00:26:08.820 --> 00:26:11.080 
poses a lot of challenges
in this section.

00:26:11.080 --> 00:26:15.030 
And so once you add
separated bike lanes--

00:26:15.030 --> 00:26:16.800 
in other streets
we've floated that

00:26:16.800 --> 00:26:19.320 
off the curb, such as
streets where there isn't

00:26:19.320 --> 00:26:21.480 
a median or a catenary wire.

00:26:21.480 --> 00:26:23.620 
So that's not something
we can do here.

00:26:23.620 --> 00:26:25.740 
But what we can
do is we can have

00:26:25.740 --> 00:26:27.750 
loading float off the curb.

00:26:27.750 --> 00:26:30.490 
And so what we're proposing
in this section is similar,

00:26:30.490 --> 00:26:32.790 
actually, to something that's
right around the corner

00:26:32.790 --> 00:26:36.720 
on Somerville Ave. Just after
you leave Somerville and enter

00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:40.027 
Cambridge-- so this is
a Cambridge street--

00:26:40.027 --> 00:26:41.610 
we have a floating
loading zone there.

00:26:41.610 --> 00:26:44.130 
And so you have a separated
bike lane still, flex posts,

00:26:44.130 --> 00:26:49.370 
and then you can have people
stop in the loading zone.

00:26:49.370 --> 00:26:52.170 
This is loading that would
be available during all hours

00:26:52.170 --> 00:26:53.560 
of the day.

00:26:53.560 --> 00:26:55.380 
It doesn't conflict
with a travel lane,

00:26:55.380 --> 00:26:59.070 
so it's not changing
use, such as a loading

00:26:59.070 --> 00:27:04.120 
zone that we did further in
north Cambridge last year.

00:27:04.120 --> 00:27:07.870 
But as stated, the catenary
wires do conflict with

00:27:07.870 --> 00:27:09.430 
our ability to
make this parking,

00:27:09.430 --> 00:27:12.790 
so that means we cannot add
overnight parking and we cannot

00:27:12.790 --> 00:27:15.805 
have metered parking, at least
until the wires are removed.

00:27:15.805 --> 00:27:20.560 


00:27:20.560 --> 00:27:22.110 
So the next key
feature I'll go over

00:27:22.110 --> 00:27:29.070 
is just what we're doing about
disability accessible parking.

00:27:29.070 --> 00:27:34.140 
So one thing that we've heard in
a lot of our previous meetings

00:27:34.140 --> 00:27:37.290 
is that when we do make these
changes on streets where

00:27:37.290 --> 00:27:41.880 
we have to remove a
significant amount of meters,

00:27:41.880 --> 00:27:43.800 
we should look at
places where we

00:27:43.800 --> 00:27:48.360 
can add back parking for people
who have a disability placard.

00:27:48.360 --> 00:27:52.350 
The Cycling Safety
Ordinance treats

00:27:52.350 --> 00:27:56.700 
this type of parking separately
than other types of parking.

00:27:56.700 --> 00:28:01.260 
Disability parking, in order to
have that space be accessible,

00:28:01.260 --> 00:28:03.180 
it has to be up
against the curb.

00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:07.260 
So under any circumstances,
you cannot float that parking

00:28:07.260 --> 00:28:11.170 
because it's not accessible
for people with a disability.

00:28:11.170 --> 00:28:14.010 
And so we're able to
retain this parking,

00:28:14.010 --> 00:28:17.440 
whereas metered
parking, we're not.

00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:21.580 
Right now in the
draft plan we have,

00:28:21.580 --> 00:28:25.720 
we're proposing an increase in
the number of accessible spaces

00:28:25.720 --> 00:28:28.720 
on the northern half of the
square from two to five,

00:28:28.720 --> 00:28:30.460 
and we'll go over
exactly where those

00:28:30.460 --> 00:28:33.050 
would be in the next slide.

00:28:33.050 --> 00:28:35.230 
But one thing we do want
to draw attention to

00:28:35.230 --> 00:28:37.870 
is that one of the
existing spaces--

00:28:37.870 --> 00:28:40.780 
as shown on the right,
this is the space directly

00:28:40.780 --> 00:28:42.550 
in front of the post office--

00:28:42.550 --> 00:28:47.170 
we are proposing right now
to relocate that space.

00:28:47.170 --> 00:28:50.680 
We have identified a location
nearby, which I'll share.

00:28:50.680 --> 00:28:53.140 
And this is in order
to install the loading

00:28:53.140 --> 00:28:56.450 
zone that we had discussed
in the previous slide.

00:28:56.450 --> 00:28:59.020 
If this space were to remain,
because it's in a different

00:28:59.020 --> 00:29:02.530 
location-- it's to the
curb and not floating--

00:29:02.530 --> 00:29:05.740 
it would be incompatible
with adding the loading zone.

00:29:05.740 --> 00:29:07.743 
And so I think that the
map that I share next

00:29:07.743 --> 00:29:09.160 
will explain this
a little better.

00:29:09.160 --> 00:29:12.880 


00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:16.570 
And so in this map here,
you can see the section

00:29:16.570 --> 00:29:18.400 
from Beech Street
to Porter Road.

00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:24.790 
So as stated, we have this
accessible disability parking.

00:29:24.790 --> 00:29:27.010 
We've labeled the
post office here.

00:29:27.010 --> 00:29:31.910 
And so that existing space
is directly out front, and so

00:29:31.910 --> 00:29:34.820 
what we're proposing would
be moving that slightly

00:29:34.820 --> 00:29:36.140 
to the north.

00:29:36.140 --> 00:29:42.470 
This would involve users to
cross back over Allen Street--

00:29:42.470 --> 00:29:45.560 
Allen Street is a
minor cross street.

00:29:45.560 --> 00:29:49.250 
And then there is also an
existing accessible space

00:29:49.250 --> 00:29:52.130 
located further up
at Beech Street.

00:29:52.130 --> 00:29:55.640 
That space was actually
originally located here

00:29:55.640 --> 00:29:58.340 
at this Allen Street location,
so that's actually reverting

00:29:58.340 --> 00:30:01.380 
back to its original location.

00:30:01.380 --> 00:30:06.650 
And then we are proposing
four additional spaces

00:30:06.650 --> 00:30:09.030 
for accessible
disability parking--

00:30:09.030 --> 00:30:15.450 
two southbound at Beech Street
and then two more northbound

00:30:15.450 --> 00:30:17.760 
just before Davenport
Street in front

00:30:17.760 --> 00:30:20.340 
of the Dunkin' Donuts that's
at the corner with the shopping

00:30:20.340 --> 00:30:22.050 
center.

00:30:22.050 --> 00:30:24.150 
And as you can see
as well, in red

00:30:24.150 --> 00:30:27.420 
here we've marked out the
loading zone between Davenport

00:30:27.420 --> 00:30:31.260 
Street and Allen
Street, and we also

00:30:31.260 --> 00:30:33.030 
have, as stated
before, two travel

00:30:33.030 --> 00:30:37.140 
lanes in either direction,
separated bike lanes,

00:30:37.140 --> 00:30:39.660 
and then the existing
bus stop at Porter Road

00:30:39.660 --> 00:30:40.980 
with no modifications.

00:30:40.980 --> 00:30:44.780 


00:30:44.780 --> 00:30:48.310 
All right, so next I'll cover
Porter Road to Upland Road.

00:30:48.310 --> 00:30:50.920 
So Porter Road,
this is basically

00:30:50.920 --> 00:30:54.370 
either side of the
Somerville Ave intersection.

00:30:54.370 --> 00:30:56.920 
So on this section,
we're maintaining

00:30:56.920 --> 00:31:00.550 
existing travel lanes and
all existing turn lanes.

00:31:00.550 --> 00:31:03.940 
Some key features include
safety improvements

00:31:03.940 --> 00:31:07.900 
that we're proposing at the
Somerville Ave intersection,

00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:11.110 
and then a proposal for
additional parking spaces

00:31:11.110 --> 00:31:13.350 
on Upland Road.

00:31:13.350 --> 00:31:16.330 
And then next we'll go
over a key constraint here,

00:31:16.330 --> 00:31:20.310 
which is that we'll talk about--
so the existing travel lane

00:31:20.310 --> 00:31:23.580 
widths in this section do
pose some challenges for when

00:31:23.580 --> 00:31:26.160 
we were looking at
separated bike lanes,

00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:28.860 
and we'll go over exactly
what those challenges were

00:31:28.860 --> 00:31:31.215 
and where those constrained
sections are located.

00:31:31.215 --> 00:31:36.480 


00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:39.600 
So first of all,
the intersection

00:31:39.600 --> 00:31:43.120 
safety improvements at
Somerville Ave, what we're

00:31:43.120 --> 00:31:47.890 
proposing here is a single
travel lane on Somerville Ave.

00:31:47.890 --> 00:31:51.070 
And this only covers a section
of Somerville Ave between White

00:31:51.070 --> 00:31:53.350 
Street and Mass Ave.

00:31:53.350 --> 00:31:58.850 
It's just a short block just
after, on the side of Mass Ave.

00:31:58.850 --> 00:32:02.390 
Currently, northbound as
you approach this area,

00:32:02.390 --> 00:32:05.870 
there's a single lane
on Somerville Ave.

00:32:05.870 --> 00:32:08.870 
And between White
Street and Mass Ave,

00:32:08.870 --> 00:32:10.950 
that widens out to two lanes.

00:32:10.950 --> 00:32:15.410 
We're proposing to remove
one of those lanes.

00:32:15.410 --> 00:32:19.250 
This second lane that
currently exists,

00:32:19.250 --> 00:32:20.780 
our analysis shows
that removing it

00:32:20.780 --> 00:32:24.140 
doesn't actually pose
significant traffic issues.

00:32:24.140 --> 00:32:26.400 
You have one lane
approaching that area,

00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:30.180 
and so it's a redundant lane.

00:32:30.180 --> 00:32:33.900 
By going down to one lane, it
provides us numerous benefits.

00:32:33.900 --> 00:32:37.920 
It encourages slower speeds
through the intersection

00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:40.500 
as people are making that turn.

00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:42.870 
It also improves the
ability for large vehicles

00:32:42.870 --> 00:32:48.720 
to navigate the turn by widening
the space that they have.

00:32:48.720 --> 00:32:51.270 
It discourages weaving, too.

00:32:51.270 --> 00:32:55.710 
Since the road suddenly becomes
two lanes for this section

00:32:55.710 --> 00:32:59.880 
after just being one,
that encourages people

00:32:59.880 --> 00:33:02.670 
to start jostling around.

00:33:02.670 --> 00:33:06.660 
And then we do expect that
this would increase safety

00:33:06.660 --> 00:33:08.100 
for all users.

00:33:08.100 --> 00:33:11.650 
In general, it just creates
a more predictable movement,

00:33:11.650 --> 00:33:15.060 
and as we stated, there's no
significant traffic impacts,

00:33:15.060 --> 00:33:18.000 
at least in terms of
delay and congestion,

00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:25.930 
and it's a safety
benefit for all users.

00:33:25.930 --> 00:33:29.050 
What this also lets
us do is improve

00:33:29.050 --> 00:33:31.720 
the separation for bicyclists
on this short section

00:33:31.720 --> 00:33:35.650 
of Somerville Ave. We need
to conduct further study just

00:33:35.650 --> 00:33:39.190 
to know exactly how and
where we can add separation,

00:33:39.190 --> 00:33:43.720 
but we often receive
a lot of requests--

00:33:43.720 --> 00:33:45.700 
there's an existing
buffered bicycle

00:33:45.700 --> 00:33:47.680 
lane on the
southbound side here,

00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:52.747 
and we often receive requests
to add flex posts in that area.

00:33:52.747 --> 00:33:54.580 
The reason that we don't
currently have that

00:33:54.580 --> 00:33:57.640 
is that there's
truck traffic that's

00:33:57.640 --> 00:34:01.840 
making the right turn onto
Somerville Ave, most of which

00:34:01.840 --> 00:34:04.960 
is entering White Street
to make deliveries

00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:07.990 
to the Target and
the shopping center.

00:34:07.990 --> 00:34:10.159 
And so as the road is
currently laid out,

00:34:10.159 --> 00:34:11.620 
if we were to put
separation there,

00:34:11.620 --> 00:34:14.320 
those would get knocked over.

00:34:14.320 --> 00:34:16.360 
Under this new layout
that we're proposing,

00:34:16.360 --> 00:34:21.340 
we have made some modifications
to the location of those lanes

00:34:21.340 --> 00:34:24.820 
that we do think will encourage
trucks to make a wider

00:34:24.820 --> 00:34:28.330 
turn that's also a safer turn.

00:34:28.330 --> 00:34:31.570 
But we still need to
actually do the analysis

00:34:31.570 --> 00:34:34.840 
to see where those new
turning movements occur,

00:34:34.840 --> 00:34:37.600 
and just gauge how much
separation we can add.

00:34:37.600 --> 00:34:39.340 
So that is something
we'll be having

00:34:39.340 --> 00:34:42.174 
more updates on in the
future and is ongoing.

00:34:42.174 --> 00:34:46.130 


00:34:46.130 --> 00:34:48.739 
So the second key
feature in this section

00:34:48.739 --> 00:34:52.100 
is the proposed
parking on Upland Road.

00:34:52.100 --> 00:34:57.470 
This parking would be located
where it's shown in the photo

00:34:57.470 --> 00:35:03.420 
here, basically on the
side of the hotel here.

00:35:03.420 --> 00:35:06.650 
This would not have any
impact on resident parking.

00:35:06.650 --> 00:35:12.220 
These would be two new spaces
in an existing no-stopping area.

00:35:12.220 --> 00:35:14.920 
This would require
removing the right turn

00:35:14.920 --> 00:35:18.070 
lane from Upland Road.

00:35:18.070 --> 00:35:22.450 
Although Upland Road, as stated
before, would remain two-way,

00:35:22.450 --> 00:35:25.060 
vehicles would simply
make left or right turns

00:35:25.060 --> 00:35:27.040 
from a single lane.

00:35:27.040 --> 00:35:30.350 
This would have some
minor traffic impacts,

00:35:30.350 --> 00:35:32.800 
especially for
right-turning vehicles,

00:35:32.800 --> 00:35:36.790 
as the majority of the traffic
here is making the left,

00:35:36.790 --> 00:35:38.590 
and so the right-turning
traffic would

00:35:38.590 --> 00:35:41.140 
have to wait until the signal.

00:35:41.140 --> 00:35:42.670 
Well, it's a no-turn
on red, so they

00:35:42.670 --> 00:35:44.212 
have to wait until
the signal anyway.

00:35:44.212 --> 00:35:46.560 
But it could create
a little added delay.

00:35:46.560 --> 00:35:49.570 
We do think that
will be fairly minor.

00:35:49.570 --> 00:35:53.110 
And as stated before, these are
optional changes and so we do

00:35:53.110 --> 00:35:55.690 
want to hear
people's feedback on

00:35:55.690 --> 00:35:57.050 
whether or not we should do it.

00:35:57.050 --> 00:36:00.520 
But we do think this helps
address the removal of parking,

00:36:00.520 --> 00:36:04.720 
especially south of Porter
Square before Roseland,

00:36:04.720 --> 00:36:08.230 
where we don't have the
loading zone that we discussed

00:36:08.230 --> 00:36:11.590 
before proposed.

00:36:11.590 --> 00:36:15.670 
Next I'll go over those
constrained sections

00:36:15.670 --> 00:36:18.850 
where we have,
separated bike lanes

00:36:18.850 --> 00:36:22.150 
pose additional challenges.

00:36:22.150 --> 00:36:25.330 
These are all numbered here
on the map that's shown.

00:36:25.330 --> 00:36:28.840 
The first being at Porter
Road, between Porter Road

00:36:28.840 --> 00:36:32.410 
and the Somerville
Ave intersection.

00:36:32.410 --> 00:36:36.790 
Right now all our travel lanes
are at their minimum width,

00:36:36.790 --> 00:36:39.880 
and that leaves us with
about five to six feet

00:36:39.880 --> 00:36:41.440 
of bicycle lane.

00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:45.070 
This is below our standard width
for separated bike lanes, which

00:36:45.070 --> 00:36:46.630 
is typically seven.

00:36:46.630 --> 00:36:48.730 
That seven number is
really key because it

00:36:48.730 --> 00:36:51.520 
allows us to do proper
maintenance of the lanes.

00:36:51.520 --> 00:36:53.020 
That means getting
a street sweeper

00:36:53.020 --> 00:36:55.000 
down the lane, that
means clearing it

00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:58.010 
for snow in the winter.

00:36:58.010 --> 00:37:01.100 
So once we go down below
seven, we typically

00:37:01.100 --> 00:37:02.780 
don't install flex posts.

00:37:02.780 --> 00:37:06.740 
This means that the
lane is not separated.

00:37:06.740 --> 00:37:09.950 
We have looked at
what it would actually

00:37:09.950 --> 00:37:12.950 
mean to add separation here.

00:37:12.950 --> 00:37:15.650 
We've looked at
removing a travel lane,

00:37:15.650 --> 00:37:17.630 
and we'll have some
details on this later.

00:37:17.630 --> 00:37:21.860 
But we did find that created
significant traffic impacts.

00:37:21.860 --> 00:37:24.890 
We are looking at potential
maintenance alternatives,

00:37:24.890 --> 00:37:26.777 
but we haven't come
up with a solution

00:37:26.777 --> 00:37:27.860 
quite yet on that section.

00:37:27.860 --> 00:37:30.570 


00:37:30.570 --> 00:37:34.230 
Number two refers to just
south of Somerville Ave. This

00:37:34.230 --> 00:37:36.960 
is an existing bus stop,
and so at that location

00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:38.370 
we wouldn't be
adding separation,

00:37:38.370 --> 00:37:42.570 
as separation conflicts
with bus loading.

00:37:42.570 --> 00:37:48.000 
Section three is northbound.

00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:50.220 
As you approach the
Somerville Ave intersection,

00:37:50.220 --> 00:37:52.470 
this section has a lot
of similar challenges

00:37:52.470 --> 00:37:54.180 
to section one.

00:37:54.180 --> 00:37:57.840 
It's under seven feet and so
it doesn't meet our maintenance

00:37:57.840 --> 00:38:01.020 
guidelines, if we were
to install separation.

00:38:01.020 --> 00:38:04.550 
Also here, our travel
lanes are at their minimum.

00:38:04.550 --> 00:38:06.300 
And we looked at
removing travel lane here

00:38:06.300 --> 00:38:08.370 
and found even greater
traffic impacts,

00:38:08.370 --> 00:38:12.030 
so it's not something that
we're suggesting right now.

00:38:12.030 --> 00:38:15.300 
Section four is the section
that I discussed earlier,

00:38:15.300 --> 00:38:19.230 
just going southbound on
Somerville Ave, where we're

00:38:19.230 --> 00:38:22.290 
looking at the truck turns.

00:38:22.290 --> 00:38:26.115 
And I'll also note
section two and three are

00:38:26.115 --> 00:38:27.990 
on a state facility,
which means that they're

00:38:27.990 --> 00:38:30.293 
exempt from the Cycling
Safety Ordinance.

00:38:30.293 --> 00:38:31.710 
That's not to say
that we wouldn't

00:38:31.710 --> 00:38:33.960 
want to put the separation,
but it's not explicitly

00:38:33.960 --> 00:38:39.513 
required by the Cycling
Safety Ordinance.

00:38:39.513 --> 00:38:40.930 
And so here's the
general overview

00:38:40.930 --> 00:38:42.970 
of what I just discussed
or the section.

00:38:42.970 --> 00:38:45.820 
You can see the two
new accessible spaces

00:38:45.820 --> 00:38:50.020 
in front of the Dunkin'
Donuts, the modifications

00:38:50.020 --> 00:38:54.340 
on Somerville Ave the proposed
parking change in Upland Road,

00:38:54.340 --> 00:39:00.160 
and then the sections of bike
lane without the separation.

00:39:00.160 --> 00:39:03.250 
The last of these three
segments of Mass Ave

00:39:03.250 --> 00:39:05.620 
is Upland Road to
Roseland Street.

00:39:05.620 --> 00:39:08.620 
So in this section, you
have two travel lanes

00:39:08.620 --> 00:39:11.110 
in both directions,
just as you did

00:39:11.110 --> 00:39:13.120 
on the northern
half of the square,

00:39:13.120 --> 00:39:16.020 
and separated bike lanes
in both directions.

00:39:16.020 --> 00:39:18.870 
Key features here include
an extended bus stop

00:39:18.870 --> 00:39:21.510 
at the Porter Square
Station, and then some

00:39:21.510 --> 00:39:27.000 
proposed parking modifications
on Mount Vernon Street.

00:39:27.000 --> 00:39:31.440 
So the first key feature,
this extended bus stop--

00:39:31.440 --> 00:39:35.010 
so this proposal is, it would
be to extend the existing bus

00:39:35.010 --> 00:39:39.990 
stop at Porter Square Station
back approximately 50 feet.

00:39:39.990 --> 00:39:42.030 
The location is shown
here in the photo.

00:39:42.030 --> 00:39:45.360 
It's in front of the Bank
of America and Commonwealth

00:39:45.360 --> 00:39:47.910 
Law Company.

00:39:47.910 --> 00:39:50.880 
This provides numerous benefits.

00:39:50.880 --> 00:39:55.440 
This is a very busy station
that serves multiple bus routes,

00:39:55.440 --> 00:39:57.780 
and so by extending
the bus stop back,

00:39:57.780 --> 00:40:00.810 
you're able to get two
buses into the station

00:40:00.810 --> 00:40:02.080 
at the same time.

00:40:02.080 --> 00:40:06.440 
So for example, if a 77 bus
pulls up and a 96 bus pulls up,

00:40:06.440 --> 00:40:08.130 
you have two separate routes.

00:40:08.130 --> 00:40:10.840 
Both of those buses
can reach the curb.

00:40:10.840 --> 00:40:13.360 
This allows for more
efficient boarding.

00:40:13.360 --> 00:40:16.840 
It also improves accessibility,
as both of those buses

00:40:16.840 --> 00:40:20.620 
are able to allow people
to board accessibly

00:40:20.620 --> 00:40:23.200 
at the same time.

00:40:23.200 --> 00:40:26.913 
If we were not to do this, we
have to install separated bike

00:40:26.913 --> 00:40:28.330 
lanes here, and
so we would not be

00:40:28.330 --> 00:40:33.810 
able to keep the loading
zone that currently

00:40:33.810 --> 00:40:35.350 
exists at this location.

00:40:35.350 --> 00:40:38.910 
And so the trade-off
here is between extending

00:40:38.910 --> 00:40:41.850 
the separation a little
further or the added bus stop.

00:40:41.850 --> 00:40:45.990 


00:40:45.990 --> 00:40:51.370 
The second key feature that I'll
cover is Mount Vernon Street.

00:40:51.370 --> 00:40:54.230 
So similarly to Upland Road,
we do want feedback on this.

00:40:54.230 --> 00:40:58.000 
Nothing is set in stone,
but we are proposing this

00:40:58.000 --> 00:41:01.720 
because we heard about
the need for parking.

00:41:01.720 --> 00:41:03.220 
This is south of
the Square, too,

00:41:03.220 --> 00:41:08.170 
where we don't have any
parking in the plan currently--

00:41:08.170 --> 00:41:10.120 
at least metered parking.

00:41:10.120 --> 00:41:14.950 
So the exact number of spaces
we would do here in terms

00:41:14.950 --> 00:41:17.000 
of meters is to be determined.

00:41:17.000 --> 00:41:18.550 
It's open to community feedback.

00:41:18.550 --> 00:41:20.950 
We would not expect
any parking changes

00:41:20.950 --> 00:41:22.930 
in front of residential homes.

00:41:22.930 --> 00:41:25.810 
Both sides of Mount Vernon
Street in this section

00:41:25.810 --> 00:41:29.500 
are front-end parking lots.

00:41:29.500 --> 00:41:32.120 
And again, these
changes are optional.

00:41:32.120 --> 00:41:34.930 
We haven't come to
a specific number.

00:41:34.930 --> 00:41:39.700 
Right now I think there's
about six spaces in that area.

00:41:39.700 --> 00:41:41.290 
So we could do some,
we could do all,

00:41:41.290 --> 00:41:43.690 
but we do want feedback on that.

00:41:43.690 --> 00:41:46.310 


00:41:46.310 --> 00:41:49.010 
So then just showing this
whole section overall,

00:41:49.010 --> 00:41:52.820 
you can see on the left the
parking changes on Upland Road.

00:41:52.820 --> 00:41:57.070 
You can see on the northbound
side the extended bus stop.

00:41:57.070 --> 00:42:00.720 
And then in addition,
we are proposing

00:42:00.720 --> 00:42:04.920 
two new accessible
disability spaces--

00:42:04.920 --> 00:42:07.320 
one on the northbound side
at Roseland Street and one

00:42:07.320 --> 00:42:08.280 
on the southbound side.

00:42:08.280 --> 00:42:13.200 


00:42:13.200 --> 00:42:17.190 
Next we'll go over various
other alternatives we looked at,

00:42:17.190 --> 00:42:21.000 
which for various reasons that
we'll go over, we don't think

00:42:21.000 --> 00:42:23.940 
are preferred at this time.

00:42:23.940 --> 00:42:27.960 
So alternative 2A would be
to create a single travel

00:42:27.960 --> 00:42:33.790 
lane, a lane for loading, and
then separated bike lanes.

00:42:33.790 --> 00:42:37.210 
So this would narrow Mass
Ave down to a single travel

00:42:37.210 --> 00:42:41.350 
lane starting just prior to
Somerville Ave. This does fill

00:42:41.350 --> 00:42:43.480 
in that missing
gap in separation,

00:42:43.480 --> 00:42:47.300 
that I discussed on a previous
slide, at Porter Road,

00:42:47.300 --> 00:42:49.160 
and it creates
approximately six spaces

00:42:49.160 --> 00:42:52.670 
for loading in the southern
side of the square.

00:42:52.670 --> 00:42:55.280 
Key constraints here
is that, again, we have

00:42:55.280 --> 00:42:56.930 
to eliminate a travel lane.

00:42:56.930 --> 00:43:02.330 
This would create a
significant traffic bottleneck

00:43:02.330 --> 00:43:04.820 
just prior to the
Somerville Ave intersection,

00:43:04.820 --> 00:43:07.010 
and this traffic
bottleneck we do think

00:43:07.010 --> 00:43:09.410 
would add, right now
our estimates are

00:43:09.410 --> 00:43:12.890 
three to five minutes of delay
that would be experienced

00:43:12.890 --> 00:43:17.150 
by both drivers and
transit vehicles,

00:43:17.150 --> 00:43:20.870 
people riding transit, as
the loading would take out

00:43:20.870 --> 00:43:22.430 
the second lane.

00:43:22.430 --> 00:43:26.420 
And then as stated before, we
cannot convert loading spaces

00:43:26.420 --> 00:43:31.050 
to metered parking unless the
overhead wires are removed.

00:43:31.050 --> 00:43:33.620 
So this is what this would
look like at Porter Road.

00:43:33.620 --> 00:43:36.020 
Here on the left you can
see that modification

00:43:36.020 --> 00:43:39.890 
to go down to a single through
lane with the widened bike

00:43:39.890 --> 00:43:41.780 
lane.

00:43:41.780 --> 00:43:45.860 
Then as you approach
Upland Road,

00:43:45.860 --> 00:43:47.870 
so you have a right turn
lane onto Upland Road,

00:43:47.870 --> 00:43:51.110 
and then a single lane going
south on Upland Road with

00:43:51.110 --> 00:43:54.530 
a loading zone, one in
front of the Hotel 1868,

00:43:54.530 --> 00:43:59.550 
and then an additional one
in front of the parking lot,

00:43:59.550 --> 00:44:02.450 
which is somewhat close to a
few businesses on the southbound

00:44:02.450 --> 00:44:04.260 
side where there's--

00:44:04.260 --> 00:44:05.180 
I don't know exactly--

00:44:05.180 --> 00:44:07.985 
I think a Paper Source
and another business.

00:44:07.985 --> 00:44:12.120 


00:44:12.120 --> 00:44:17.880 
Then another alternative
we looked at was 2B.

00:44:17.880 --> 00:44:21.090 
Alternative 2B is very similar,
except that loading zone

00:44:21.090 --> 00:44:24.950 
is a bus lane with
part-time loading.

00:44:24.950 --> 00:44:26.870 
As with the other
alternative, it

00:44:26.870 --> 00:44:29.660 
requires the elimination
of a second travel lane.

00:44:29.660 --> 00:44:33.110 


00:44:33.110 --> 00:44:35.300 
Unfortunately when we
looked at this section,

00:44:35.300 --> 00:44:37.790 
the location of the
bust lane actually

00:44:37.790 --> 00:44:42.470 
creates a very significant
traffic bottleneck,

00:44:42.470 --> 00:44:46.880 
and the lane is not in the right
location to serve the delay.

00:44:46.880 --> 00:44:49.880 
So essentially, buses
would be experiencing

00:44:49.880 --> 00:44:52.100 
an additional three to
five minutes of delay,

00:44:52.100 --> 00:44:55.670 
the same as alternative
2A, and all that delay

00:44:55.670 --> 00:44:58.580 
would be occurring before those
buses actually reached the bus

00:44:58.580 --> 00:45:02.570 
lane, so they'd be stuck
in general purpose traffic

00:45:02.570 --> 00:45:05.090 
along with everyone else.

00:45:05.090 --> 00:45:09.140 
And just with the
other alternative,

00:45:09.140 --> 00:45:12.230 
loading spaces cannot be
converted to metered spaces.

00:45:12.230 --> 00:45:14.780 
And in this alternative,
we'd have more limited hours

00:45:14.780 --> 00:45:17.090 
of loading because
you would have

00:45:17.090 --> 00:45:19.790 
a bus lane during certain
hours and a loading lane

00:45:19.790 --> 00:45:22.940 
during others.

00:45:22.940 --> 00:45:25.900 
And so I hope that
this graphic here

00:45:25.900 --> 00:45:27.790 
illustrates the
issue I'm talking

00:45:27.790 --> 00:45:31.150 
about with the limited bus lane.

00:45:31.150 --> 00:45:35.860 
So here at Porter Road,
basically we have a left turn

00:45:35.860 --> 00:45:39.160 
lane onto Somerville Ave
that we want to keep,

00:45:39.160 --> 00:45:42.520 
and then we have two through
lanes going south currently.

00:45:42.520 --> 00:45:44.530 
We could convert one
of those to a bus lane,

00:45:44.530 --> 00:45:48.370 
but that bus lane does not
extend far enough back.

00:45:48.370 --> 00:45:50.470 
It would actually
create more congestion

00:45:50.470 --> 00:45:54.730 
because you have more people
waiting in a single lane.

00:45:54.730 --> 00:45:56.950 
You also have a
significant number

00:45:56.950 --> 00:46:00.790 
of high-traffic intersections
before here, such as at Walden

00:46:00.790 --> 00:46:02.230 
Street, and so
that bus lane would

00:46:02.230 --> 00:46:08.210 
need to extend a lot further
back in order to be effective.

00:46:08.210 --> 00:46:12.190 
And then you can see
on the southbound,

00:46:12.190 --> 00:46:14.620 
on the southern half of the
square where the loading

00:46:14.620 --> 00:46:18.250 
zones would be in the same
location as proposed before.

00:46:18.250 --> 00:46:21.210 


00:46:21.210 --> 00:46:22.830 
And then we also
looked at bus lanes

00:46:22.830 --> 00:46:26.610 
in both directions,
alternative 3.

00:46:26.610 --> 00:46:29.460 
And so really what we found
when we did this was we

00:46:29.460 --> 00:46:32.280 
found similar problems in
the northbound direction,

00:46:32.280 --> 00:46:35.700 
as I mentioned for the
southbound direction.

00:46:35.700 --> 00:46:39.690 
We do know that
bus priority would

00:46:39.690 --> 00:46:42.990 
be very beneficial anywhere
north of Harvard Square.

00:46:42.990 --> 00:46:47.320 
We've done traffic and
analysis studies on that.

00:46:47.320 --> 00:46:49.560 
However, the issue is that
when these lanes are only

00:46:49.560 --> 00:46:51.840 
put in between Beech
Street and Roseland Street,

00:46:51.840 --> 00:46:54.850 
they don't provide
their intended benefit.

00:46:54.850 --> 00:46:59.100 
As stated, you end up with
new traffic bottlenecks.

00:46:59.100 --> 00:47:02.910 
If you do a southbound lane,
that basically shifts traffic

00:47:02.910 --> 00:47:06.270 
north earlier, if you
do a northbound lane,

00:47:06.270 --> 00:47:09.120 
that shifts traffic south.

00:47:09.120 --> 00:47:11.370 
And so the bus
lanes don't actually

00:47:11.370 --> 00:47:14.250 
get through the lines
of cars unless they

00:47:14.250 --> 00:47:16.260 
connect to other facilities.

00:47:16.260 --> 00:47:18.780 
And so ideally, we
would want something

00:47:18.780 --> 00:47:21.210 
that's continuous
with the bus lane

00:47:21.210 --> 00:47:23.850 
that we installed in North
Cambridge or something

00:47:23.850 --> 00:47:26.280 
that gets you all the
way to Harvard Square.

00:47:26.280 --> 00:47:29.400 
We do have separate projects
going on in these areas,

00:47:29.400 --> 00:47:31.590 
as mentioned before,
called the MassAve4,

00:47:31.590 --> 00:47:34.380 
and we are committed to
fully evaluating bus lanes

00:47:34.380 --> 00:47:36.810 
as part of those projects.

00:47:36.810 --> 00:47:41.130 
And so when we do that,
if the recommendation

00:47:41.130 --> 00:47:45.150 
from those projects is for a bus
lane in one or both directions,

00:47:45.150 --> 00:47:47.370 
those would extend
through Porter Square

00:47:47.370 --> 00:47:49.636 
to make sure that
everything is connected.

00:47:49.636 --> 00:47:53.370 


00:47:53.370 --> 00:47:59.420 
So to summarize, we have our
preferred alternative, which

00:47:59.420 --> 00:48:03.390 
does not impact congestion.

00:48:03.390 --> 00:48:07.110 
On the flip side, we do not
have any loading or parking

00:48:07.110 --> 00:48:09.060 
on Mass Ave south of
the square, except

00:48:09.060 --> 00:48:12.600 
for accessible and
disability parking.

00:48:12.600 --> 00:48:17.070 
For alternatives 2A,
2B and 3, we generally

00:48:17.070 --> 00:48:19.440 
found that those
would increase delay

00:48:19.440 --> 00:48:23.510 
and would not address
transit needs.

00:48:23.510 --> 00:48:26.780 
The differences really
are that alternative 2A

00:48:26.780 --> 00:48:32.100 
provides loading south of the
square throughout the day.

00:48:32.100 --> 00:48:35.820 
2B and 3, that
loading would have

00:48:35.820 --> 00:48:38.100 
to share time
with-- so you'd have

00:48:38.100 --> 00:48:41.100 
bus lanes during certain hours
and loading during other hours.

00:48:41.100 --> 00:48:44.160 
An these are not alternatives--

00:48:44.160 --> 00:48:46.920 
2A, 2B and 3-- that we're
really suggesting at this time,

00:48:46.920 --> 00:48:49.780 
so we haven't done a full
analysis of what times either.

00:48:49.780 --> 00:48:51.570 
But we do know that
they would have

00:48:51.570 --> 00:48:54.390 
to be more limited if
that location is switching

00:48:54.390 --> 00:48:57.950 
between buses and loading use.

00:48:57.950 --> 00:49:05.720 
So that's the design, everything
about the design right now.

00:49:05.720 --> 00:49:08.710 
So with that, I'll turn
it back over to Brooke.

00:49:08.710 --> 00:49:10.630 
BROOKE MCKENNA: All
right, thank you, Andreas.

00:49:10.630 --> 00:49:12.910 
So I'll talk a little
bit about next steps

00:49:12.910 --> 00:49:16.510 
before we transition
over to Q&A.

00:49:16.510 --> 00:49:21.460 
So coming up this
upcoming Saturday,

00:49:21.460 --> 00:49:26.320 
we will be outside
the Lunder Art Center

00:49:26.320 --> 00:49:29.740 
in Porter Square at 1801 Mass
Ave between 10:00 AM and 2:00

00:49:29.740 --> 00:49:31.060 
PM.

00:49:31.060 --> 00:49:32.980 
We'll be there to
answer questions.

00:49:32.980 --> 00:49:37.030 
We'll have content-wise
the same information

00:49:37.030 --> 00:49:38.740 
that we're sharing
with you tonight,

00:49:38.740 --> 00:49:41.380 
we'll have with us on Saturday.

00:49:41.380 --> 00:49:45.880 
And we'll be joined by folks
from the Mass4 project.

00:49:45.880 --> 00:49:48.700 
So really anyone with
any questions or anything

00:49:48.700 --> 00:49:52.900 
they want to discuss in person
about any of the Mass Ave

00:49:52.900 --> 00:49:57.430 
projects can come see us between
10:00 and 2:00 on this upcoming

00:49:57.430 --> 00:49:58.780 
Saturday.

00:49:58.780 --> 00:50:02.440 
There is some question about
the weather as of right now.

00:50:02.440 --> 00:50:04.060 
We're watching that closely.

00:50:04.060 --> 00:50:08.360 
We're really hoping that we can
hold this event on Saturday.

00:50:08.360 --> 00:50:12.640 
But if things really
turn for the worse,

00:50:12.640 --> 00:50:18.010 
we will make a call on not
holding the event by Friday.

00:50:18.010 --> 00:50:22.330 
So I would check the
website, and we'll also

00:50:22.330 --> 00:50:26.800 
send out to the project
email as well if we end up

00:50:26.800 --> 00:50:30.850 
having to cancel due
to weather on Saturday.

00:50:30.850 --> 00:50:34.403 
Then in terms of our next
community meeting on Zoom,

00:50:34.403 --> 00:50:36.820 
it will take place in late
April and we'll get back to you

00:50:36.820 --> 00:50:40.010 
soon with the specifics
on that and dates.

00:50:40.010 --> 00:50:42.160 
And again, going back to
what Joe mentioned earlier

00:50:42.160 --> 00:50:45.250 
about the slight delay
in implementation,

00:50:45.250 --> 00:50:48.880 
we are fully committed
to implementing this

00:50:48.880 --> 00:50:51.490 
during this current, the
construction season that

00:50:51.490 --> 00:50:54.950 
is about to start up.

00:50:54.950 --> 00:50:57.310 
I think we'll have some
additional information

00:50:57.310 --> 00:50:59.830 
on schedule at the
next public meeting,

00:50:59.830 --> 00:51:04.210 
but we are looking to move
forward as quickly as we can,

00:51:04.210 --> 00:51:06.790 
although we won't be meeting
the original April 30 deadline.

00:51:06.790 --> 00:51:13.010 


00:51:13.010 --> 00:51:14.800 
So next we are
going to transition

00:51:14.800 --> 00:51:19.960 
to Q&A. I think a lot of you
have seen that you're now

00:51:19.960 --> 00:51:21.520 
able to raise your
hand to indicate

00:51:21.520 --> 00:51:23.080 
that you'd like to speak.

00:51:23.080 --> 00:51:27.340 
We are going to call
on people in the order

00:51:27.340 --> 00:51:30.790 
that their hand was
raised, and I will

00:51:30.790 --> 00:51:33.400 
ask you to unmute yourself.

00:51:33.400 --> 00:51:37.540 
You can also continue to submit
your questions through the Q&A

00:51:37.540 --> 00:51:39.430 
function.

00:51:39.430 --> 00:51:42.100 
For people who are raising
their hand to speak,

00:51:42.100 --> 00:51:43.660 
please limit yourself
to one minute.

00:51:43.660 --> 00:51:45.410 
We have a lot of people
who want to speak,

00:51:45.410 --> 00:51:48.112 
and we really want to
get through everything.

00:51:48.112 --> 00:51:50.320 
But we also want to answer
some of the questions that

00:51:50.320 --> 00:51:51.490 
are coming up tonight.

00:51:51.490 --> 00:51:53.950 
So we're going to get
started with public comments

00:51:53.950 --> 00:51:57.010 
and questions, and then
about every 15 minutes

00:51:57.010 --> 00:51:59.650 
or so, we'll take a quick break
to answer some of the questions

00:51:59.650 --> 00:52:01.330 
that we've heard--

00:52:01.330 --> 00:52:06.910 
both we've heard in public
comment and through the Q&A.

00:52:06.910 --> 00:52:09.553 
And we will come up with
themes and answer those themes

00:52:09.553 --> 00:52:11.470 
so that we can really
answer as many questions

00:52:11.470 --> 00:52:14.110 
as we can in a limited
amount of time.

00:52:14.110 --> 00:52:17.080 
Right now we're
scheduled to end at 8:00,

00:52:17.080 --> 00:52:20.080 
and we will see how we are
doing as we get closer to that.

00:52:20.080 --> 00:52:23.350 
Again, my contact
information is here,

00:52:23.350 --> 00:52:26.840 
and please feel free to
reach out to me any time.

00:52:26.840 --> 00:52:31.910 
And with that, we will
go to public comment.

00:52:31.910 --> 00:52:34.750 
So the first person
we have up is

00:52:34.750 --> 00:52:39.910 
Lee Jenkins, who will be
followed by Nate Fillmore.

00:52:39.910 --> 00:52:41.548 
Lee, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

00:52:41.548 --> 00:52:42.340 
You have the floor.

00:52:42.340 --> 00:52:45.490 


00:52:45.490 --> 00:52:47.740 
AUDIENCE: I'm sorry, I
didn't raise my hand,

00:52:47.740 --> 00:52:48.615 
so I don't know why--

00:52:48.615 --> 00:52:49.907 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Oh, you didn't?

00:52:49.907 --> 00:52:50.650 
Oh, OK.

00:52:50.650 --> 00:52:52.120 
I can put that down for you.

00:52:52.120 --> 00:52:55.200 


00:52:55.200 --> 00:52:58.160 
Then Nate, you're up,
and Petru will be next.

00:52:58.160 --> 00:53:00.865 


00:53:00.865 --> 00:53:01.490 
Go ahead, Nate.

00:53:01.490 --> 00:53:04.200 
You can unmute yourself.

00:53:04.200 --> 00:53:06.560 
AUDIENCE: Hello, [INAUDIBLE].

00:53:06.560 --> 00:53:10.010 
Thank you guys all for
working on this project.

00:53:10.010 --> 00:53:13.070 
I really appreciate all of the
work that has gone into it.

00:53:13.070 --> 00:53:15.980 
I'm a little bit
perplexed by the fact

00:53:15.980 --> 00:53:20.090 
that something like
half of the study area

00:53:20.090 --> 00:53:24.230 
does not have protected bike
lanes in the resulting plan,

00:53:24.230 --> 00:53:27.380 
and I would hope that
you guys could continue

00:53:27.380 --> 00:53:31.670 
to look at providing
separation in the areas

00:53:31.670 --> 00:53:35.930 
where there's
slightly less space.

00:53:35.930 --> 00:53:38.630 
Other places are able
to accomplish this.

00:53:38.630 --> 00:53:40.562 
And we circulated a
memo, and I would just

00:53:40.562 --> 00:53:42.020 
hope that you guys
can keep looking

00:53:42.020 --> 00:53:45.060 
at that because it's really
important to have separation

00:53:45.060 --> 00:53:48.500 
throughout the square, not just
in places where you can get

00:53:48.500 --> 00:53:54.480 
that full seven feet of width.

00:53:54.480 --> 00:53:57.020 
So if we're going to all this
effort to do the project,

00:53:57.020 --> 00:54:00.110 
it just seems like it would
be a really sad outcome

00:54:00.110 --> 00:54:02.677 
if we don't actually accomplish
separation for so much

00:54:02.677 --> 00:54:03.260 
of the square.

00:54:03.260 --> 00:54:05.327 
Thank you.

00:54:05.327 --> 00:54:06.660 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Thank you, Nate.

00:54:06.660 --> 00:54:10.020 
Petru, you're up next,
followed by Itamar.

00:54:10.020 --> 00:54:13.690 
Petru, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

00:54:13.690 --> 00:54:14.680 
AUDIENCE: Thank you.

00:54:14.680 --> 00:54:17.920 
So I really appreciate City
staff's presentation tonight

00:54:17.920 --> 00:54:20.830 
and I also appreciate
the Q&A feature.

00:54:20.830 --> 00:54:24.860 
So my question
concerns Beech Street.

00:54:24.860 --> 00:54:27.360 
On the project plans, I didn't
see any mention of the signal

00:54:27.360 --> 00:54:32.250 
separation that was talked about
as an alternative last meeting.

00:54:32.250 --> 00:54:34.770 
And as somebody who bikes
through here frequently,

00:54:34.770 --> 00:54:37.770 
the right hook hazard is
there and it's severe.

00:54:37.770 --> 00:54:40.350 
So I hope that
signal separation can

00:54:40.350 --> 00:54:42.490 
be considered in the future.

00:54:42.490 --> 00:54:46.920 
And I also hope that with the
double bus stop at the Porter

00:54:46.920 --> 00:54:50.310 
Square T Stop, if we want to
improve bus reliability, maybe

00:54:50.310 --> 00:54:53.490 
we can consider a queue jump
signal to help buses get ahead

00:54:53.490 --> 00:54:55.680 
of the traffic queues.

00:54:55.680 --> 00:54:57.473 
Thank you very much
for the presentation,

00:54:57.473 --> 00:54:58.890 
and I look forward
to this project

00:54:58.890 --> 00:55:01.723 
and other future
developments with MassAve4.

00:55:01.723 --> 00:55:02.640 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great.

00:55:02.640 --> 00:55:03.570 
Thank you, Petru.

00:55:03.570 --> 00:55:07.380 
Next up is Itamar
followed by Mark Boswell.

00:55:07.380 --> 00:55:10.110 
Itamar, go ahead
and unmute yourself.

00:55:10.110 --> 00:55:12.656 
AUDIENCE: Hi, my name is Itamar.

00:55:12.656 --> 00:55:16.190 
I live 1,000 feet as the
crow flies from this project,

00:55:16.190 --> 00:55:19.700 
so I'm very excited to
see all these improvements

00:55:19.700 --> 00:55:24.680 
and really looking forward to
having safer infrastructure.

00:55:24.680 --> 00:55:27.902 
Like Nate, I'm a
little concerned

00:55:27.902 --> 00:55:29.360 
about all the
stretches that aren't

00:55:29.360 --> 00:55:31.490 
going to have protection.

00:55:31.490 --> 00:55:34.370 
I'm told that on some
stretches of Washington Street,

00:55:34.370 --> 00:55:39.290 
Somerville actually has only
five feet for their bike lanes

00:55:39.290 --> 00:55:41.660 
and not much of a
buffer, and they still

00:55:41.660 --> 00:55:45.570 
manage to do flex posts.

00:55:45.570 --> 00:55:48.770 
So if that's the case,
it might be worth

00:55:48.770 --> 00:55:51.050 
asking what equipment
they have, how

00:55:51.050 --> 00:55:54.635 
they deal with that since
presumably, it is possible.

00:55:54.635 --> 00:55:57.495 


00:55:57.495 --> 00:55:59.120 
And I'm a little
worried about the idea

00:55:59.120 --> 00:56:01.760 
of the two buses in a row.

00:56:01.760 --> 00:56:04.100 
I can see how in theory
that's good for buses,

00:56:04.100 --> 00:56:06.620 
but in practice, my
guess is they'll just

00:56:06.620 --> 00:56:09.400 
be full of cars that
are stopping there,

00:56:09.400 --> 00:56:10.775 
so it won't help
the buses and it

00:56:10.775 --> 00:56:13.520 
will be as unsafe as it is now.

00:56:13.520 --> 00:56:18.020 
So I don't know that in
practice this is actually

00:56:18.020 --> 00:56:23.600 
going to achieve either goal of
safety or of helping the buses,

00:56:23.600 --> 00:56:25.910 
if it's just going to be
full of cars at all times.

00:56:25.910 --> 00:56:27.990 
So maybe you can figure out
some way to deal with that.

00:56:27.990 --> 00:56:29.573 
But in general, we
are looking forward

00:56:29.573 --> 00:56:34.640 
to safer streets with as
much separation as possible.

00:56:34.640 --> 00:56:35.690 
Thank you.

00:56:35.690 --> 00:56:36.607 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great.

00:56:36.607 --> 00:56:37.640 
Thank you, Itamar.

00:56:37.640 --> 00:56:40.490 
Mark, you're up next,
followed by Lisa.

00:56:40.490 --> 00:56:43.930 
Mark, you can go ahead
and unmute yourself.

00:56:43.930 --> 00:56:46.380 
AUDIENCE: Hi, thanks so much
for putting all the thought

00:56:46.380 --> 00:56:47.160 
into this project.

00:56:47.160 --> 00:56:50.230 
I look forward to
all the improvements.

00:56:50.230 --> 00:56:53.370 
But I do have similar
comments about the double bus

00:56:53.370 --> 00:56:57.600 
stop northbound on Mass Ave
near the Porter Square Station.

00:56:57.600 --> 00:57:03.210 
I think it will be heavily
abused by Uber and Lyft drivers

00:57:03.210 --> 00:57:05.100 
parking in there.

00:57:05.100 --> 00:57:07.380 
Sometimes there can be very
fast-moving cars trying

00:57:07.380 --> 00:57:10.590 
to beat the light as they
move through the intersection,

00:57:10.590 --> 00:57:13.410 
so that has me concerned.

00:57:13.410 --> 00:57:18.000 
Similarly the accessible spots
in front of the Dunkin' Donuts

00:57:18.000 --> 00:57:21.520 
continuing north, I think
that may also be abused.

00:57:21.520 --> 00:57:23.280 
That's a tight spot also.

00:57:23.280 --> 00:57:26.670 
When the light has changed,
cars are moving very quickly

00:57:26.670 --> 00:57:28.140 
through that section.

00:57:28.140 --> 00:57:34.230 
So I'm concerned about people
on bikes moving through there.

00:57:34.230 --> 00:57:39.630 
And then regarding the
parking spaces on Upland Road,

00:57:39.630 --> 00:57:41.970 
I think that is
probably a good idea.

00:57:41.970 --> 00:57:43.710 
I come through
here almost daily,

00:57:43.710 --> 00:57:45.280 
and I would say five
times out of 10,

00:57:45.280 --> 00:57:48.630 
there are cars parked illegally
in those spaces anyway.

00:57:48.630 --> 00:57:54.222 
So I think that would be
a sensible move there.

00:57:54.222 --> 00:57:55.680 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Great, Mark, if you

00:57:55.680 --> 00:57:57.005 
could wrap up your comments.

00:57:57.005 --> 00:57:58.380 
AUDIENCE: Yes,
that's all I have.

00:57:58.380 --> 00:57:58.680 
Thanks.

00:57:58.680 --> 00:57:59.763 
BROOKE MCKENNA: OK, great.

00:57:59.763 --> 00:58:00.570 
Thanks, Mark.

00:58:00.570 --> 00:58:03.450 
Next up is Lisa
followed by Gene Hull.

00:58:03.450 --> 00:58:07.230 
Lisa, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

00:58:07.230 --> 00:58:09.440 
AUDIENCE: Hi, thanks so much.

00:58:09.440 --> 00:58:11.945 
I so appreciate your
careful efforts.

00:58:11.945 --> 00:58:14.450 


00:58:14.450 --> 00:58:17.240 
I'm a physician that
works in the area.

00:58:17.240 --> 00:58:20.180 
I'm one of 30 to 40
mental health clinicians

00:58:20.180 --> 00:58:22.430 
that work in the corridor
from Shepard Street

00:58:22.430 --> 00:58:24.320 
to Porter Square.

00:58:24.320 --> 00:58:27.507 
And while we share
the dire concerns

00:58:27.507 --> 00:58:29.090 
of the impact of
climate change, we're

00:58:29.090 --> 00:58:33.380 
concerned about the dire
impact on the mental health

00:58:33.380 --> 00:58:38.930 
patients that come to see people
like myself, a psychiatrist.

00:58:38.930 --> 00:58:41.060 
I treat children,
adolescents, and adults

00:58:41.060 --> 00:58:47.630 
that treat my colleagues,
psychologists, social workers,

00:58:47.630 --> 00:58:50.060 
licensed mental
health clinicians.

00:58:50.060 --> 00:58:53.990 
Our patients and clients
come from all over the city

00:58:53.990 --> 00:58:58.910 
in our community, and often
cannot simply walk or take

00:58:58.910 --> 00:59:01.470 
a bike because they are
coming from a school,

00:59:01.470 --> 00:59:02.720 
they're coming from preschool.

00:59:02.720 --> 00:59:06.170 
We have two working parents,
we have single parents

00:59:06.170 --> 00:59:08.420 
with multiple jobs.

00:59:08.420 --> 00:59:11.090 
I'm thrilled that you guys
are extending the parking

00:59:11.090 --> 00:59:14.660 
to potentially six
spots on Mount Vernon,

00:59:14.660 --> 00:59:18.590 
but we will need more if
you would like to continue

00:59:18.590 --> 00:59:20.750 
to have our services.

00:59:20.750 --> 00:59:24.530 
And in this pandemic, I
think Cambridge very much

00:59:24.530 --> 00:59:28.277 
needs access to mental health.

00:59:28.277 --> 00:59:29.610 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Thank you, Lisa.

00:59:29.610 --> 00:59:30.390 
Appreciate that.

00:59:30.390 --> 00:59:33.810 
Next up is Gene Hull
followed by Chris Cassa.

00:59:33.810 --> 00:59:36.790 
Gene, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

00:59:36.790 --> 00:59:37.920 
Thank you very much.

00:59:37.920 --> 00:59:41.190 
AUDIENCE: Yeah, I just wanted
to say I am not anti-bike

00:59:41.190 --> 00:59:43.890 
but I am anti this plan
in its current state.

00:59:43.890 --> 00:59:47.130 
To me, the quick build or quick
and quick build is rushed,

00:59:47.130 --> 00:59:48.870 
ill-conceived without
input from all--

00:59:48.870 --> 00:59:52.020 
[AUDIO OUT]

00:59:52.020 --> 00:59:54.750 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Gene, we're
not hearing you now, Gene.

00:59:54.750 --> 00:59:59.780 


00:59:59.780 --> 01:00:01.400 
OK, Gene.

01:00:01.400 --> 01:00:04.010 
I'm going to leave your hand
up and we can try you again

01:00:04.010 --> 01:00:06.030 
in a few minutes.

01:00:06.030 --> 01:00:08.577 
Chris, go ahead-- you
can unmute yourself.

01:00:08.577 --> 01:00:09.410 
AUDIENCE: All right.

01:00:09.410 --> 01:00:11.510 
Thanks so much for all
the work on this project.

01:00:11.510 --> 01:00:16.220 
I do share Nate's concern that
it does seem like about half

01:00:16.220 --> 01:00:18.770 
of this is not going
to be protected.

01:00:18.770 --> 01:00:20.930 
And it does seem
like there may be

01:00:20.930 --> 01:00:22.250 
some missed opportunities here.

01:00:22.250 --> 01:00:26.450 
One question I was
wondering is given

01:00:26.450 --> 01:00:29.450 
that there's only one
accessibility spot and two

01:00:29.450 --> 01:00:33.350 
on the other side of the
street near the post office,

01:00:33.350 --> 01:00:36.080 
is it possible that the CFD,
that the Fire Department would

01:00:36.080 --> 01:00:38.120 
allow for that to be floating?

01:00:38.120 --> 01:00:41.450 
Because that would allow
you to protect that entire

01:00:41.450 --> 01:00:43.130 
block if so.

01:00:43.130 --> 01:00:46.460 
Because I see that
as a big loss.

01:00:46.460 --> 01:00:48.770 
And the concerns about
the plowing and stuff

01:00:48.770 --> 01:00:51.920 
also really put a lot of this
other part into jeopardy,

01:00:51.920 --> 01:00:54.860 
and may also stop you from
putting the protected bike

01:00:54.860 --> 01:00:57.535 
lanes on that overpass as well.

01:00:57.535 --> 01:00:58.910 
So it seems like
those things are

01:00:58.910 --> 01:01:02.090 
pretty critical to getting
this to have 75% protection

01:01:02.090 --> 01:01:04.160 
or 80% protection.

01:01:04.160 --> 01:01:07.035 
But I'm very grateful for all
the work you guys are doing.

01:01:07.035 --> 01:01:09.410 
And I want to also echo the
comments that Itamar and Mark

01:01:09.410 --> 01:01:11.870 
made about the double bus stop.

01:01:11.870 --> 01:01:15.680 
I really think it's going to
become much more of a parking

01:01:15.680 --> 01:01:16.250 
zone.

01:01:16.250 --> 01:01:18.350 
People, especially
in rideshares,

01:01:18.350 --> 01:01:21.305 
often drop people off at the T
Station and things like that.

01:01:21.305 --> 01:01:21.930 
Thanks so much.

01:01:21.930 --> 01:01:24.080 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Thank you, Chris.

01:01:24.080 --> 01:01:28.430 
Gene, do you want to
give it another try?

01:01:28.430 --> 01:01:30.920 
Try to unmute yourself?

01:01:30.920 --> 01:01:32.420 
AUDIENCE: Yeah, can
you hear me now?

01:01:32.420 --> 01:01:33.170 
BROOKE MCKENNA: We
can hear you now.

01:01:33.170 --> 01:01:33.620 
Go ahead.

01:01:33.620 --> 01:01:34.320 
AUDIENCE: OK, great.

01:01:34.320 --> 01:01:34.730 
Thanks so much.

01:01:34.730 --> 01:01:36.020 
I am a Cambridge resident.

01:01:36.020 --> 01:01:37.730 
And I just want
to say that to me

01:01:37.730 --> 01:01:39.290 
the quick and
quick-build connotes

01:01:39.290 --> 01:01:41.762 
rush, ill-conceived
without input

01:01:41.762 --> 01:01:43.970 
from all interested parties
and without consideration

01:01:43.970 --> 01:01:46.640 
of the significant and
negative collateral impacts

01:01:46.640 --> 01:01:49.310 
of this project on the budding
streets and neighborhoods.

01:01:49.310 --> 01:01:50.840 
The results of
rushed projects are

01:01:50.840 --> 01:01:53.870 
readily apparent in the awful
design of North Mass Ave

01:01:53.870 --> 01:01:56.450 
and in last year's
debacle of shared streets.

01:01:56.450 --> 01:01:58.670 
To me there's been no
or a significant lack

01:01:58.670 --> 01:02:01.340 
of transparency, with an utter
lack of broader community

01:02:01.340 --> 01:02:03.980 
neighborhood awareness,
participation, and input

01:02:03.980 --> 01:02:05.450 
into this project.

01:02:05.450 --> 01:02:08.090 
It appears designed to
cater to a small, extremely

01:02:08.090 --> 01:02:11.270 
vocal, and very partisan
group of people, many of whom

01:02:11.270 --> 01:02:14.210 
I suspect are from out of town
and don't pay Cambridge taxes,

01:02:14.210 --> 01:02:17.690 
and don't vote in Cambridge, and
who have not at all considered

01:02:17.690 --> 01:02:19.220 
other points of view.

01:02:19.220 --> 01:02:21.050 
As registered
voters of Cambridge,

01:02:21.050 --> 01:02:23.150 
we deserve to have
input, and my sense

01:02:23.150 --> 01:02:25.640 
is that if this plan
in its current form

01:02:25.640 --> 01:02:27.560 
were transparently
described to and put

01:02:27.560 --> 01:02:29.910 
to a vote of the registered
voters of Cambridge,

01:02:29.910 --> 01:02:31.190 
it would be defeated.

01:02:31.190 --> 01:02:33.170 
And as registered
voters of Cambridge,

01:02:33.170 --> 01:02:35.150 
we deserve to have input.

01:02:35.150 --> 01:02:37.730 
And I'm really concerned that
this current plan will forever

01:02:37.730 --> 01:02:40.970 
change the integrity and unique
character of Porter Square

01:02:40.970 --> 01:02:42.770 
to the detriment of
voting residents,

01:02:42.770 --> 01:02:44.645 
businesses, and visitors
who bring into our--

01:02:44.645 --> 01:02:47.020 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Gene, if you
could wrap up your comments.

01:02:47.020 --> 01:02:47.990 
AUDIENCE: Thank you.

01:02:47.990 --> 01:02:51.420 
BROOKE MCKENNA: OK, thank you.

01:02:51.420 --> 01:02:56.120 
ALK209, you're up next,
followed by Phil Rinehart.

01:02:56.120 --> 01:02:59.250 


01:02:59.250 --> 01:03:01.680 
ALK209, go ahead.

01:03:01.680 --> 01:03:04.710 
AUDIENCE: I don't know why
I'm ALK209, but whatever.

01:03:04.710 --> 01:03:06.120 
My name is Alex Casar.

01:03:06.120 --> 01:03:09.360 
I live on Mount Vernon Street,
and I have serious concerns

01:03:09.360 --> 01:03:10.830 
about what this
proposed plan would

01:03:10.830 --> 01:03:12.540 
do to Mount Vernon Street.

01:03:12.540 --> 01:03:14.110 
There are two concerns.

01:03:14.110 --> 01:03:19.110 
The first is if you
make Upland Road

01:03:19.110 --> 01:03:23.850 
only one lane as it approaches
Mass Ave, what you are going

01:03:23.850 --> 01:03:27.330 
to do is to encourage a lot of
people who drive down Upland

01:03:27.330 --> 01:03:30.370 
Road and would want to make
a right-hand turn to divert

01:03:30.370 --> 01:03:31.710 
onto Mount Vernon Street.

01:03:31.710 --> 01:03:32.940 
That happens already.

01:03:32.940 --> 01:03:35.040 
I want to know if
you have any data

01:03:35.040 --> 01:03:39.630 
on how many cars on an average
day go down Upland Road

01:03:39.630 --> 01:03:42.690 
and make a right-hand turn
because after some period

01:03:42.690 --> 01:03:44.970 
of times, a large
percentage of those people

01:03:44.970 --> 01:03:48.690 
are going to go flying down
a quiet residential street.

01:03:48.690 --> 01:03:56.550 
Point two, you are adding six
meters to Mount Vernon Street.

01:03:56.550 --> 01:03:58.320 
It may be that they
are by a parking lot,

01:03:58.320 --> 01:04:01.740 
but they are resident
permit spots.

01:04:01.740 --> 01:04:04.200 
And basically, you are
taking six spots away

01:04:04.200 --> 01:04:08.610 
from residents in order to
solve a different problem.

01:04:08.610 --> 01:04:11.100 
That too strikes
me as problematic.

01:04:11.100 --> 01:04:11.910 
We already--

01:04:11.910 --> 01:04:14.400 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Alex, if you
could wrap up your comment.

01:04:14.400 --> 01:04:17.280 
AUDIENCE: There is already a
problem on Mount Vernon Street

01:04:17.280 --> 01:04:19.530 
with people who drive
and park on the street

01:04:19.530 --> 01:04:22.110 
to take the T. You
will make this worse.

01:04:22.110 --> 01:04:23.160 
Thank you.

01:04:23.160 --> 01:04:24.810 
BROOKE MCKENNA: OK, thank you.

01:04:24.810 --> 01:04:30.450 
Phil, you're up next
followed by Randy Stern.

01:04:30.450 --> 01:04:33.000 
Phil, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

01:04:33.000 --> 01:04:33.560 
AUDIENCE: Hi.

01:04:33.560 --> 01:04:35.960 
At the January meeting,
a couple of people

01:04:35.960 --> 01:04:39.620 
said that parking in
this particular area

01:04:39.620 --> 01:04:41.900 
is not as critical
an issue as it

01:04:41.900 --> 01:04:44.730 
is in some of the other places,
like in the Dudley area.

01:04:44.730 --> 01:04:46.190 
And the reason is
because there are

01:04:46.190 --> 01:04:49.290 
parking spots available inside
the Porter Square shopping

01:04:49.290 --> 01:04:49.790 
center.

01:04:49.790 --> 01:04:51.410 
And at the very end
of that meeting,

01:04:51.410 --> 01:04:55.370 
Joe Barr pointed out that is a
private property and the owner

01:04:55.370 --> 01:04:57.170 
of that would have
a perfect right

01:04:57.170 --> 01:04:59.870 
to tow any cars that aren't
there for shopping center

01:04:59.870 --> 01:05:00.440 
business.

01:05:00.440 --> 01:05:03.890 
So my creative solution to
that would be to suggest,

01:05:03.890 --> 01:05:07.130 
why couldn't the city approach
the owner of that mall

01:05:07.130 --> 01:05:11.450 
and ask to lease maybe 10 or
15 spaces inside the mall,

01:05:11.450 --> 01:05:15.290 
and make those available
for general public

01:05:15.290 --> 01:05:17.900 
parking, maybe even
free for residents

01:05:17.900 --> 01:05:19.380 
and metered for non-residents?

01:05:19.380 --> 01:05:22.880 
So it seems to me there
are some creative solutions

01:05:22.880 --> 01:05:25.220 
available for some of these
problems like that one.

01:05:25.220 --> 01:05:26.205 
Thank you.

01:05:26.205 --> 01:05:27.830 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great,
thank you, Phil.

01:05:27.830 --> 01:05:29.455 
Randy, you're going
to be next and then

01:05:29.455 --> 01:05:32.990 
we're going to switch and do
some answering of questions.

01:05:32.990 --> 01:05:36.230 
Randy, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

01:05:36.230 --> 01:05:37.820 
AUDIENCE: OK, thank
you very much.

01:05:37.820 --> 01:05:40.610 
I thank the City for
making improvements

01:05:40.610 --> 01:05:44.540 
based on the prior
community feedback,

01:05:44.540 --> 01:05:46.340 
and I fully support
moving forward

01:05:46.340 --> 01:05:49.430 
with implementing the separated
bike lanes in Porter Square

01:05:49.430 --> 01:05:51.620 
ASAP.

01:05:51.620 --> 01:05:53.810 
I do think there's a
disappointing length

01:05:53.810 --> 01:05:57.560 
of separation in the current
proposal which substantially

01:05:57.560 --> 01:06:00.380 
reduces the safety
benefits of the project.

01:06:00.380 --> 01:06:04.940 
I really think the City could
look closer at narrower bike

01:06:04.940 --> 01:06:07.400 
lanes with narrower
separation and flex

01:06:07.400 --> 01:06:11.210 
posts in some of those
sections to try and improve

01:06:11.210 --> 01:06:12.860 
the safety there.

01:06:12.860 --> 01:06:16.160 
And my question really is,
can the City plan and commit

01:06:16.160 --> 01:06:18.740 
that the Porter Square
quick-build will be revisited

01:06:18.740 --> 01:06:22.640 
as part of the MassAve4
project in the same time frame

01:06:22.640 --> 01:06:26.300 
as the MassAve4
project so that it

01:06:26.300 --> 01:06:31.280 
can improve the safety for
cyclists in a better design?

01:06:31.280 --> 01:06:32.450 
Thanks.

01:06:32.450 --> 01:06:34.580 
BROOKE MCKENNA: All
right, thanks, Randy.

01:06:34.580 --> 01:06:40.490 
OK, so we'll start off by
answering some of the questions

01:06:40.490 --> 01:06:43.238 
that we've heard from
speakers, and then

01:06:43.238 --> 01:06:45.530 
we're going to transition to
some of the questions that

01:06:45.530 --> 01:06:50.270 
came in through Q&A.
So to start with,

01:06:50.270 --> 01:06:53.790 
we'll go with an
early question we got.

01:06:53.790 --> 01:06:56.880 
"Why does half of the study area
not have separated bike lanes

01:06:56.880 --> 01:06:58.740 
in the proposed plan?

01:06:58.740 --> 01:07:01.690 
Please provide separation in
the areas with less space."

01:07:01.690 --> 01:07:04.470 
And I think Andreas is going to
give us an answer for that one.

01:07:04.470 --> 01:07:06.737 


01:07:06.737 --> 01:07:07.570 
ANDREAS WOLFE: Sure.

01:07:07.570 --> 01:07:11.330 
So this is something
that we're looking at.

01:07:11.330 --> 01:07:16.330 
So there's two ways to address
the lack of separation-- one

01:07:16.330 --> 01:07:20.140 
is to make the bike lane wider,
and one is to add separation

01:07:20.140 --> 01:07:21.880 
to what's out there now.

01:07:21.880 --> 01:07:25.810 
As stated, there's a lot of
areas where making it wider

01:07:25.810 --> 01:07:27.460 
involves travel
lane removal, but we

01:07:27.460 --> 01:07:29.590 
will revisit this
and see if there

01:07:29.590 --> 01:07:35.260 
are places we might be able
to narrow down certain lanes.

01:07:35.260 --> 01:07:37.600 
We're going to be
discussing internally

01:07:37.600 --> 01:07:39.495 
just what our maintenance
means are here.

01:07:39.495 --> 01:07:40.870 
And so by the next
meeting, we'll

01:07:40.870 --> 01:07:48.222 
have an update on those specific
sections, so stay tuned.

01:07:48.222 --> 01:07:50.680 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Next question,
"What happened to the signal

01:07:50.680 --> 01:07:51.880 
separation at Beech Street?

01:07:51.880 --> 01:07:55.540 
Hopefully, signal separation can
be considered in the future."

01:07:55.540 --> 01:07:57.758 
Patrick, do you want
to take that one?

01:07:57.758 --> 01:07:59.300 
PATRICK BAXTER:
Yeah, so at this time

01:07:59.300 --> 01:08:01.760 
we're not looking at signal
separation in the preferred

01:08:01.760 --> 01:08:02.510 
alternative.

01:08:02.510 --> 01:08:04.340 
We did some analysis
on that and we

01:08:04.340 --> 01:08:07.490 
were finding that in order to
create the signal separation,

01:08:07.490 --> 01:08:10.220 
you need to have
a right turn lane,

01:08:10.220 --> 01:08:13.400 
and by cutting the traffic
down to a single lane

01:08:13.400 --> 01:08:15.950 
at that location, we were
creating some extreme transit

01:08:15.950 --> 01:08:20.160 
delay in that location in the
order of three to five minutes,

01:08:20.160 --> 01:08:21.920 
which just is really
untenable in trying

01:08:21.920 --> 01:08:24.260 
to maintain the operations
of the bus routes

01:08:24.260 --> 01:08:26.899 
that travel through there.

01:08:26.899 --> 01:08:29.340 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Great, thank you.

01:08:29.340 --> 01:08:32.000 
The next question-- "Is
it possible for accessible

01:08:32.000 --> 01:08:35.390 
parking to be floating?"

01:08:35.390 --> 01:08:38.830 
Patrick, you can take this
one as well if you like.

01:08:38.830 --> 01:08:39.830 
PATRICK BAXTER: Oh, yes.

01:08:39.830 --> 01:08:43.277 
So we have looked at that.

01:08:43.277 --> 01:08:45.319 
There's really two problems
associated with that.

01:08:45.319 --> 01:08:47.120 
One, it goes back
to the problems

01:08:47.120 --> 01:08:49.520 
we've discussed previously
about floating parking

01:08:49.520 --> 01:08:52.490 
as they relate to the
overhead wires and the issues

01:08:52.490 --> 01:08:54.920 
they create for the
Fire Department.

01:08:54.920 --> 01:08:58.163 
But even once the wires are
gone, the other issue we have

01:08:58.163 --> 01:08:59.330 
is just the amount of space.

01:08:59.330 --> 01:09:01.880 
In order to create
a floating parking

01:09:01.880 --> 01:09:04.560 
lane that can be used
for accessible parking,

01:09:04.560 --> 01:09:07.220 
you actually need to create
a access aisle in order

01:09:07.220 --> 01:09:10.640 
for that to be a legal handicap
spot, so that therefore, you'd

01:09:10.640 --> 01:09:14.240 
have to have additional width
in the buffer that's also

01:09:14.240 --> 01:09:16.100 
not obstructed by
flexible delineators

01:09:16.100 --> 01:09:18.895 
so that people are able to get
out and travel in a wheelchair

01:09:18.895 --> 01:09:20.270 
to get to the
point where they're

01:09:20.270 --> 01:09:22.130 
able to access the curb.

01:09:22.130 --> 01:09:24.380 
So we just find that the
accessible parking spaces

01:09:24.380 --> 01:09:26.960 
are much easier for
those folks to use,

01:09:26.960 --> 01:09:29.569 
and less space-intensive when
they're directly on the curb

01:09:29.569 --> 01:09:32.029 
where somebody can exit
the passenger side directly

01:09:32.029 --> 01:09:33.350 
onto the sidewalk.

01:09:33.350 --> 01:09:35.390 
BROOKE MCKENNA: OK, thanks.

01:09:35.390 --> 01:09:37.430 
Joe, do you want to
respond to the question

01:09:37.430 --> 01:09:41.125 
about the use of the parking
lot at the shopping center?

01:09:41.125 --> 01:09:41.750 
JOE BARR: Sure.

01:09:41.750 --> 01:09:44.359 
So it's a good suggestion
and it's certainly

01:09:44.359 --> 01:09:47.250 
one we've heard before
at other locations.

01:09:47.250 --> 01:09:49.100 
It's a very complicated
thing to do.

01:09:49.100 --> 01:09:52.160 
There's lots of legal
liability issues,

01:09:52.160 --> 01:09:54.650 
there's operational
issues, there's zoning

01:09:54.650 --> 01:09:57.350 
and other types
of land use issues

01:09:57.350 --> 01:09:59.360 
that have to be addressed.

01:09:59.360 --> 01:10:02.780 
And obviously, the landowner
or the owner of the parking lot

01:10:02.780 --> 01:10:05.400 
has to be open to doing it.

01:10:05.400 --> 01:10:09.410 
So I think we are looking, as
we do these projects-- not just

01:10:09.410 --> 01:10:12.148 
here, but other locations--
we're trying to figure out

01:10:12.148 --> 01:10:13.940 
the extent to which we
can make those kinds

01:10:13.940 --> 01:10:17.180 
of additional parking
off-street available.

01:10:17.180 --> 01:10:20.750 
But it's not something that
we can make happen incredibly

01:10:20.750 --> 01:10:23.800 
quickly because there's lots of
issues to resolve, as I said.

01:10:23.800 --> 01:10:26.475 
But also again, the property
owner needs to be open to it.

01:10:26.475 --> 01:10:28.850 
And I think specifically in
the case of the Porter Square

01:10:28.850 --> 01:10:32.480 
shopping center, that parking
lot can get extremely busy just

01:10:32.480 --> 01:10:35.270 
with the people who
are shopping there.

01:10:35.270 --> 01:10:38.310 
So I'd be a little surprised
if they were open to that.

01:10:38.310 --> 01:10:40.880 
But again, it's certainly
an in general solution

01:10:40.880 --> 01:10:43.530 
that we're investigating.

01:10:43.530 --> 01:10:44.712 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great.

01:10:44.712 --> 01:10:46.170 
And the final spoken
question we'll

01:10:46.170 --> 01:10:51.030 
get to is about
the City revisiting

01:10:51.030 --> 01:10:53.670 
this project area as
part of the Mass4,

01:10:53.670 --> 01:10:58.550 
and I'll ask Kathy to
respond to this one.

01:10:58.550 --> 01:10:59.870 
KATHY WATKINS: Hi, sorry.

01:10:59.870 --> 01:11:02.795 
I'm trying to get
my video to come on.

01:11:02.795 --> 01:11:03.920 
It's a little bit of delay.

01:11:03.920 --> 01:11:06.140 
So Kathy Watkins
from Public Works.

01:11:06.140 --> 01:11:08.450 
In terms of the Mass4,
so the Mass4 right

01:11:08.450 --> 01:11:11.090 
now is really focused on those
two other sections outside

01:11:11.090 --> 01:11:12.260 
of Porter Square.

01:11:12.260 --> 01:11:15.230 
We do also recognize that
if we're moving forward

01:11:15.230 --> 01:11:19.100 
with a project on Mass
Ave that surrounds

01:11:19.100 --> 01:11:21.380 
Porter Square that
there's an opportunity

01:11:21.380 --> 01:11:24.220 
to revisit some of the--

01:11:24.220 --> 01:11:29.600 
particularly the median and some
of those kinds of constraints.

01:11:29.600 --> 01:11:31.977 
I do want to put out there
that the Mass4, what we're

01:11:31.977 --> 01:11:33.560 
looking at, the
current recommendation

01:11:33.560 --> 01:11:36.170 
is really what we're calling
a partial construction.

01:11:36.170 --> 01:11:38.330 
So it's not a full
reconstruction

01:11:38.330 --> 01:11:41.570 
that includes sidewalks
and large-scale changes

01:11:41.570 --> 01:11:44.720 
to the Plaza, and Porter Square
would be significantly outside

01:11:44.720 --> 01:11:45.470 
of that scope.

01:11:45.470 --> 01:11:48.800 
But certainly, things
like removing the median,

01:11:48.800 --> 01:11:51.380 
we could certainly look at
as part of that MassAve4.

01:11:51.380 --> 01:11:55.280 
And similarly, Andreas talked
about looking at the bus lane

01:11:55.280 --> 01:11:57.000 
as part of that process as well.

01:11:57.000 --> 01:12:00.860 
So if the Council approves
the recommendation for partial

01:12:00.860 --> 01:12:03.680 
build, then we can look at
some of these options as part

01:12:03.680 --> 01:12:06.813 
of that as we move into
the design process.

01:12:06.813 --> 01:12:07.730 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great.

01:12:07.730 --> 01:12:09.290 
Thank you, Kathy.

01:12:09.290 --> 01:12:11.107 
Next we're going to
switch over and we're

01:12:11.107 --> 01:12:13.190 
going to answer some of
the questions that came in

01:12:13.190 --> 01:12:17.270 
through the Q&A. And we have
with us tonight Margaret Kent

01:12:17.270 --> 01:12:18.920 
from our consultant,
Kittelson, who's

01:12:18.920 --> 01:12:20.190 
going to help us with that.

01:12:20.190 --> 01:12:22.195 
So Margaret, I'll
pass it over to you.

01:12:22.195 --> 01:12:23.570 
MARGARET KENT:
Thank you, Brooke.

01:12:23.570 --> 01:12:25.910 
I'm going to start
with questions

01:12:25.910 --> 01:12:28.310 
that came in from the
top of the Q&A function,

01:12:28.310 --> 01:12:30.410 
and we'll go in order,
and the questions

01:12:30.410 --> 01:12:32.310 
will be grouped by theme.

01:12:32.310 --> 01:12:35.240 
So we had a couple of questions
that came in about bus lanes,

01:12:35.240 --> 01:12:38.180 
both about the possibility of
bidirectional bus lanes being

01:12:38.180 --> 01:12:40.490 
added to this
section, as well as

01:12:40.490 --> 01:12:42.590 
the possibility of
extending the bus lane back

01:12:42.590 --> 01:12:44.262 
in alternative 2A.

01:12:44.262 --> 01:12:45.845 
Andreas, could you
take that question?

01:12:45.845 --> 01:12:48.680 


01:12:48.680 --> 01:12:51.130 
ANDREAS WOLFE: Sure, so I
guess I'll answer the question.

01:12:51.130 --> 01:12:52.750 
And then I'll let
Andy Reker, who's

01:12:52.750 --> 01:12:55.600 
our Transit Planner,
chime in too, if he wants,

01:12:55.600 --> 01:12:58.810 
with any additional information.

01:12:58.810 --> 01:13:02.830 
So looking at the
southbound direction

01:13:02.830 --> 01:13:09.421 
first, under an
ideal circumstance,

01:13:09.421 --> 01:13:11.350 
if we're looking to
provide transit part,

01:13:11.350 --> 01:13:13.750 
we'd have a continuous
facility, which

01:13:13.750 --> 01:13:18.130 
means extending significantly
far back, potentially

01:13:18.130 --> 01:13:22.300 
up to the length that we
installed in North Cambridge up

01:13:22.300 --> 01:13:23.260 
to Dudley Street.

01:13:23.260 --> 01:13:27.640 
And then in the other direction,
preliminarily in order

01:13:27.640 --> 01:13:29.680 
to make sure that the
bus lanes are effective,

01:13:29.680 --> 01:13:33.220 
they would also need to extend
pretty far back, at least

01:13:33.220 --> 01:13:36.550 
to Linnaean Street but
possibly to Harvard Square.

01:13:36.550 --> 01:13:39.580 
And just given all of
that, we really felt

01:13:39.580 --> 01:13:43.210 
it just made more
sense to look at--

01:13:43.210 --> 01:13:46.120 
this is something we
want to do as a City.

01:13:46.120 --> 01:13:49.030 
And what we've heard
from the community

01:13:49.030 --> 01:13:52.150 
is that supporting
transit is important.

01:13:52.150 --> 01:13:54.220 
But we do think it
just makes more sense

01:13:54.220 --> 01:13:58.810 
to be able to look at the
entire section from Dudley

01:13:58.810 --> 01:14:02.170 
to Waterhouse as part
of the MassAve4 project.

01:14:02.170 --> 01:14:04.900 
And so if bus lanes
come out of that,

01:14:04.900 --> 01:14:07.390 
we would be able to connect
those through Porter Square.

01:14:07.390 --> 01:14:10.728 


01:14:10.728 --> 01:14:11.770 
MARGARET KENT: Thank you.

01:14:11.770 --> 01:14:14.230 
We had three questions that
came in regarding impacts

01:14:14.230 --> 01:14:17.320 
to businesses and whether or
not the City has performed

01:14:17.320 --> 01:14:18.557 
an economic impact study.

01:14:18.557 --> 01:14:20.140 
Andreas, could you
take that question?

01:14:20.140 --> 01:14:24.177 


01:14:24.177 --> 01:14:25.010 
ANDREAS WOLFE: Sure.

01:14:25.010 --> 01:14:27.657 
Actually, Joe, do you
want to take that one?

01:14:27.657 --> 01:14:30.240 
JOE BARR: Well, Andreas, you may
want to weigh in a little bit

01:14:30.240 --> 01:14:32.940 
on the outreach you've
done to businesses so far.

01:14:32.940 --> 01:14:35.010 
But in terms of
economic impact study,

01:14:35.010 --> 01:14:37.200 
the City Council has
requested that we

01:14:37.200 --> 01:14:39.870 
look at economic impacts
of these projects.

01:14:39.870 --> 01:14:44.010 
But they're more asking us to
consider the economic impacts

01:14:44.010 --> 01:14:47.910 
that have occurred from prior
projects, both positively

01:14:47.910 --> 01:14:50.040 
and potentially negatively.

01:14:50.040 --> 01:14:53.610 
And so I think we are
committed to doing that study,

01:14:53.610 --> 01:14:56.610 
as we mentioned at the
City Council meeting

01:14:56.610 --> 01:14:59.310 
last week on March 7.

01:14:59.310 --> 01:15:03.300 
I think it's important to say
that it's extremely difficult

01:15:03.300 --> 01:15:06.360 
to prospectively analyze
the impact of these projects

01:15:06.360 --> 01:15:08.400 
on businesses because
there's so many factors

01:15:08.400 --> 01:15:12.990 
even under normal circumstances,
much less as we proceed

01:15:12.990 --> 01:15:16.060 
through whatever phase of
COVID we're actually in today.

01:15:16.060 --> 01:15:17.640 
So I know people
have asked often

01:15:17.640 --> 01:15:21.030 
about creating an analysis
of economic impacts of what

01:15:21.030 --> 01:15:22.120 
will happen in the future.

01:15:22.120 --> 01:15:24.240 
And I just think
if you actually try

01:15:24.240 --> 01:15:27.060 
to do that, the results
would not be particularly

01:15:27.060 --> 01:15:29.200 
useful or meaningful.

01:15:29.200 --> 01:15:31.980 
So we would love to be able
to understand that in advance,

01:15:31.980 --> 01:15:33.600 
but we really can't.

01:15:33.600 --> 01:15:35.800 
But we do want to
do a specific study,

01:15:35.800 --> 01:15:38.220 
and we will be doing a
specific study for Cambridge

01:15:38.220 --> 01:15:40.290 
to look at what the
economic impacts have been

01:15:40.290 --> 01:15:42.780 
of prior projects that
we've implemented,

01:15:42.780 --> 01:15:45.708 
and use that as a basis
for forward planning.

01:15:45.708 --> 01:15:48.000 
But it's also important to
note that the Cycling Safety

01:15:48.000 --> 01:15:51.150 
Ordinance has the structure
of these deadlines

01:15:51.150 --> 01:15:55.620 
and these requirements,
and those don't necessarily

01:15:55.620 --> 01:15:56.130 
require--

01:15:56.130 --> 01:15:58.840 
or don't require--
economic analysis.

01:15:58.840 --> 01:16:03.390 
And so we are required to
move forward per the schedule.

01:16:03.390 --> 01:16:05.670 


01:16:05.670 --> 01:16:07.170 
ANDREAS WOLFE: Yeah,
thank you, Joe.

01:16:07.170 --> 01:16:13.270 
And I'll just touch on the part
about the outreach as well.

01:16:13.270 --> 01:16:15.960 
So we are doing
targeted outreach,

01:16:15.960 --> 01:16:20.220 
as part of all these
projects, to business owners.

01:16:20.220 --> 01:16:22.290 
Actually, in addition
to our community survey,

01:16:22.290 --> 01:16:25.260 
we have a separate survey
that is specifically

01:16:25.260 --> 01:16:28.770 
targeted at businesses and their
employees and their owners.

01:16:28.770 --> 01:16:33.330 
This survey asked a
different set of questions

01:16:33.330 --> 01:16:37.920 
that more is about understanding
just what their needs are

01:16:37.920 --> 01:16:41.970 
and how we can address
them in the design.

01:16:41.970 --> 01:16:44.190 
Up until this
point, we haven't--

01:16:44.190 --> 01:16:45.780 
now we're at the
point where we have

01:16:45.780 --> 01:16:50.650 
actually a specific plan and an
alternative to go over as well.

01:16:50.650 --> 01:16:52.620 
And so we will be having
additional meetings

01:16:52.620 --> 01:16:54.660 
with business owners to
go over these specifics.

01:16:54.660 --> 01:16:57.990 
And during that time, we can
actually review this with them,

01:16:57.990 --> 01:17:02.580 
ask if this works for them,
and do more site visits

01:17:02.580 --> 01:17:05.730 
where we talk about specifics,
which would be good.

01:17:05.730 --> 01:17:12.090 
In addition, when we make
parking changes, where

01:17:12.090 --> 01:17:16.530 
we are making those changes, we
put up temporary posters just

01:17:16.530 --> 01:17:18.510 
indicating what change
is being proposed.

01:17:18.510 --> 01:17:20.880 
And so we can put those
up and then provide

01:17:20.880 --> 01:17:23.070 
contact information, so
anyone who parks there

01:17:23.070 --> 01:17:25.987 
on a regular basis
can actually see

01:17:25.987 --> 01:17:28.320 
and read on the sign what's
being proposed, even if they

01:17:28.320 --> 01:17:32.100 
weren't at the meeting, schedule
time to come talk with us.

01:17:32.100 --> 01:17:34.500 
And we've found that
that's a very effective way

01:17:34.500 --> 01:17:37.860 
to reach out to not just
businesses, but also the people

01:17:37.860 --> 01:17:39.630 
visiting businesses too.

01:17:39.630 --> 01:17:43.077 


01:17:43.077 --> 01:17:44.410 
MARGARET KENT: Great, thank you.

01:17:44.410 --> 01:17:48.090 
The next question is about a
street segment that connects

01:17:48.090 --> 01:17:50.940 
into the project corridor.

01:17:50.940 --> 01:17:54.660 
This is about the possibility of
two-way biking on White Street

01:17:54.660 --> 01:17:57.660 
between Porter Square and Elm
Street, and whether or not this

01:17:57.660 --> 01:17:59.603 
would be a possibility
to formalize.

01:17:59.603 --> 01:18:01.770 
JOE BARR: Sure, so that's
something we've definitely

01:18:01.770 --> 01:18:03.270 
heard the desire
for, and we have

01:18:03.270 --> 01:18:06.630 
been working with the City of
Somerville on it, because White

01:18:06.630 --> 01:18:07.920 
Street is--

01:18:07.920 --> 01:18:11.220 
well, the street's in Cambridge,
the sidewalk and houses

01:18:11.220 --> 01:18:14.910 
are in Somerville, so it's
a complicated location.

01:18:14.910 --> 01:18:17.190 
There's some design
concerns about how

01:18:17.190 --> 01:18:19.650 
that will work in practice,
as well as the impact

01:18:19.650 --> 01:18:21.210 
on the residents there.

01:18:21.210 --> 01:18:23.747 
And so we are trying
to move that forward.

01:18:23.747 --> 01:18:25.830 
And so we certainly
appreciate the support for it,

01:18:25.830 --> 01:18:27.997 
but we don't have
a specific timeline

01:18:27.997 --> 01:18:29.080 
for when that will happen.

01:18:29.080 --> 01:18:30.780 
It's definitely something that's
on our radar and something

01:18:30.780 --> 01:18:32.820 
that I think both we and
the City of Somerville

01:18:32.820 --> 01:18:34.830 
would like to move
forward, hopefully

01:18:34.830 --> 01:18:37.663 
in the not-too-distant future.

01:18:37.663 --> 01:18:38.580 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great.

01:18:38.580 --> 01:18:39.720 
Thank you guys very much.

01:18:39.720 --> 01:18:43.500 
We're going to transition
back to live public comment

01:18:43.500 --> 01:18:47.280 
and questions, and then
we'll go through a bunch

01:18:47.280 --> 01:18:49.150 
and then circle back
to some more answers.

01:18:49.150 --> 01:18:52.090 
So Alex, you're
going to be up next,

01:18:52.090 --> 01:18:54.087 
followed by Bonnie Miller.

01:18:54.087 --> 01:18:55.545 
Alex, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

01:18:55.545 --> 01:19:02.480 


01:19:02.480 --> 01:19:05.155 
AUDIENCE: Yes, hello thank you.

01:19:05.155 --> 01:19:09.400 
I'm removing myself from the
family circus for a minute.

01:19:09.400 --> 01:19:12.340 
Thank you very much for all
your work on this project.

01:19:12.340 --> 01:19:15.190 
I personally, as a
parent with two kids

01:19:15.190 --> 01:19:17.170 
in school in Porter
Square, would

01:19:17.170 --> 01:19:20.350 
love to see more
ambitious designs, more

01:19:20.350 --> 01:19:22.750 
transformative road diet
designs that would also

01:19:22.750 --> 01:19:25.090 
shorten the
crosswalks on Mass Ave

01:19:25.090 --> 01:19:29.230 
to reduce multiple threat
from motor vehicle traffic.

01:19:29.230 --> 01:19:32.200 
But I recognize-- and I
hope that with the MassAve4,

01:19:32.200 --> 01:19:35.050 
we'll see continuous bus lines
from Harvard Square all the way

01:19:35.050 --> 01:19:36.520 
to Arlington to the city line.

01:19:36.520 --> 01:19:38.168 
That would be terrific.

01:19:38.168 --> 01:19:40.210 
Very much in support of
the separated bike lanes.

01:19:40.210 --> 01:19:43.750 
I'm glad someone mentioned the
White Street two-way biking

01:19:43.750 --> 01:19:45.970 
because that's an
alternative for people

01:19:45.970 --> 01:19:50.620 
to bike around the
hazardous situations that

01:19:50.620 --> 01:19:52.780 
do exist in Porter Square.

01:19:52.780 --> 01:19:55.420 
I would like to
add my support also

01:19:55.420 --> 01:19:59.320 
for hardening that buffered bike
lane next to the Porter Square

01:19:59.320 --> 01:20:04.265 
T Head House on the
southbound Somerville Ave.

01:20:04.265 --> 01:20:05.890 
If flex posts are
getting knocked down,

01:20:05.890 --> 01:20:08.980 
that means we are potentially
lulling people on bikes

01:20:08.980 --> 01:20:11.230 
into a facility
they think is safe,

01:20:11.230 --> 01:20:13.370 
but then the truck
rolls right over it.

01:20:13.370 --> 01:20:16.750 
So please, please do
focus on hardening

01:20:16.750 --> 01:20:19.810 
that section of bike lane.

01:20:19.810 --> 01:20:21.027 
Thank you very much.

01:20:21.027 --> 01:20:22.360 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Thank you, Alex.

01:20:22.360 --> 01:20:24.610 
Bonnie, you're up next,
followed by Glenn.

01:20:24.610 --> 01:20:27.720 
Bonnie, go ahead
and unmute yourself.

01:20:27.720 --> 01:20:29.960 
AUDIENCE: Hi, thank you.

01:20:29.960 --> 01:20:31.370 
Enjoyed the presentation.

01:20:31.370 --> 01:20:32.760 
Very productive.

01:20:32.760 --> 01:20:37.700 
I live on Upland Road very
close to the corner of Mass Ave,

01:20:37.700 --> 01:20:41.270 
so let me just say I was very
pleased to hear that there

01:20:41.270 --> 01:20:44.720 
would continue to be two
travel lanes on Mass Ave

01:20:44.720 --> 01:20:48.560 
through this area,
given the time involved.

01:20:48.560 --> 01:20:54.320 
I was very pleased to see Upland
Road continuing to be two-way.

01:20:54.320 --> 01:20:56.810 
On the one hand, the
two metered spaces

01:20:56.810 --> 01:20:59.060 
on Upland Road near
Mass Ave-- there

01:20:59.060 --> 01:21:00.830 
used to be metered spaces there.

01:21:00.830 --> 01:21:02.420 
I've lived here 40 years.

01:21:02.420 --> 01:21:07.160 
Back in the day there were,
but a concern that I have

01:21:07.160 --> 01:21:13.940 
is that currently both Caffe
Nero, the hotel, the Acai

01:21:13.940 --> 01:21:19.700 
Bar and Juicery use that space
informally as a loading zone,

01:21:19.700 --> 01:21:24.920 
and they informally use a lot
of Upland Road as loading zones.

01:21:24.920 --> 01:21:28.880 
And they don't have any
other loading zones.

01:21:28.880 --> 01:21:32.300 
So I don't know what
impact having two cars

01:21:32.300 --> 01:21:36.680 
parked on Upland Road near
the corner of Mass Ave--

01:21:36.680 --> 01:21:39.980 
now if you have people use
that as a loading zone, what's

01:21:39.980 --> 01:21:41.430 
going to happen to the traffic.

01:21:41.430 --> 01:21:44.430 
So I think people need to
take that into consideration

01:21:44.430 --> 01:21:48.440 
if you have businesses with no
loading zone and no parking.

01:21:48.440 --> 01:21:51.860 
So back when it was White Hand
Pantry, they had their own.

01:21:51.860 --> 01:21:55.880 
But I do think it's a
priority to not only have

01:21:55.880 --> 01:22:01.070 
the protected bicycle, but
also cars, pedestrians,

01:22:01.070 --> 01:22:02.450 
everybody considered.

01:22:02.450 --> 01:22:03.353 
Thank you.

01:22:03.353 --> 01:22:04.770 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Thank you, Bonnie.

01:22:04.770 --> 01:22:07.385 
Glenn, you're going to be
next, followed by Darren.

01:22:07.385 --> 01:22:08.885 
Glenn, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

01:22:08.885 --> 01:22:13.240 


01:22:13.240 --> 01:22:14.380 
AUDIENCE: Mute, unmute.

01:22:14.380 --> 01:22:19.366 
Hi, I'm a resident and
homeowner in Porter Square.

01:22:19.366 --> 01:22:22.160 
So I guess three
really quick questions.

01:22:22.160 --> 01:22:25.030 
How many metered spaces
are going to be removed?

01:22:25.030 --> 01:22:26.050 
You didn't tell us that.

01:22:26.050 --> 01:22:30.530 
I think it's somewhere
in the 30-ish range.

01:22:30.530 --> 01:22:37.060 
Number two is you're proposing
to add five accessible spaces.

01:22:37.060 --> 01:22:41.350 
Could those be-- excuse me,
three more accessible spaces.

01:22:41.350 --> 01:22:43.640 
Could those be three
more metered spaces?

01:22:43.640 --> 01:22:45.880 
Is there some reason
they couldn't be metered?

01:22:45.880 --> 01:22:51.340 
And you've said that you have
no idea what the economic impact

01:22:51.340 --> 01:22:54.010 
is going to be of removing
30-plus parking spaces--

01:22:54.010 --> 01:22:57.940 
or maybe it's 20-plus, if
you find a half a dozen

01:22:57.940 --> 01:22:59.560 
somewhere else.

01:22:59.560 --> 01:23:01.390 
And I guess this is a
rhetorical question,

01:23:01.390 --> 01:23:04.510 
but how can you,
with a straight face,

01:23:04.510 --> 01:23:09.010 
propose this is a viable
scheme for the city

01:23:09.010 --> 01:23:11.410 
without understanding that?

01:23:11.410 --> 01:23:13.840 
I realize you're under the
constraints of the Cycle

01:23:13.840 --> 01:23:14.020 
Ordinance--

01:23:14.020 --> 01:23:15.230 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Glen, if you
could wrap up your comments.

01:23:15.230 --> 01:23:16.520 
AUDIENCE: Yeah, I'm done.

01:23:16.520 --> 01:23:17.410 
Thank you.

01:23:17.410 --> 01:23:18.700 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Thank you.

01:23:18.700 --> 01:23:21.880 
OK, Darren, you're up
next, followed by Jennifer.

01:23:21.880 --> 01:23:25.120 
Darren, go ahead
and unmute yourself.

01:23:25.120 --> 01:23:26.400 
AUDIENCE: Hi, I'm Darren.

01:23:26.400 --> 01:23:31.620 
I'm a brand-new registered
voter here in Cambridge.

01:23:31.620 --> 01:23:35.250 
I moved here specifically
because of the Cycling Safety

01:23:35.250 --> 01:23:37.500 
Ordinance and the
projects that are getting

01:23:37.500 --> 01:23:40.060 
delivered as a part of it.

01:23:40.060 --> 01:23:42.810 
I had many similar
comments to others

01:23:42.810 --> 01:23:45.900 
about some of the lack
of protection issues

01:23:45.900 --> 01:23:49.920 
with the expanded
bus stop, et cetera.

01:23:49.920 --> 01:23:53.970 
I too cycle Mass Ave
with my daughter.

01:23:53.970 --> 01:23:58.590 
And I do appreciate the
very thorough explanation

01:23:58.590 --> 01:24:01.230 
of a lot of the constraints that
you're having to work under.

01:24:01.230 --> 01:24:05.100 
I appreciated hearing that the
question of bus-exclusive lanes

01:24:05.100 --> 01:24:09.780 
is going to be reexamined as a
part of the MassAve4 project,

01:24:09.780 --> 01:24:13.050 
something I was
initially a little

01:24:13.050 --> 01:24:15.360 
disturbed not to see them in
the preferred alternative.

01:24:15.360 --> 01:24:17.250 
But appreciate
that they're going

01:24:17.250 --> 01:24:21.000 
to get a fresh look as part
of the broader corridor.

01:24:21.000 --> 01:24:23.670 
And I just wanted to thank
you all for your work.

01:24:23.670 --> 01:24:28.885 
And I look forward to a
great implemented project.

01:24:28.885 --> 01:24:30.260 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Great, thank you.

01:24:30.260 --> 01:24:34.070 
Jennifer, your next,
followed by Joanne.

01:24:34.070 --> 01:24:36.508 
Go ahead and unmute yourself.

01:24:36.508 --> 01:24:38.300 
AUDIENCE: Hello, thanks
for taking my call.

01:24:38.300 --> 01:24:39.890 
I've lived in Cambridge
my whole life.

01:24:39.890 --> 01:24:43.040 
I support Porter Square North
Cambridge and all of Cambridge

01:24:43.040 --> 01:24:45.437 
as community of
taxpaying residents

01:24:45.437 --> 01:24:48.020 
that should have a say in what
happens in their neighborhoods.

01:24:48.020 --> 01:24:51.260 
I support safety for all-- that
includes pedestrians, bikes,

01:24:51.260 --> 01:24:52.130 
cars, and buses.

01:24:52.130 --> 01:24:54.530 
The current plan does
not serve the residents

01:24:54.530 --> 01:24:55.970 
and their interest as a whole.

01:24:55.970 --> 01:24:58.490 
It unevenly serves
the bike lobby

01:24:58.490 --> 01:25:00.290 
with the majority
of its supporters

01:25:00.290 --> 01:25:01.640 
who are non-Cambridge residents.

01:25:01.640 --> 01:25:04.710 
The streets are for shared
uses, not just the bikes.

01:25:04.710 --> 01:25:06.710 
You've indicated that
many people have commented

01:25:06.710 --> 01:25:09.950 
that they want parking, and that
isn't significantly addressed.

01:25:09.950 --> 01:25:11.300 
It has been mostly ignored.

01:25:11.300 --> 01:25:13.880 
Where is the community
process the City has promised?

01:25:13.880 --> 01:25:15.290 
That includes the residents.

01:25:15.290 --> 01:25:17.270 
They have promised a
study considering feedback

01:25:17.270 --> 01:25:20.240 
of the business along Mass
Ave. That's not been completed.

01:25:20.240 --> 01:25:21.890 
What good is a study
if it's completed

01:25:21.890 --> 01:25:23.000 
after the construction?

01:25:23.000 --> 01:25:25.670 
Then you cannot
implement your findings.

01:25:25.670 --> 01:25:27.662 
Currently, Northern
Mass Ave is a ghost town

01:25:27.662 --> 01:25:29.870 
where they have implemented
the quick-build solution.

01:25:29.870 --> 01:25:32.270 
Just talk to the
businesses as we promised.

01:25:32.270 --> 01:25:34.927 
That will give you the
economic impact that you need.

01:25:34.927 --> 01:25:37.010 
I've talked to many, many
businesses and to a tee,

01:25:37.010 --> 01:25:39.620 
they have all said the removal
of parking and loading zones

01:25:39.620 --> 01:25:41.420 
have devastated
their businesses,

01:25:41.420 --> 01:25:44.540 
and 75% of their customers
say the removal of the parking

01:25:44.540 --> 01:25:45.680 
is a terrible idea.

01:25:45.680 --> 01:25:47.690 
If you stand on the
sidewalk for 10 minutes--

01:25:47.690 --> 01:25:48.305 
[INTERPOSING VOICES]

01:25:48.305 --> 01:25:49.560 
BROOKE MCKENNA: --wrap up your
comments, we're at a minute.

01:25:49.560 --> 01:25:52.280 
AUDIENCE: --this road design
is, cars, delivery trucks, mail

01:25:52.280 --> 01:25:54.620 
trucks, and police cars
all have to double-park,

01:25:54.620 --> 01:25:57.260 
blocking traffic just to
conduct normal business.

01:25:57.260 --> 01:25:57.990 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Thank you, Jennifer.

01:25:57.990 --> 01:25:59.300 
We're going to need to move on.

01:25:59.300 --> 01:26:00.342 
I'm sorry, I said Joanne.

01:26:00.342 --> 01:26:01.920 
It's Joan who's up next.

01:26:01.920 --> 01:26:04.190 
Joan, you're going to
be followed by Bruce.

01:26:04.190 --> 01:26:05.660 
Go ahead and unmute
yourself, Joan.

01:26:05.660 --> 01:26:14.040 


01:26:14.040 --> 01:26:14.540 
Huh.

01:26:14.540 --> 01:26:18.220 


01:26:18.220 --> 01:26:21.940 
Joan, are you able
to unmute yourself?

01:26:21.940 --> 01:26:23.190 
AUDIENCE: I think I am, right?

01:26:23.190 --> 01:26:24.690 
BROOKE MCKENNA: We
can hear you now.

01:26:24.690 --> 01:26:25.660 
Go ahead.

01:26:25.660 --> 01:26:26.890 
AUDIENCE: Great.

01:26:26.890 --> 01:26:32.590 
I'm wanting to get a better
understanding of the reason

01:26:32.590 --> 01:26:36.370 
to change anything
on Upland Road.

01:26:36.370 --> 01:26:39.730 
Right now it's a
road that I often

01:26:39.730 --> 01:26:43.780 
take if I'm heading
south on Mass Ave.

01:26:43.780 --> 01:26:48.730 
It relieves a tremendous
amount of traffic

01:26:48.730 --> 01:26:53.720 
at that point on Mass Ave that--

01:26:53.720 --> 01:26:57.820 
as I understand it, there'll
be two parking spaces

01:26:57.820 --> 01:27:05.500 
that will be added and make it
difficult to make a right turn

01:27:05.500 --> 01:27:08.140 
going south on Mass Ave.

01:27:08.140 --> 01:27:11.020 
If that's the case,
I'd like to make sure

01:27:11.020 --> 01:27:15.340 
that you look at this further
because I think you'll just

01:27:15.340 --> 01:27:21.640 
be adding more traffic to
Mass Ave when it is relieved,

01:27:21.640 --> 01:27:23.770 
the way things are right now.

01:27:23.770 --> 01:27:25.180 
Thank you.

01:27:25.180 --> 01:27:27.160 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great,
thank you, Joan.

01:27:27.160 --> 01:27:30.400 
Next up is Bruce and you're
going to be followed by Julia.

01:27:30.400 --> 01:27:33.740 
Bruce, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

01:27:33.740 --> 01:27:36.320 
AUDIENCE: Thank you very much.

01:27:36.320 --> 01:27:38.800 
I've been biking
around Cambridge

01:27:38.800 --> 01:27:41.230 
for well over 30 years now.

01:27:41.230 --> 01:27:46.180 
And I am continuously
dismayed and frustrated

01:27:46.180 --> 01:27:52.720 
with the proliferation of these
so-called separated bike lanes.

01:27:52.720 --> 01:27:55.540 
All too often, they
are hidden bike lanes

01:27:55.540 --> 01:28:02.470 
with the floating parking
creating a really treacherous

01:28:02.470 --> 01:28:04.900 
place for bikes to try to ride.

01:28:04.900 --> 01:28:11.950 
But even with these flex posts,
it's not a safe place to ride--

01:28:11.950 --> 01:28:13.810 
at least, I don't
find it-- and it's

01:28:13.810 --> 01:28:17.020 
terribly inconvenient
and frustrating as well.

01:28:17.020 --> 01:28:19.390 
If you're going to
make a left turn,

01:28:19.390 --> 01:28:22.120 
obviously you want to be
in the left turn lane,

01:28:22.120 --> 01:28:28.120 
not pushed over into some
segregated lane on the right.

01:28:28.120 --> 01:28:31.750 
I'd like to find out and just
get an answer to the question--

01:28:31.750 --> 01:28:35.440 
it does, I hope, remain
legal for bicyclists

01:28:35.440 --> 01:28:42.310 
to travel outside these
so-called separated bike lanes?

01:28:42.310 --> 01:28:45.003 
Can you please answer
that when the time comes.

01:28:45.003 --> 01:28:46.670 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great,
thank you, Bruce.

01:28:46.670 --> 01:28:49.360 
Next up is Julia
followed by Sharon.

01:28:49.360 --> 01:28:50.860 
Julia, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

01:28:50.860 --> 01:28:54.088 


01:28:54.088 --> 01:28:56.630 
AUDIENCE: Just checking that
I'm the Julia you're calling on.

01:28:56.630 --> 01:28:57.770 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Yes.

01:28:57.770 --> 01:28:58.333 
Go ahead.

01:28:58.333 --> 01:28:59.000 
AUDIENCE: Great.

01:28:59.000 --> 01:29:00.317 
Hi, everyone.

01:29:00.317 --> 01:29:01.400 
Thanks for taking my call.

01:29:01.400 --> 01:29:02.192 
I'm Julia Wallerce.

01:29:02.192 --> 01:29:04.310 
I'm With the Boston
Program of the Institute

01:29:04.310 --> 01:29:06.968 
for Transportation and
Development Policy, ITDP.

01:29:06.968 --> 01:29:09.260 
We're a global nonprofit and
work all around the world.

01:29:09.260 --> 01:29:10.670 
And here in Boston
and the US, we

01:29:10.670 --> 01:29:13.490 
focus a lot on bus rapid
transit and opportunities

01:29:13.490 --> 01:29:17.535 
for pursuing that vision for BRT
as we've done here in Boston.

01:29:17.535 --> 01:29:19.160 
And we've loved
working with Cambridge.

01:29:19.160 --> 01:29:22.070 
We completely
recognize the impetus

01:29:22.070 --> 01:29:25.820 
of meeting the Protected
Cycling Ordinance this spring.

01:29:25.820 --> 01:29:27.110 
That's important.

01:29:27.110 --> 01:29:30.170 
But I want to elevate the
importance of including

01:29:30.170 --> 01:29:32.480 
bus priority, both
in the quick-build

01:29:32.480 --> 01:29:35.720 
and in Mass Ave For All,
as a means of moving

01:29:35.720 --> 01:29:38.540 
more people rather than
just more vehicles,

01:29:38.540 --> 01:29:41.120 
and recognizing that this
is one of the busiest bus

01:29:41.120 --> 01:29:44.900 
corridors in the region,
which has also been designated

01:29:44.900 --> 01:29:47.000 
as a high-frequency
corridor under bus network

01:29:47.000 --> 01:29:50.000 
redesign, which I'm pretty
sure you guys know as staff,

01:29:50.000 --> 01:29:52.910 
is expected to finally
be released this spring

01:29:52.910 --> 01:29:53.450 
and summer.

01:29:53.450 --> 01:29:55.430 
And with Mass Ave
being identified

01:29:55.430 --> 01:29:58.430 
as this major corridor
carrying people frequently

01:29:58.430 --> 01:30:01.472 
and reliably via bus,
the only way to do that

01:30:01.472 --> 01:30:02.930 
and to deliver that
kind of service

01:30:02.930 --> 01:30:04.970 
is through bus priority.

01:30:04.970 --> 01:30:07.400 
So recognizing that
there's these two options--

01:30:07.400 --> 01:30:09.625 
there's this quick-build,
quick turnaround,

01:30:09.625 --> 01:30:11.500 
really taking a hard
look at the queue jumps,

01:30:11.500 --> 01:30:14.570 
do those really cause
additional vehicular delay?

01:30:14.570 --> 01:30:16.245 
I don't know the
numbers, so it's

01:30:16.245 --> 01:30:17.370 
important to consider that.

01:30:17.370 --> 01:30:18.870 
But I would really
encourage keeping

01:30:18.870 --> 01:30:21.290 
that as part of the plan
to ensure that it sets

01:30:21.290 --> 01:30:23.965 
the corridor up for the more
ambitious center-running plan

01:30:23.965 --> 01:30:26.090 
that we could get, that
makes more room for biking,

01:30:26.090 --> 01:30:28.010 
more room for parking,
green space, all

01:30:28.010 --> 01:30:30.597 
of those great things in
the next two to three years.

01:30:30.597 --> 01:30:31.430 
Thank you very much.

01:30:31.430 --> 01:30:32.805 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Thank you, Julia.

01:30:32.805 --> 01:30:35.330 
Sharon, you're up
next and you're

01:30:35.330 --> 01:30:37.010 
going to be followed
by Alex Frieden,

01:30:37.010 --> 01:30:39.848 
and then we'll be taking
another break for questions.

01:30:39.848 --> 01:30:41.390 
Sharon, go ahead
and unmute yourself.

01:30:41.390 --> 01:30:46.960 


01:30:46.960 --> 01:30:48.440 
AUDIENCE: Hi, can you hear me?

01:30:48.440 --> 01:30:49.690 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Yes, go ahead.

01:30:49.690 --> 01:30:51.520 
AUDIENCE: Thanks.

01:30:51.520 --> 01:30:58.810 
I'm a store, I own a block of
stores in South Porter Square.

01:30:58.810 --> 01:31:03.730 
And my concern is for
my tenants as well as

01:31:03.730 --> 01:31:05.200 
the abutting neighborhoods.

01:31:05.200 --> 01:31:08.440 
This plan seems to
remove customer parking

01:31:08.440 --> 01:31:12.640 
and force the parking
into the neighborhoods.

01:31:12.640 --> 01:31:16.270 
That causes a reduction
in residential parking.

01:31:16.270 --> 01:31:19.550 
So it's not solving
any problems.

01:31:19.550 --> 01:31:21.490 
It seems to be
creating problems.

01:31:21.490 --> 01:31:27.040 
And in 2020, the City did
a study asking merchants

01:31:27.040 --> 01:31:30.430 
what they needed more to
attract customers and have

01:31:30.430 --> 01:31:32.830 
vital business, and
they said parking.

01:31:32.830 --> 01:31:36.550 
So now we're going from
2020 coming out of COVID.

01:31:36.550 --> 01:31:39.010 
Businesses have put
their life savings

01:31:39.010 --> 01:31:41.800 
into sustaining their
business to get through COVID,

01:31:41.800 --> 01:31:43.930 
and now you're taking
their parking away.

01:31:43.930 --> 01:31:46.300 
It seems totally unfair.

01:31:46.300 --> 01:31:47.733 
Thank you.

01:31:47.733 --> 01:31:49.150 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Thank you, Sharon.

01:31:49.150 --> 01:31:50.530 
Alex, you're up.

01:31:50.530 --> 01:31:51.805 
Go ahead and unmute yourself.

01:31:51.805 --> 01:32:01.420 


01:32:01.420 --> 01:32:03.450 
I'm sorry.

01:32:03.450 --> 01:32:04.130 
Alex--

01:32:04.130 --> 01:32:05.857 
AUDIENCE: Hi, can you hear me?

01:32:05.857 --> 01:32:06.940 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Yes, Alex.

01:32:06.940 --> 01:32:08.340 
Go ahead.

01:32:08.340 --> 01:32:09.032 
AUDIENCE: Thank.

01:32:09.032 --> 01:32:10.740 
I know this is a very
complicated project

01:32:10.740 --> 01:32:13.740 
and it's not easy to manage
all these different concerns.

01:32:13.740 --> 01:32:16.200 
Great job by Andreas
and the team.

01:32:16.200 --> 01:32:17.820 
Wanted to just call out--

01:32:17.820 --> 01:32:21.990 
I bike through here regularly
with my two daughters.

01:32:21.990 --> 01:32:25.560 
It's not a place I enjoy
biking through today.

01:32:25.560 --> 01:32:28.530 
I find it somewhat ironic
to see a project motivated

01:32:28.530 --> 01:32:31.740 
by the Cycling Safety Ordinance
with what I would consider

01:32:31.740 --> 01:32:35.170 
very little cycling safety in
terms of protected bike lanes.

01:32:35.170 --> 01:32:37.380 
So I would encourage
the team to really

01:32:37.380 --> 01:32:39.980 
focus on especially the
intersection of Somerville

01:32:39.980 --> 01:32:43.770 
and Mass Ave where Joe
Lavins was previously killed,

01:32:43.770 --> 01:32:48.180 
and really to focus on getting
protected bike lanes to make it

01:32:48.180 --> 01:32:51.330 
to the Jug Handle that's there.

01:32:51.330 --> 01:32:55.080 
And just to call
out, the numbers

01:32:55.080 --> 01:32:57.840 
you showed for cycling
between 2018 and 2020

01:32:57.840 --> 01:33:02.100 
really will continue to
improve as the network

01:33:02.100 --> 01:33:06.900 
of continuous safe bike
lanes is increased,

01:33:06.900 --> 01:33:10.650 
and that can only be done when
we make this full corridor

01:33:10.650 --> 01:33:11.970 
as a safe route.

01:33:11.970 --> 01:33:12.785 
Thank you.

01:33:12.785 --> 01:33:14.160 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Great, thank you.

01:33:14.160 --> 01:33:16.760 


01:33:16.760 --> 01:33:20.650 
OK, with that we're going
to switch over to some more

01:33:20.650 --> 01:33:23.530 
questions-- some more
answers, rather--

01:33:23.530 --> 01:33:28.810 
starting again with the
answers that we heard.

01:33:28.810 --> 01:33:32.590 
For our first question, how many
metered spaces will be removed?

01:33:32.590 --> 01:33:36.430 
Adding three HP spots, could
they be metered instead?

01:33:36.430 --> 01:33:39.337 
Andreas, I'll ask you
to answer that one.

01:33:39.337 --> 01:33:40.170 
ANDREAS WOLFE: Sure.

01:33:40.170 --> 01:33:41.160 
Thanks, Brooke.

01:33:41.160 --> 01:33:46.350 
So the number of metered
spaces on Mass Ave is 34.

01:33:46.350 --> 01:33:49.860 
But as stated, we are looking
at ways to put a couple back

01:33:49.860 --> 01:33:53.430 
on side streets, but I think
that 34 number is the number

01:33:53.430 --> 01:33:55.240 
that you're looking for.

01:33:55.240 --> 01:33:57.540 
We also have a graphic that
shows the block-by-block,

01:33:57.540 --> 01:33:59.373 
if you're curious what
the exact numbers are

01:33:59.373 --> 01:34:01.320 
in different locations.

01:34:01.320 --> 01:34:04.740 
And then in terms of
the question regarding

01:34:04.740 --> 01:34:11.400 
making accessible spaces metered
spaces, so at those locations

01:34:11.400 --> 01:34:13.950 
where we have the
accessible spaces proposed,

01:34:13.950 --> 01:34:15.990 
we do not have
separated bike lanes.

01:34:15.990 --> 01:34:18.630 
We have the bike
lane out in traffic

01:34:18.630 --> 01:34:20.010 
to the left side of the parking.

01:34:20.010 --> 01:34:22.380 
And that is specifically
only because those

01:34:22.380 --> 01:34:26.400 
are spaces meant for people with
a disability who need access

01:34:26.400 --> 01:34:27.100 
to the curb.

01:34:27.100 --> 01:34:31.530 
So under the Cycling Safety
Ordinance and also to provide

01:34:31.530 --> 01:34:33.780 
separated bike
lanes, in general,

01:34:33.780 --> 01:34:36.660 
we cannot put the metered
spaces at the curb,

01:34:36.660 --> 01:34:42.690 
or else the bike lane would be
out on the street to the left

01:34:42.690 --> 01:34:44.400 
side of the parking.

01:34:44.400 --> 01:34:48.240 
So that is why they're proposed
as accessible space-- well,

01:34:48.240 --> 01:34:50.730 
not why they're proposed
as accessible spaces,

01:34:50.730 --> 01:34:52.905 
but why we cannot do metered
spaces where there is

01:34:52.905 --> 01:34:53.655 
accessible spaces.

01:34:53.655 --> 01:34:57.840 


01:34:57.840 --> 01:34:59.520 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Before we keep going,

01:34:59.520 --> 01:35:02.160 
I just want everybody
to know that we're

01:35:02.160 --> 01:35:05.550 
making note of all the comments
and all of the questions, even

01:35:05.550 --> 01:35:07.680 
the ones that we
don't answer live.

01:35:07.680 --> 01:35:11.670 
We're taking your feedback
and we will incorporate

01:35:11.670 --> 01:35:12.848 
that as we move forward.

01:35:12.848 --> 01:35:14.640 
And just wanted to make
sure that everybody

01:35:14.640 --> 01:35:17.010 
was aware of that.

01:35:17.010 --> 01:35:22.560 
The next question is, will
it remain legal for cyclists

01:35:22.560 --> 01:35:24.450 
to travel outside
of the bike lane?

01:35:24.450 --> 01:35:27.525 
And Joe, maybe you can
answer that for us.

01:35:27.525 --> 01:35:28.150 
JOE BARR: Sure.

01:35:28.150 --> 01:35:31.360 
So yes, the State
of Massachusetts

01:35:31.360 --> 01:35:33.340 
does not have a
law that requires

01:35:33.340 --> 01:35:35.740 
cyclists to use
bike lanes, which is

01:35:35.740 --> 01:35:37.580 
the case in some other states.

01:35:37.580 --> 01:35:40.150 
And so we fully expect
that some cyclists

01:35:40.150 --> 01:35:41.290 
will continue to drive--

01:35:41.290 --> 01:35:43.330 
or sorry, continue to
cycle-- in the lanes

01:35:43.330 --> 01:35:45.880 
and some will continue
to use the bike lanes,

01:35:45.880 --> 01:35:48.010 
and either one is fine.

01:35:48.010 --> 01:35:49.120 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great.

01:35:49.120 --> 01:35:51.520 
We also had a question
during that comment period

01:35:51.520 --> 01:35:56.140 
about Upland Road and how
that will be functioning,

01:35:56.140 --> 01:35:58.630 
but we're going to answer
that with a group of questions

01:35:58.630 --> 01:36:01.270 
that came in through
the Q&A on Upland Road.

01:36:01.270 --> 01:36:03.625 
So with that, I will pass
things over to Margaret.

01:36:03.625 --> 01:36:06.590 


01:36:06.590 --> 01:36:07.840 
MARGARET KENT: Thanks, Brooke.

01:36:07.840 --> 01:36:09.882 
The first question that
we're going to start with

01:36:09.882 --> 01:36:12.640 
is about data
regarding Who Bikes.

01:36:12.640 --> 01:36:14.140 
Joe, could you
answer this question?

01:36:14.140 --> 01:36:18.260 


01:36:18.260 --> 01:36:21.110 
JOE BARR: I'm sorry, I
didn't unmute myself.

01:36:21.110 --> 01:36:28.100 
So we showed some data from
the City resident survey,

01:36:28.100 --> 01:36:33.170 
but there's a lot more data
available through the City's

01:36:33.170 --> 01:36:36.530 
Bicycle Plan, which
was updated in 2020,

01:36:36.530 --> 01:36:41.820 
regarding cycling volumes,
crash data, what-have-you.

01:36:41.820 --> 01:36:43.802 
And that's actually in
chapter 3 of the plan.

01:36:43.802 --> 01:36:45.260 
So if you go on
the City's website,

01:36:45.260 --> 01:36:50.180 
you can find pages and
pages of graphs and maps

01:36:50.180 --> 01:36:53.420 
showing more information
about it beyond just what we

01:36:53.420 --> 01:36:56.000 
showed in the presentation.

01:36:56.000 --> 01:36:58.400 
And then I think it's
important to just say

01:36:58.400 --> 01:37:02.090 
one of the statistics that we've
seen that really stands out

01:37:02.090 --> 01:37:04.820 
is that the number of
cyclists has increased by four

01:37:04.820 --> 01:37:07.350 
times over the past 15 years.

01:37:07.350 --> 01:37:10.700 
So as I noted in
the presentation,

01:37:10.700 --> 01:37:14.930 
it really is a case that
lots of people in Cambridge

01:37:14.930 --> 01:37:17.240 
are cycling, and lots more
people would like to cycle.

01:37:17.240 --> 01:37:19.430 
So part of the impetus
for these projects

01:37:19.430 --> 01:37:21.915 
is really to meet that
demand, both for people

01:37:21.915 --> 01:37:23.540 
who are already doing
so and people who

01:37:23.540 --> 01:37:25.700 
want to do so in the future.

01:37:25.700 --> 01:37:29.150 
And then just in terms of crash
data, more specifics, the City

01:37:29.150 --> 01:37:31.190 
does put crash data
on our open data

01:37:31.190 --> 01:37:33.770 
portal, which is available also
through the City's website.

01:37:33.770 --> 01:37:35.395 
So if you're looking
to delve into more

01:37:35.395 --> 01:37:37.700 
detail on specific
types of crashes,

01:37:37.700 --> 01:37:39.260 
that's all available
online as well.

01:37:39.260 --> 01:37:42.145 


01:37:42.145 --> 01:37:43.020 
MARGARET KENT: Great.

01:37:43.020 --> 01:37:45.660 
We have a question about
clarifying the construction

01:37:45.660 --> 01:37:46.230 
timeline.

01:37:46.230 --> 01:37:48.540 
Joe, could you take that?

01:37:48.540 --> 01:37:52.410 
JOE BARR: So yeah, so as we
said in the presentation,

01:37:52.410 --> 01:37:57.000 
the implementation will not
be happening by April 30.

01:37:57.000 --> 01:37:59.233 
We can't really
say at this moment

01:37:59.233 --> 01:38:01.650 
exactly when it will happen,
other than that we are trying

01:38:01.650 --> 01:38:03.120 
to move it as
quickly as possible

01:38:03.120 --> 01:38:05.430 
and implement as
soon as possible.

01:38:05.430 --> 01:38:06.480 
I think part of the--

01:38:06.480 --> 01:38:09.657 
we are trying to make sure
that we've provided time

01:38:09.657 --> 01:38:11.490 
to listen to all the
comments and take those

01:38:11.490 --> 01:38:13.200 
into consideration.

01:38:13.200 --> 01:38:15.930 
We'll certainly have at
least one more community

01:38:15.930 --> 01:38:19.370 
meeting to go over the plans
as they get more final.

01:38:19.370 --> 01:38:21.870 
And we also want to make sure
there's good outreach in terms

01:38:21.870 --> 01:38:24.840 
of when the project's
going to be implemented,

01:38:24.840 --> 01:38:27.600 
as well as making sure
that, as I alluded to,

01:38:27.600 --> 01:38:29.423 
we can implement all
the different pieces

01:38:29.423 --> 01:38:30.340 
in the right sequence.

01:38:30.340 --> 01:38:32.940 
So just as an example,
if we are putting

01:38:32.940 --> 01:38:35.340 
additional metered
parking on a side street,

01:38:35.340 --> 01:38:37.860 
we want to make sure
that that parking goes in

01:38:37.860 --> 01:38:42.150 
prior to removing the
parking from Mass Ave.

01:38:42.150 --> 01:38:44.160 
So we want to give
ourselves enough time

01:38:44.160 --> 01:38:46.590 
to be able to sequence
those things in a way that

01:38:46.590 --> 01:38:48.000 
doesn't eliminate
all the impacts

01:38:48.000 --> 01:38:51.720 
but tries to minimize them
and do the improvements

01:38:51.720 --> 01:38:53.490 
in the correct sequence.

01:38:53.490 --> 01:38:56.280 
So I don't want to
commit to a date,

01:38:56.280 --> 01:38:58.620 
but I also want to make it
very clear, as both Brooke

01:38:58.620 --> 01:39:01.320 
and I said, we are moving
as quickly as we can.

01:39:01.320 --> 01:39:04.950 
We recognize that there are
improvements needed in Porter

01:39:04.950 --> 01:39:07.290 
Square beyond what's
already taking place,

01:39:07.290 --> 01:39:10.440 
and we want to get this
done as quickly as possible

01:39:10.440 --> 01:39:13.318 
because every day that
we don't get it done,

01:39:13.318 --> 01:39:14.860 
we don't know what's
going to happen.

01:39:14.860 --> 01:39:16.860 
So we want to try to get
these improvements made

01:39:16.860 --> 01:39:19.940 
as quickly as possible.

01:39:19.940 --> 01:39:21.020 
MARGARET KENT: Thank you.

01:39:21.020 --> 01:39:23.320 
The next question is
asking for clarification

01:39:23.320 --> 01:39:25.180 
about why the Porter
Square project is not

01:39:25.180 --> 01:39:27.010 
part of the MassAve4.

01:39:27.010 --> 01:39:31.070 
JOE BARR: Yes, so
it's really, I think,

01:39:31.070 --> 01:39:32.710 
a combination of
the fact that that's

01:39:32.710 --> 01:39:36.430 
the way the ordinance is
structured-- it puts those four

01:39:36.430 --> 01:39:38.920 
segments of Mass Ave
that are in the MassAve4

01:39:38.920 --> 01:39:42.700 
in this special category where
we have this greater ability

01:39:42.700 --> 01:39:46.270 
to take a little time to go
through the type of project

01:39:46.270 --> 01:39:49.840 
that Kathy alluded to in
the recommendation right now

01:39:49.840 --> 01:39:51.850 
for partial construction there.

01:39:51.850 --> 01:39:53.950 
But that's not--

01:39:53.950 --> 01:39:58.030 
Porter Square has to be
done according to this much

01:39:58.030 --> 01:39:59.017 
quicker time frame.

01:39:59.017 --> 01:40:01.600 
But also, like I just said, the
safety issues in Porter Square

01:40:01.600 --> 01:40:04.570 
are significant, and we do
want to try to address them

01:40:04.570 --> 01:40:05.740 
as quickly as possible.

01:40:05.740 --> 01:40:08.620 
And many of the comments we've
heard tonight reinforce that.

01:40:08.620 --> 01:40:12.130 
And so we are focused on trying
to make Porter Square safer

01:40:12.130 --> 01:40:13.180 
as quickly as possible.

01:40:13.180 --> 01:40:16.510 
Not that the other segments
of Mass Ave are unimportant,

01:40:16.510 --> 01:40:19.120 
but when you look at some
of those crash statistics

01:40:19.120 --> 01:40:21.220 
and maps, you can see
that there is definitely

01:40:21.220 --> 01:40:25.180 
a cluster of crashes that have
occurred around Porter Square,

01:40:25.180 --> 01:40:27.460 
and that's something
that makes us say,

01:40:27.460 --> 01:40:31.625 
yes, we need to address this
sooner rather than later.

01:40:31.625 --> 01:40:32.500 
MARGARET KENT: Right.

01:40:32.500 --> 01:40:34.900 
The next set of questions
is about the bike lane

01:40:34.900 --> 01:40:36.130 
separation--

01:40:36.130 --> 01:40:38.830 
both about the length, the
longest possible feasible

01:40:38.830 --> 01:40:41.020 
length of separation,
and about the types

01:40:41.020 --> 01:40:44.950 
of materials that can be used
for the bike lane separation.

01:40:44.950 --> 01:40:47.440 
Patrick, could you answer
this set of questions?

01:40:47.440 --> 01:40:49.575 


01:40:49.575 --> 01:40:50.450 
PATRICK BAXTER: Sure.

01:40:50.450 --> 01:40:52.820 
So there was a
question about can we

01:40:52.820 --> 01:40:56.600 
use precast curbs
instead of the flex post,

01:40:56.600 --> 01:40:59.420 
similar to what Boston
has done in some locations

01:40:59.420 --> 01:41:01.010 
on the other side of the river.

01:41:01.010 --> 01:41:02.750 
That is something
that we are looking

01:41:02.750 --> 01:41:04.460 
at for a future project.

01:41:04.460 --> 01:41:06.170 
We're not in a
position where we're

01:41:06.170 --> 01:41:09.150 
going to be able to do that as
part of this project right now,

01:41:09.150 --> 01:41:11.930 
but we are going to be looking
at trialing that in an upcoming

01:41:11.930 --> 01:41:13.760 
project sometime
in the next year.

01:41:13.760 --> 01:41:16.100 
And if that's a
successful trial,

01:41:16.100 --> 01:41:18.680 
it's something that we
can go back and integrate

01:41:18.680 --> 01:41:21.780 
into prior projects as well.

01:41:21.780 --> 01:41:26.090 
There was also a question about
the kind of curve on Somerville

01:41:26.090 --> 01:41:28.340 
Avenue and trucks
knocking over flex posts,

01:41:28.340 --> 01:41:32.540 
and can we put flex posts--
even if not right at the curve--

01:41:32.540 --> 01:41:34.010 
closer up towards White Street.

01:41:34.010 --> 01:41:35.870 
And that is something
we're looking at,

01:41:35.870 --> 01:41:38.270 
to see if there's places we
can get them in there where

01:41:38.270 --> 01:41:40.550 
they won't be constantly
struck and knocked down.

01:41:40.550 --> 01:41:44.595 


01:41:44.595 --> 01:41:45.470 
MARGARET KENT: Right.

01:41:45.470 --> 01:41:48.530 
The next set of questions
relates to the catenary wires

01:41:48.530 --> 01:41:51.180 
and the removal of those wires.

01:41:51.180 --> 01:41:55.237 
Kathy, could you
address this question?

01:41:55.237 --> 01:41:56.070 
KATHY WATKINS: Yeah.

01:41:56.070 --> 01:41:57.340 
So this has come up a lot.

01:41:57.340 --> 01:42:01.560 
So I think people have heard
the MBTA is transitioning

01:42:01.560 --> 01:42:03.000 
from the trolley buses.

01:42:03.000 --> 01:42:05.520 
They will be going to
battery electric buses,

01:42:05.520 --> 01:42:08.020 
and so they are in that process.

01:42:08.020 --> 01:42:10.050 
We are working
closely with the MBTA

01:42:10.050 --> 01:42:14.610 
on the schedule for the
construction at Trolley Square,

01:42:14.610 --> 01:42:17.130 
as well as the
construction for removing

01:42:17.130 --> 01:42:20.580 
both the overhead wires as
well as all of the poles.

01:42:20.580 --> 01:42:24.075 
So we do not have a
schedule yet from the MBTA.

01:42:24.075 --> 01:42:25.450 
We are working
closely with them.

01:42:25.450 --> 01:42:27.270 
We meet with them
every couple of weeks

01:42:27.270 --> 01:42:29.670 
to really go through a lot
of construction projects

01:42:29.670 --> 01:42:30.990 
that we're coordinating on.

01:42:30.990 --> 01:42:33.840 
And I know there was some
questions in the chat about,

01:42:33.840 --> 01:42:36.000 
can't the City just
pay to remove the wires

01:42:36.000 --> 01:42:38.070 
and make it go faster.

01:42:38.070 --> 01:42:40.290 
It's less about a
money issue as opposed

01:42:40.290 --> 01:42:42.430 
to an MBTA infrastructure issue.

01:42:42.430 --> 01:42:44.790 
And so we are working
closely with the MBTA,

01:42:44.790 --> 01:42:48.480 
and obviously advocating
for all of this--

01:42:48.480 --> 01:42:50.670 
what is now unneeded--
infrastructure

01:42:50.670 --> 01:42:52.410 
to be removed as
quickly as possible.

01:42:52.410 --> 01:42:54.510 
But again, we don't
have a timeline on that,

01:42:54.510 --> 01:42:56.910 
but we certainly
understand the importance

01:42:56.910 --> 01:42:58.590 
of getting that
infrastructure removed

01:42:58.590 --> 01:43:01.437 
and are working on that.

01:43:01.437 --> 01:43:02.770 
MARGARET KENT: Thank you, Kathy.

01:43:02.770 --> 01:43:05.530 
The next set of questions
is also for you.

01:43:05.530 --> 01:43:08.290 
We had two questions that
came in about snow removal

01:43:08.290 --> 01:43:12.048 
from bike lanes and how the
city plans to deal with that.

01:43:12.048 --> 01:43:12.840 
KATHY WATKINS: Yes.

01:43:12.840 --> 01:43:14.760 
So I know there was a couple of
different questions about snow

01:43:14.760 --> 01:43:17.065 
removal, and this also
relates to the widths

01:43:17.065 --> 01:43:18.690 
that people are
talking about, in terms

01:43:18.690 --> 01:43:20.370 
of can't we make
things narrower,

01:43:20.370 --> 01:43:22.600 
and then also how
do we maintain it.

01:43:22.600 --> 01:43:25.990 
So those two things
go hand in hand.

01:43:25.990 --> 01:43:28.470 
So at Public Works
we are committed

01:43:28.470 --> 01:43:30.600 
to maintaining the
bike infrastructure.

01:43:30.600 --> 01:43:33.000 
That can be sometimes quite
challenging, depending

01:43:33.000 --> 01:43:35.520 
on the nature of the snowstorm.

01:43:35.520 --> 01:43:39.300 
So we do have specialized
equipment that is smaller

01:43:39.300 --> 01:43:42.280 
and is designed to use for
these types of facilities.

01:43:42.280 --> 01:43:43.890 
And I would say
that every year we

01:43:43.890 --> 01:43:46.950 
are adding additional equipment
and additional contracts

01:43:46.950 --> 01:43:50.160 
into the way we manage snow.

01:43:50.160 --> 01:43:52.170 
Having said that, it
is quite challenging

01:43:52.170 --> 01:43:53.670 
and we know it can
be frustrating,

01:43:53.670 --> 01:43:56.980 
and that there are times when
it's not an ideal situation.

01:43:56.980 --> 01:44:00.277 
But I would say that that
doesn't offset the other 51

01:44:00.277 --> 01:44:01.860 
weeks out of the
year where you really

01:44:01.860 --> 01:44:04.660 
get the benefit of
this infrastructure.

01:44:04.660 --> 01:44:07.020 
So even if it causes
more challenges

01:44:07.020 --> 01:44:10.650 
and isn't an ideal situation
the day after the storm,

01:44:10.650 --> 01:44:13.170 
we are asking people to
have patience with us

01:44:13.170 --> 01:44:14.730 
and let us get to it.

01:44:14.730 --> 01:44:18.060 
And again, we are also working
on increasing our staff

01:44:18.060 --> 01:44:20.670 
and equipment to maintain
these types of facilities.

01:44:20.670 --> 01:44:23.847 


01:44:23.847 --> 01:44:25.180 
MARGARET KENT: Thank you, Kathy.

01:44:25.180 --> 01:44:28.420 
We had two questions that came
in regarding loading zones

01:44:28.420 --> 01:44:30.215 
and clarifying how
those will operate.

01:44:30.215 --> 01:44:31.840 
Brooke, could you
answer this question?

01:44:31.840 --> 01:44:34.595 


01:44:34.595 --> 01:44:35.470 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Sure.

01:44:35.470 --> 01:44:38.140 
So our typical loading
zones operate in

01:44:38.140 --> 01:44:40.300 
that a commercial vehicle
can be in a loading

01:44:40.300 --> 01:44:41.862 
zone for up to 30 minutes--

01:44:41.862 --> 01:44:43.570 
that's a vehicle with
commercial plates--

01:44:43.570 --> 01:44:46.120 
and passenger vehicles
can be in a loading

01:44:46.120 --> 01:44:48.260 
zone for up to 15 minutes.

01:44:48.260 --> 01:44:51.010 
And that's what
all of the loading

01:44:51.010 --> 01:44:53.330 
zones across the City,
the regulations are,

01:44:53.330 --> 01:44:56.560 
and that's the way
it's always been.

01:44:56.560 --> 01:45:00.280 
However, we are looking now
to introduce a new regulation

01:45:00.280 --> 01:45:03.940 
in specific areas that
would allow both passenger

01:45:03.940 --> 01:45:06.640 
vehicles and commercial
vehicles to stay in a loading

01:45:06.640 --> 01:45:10.420 
zone for up to 30 minutes, and
we're doing that in response

01:45:10.420 --> 01:45:14.540 
to the feedback that we've
been getting on these projects.

01:45:14.540 --> 01:45:19.540 
So we do anticipate rolling
out those regulations shortly,

01:45:19.540 --> 01:45:21.610 
that will give passenger
vehicles a little more

01:45:21.610 --> 01:45:25.000 
time to legally
use a loading zone.

01:45:25.000 --> 01:45:28.427 


01:45:28.427 --> 01:45:29.760 
MARGARET KENT: Great, thank you.

01:45:29.760 --> 01:45:34.290 
The next set of questions
is regarding Upland Street.

01:45:34.290 --> 01:45:38.310 
There's a number of
questions within this group

01:45:38.310 --> 01:45:43.080 
regarding the impacts of making
Upland only one lane, impacts

01:45:43.080 --> 01:45:47.850 
on adjoining residential
streets if traffic is rerouted,

01:45:47.850 --> 01:45:51.090 
and also a question about why
additional parking spaces are

01:45:51.090 --> 01:45:57.930 
needed on Upland Road when
a right turn is needed,

01:45:57.930 --> 01:46:01.245 
as well as about the signal
timing at Upland Road,

01:46:01.245 --> 01:46:03.853 
and if any changes
will be made there.

01:46:03.853 --> 01:46:05.020 
PATRICK BAXTER: Yeah, sure--

01:46:05.020 --> 01:46:07.030 
MARGARET KENT: Patrick, could
you answer these questions?

01:46:07.030 --> 01:46:08.100 
PATRICK BAXTER: Yeah.

01:46:08.100 --> 01:46:11.140 
So we are still
looking at exactly what

01:46:11.140 --> 01:46:14.200 
the impact of removing that
travel lane is, so we'll

01:46:14.200 --> 01:46:17.860 
be having our consultants
take a look at evaluating that

01:46:17.860 --> 01:46:19.870 
and seeing what the change is.

01:46:19.870 --> 01:46:22.270 
We don't expect, given
the way it operates

01:46:22.270 --> 01:46:25.510 
and the number of vehicles that
are making that turn today,

01:46:25.510 --> 01:46:31.090 
that that change is going
to be too significant.

01:46:31.090 --> 01:46:35.080 
At this time, we haven't
yet proposed any changes

01:46:35.080 --> 01:46:35.980 
to the signal timing.

01:46:35.980 --> 01:46:41.620 
However, as we get more into
the detail of the process,

01:46:41.620 --> 01:46:44.345 
if the results of
that analysis indicate

01:46:44.345 --> 01:46:46.720 
that we need to make some
small adjustments to the signal

01:46:46.720 --> 01:46:48.340 
timing, that is
something we can look at.

01:46:48.340 --> 01:46:50.560 
We can't really make big timing
changes there just because

01:46:50.560 --> 01:46:52.018 
of the balance of
everything that's

01:46:52.018 --> 01:46:55.295 
happening in that very large,
complicated intersection.

01:46:55.295 --> 01:46:56.920 
In terms of the
parking on Upland Road,

01:46:56.920 --> 01:46:58.253 
there are a couple of questions.

01:46:58.253 --> 01:47:00.050 
One was why are you doing that.

01:47:00.050 --> 01:47:03.340 
And it's really just, we're
looking for any opportunity we

01:47:03.340 --> 01:47:08.890 
can to mitigate the changes to
parking on Mass Ave by finding

01:47:08.890 --> 01:47:11.940 
locations both where we can
change regulations to make them

01:47:11.940 --> 01:47:14.440 
work better for people that are
looking for parking spaces--

01:47:14.440 --> 01:47:17.932 
maybe change one or two resident
permit spaces to meters--

01:47:17.932 --> 01:47:19.390 
and then also look
for places where

01:47:19.390 --> 01:47:21.200 
we can add parking
that's not there today.

01:47:21.200 --> 01:47:24.220 
So the proposal
that was presented

01:47:24.220 --> 01:47:27.698 
as part of this alternative was
to essentially add two parking

01:47:27.698 --> 01:47:28.990 
spaces that aren't there today.

01:47:28.990 --> 01:47:30.740 
So that's not just
changing a regulation--

01:47:30.740 --> 01:47:32.590 
it's actually finding
new spaces for people

01:47:32.590 --> 01:47:33.790 
to be able to legally park.

01:47:33.790 --> 01:47:36.803 


01:47:36.803 --> 01:47:38.220 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Thank you Patrick,

01:47:38.220 --> 01:47:39.860 
and thank you, Margaret.

01:47:39.860 --> 01:47:41.450 
So I just want to take a second.

01:47:41.450 --> 01:47:43.520 
It's about 7:51.

01:47:43.520 --> 01:47:45.680 
We're scheduled to go
till 8:00, but if folks

01:47:45.680 --> 01:47:50.180 
are willing to stick with us, we
can go a little bit past that.

01:47:50.180 --> 01:47:56.690 
We have about 12 people,
13 people with their hand

01:47:56.690 --> 01:47:57.560 
up right now.

01:47:57.560 --> 01:47:59.840 
So we're going to try to
get to all of the people who

01:47:59.840 --> 01:48:04.940 
have their hands up
as of now, and then we

01:48:04.940 --> 01:48:07.610 
will switch back and answer
as many additional questions

01:48:07.610 --> 01:48:10.710 
as we can before
we run out of time.

01:48:10.710 --> 01:48:13.500 
And if anyone does need
to leave us right at 8:00,

01:48:13.500 --> 01:48:15.540 
we thank you for coming.

01:48:15.540 --> 01:48:18.560 
And in a few days after
we're able to do the closed

01:48:18.560 --> 01:48:22.070 
captioning, this recording
will be on the web

01:48:22.070 --> 01:48:25.590 
if anybody wants to listen
to the end of the meeting.

01:48:25.590 --> 01:48:27.750 
So with that, we
will get started.

01:48:27.750 --> 01:48:32.540 
The first person in
line is Helen Meltsner,

01:48:32.540 --> 01:48:34.940 
and you'll be
followed by Makayla.

01:48:34.940 --> 01:48:37.745 
So Helen Meltsner, go
ahead and unmute yourself.

01:48:37.745 --> 01:48:40.530 


01:48:40.530 --> 01:48:41.640 
AUDIENCE: Hi.

01:48:41.640 --> 01:48:46.320 
I'd like to know why you think
Upland Road where it meets

01:48:46.320 --> 01:48:49.110 
Mass Ave is a good
place for parking when

01:48:49.110 --> 01:48:53.430 
it will mean the removal
of the right lane turn.

01:48:53.430 --> 01:48:56.160 


01:48:56.160 --> 01:49:01.830 
The intersection is in
parking failure at the moment.

01:49:01.830 --> 01:49:05.610 
I use it frequently,
and I can judge often,

01:49:05.610 --> 01:49:07.620 
from where I'm coming
from, that it'll

01:49:07.620 --> 01:49:11.070 
be two, three, or
four lights that I

01:49:11.070 --> 01:49:14.390 
have to wait through
to make the turn,

01:49:14.390 --> 01:49:16.220 
and that's with two lanes.

01:49:16.220 --> 01:49:21.320 
So in the mornings especially,
it's really impacted.

01:49:21.320 --> 01:49:28.820 
And those two spaces would
very negatively impact that.

01:49:28.820 --> 01:49:32.810 
I appreciate that the--

01:49:32.810 --> 01:49:38.390 
and I'm sad that you're removing
so many spaces from Mass Ave

01:49:38.390 --> 01:49:40.910 
because store owners
need them desperately,

01:49:40.910 --> 01:49:46.552 
but that particular place
is not a great place for it.

01:49:46.552 --> 01:49:48.260 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Thanks
for your comments.

01:49:48.260 --> 01:49:50.440 
Next up is Makayla,
and you're going

01:49:50.440 --> 01:49:52.990 
to be followed by
Meighan McCrea.

01:49:52.990 --> 01:49:54.985 
Go ahead and unmute yourself.

01:49:54.985 --> 01:49:58.430 


01:49:58.430 --> 01:50:00.260 
AUDIENCE: Hi, my name
is Makayla Comas,

01:50:00.260 --> 01:50:02.540 
and I'm representing the
LivableStreets Alliance

01:50:02.540 --> 01:50:03.650 
tonight.

01:50:03.650 --> 01:50:06.710 
First, I would like to thank
you all for putting together

01:50:06.710 --> 01:50:08.000 
this meeting.

01:50:08.000 --> 01:50:10.160 
And second, I would
like to highlight

01:50:10.160 --> 01:50:14.510 
the need for bus improvements
to be a part of this project.

01:50:14.510 --> 01:50:18.380 
Pre-pandemic, 10,000 people
were traveling on Mass Ave

01:50:18.380 --> 01:50:20.570 
into Porter Square every day.

01:50:20.570 --> 01:50:23.810 
The bus has been the
T's most reliable mode

01:50:23.810 --> 01:50:25.350 
throughout the pandemic.

01:50:25.350 --> 01:50:29.180 
And we know that 35% of
folks accessing Porter Square

01:50:29.180 --> 01:50:32.400 
are getting there by transit.

01:50:32.400 --> 01:50:36.140 
So I would like to echo some
of the other folks requesting

01:50:36.140 --> 01:50:39.440 
to see some meaningful and
impactful bus improvements,

01:50:39.440 --> 01:50:42.320 
as it's really important
to elevate and make sure

01:50:42.320 --> 01:50:45.110 
that our bus riders are a
part of this conversation

01:50:45.110 --> 01:50:47.910 
and they can see some
improvements in Porter Square.

01:50:47.910 --> 01:50:50.200 
So thank you.

01:50:50.200 --> 01:50:52.180 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Thank you, Makayla.

01:50:52.180 --> 01:50:54.970 
Meighan, you're going to be
up next, followed by Scott.

01:50:54.970 --> 01:50:58.595 
Meighan, go ahead
and unmute yourself.

01:50:58.595 --> 01:51:00.220 
AUDIENCE: Yes, thank
you, and thank you

01:51:00.220 --> 01:51:03.880 
all for taking the time today
and your careful presentation.

01:51:03.880 --> 01:51:07.510 
I just want to echo what
so many have raised--

01:51:07.510 --> 01:51:14.110 
the concerns about the business
impact and just the importance

01:51:14.110 --> 01:51:17.110 
of making sure that customers
are considered when you're

01:51:17.110 --> 01:51:18.650 
looking at business impact.

01:51:18.650 --> 01:51:22.450 
Many of those customers
come from outside Cambridge.

01:51:22.450 --> 01:51:25.360 
And I know that at one
of the prior meetings,

01:51:25.360 --> 01:51:28.480 
the Violette Bakery had
a great survey where

01:51:28.480 --> 01:51:32.420 
they were asking where
customers came from,

01:51:32.420 --> 01:51:34.810 
so that we had
real, actual data.

01:51:34.810 --> 01:51:36.760 
I'm somewhat confused
as to how there's

01:51:36.760 --> 01:51:39.580 
a lot of data on how other
folks have implemented

01:51:39.580 --> 01:51:43.030 
bike lanes in various and sundry
cities throughout the world,

01:51:43.030 --> 01:51:46.660 
and yet there's no
economic impact study.

01:51:46.660 --> 01:51:48.670 
And I also want to say
that I'm a cyclist.

01:51:48.670 --> 01:51:51.280 
I commute to work, and
I share Bruce's comments

01:51:51.280 --> 01:51:54.460 
about how these bike lanes make
me feel less safe and not more

01:51:54.460 --> 01:51:55.390 
safe.

01:51:55.390 --> 01:51:58.690 
I can see that drivers are very
confused when they're driving.

01:51:58.690 --> 01:52:01.660 
I think that once people start
time trialing on Mass Ave when

01:52:01.660 --> 01:52:04.282 
the weather gets better that
people are going to be jumping

01:52:04.282 --> 01:52:05.740 
in and out of those
lanes, and it's

01:52:05.740 --> 01:52:08.320 
going to create a
lot of frustration

01:52:08.320 --> 01:52:09.710 
and a lot of confusion.

01:52:09.710 --> 01:52:11.840 
And I'm very
concerned about that.

01:52:11.840 --> 01:52:12.953 
So thank you very much.

01:52:12.953 --> 01:52:13.870 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great.

01:52:13.870 --> 01:52:15.100 
Thank you, Meighan.

01:52:15.100 --> 01:52:17.020 
Scott, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

01:52:17.020 --> 01:52:19.643 
You're going to be
followed by George.

01:52:19.643 --> 01:52:20.310 
AUDIENCE: Hello.

01:52:20.310 --> 01:52:22.930 
I want to thank the
City staff for working

01:52:22.930 --> 01:52:25.870 
so hard on this project.

01:52:25.870 --> 01:52:28.750 
I echo a lot of
the other comments

01:52:28.750 --> 01:52:32.770 
about the not-complete
protection

01:52:32.770 --> 01:52:36.880 
that's been presented.

01:52:36.880 --> 01:52:43.090 
Specifically from my
experience commuting

01:52:43.090 --> 01:52:47.680 
from Porter Road to Somerville
Ave going southbound,

01:52:47.680 --> 01:52:52.840 
that bike lane could really
use significant protection

01:52:52.840 --> 01:52:54.440 
on that section
because right now,

01:52:54.440 --> 01:52:59.260 
especially in the evening,
the bike lane and the car lane

01:52:59.260 --> 01:53:04.180 
are just full of double-parked
delivery vehicles.

01:53:04.180 --> 01:53:06.460 
So I actually think that could--

01:53:06.460 --> 01:53:09.050 
I know it was dismissed in
one of the alternatives,

01:53:09.050 --> 01:53:12.130 
but I think that could actually
be a single through lane

01:53:12.130 --> 01:53:19.480 
because it often is effectively
a single through lane already.

01:53:19.480 --> 01:53:23.050 
So I hope that more
effort's put into trying

01:53:23.050 --> 01:53:26.560 
to maximize the protection
in the bike lanes,

01:53:26.560 --> 01:53:31.180 
and I look forward to
the bus lane additions

01:53:31.180 --> 01:53:33.350 
in the future projects.

01:53:33.350 --> 01:53:33.970 
Thank you.

01:53:33.970 --> 01:53:35.637 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great,
thank you, Scott.

01:53:35.637 --> 01:53:38.290 
George, you're up next,
followed by David.

01:53:38.290 --> 01:53:41.890 
George, go ahead
and unmute yourself.

01:53:41.890 --> 01:53:44.543 
AUDIENCE: Hi, yeah, I wanted
to say thank you again

01:53:44.543 --> 01:53:46.710 
for this really thorough
analysis and this community

01:53:46.710 --> 01:53:47.850 
outreach.

01:53:47.850 --> 01:53:51.060 
I work in Porter Square, so
I commute there every day.

01:53:51.060 --> 01:53:52.590 
And often I really
like to cycle,

01:53:52.590 --> 01:53:55.950 
but as someone who's not too
experienced in city cycling,

01:53:55.950 --> 01:53:59.820 
it can be frustrating,
especially that intersection.

01:53:59.820 --> 01:54:02.700 
I wanted to especially
point out the intersection

01:54:02.700 --> 01:54:04.110 
with Beech Street.

01:54:04.110 --> 01:54:08.070 
I have a view of that every
day, and so I see just how many,

01:54:08.070 --> 01:54:10.740 
so many close
calls bike cyclists

01:54:10.740 --> 01:54:14.400 
have with pedestrians,
with cars,

01:54:14.400 --> 01:54:16.800 
mostly almost getting hit.

01:54:16.800 --> 01:54:21.810 
And perhaps a final
version of that

01:54:21.810 --> 01:54:25.300 
will take that into account
to improve safety over there.

01:54:25.300 --> 01:54:27.713 
So thank you, yeah.

01:54:27.713 --> 01:54:29.130 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Thank you, George.

01:54:29.130 --> 01:54:33.430 
David, you're up next,
followed by Janie.

01:54:33.430 --> 01:54:36.860 
David, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

01:54:36.860 --> 01:54:37.480 
AUDIENCE: Hi.

01:54:37.480 --> 01:54:39.730 
Thanks for taking my comment.

01:54:39.730 --> 01:54:44.650 
I'm a psychotherapist and I'm
one of about 25 therapists

01:54:44.650 --> 01:54:48.160 
who have practices on Mass Ave
between Harvard and Porter.

01:54:48.160 --> 01:54:51.460 
Our businesses rely
on one-hour parking

01:54:51.460 --> 01:54:53.710 
because sessions are that long.

01:54:53.710 --> 01:54:56.170 
And so they're sort
of hidden businesses.

01:54:56.170 --> 01:54:59.440 
They don't have signage
out front necessarily.

01:54:59.440 --> 01:55:01.330 
They're in buildings
you can't distinguish

01:55:01.330 --> 01:55:02.372 
from apartment buildings.

01:55:02.372 --> 01:55:06.130 
But that is a tremendous volume
of businesses that cannot

01:55:06.130 --> 01:55:10.090 
function and cannot meet their
patient needs will be pushed

01:55:10.090 --> 01:55:14.470 
out of the neighborhood
entirely without any provision

01:55:14.470 --> 01:55:15.490 
for longer parking.

01:55:15.490 --> 01:55:17.740 
I haven't heard any
model where there's

01:55:17.740 --> 01:55:24.430 
parking long enough for our
patients to make use of.

01:55:24.430 --> 01:55:28.060 
I wonder if there's been any
consideration, as you sometimes

01:55:28.060 --> 01:55:31.840 
see in other towns, where
resident parking on side

01:55:31.840 --> 01:55:32.830 
streets is--

01:55:32.830 --> 01:55:35.590 


01:55:35.590 --> 01:55:37.630 
anyone could park
between 9:00 and 5:00,

01:55:37.630 --> 01:55:39.910 
and residents have their
spots in the evening,

01:55:39.910 --> 01:55:41.890 
they have their
spots for overnight,

01:55:41.890 --> 01:55:46.070 
but that that's available
to patients, to business

01:55:46.070 --> 01:55:46.570 
customers.

01:55:46.570 --> 01:55:49.510 
Because you're going to
put 25, 30 businesses

01:55:49.510 --> 01:55:54.430 
that serve a mental health
function immediately

01:55:54.430 --> 01:55:58.535 
out of business if there
aren't one-hour parking spots.

01:55:58.535 --> 01:55:59.910 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Thank you, David.

01:55:59.910 --> 01:56:02.720 
Janie, you're up
next, followed by Lee.

01:56:02.720 --> 01:56:06.260 
Janie, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

01:56:06.260 --> 01:56:07.990 
AUDIENCE: Hi there.

01:56:07.990 --> 01:56:10.390 
I appreciate all the
work that the City staff

01:56:10.390 --> 01:56:14.620 
is doing to implement the CSO
and to integrate bus priority

01:56:14.620 --> 01:56:15.820 
lanes in Cambridge.

01:56:15.820 --> 01:56:19.270 
I'm very excited by the
prospect of more people being

01:56:19.270 --> 01:56:23.020 
able to bike safely and
have reliable bus service,

01:56:23.020 --> 01:56:25.630 
and urge you to proceed
as quickly as possible

01:56:25.630 --> 01:56:27.755 
with this project.

01:56:27.755 --> 01:56:30.130 
I'm a senior who lives in the
neighborhood of the project

01:56:30.130 --> 01:56:32.260 
less than a block
from Beech Street.

01:56:32.260 --> 01:56:36.700 
My husband, our three
adult children and I bike

01:56:36.700 --> 01:56:39.310 
using Blue Bikes, regular
bikes, and e-bikes.

01:56:39.310 --> 01:56:43.840 
We use transit, we walk,
and use kick scooters.

01:56:43.840 --> 01:56:46.060 
I agree with many who
have asked for more

01:56:46.060 --> 01:56:50.650 
protection for cyclists
in this project,

01:56:50.650 --> 01:56:54.260 
and I hope that
that will happen.

01:56:54.260 --> 01:56:56.500 
I'm dismayed that
Cambridge would consider

01:56:56.500 --> 01:56:58.840 
letting maintenance issues
determine the feasibility

01:56:58.840 --> 01:57:00.970 
of creating bike lanes.

01:57:00.970 --> 01:57:03.490 
As others have said, Somerville
has excellent five-foot

01:57:03.490 --> 01:57:08.530 
wide protected bike lanes
that I enjoy biking on.

01:57:08.530 --> 01:57:11.350 
I used to not like
protected bike lanes

01:57:11.350 --> 01:57:13.150 
and I'm a convert to it.

01:57:13.150 --> 01:57:16.280 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Janie, if you
could wrap up your comment.

01:57:16.280 --> 01:57:18.650 
AUDIENCE: Yeah, I
guess in closing,

01:57:18.650 --> 01:57:21.290 
I'm wondering what those who are
protesting bike and bus lanes

01:57:21.290 --> 01:57:24.500 
would suggest doing to mitigate
the greatest threat facing

01:57:24.500 --> 01:57:26.717 
humanity-- climate change.

01:57:26.717 --> 01:57:27.800 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Thank you.

01:57:27.800 --> 01:57:29.030 
Lee, you're up next.

01:57:29.030 --> 01:57:30.920 
Go ahead and unmute
yourself, and you'll

01:57:30.920 --> 01:57:32.600 
be followed by Andrew.

01:57:32.600 --> 01:57:34.940 
AUDIENCE: Hi, my
name is Lee Jenkins.

01:57:34.940 --> 01:57:36.950 
I'm both a resident
and a business owner.

01:57:36.950 --> 01:57:39.467 
My comments are directed
towards Joe Barr.

01:57:39.467 --> 01:57:42.050 
I was really surprised to hear
you say that the ordinance does

01:57:42.050 --> 01:57:45.200 
not require an
economic analysis, when

01:57:45.200 --> 01:57:48.560 
as you well know, the PO does
require an economic analysis.

01:57:48.560 --> 01:57:51.500 
Both were passed by City
Council and both are binding.

01:57:51.500 --> 01:57:55.190 
Second of all, a very
large group of businesses

01:57:55.190 --> 01:57:58.130 
and residents have been doing
their own economic analysis

01:57:58.130 --> 01:57:59.990 
since you haven't been
doing it, and we're

01:57:59.990 --> 01:58:01.580 
happy to share those
results with you.

01:58:01.580 --> 01:58:04.820 
But they show devastating,
devastating results

01:58:04.820 --> 01:58:08.220 
on businesses, many of which
are about to go out of business.

01:58:08.220 --> 01:58:09.800 
Third of all, I
haven't heard you

01:58:09.800 --> 01:58:14.000 
use the figure that is the only
official figure that Cambridge

01:58:14.000 --> 01:58:17.750 
uses, which comes from the
census that says only 6.9%

01:58:17.750 --> 01:58:20.870 
of Cambridge residents
commute by bike.

01:58:20.870 --> 01:58:23.630 
And lastly, have you
looked at the State

01:58:23.630 --> 01:58:25.940 
Department of Transportation
website recently?

01:58:25.940 --> 01:58:28.820 
Because it clearly says
that bike ridership

01:58:28.820 --> 01:58:33.870 
is down since 2019 all
over the Boston metro area,

01:58:33.870 --> 01:58:34.910 
including in Cambridge.

01:58:34.910 --> 01:58:36.448 
So I think maybe when you--

01:58:36.448 --> 01:58:38.740 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Lee, if you
could wrap up your comment.

01:58:38.740 --> 01:58:41.750 
AUDIENCE: --arguments, you need
to update your information.

01:58:41.750 --> 01:58:44.086 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Lee, if
you could update your--

01:58:44.086 --> 01:58:44.586 
sorry.

01:58:44.586 --> 01:58:47.250 


01:58:47.250 --> 01:58:51.010 
Andrew, go ahead
and unmute yourself.

01:58:51.010 --> 01:58:52.010 
AUDIENCE: Hi, thank you.

01:58:52.010 --> 01:58:55.760 
So I know that there's been
some very organized pushback

01:58:55.760 --> 01:58:58.767 
from a pretty vocal
minority on this project.

01:58:58.767 --> 01:59:00.350 
There's so many
reasons, which I'm not

01:59:00.350 --> 01:59:02.433 
going to list here, why
we have to transition away

01:59:02.433 --> 01:59:04.760 
from a car-centric
city to a bike, ped

01:59:04.760 --> 01:59:06.800 
and transit-centric city.

01:59:06.800 --> 01:59:08.930 
Cambridge has adopted
this ambitious policy

01:59:08.930 --> 01:59:11.790 
to accelerate the change, but
as with any ambitious policy,

01:59:11.790 --> 01:59:13.100 
there's going to be opposition.

01:59:13.100 --> 01:59:16.700 
Change is difficult
and change takes time.

01:59:16.700 --> 01:59:18.380 
But just because it's
difficult doesn't

01:59:18.380 --> 01:59:20.930 
mean it's not worth pursuing.

01:59:20.930 --> 01:59:22.430 
The people who
insist that they have

01:59:22.430 --> 01:59:24.650 
to have their cars to get
around or the businesses

01:59:24.650 --> 01:59:28.550 
who are convinced that 100% of
their customers arrive by car

01:59:28.550 --> 01:59:32.150 
need time to adjust
to a new reality.

01:59:32.150 --> 01:59:34.970 
And furthermore, it's
critical that City planners

01:59:34.970 --> 01:59:37.940 
and policy-makers take the
long view into account.

01:59:37.940 --> 01:59:40.430 
It's really easy to
appease angry constituents

01:59:40.430 --> 01:59:42.320 
by making shortsighted
decisions,

01:59:42.320 --> 01:59:43.940 
but the long-term matters more.

01:59:43.940 --> 01:59:45.710 
So when you consider
only the short-term,

01:59:45.710 --> 01:59:47.240 
you might be thinking
nobody's going

01:59:47.240 --> 01:59:49.232 
to visit my business
because they can't park.

01:59:49.232 --> 01:59:50.690 
But when you consider
the long-term

01:59:50.690 --> 01:59:52.400 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Andrew, if you
could wrap up your comment.

01:59:52.400 --> 01:59:53.025 
AUDIENCE: Sure.

01:59:53.025 --> 01:59:55.130 
When we consider
the long-term, we

01:59:55.130 --> 01:59:57.590 
think when we provide
world-class bike and transit

01:59:57.590 --> 01:59:59.930 
infrastructure, more
people will begin to arrive

01:59:59.930 --> 02:00:02.450 
at these businesses by bike.

02:00:02.450 --> 02:00:04.700 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Thank you, Andrew.

02:00:04.700 --> 02:00:08.940 
James Williamson, you're next,
followed by Jack and John

02:00:08.940 --> 02:00:10.490 
Hanratty.

02:00:10.490 --> 02:00:11.990 
James, go ahead and
unmute yourself.

02:00:11.990 --> 02:00:13.903 
You have one minute.

02:00:13.903 --> 02:00:15.570 
AUDIENCE: Is it a
minute or two minutes?

02:00:15.570 --> 02:00:17.195 
BROOKE MCKENNA: It's
one minute, James.

02:00:17.195 --> 02:00:18.060 
AUDIENCE: OK.

02:00:18.060 --> 02:00:21.320 
I think in one regard, it
might be good for business.

02:00:21.320 --> 02:00:24.180 
All of us are going to
need significant therapy

02:00:24.180 --> 02:00:26.310 
after all of this.

02:00:26.310 --> 02:00:29.280 
First of all, have you
spoken to the critique

02:00:29.280 --> 02:00:31.660 
of the deficiencies
in the crash data,

02:00:31.660 --> 02:00:33.240 
especially brought
up by Councilor

02:00:33.240 --> 02:00:36.000 
Kelley over many years, I
think, quite thoughtfully?

02:00:36.000 --> 02:00:39.510 
Secondly, the bus signals,
unlike the people who

02:00:39.510 --> 02:00:41.190 
love to talk about
public transit,

02:00:41.190 --> 02:00:42.480 
I actually take it every day.

02:00:42.480 --> 02:00:47.610 
I take the 77 and the 83 every
day, just got off the 77.

02:00:47.610 --> 02:00:51.060 
The signals could be adjusted,
especially late at night,

02:00:51.060 --> 02:00:53.610 
so that the 83 doesn't have
to wait at Somerville Ave

02:00:53.610 --> 02:00:56.868 
and Mass Ave northbound
And also then

02:00:56.868 --> 02:00:58.410 
if it gets through
that intersection,

02:00:58.410 --> 02:00:59.880 
then waits at Beech Street.

02:00:59.880 --> 02:01:02.850 
Why don't you look at
adjusting those signals?

02:01:02.850 --> 02:01:05.700 
And what's the reason
you can't or won't?

02:01:05.700 --> 02:01:09.210 
And finally from a
pedestrian perspective,

02:01:09.210 --> 02:01:13.080 
why isn't something done to get
bicyclists to respect the rules

02:01:13.080 --> 02:01:15.630 
and traffic laws in this city?

02:01:15.630 --> 02:01:17.795 
If you are standing at
Upland, as I often do--

02:01:17.795 --> 02:01:19.170 
BROOKE MCKENNA:
Thank you, James.

02:01:19.170 --> 02:01:20.850 
AUDIENCE: --you watch bicyclists
just go right through--

02:01:20.850 --> 02:01:21.720 
BROOKE MCKENNA: James,
your minute is up.

02:01:21.720 --> 02:01:23.012 
We're going to have to move on.

02:01:23.012 --> 02:01:25.410 
John Hanratty, you're up next.

02:01:25.410 --> 02:01:28.720 
Go ahead and unmute yourself.

02:01:28.720 --> 02:01:30.250 
AUDIENCE: Yeah, hi.

02:01:30.250 --> 02:01:32.170 
Good presentation.

02:01:32.170 --> 02:01:35.710 
Just some comments, or maybe you
can give me some clarification

02:01:35.710 --> 02:01:36.760 
on a few things.

02:01:36.760 --> 02:01:40.900 
So I guess an impact study
was passed by the Council,

02:01:40.900 --> 02:01:44.780 
but what I heard was it's
only going to be past.

02:01:44.780 --> 02:01:47.410 
Which is good-- you should
look back on the past projects

02:01:47.410 --> 02:01:49.750 
and figure out what you
did wrong and fix them.

02:01:49.750 --> 02:01:53.080 
But looking forward
is a key part of this

02:01:53.080 --> 02:01:56.538 
also, so I would disagree
that only looking at past

02:01:56.538 --> 02:01:59.080 
is the right answer because you
want to figure out who you're

02:01:59.080 --> 02:02:03.130 
going to damage, and go out and
actually survey the situation

02:02:03.130 --> 02:02:07.570 
and do an economic guess
on what's going on.

02:02:07.570 --> 02:02:11.440 
Second point is, I like that
there's some flexibility

02:02:11.440 --> 02:02:14.440 
in the bike lane configuration.

02:02:14.440 --> 02:02:16.480 
A lot of people are
sharing the streets here

02:02:16.480 --> 02:02:17.860 
and trying to get through.

02:02:17.860 --> 02:02:19.780 
And maybe there
is still a median

02:02:19.780 --> 02:02:21.670 
and we can make some
adjustments later.

02:02:21.670 --> 02:02:26.260 
But I think having some
other tool in your kit

02:02:26.260 --> 02:02:32.650 
to be able to make a bike
lane in certain areas fit

02:02:32.650 --> 02:02:35.090 
is a good choice.

02:02:35.090 --> 02:02:36.147 
I think everyone wants--

02:02:36.147 --> 02:02:37.480 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Thank you, John.

02:02:37.480 --> 02:02:39.910 
We're going to have to wrap up.

02:02:39.910 --> 02:02:40.800 
OK, thank you.

02:02:40.800 --> 02:02:43.230 
And finally we have
Jack Silverstein.

02:02:43.230 --> 02:02:44.430 
Go ahead and--

02:02:44.430 --> 02:02:45.810 
I'm sorry, Jack Silversin.

02:02:45.810 --> 02:02:47.638 
Go ahead and unmute yourself.

02:02:47.638 --> 02:02:48.180 
AUDIENCE: OK.

02:02:48.180 --> 02:02:49.305 
BROOKE MCKENNA: One minute.

02:02:49.305 --> 02:02:51.330 
AUDIENCE: Thank you,
thank you very much.

02:02:51.330 --> 02:02:53.700 
Listening to this meeting
and the previous meeting,

02:02:53.700 --> 02:02:57.130 
I understand the reason for the
format of bunching questions.

02:02:57.130 --> 02:02:59.460 
But the thing that's very
frustrating is several times

02:02:59.460 --> 02:03:02.460 
tonight, people talked about a
very underlying concern, which

02:03:02.460 --> 02:03:07.290 
is that we are not looking at
how the plan has not integrated

02:03:07.290 --> 02:03:08.910 
in all the needs
and the interests

02:03:08.910 --> 02:03:10.410 
of the entire community.

02:03:10.410 --> 02:03:13.080 
And every time that issue is
brought up, it's not addressed.

02:03:13.080 --> 02:03:15.850 
Now I understand we're
way down on the plan,

02:03:15.850 --> 02:03:17.850 
and so it's very inconvenient
to bring this up.

02:03:17.850 --> 02:03:20.880 
However, we're
almost fine-tuning

02:03:20.880 --> 02:03:22.380 
a plan about where
we're going to do

02:03:22.380 --> 02:03:25.920 
the cars and this and that,
when many people are saying

02:03:25.920 --> 02:03:30.300 
we have not dealt with this in
an appropriate, integrated way.

02:03:30.300 --> 02:03:32.400 
Now I don't know
the answer to this,

02:03:32.400 --> 02:03:33.720 
but it's very frustrating.

02:03:33.720 --> 02:03:35.260 
People are pouring
out their hearts.

02:03:35.260 --> 02:03:36.260 
It's not been addressed.

02:03:36.260 --> 02:03:39.640 
The only other issue I would
raise is around the businesses.

02:03:39.640 --> 02:03:41.670 
It's all well and good
to say change is hard

02:03:41.670 --> 02:03:42.690 
and change is slow.

02:03:42.690 --> 02:03:43.470 
It's true.

02:03:43.470 --> 02:03:45.660 
But these businesses
will not be around

02:03:45.660 --> 02:03:50.040 
if they don't have the capacity
to have customers come soon.

02:03:50.040 --> 02:03:52.800 
And the psychotherapists
will not be here.

02:03:52.800 --> 02:03:55.110 
Yes, eventually people
will learn other ways,

02:03:55.110 --> 02:03:56.490 
but it's not the eventual.

02:03:56.490 --> 02:03:58.040 
Today, this is the way it is.

02:03:58.040 --> 02:03:59.280 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Please
wrap up your comment.

02:03:59.280 --> 02:04:00.072 
AUDIENCE: I'm done.

02:04:00.072 --> 02:04:00.600 
Thank you.

02:04:00.600 --> 02:04:02.670 
BROOKE MCKENNA: OK,
thank you, Jack.

02:04:02.670 --> 02:04:06.270 
OK, thanks to everybody
for hanging in with us.

02:04:06.270 --> 02:04:09.580 
We're going to try and
answer a few more questions.

02:04:09.580 --> 02:04:15.750 
We'll start with some of
the questions that we heard.

02:04:15.750 --> 02:04:18.060 
One question we
heard, has there been

02:04:18.060 --> 02:04:20.670 
any consideration for meters
during the day, resident

02:04:20.670 --> 02:04:22.350 
overnight?

02:04:22.350 --> 02:04:25.145 
I can answer that question.

02:04:25.145 --> 02:04:26.520 
With these projects,
we're really

02:04:26.520 --> 02:04:28.437 
looking to meet the needs
of the neighborhood.

02:04:28.437 --> 02:04:34.740 
So if that is something, we can
make consideration for that.

02:04:34.740 --> 02:04:37.440 
It's really very
individual to a location.

02:04:37.440 --> 02:04:39.630 
You wouldn't want to do--

02:04:39.630 --> 02:04:42.210 
you want to make sure that if
there are restaurants nearby

02:04:42.210 --> 02:04:44.700 
that have a need going a
little later in the night,

02:04:44.700 --> 02:04:46.090 
we want to accommodate for that.

02:04:46.090 --> 02:04:49.260 
But I would say
that it is certainly

02:04:49.260 --> 02:04:52.740 
something that we can
look into, if that

02:04:52.740 --> 02:04:58.350 
is something that would help
with needs in certain areas.

02:04:58.350 --> 02:05:00.340 
That's enough words for that.

02:05:00.340 --> 02:05:02.250 
Next up is a question.

02:05:02.250 --> 02:05:04.950 
Someone mentioned
they were surprised

02:05:04.950 --> 02:05:08.430 
that the ordinance doesn't
require economic analysis,

02:05:08.430 --> 02:05:13.255 
and they also mentioned the
Council order being binding.

02:05:13.255 --> 02:05:15.255 
So I think Joe is going
to answer that question.

02:05:15.255 --> 02:05:17.625 


02:05:17.625 --> 02:05:18.250 
JOE BARR: Sure.

02:05:18.250 --> 02:05:23.170 
So I guess just to be clear
that the ordinance itself

02:05:23.170 --> 02:05:25.450 
was very specific on what's
required from certain bike

02:05:25.450 --> 02:05:29.080 
lanes, but it did not
require an economic analysis.

02:05:29.080 --> 02:05:30.940 
As was noted, there
is a policy order

02:05:30.940 --> 02:05:33.010 
that was passed by
the City Council

02:05:33.010 --> 02:05:37.090 
requesting that we
do economic analysis.

02:05:37.090 --> 02:05:39.460 
Again, it was looking
back at prior projects

02:05:39.460 --> 02:05:42.430 
to understand the impact so
we could use that information

02:05:42.430 --> 02:05:43.400 
moving forward.

02:05:43.400 --> 02:05:45.190 
But it was also
clear that it was not

02:05:45.190 --> 02:05:47.890 
intended to delay any
projects that were currently

02:05:47.890 --> 02:05:48.640 
moving forward.

02:05:48.640 --> 02:05:50.620 
And just to be
clear, policy orders

02:05:50.620 --> 02:05:52.960 
like that are, in
fact, not binding.

02:05:52.960 --> 02:05:54.670 
They are requests
from the City Council,

02:05:54.670 --> 02:05:57.040 
and we try our hardest
to accommodate them,

02:05:57.040 --> 02:05:58.960 
but unlike an ordinance,
they don't have

02:05:58.960 --> 02:06:01.178 
the force of a requirement.

02:06:01.178 --> 02:06:03.220 
And then I guess the other
piece of that question

02:06:03.220 --> 02:06:05.387 
was some comments about the
level of bike ridership.

02:06:05.387 --> 02:06:10.030 
But I think what we've seen
has been continuing increases.

02:06:10.030 --> 02:06:13.930 
Certainly during COVID, there's
been significant increases

02:06:13.930 --> 02:06:16.880 
in the amount of
cycling taking place.

02:06:16.880 --> 02:06:19.390 
And again, this
is, in many cases

02:06:19.390 --> 02:06:22.190 
just about a basic
safety concern.

02:06:22.190 --> 02:06:25.450 
And so obviously, we want
to see more people biking

02:06:25.450 --> 02:06:27.130 
and we do see more
people biking,

02:06:27.130 --> 02:06:31.147 
but even if the numbers aren't
as high as they might hopefully

02:06:31.147 --> 02:06:32.980 
be in the future, we
still need to make sure

02:06:32.980 --> 02:06:34.960 
that that's a safe and
comfortable facility

02:06:34.960 --> 02:06:37.502 
because that's the way that we
are going to see those numbers

02:06:37.502 --> 02:06:40.270 
increase over time, and address
the concerns around safety

02:06:40.270 --> 02:06:42.610 
and climate change
and mobility that are

02:06:42.610 --> 02:06:45.007 
very much on everyone's minds.

02:06:45.007 --> 02:06:46.090 
BROOKE MCKENNA: All right.

02:06:46.090 --> 02:06:47.350 
Thank you, Joe.

02:06:47.350 --> 02:06:53.025 
I'm going to pass things over to
Margaret to bring up a few more

02:06:53.025 --> 02:06:55.150 
of the questions that we've
gotten through the Q&A.

02:06:55.150 --> 02:06:58.443 
And I'll just reiterate
again that while we may not

02:06:58.443 --> 02:07:00.610 
have gotten to answer every
single question tonight,

02:07:00.610 --> 02:07:04.690 
we are taking everyone's
comments and questions

02:07:04.690 --> 02:07:07.820 
and noting them as
we move forward.

02:07:07.820 --> 02:07:11.965 
So with that, I will hand
it over to you, Margaret.

02:07:11.965 --> 02:07:13.340 
MARGARET KENT:
Thank you, Brooke.

02:07:13.340 --> 02:07:16.970 
We have a couple of
questions clarifying

02:07:16.970 --> 02:07:21.350 
the City's
prioritization of delay

02:07:21.350 --> 02:07:26.600 
and who experiences delay
along this corridor.

02:07:26.600 --> 02:07:29.125 
Joe, could you
address this question?

02:07:29.125 --> 02:07:29.750 
JOE BARR: Sure.

02:07:29.750 --> 02:07:31.040 
So I think this went
back to something

02:07:31.040 --> 02:07:32.457 
I said earlier in
the presentation

02:07:32.457 --> 02:07:36.020 
as we were describing our
policy is about how we consider

02:07:36.020 --> 02:07:37.920 
the design of our streets.

02:07:37.920 --> 02:07:42.260 
And I think as I noted, going
back to the Vehicle Trip

02:07:42.260 --> 02:07:44.420 
Reduction Ordinance,
whose name, I think,

02:07:44.420 --> 02:07:48.650 
is extremely self-descriptive,
which was passed in 1992,

02:07:48.650 --> 02:07:50.900 
all the way up to the
work we're doing today,

02:07:50.900 --> 02:07:54.410 
the City has for 30 years
had policies focused

02:07:54.410 --> 02:07:58.100 
on promoting sustainable
transportation, and in fact,

02:07:58.100 --> 02:08:00.500 
discouraging people
from driving.

02:08:00.500 --> 02:08:03.680 
And the reality is that
in a city like Cambridge,

02:08:03.680 --> 02:08:06.470 
as many cities
have discovered, we

02:08:06.470 --> 02:08:10.420 
can't accommodate all
of our mobility needs--

02:08:10.420 --> 02:08:13.630 
even if we weren't facing
existential threats

02:08:13.630 --> 02:08:14.590 
like climate change--

02:08:14.590 --> 02:08:16.960 
we can't accommodate all
of our mobility needs

02:08:16.960 --> 02:08:20.530 
using cars because there's just
not enough space for everyone

02:08:20.530 --> 02:08:21.550 
to drive.

02:08:21.550 --> 02:08:23.710 
And so we need to have a
multimodal transportation

02:08:23.710 --> 02:08:26.380 
network that prioritizes
those sustainable modes.

02:08:26.380 --> 02:08:28.330 
So when we look at
our street design,

02:08:28.330 --> 02:08:34.630 
we're not looking to improve
delay for cars, particularly.

02:08:34.630 --> 02:08:37.060 
We're not setting out to
make it worse, certainly,

02:08:37.060 --> 02:08:40.150 
but we are trying to
prioritize those other modes.

02:08:40.150 --> 02:08:42.970 
And in some cases, that will
mean re-balancing the street

02:08:42.970 --> 02:08:45.010 
in a way that may make
it a little bit more

02:08:45.010 --> 02:08:46.120 
difficult to drive.

02:08:46.120 --> 02:08:47.470 
But that's, I think--

02:08:47.470 --> 02:08:49.540 
and the policies
and the ordinances

02:08:49.540 --> 02:08:52.540 
point to that being OK if
we are making it better

02:08:52.540 --> 02:08:54.377 
for those other modes
of transportation.

02:08:54.377 --> 02:08:55.960 
So I think, again,
I just want to make

02:08:55.960 --> 02:08:59.420 
sure folks are clear on what the
priorities are for our streets

02:08:59.420 --> 02:09:00.280 
design.

02:09:00.280 --> 02:09:03.520 
And again, since we are
facing existential threats

02:09:03.520 --> 02:09:05.680 
like climate change, it
is even more important

02:09:05.680 --> 02:09:09.600 
that we address these issues
both quickly, but also

02:09:09.600 --> 02:09:10.825 
as responsibly as possible.

02:09:10.825 --> 02:09:15.350 


02:09:15.350 --> 02:09:16.670 
MARGARET KENT: Thank you, Joe.

02:09:16.670 --> 02:09:20.600 
We also had a few
questions about data

02:09:20.600 --> 02:09:24.620 
regarding volumes of
cyclists and the purposes

02:09:24.620 --> 02:09:26.210 
of their trips.

02:09:26.210 --> 02:09:29.932 
Cara, I think you had an
answer to that question.

02:09:29.932 --> 02:09:31.140 
CARA SEIDERMAN: Hi, everyone.

02:09:31.140 --> 02:09:34.220 
I know it's late, so thanks to
those who are sticking around.

02:09:34.220 --> 02:09:39.740 
So we do collect data on
how trips are being made

02:09:39.740 --> 02:09:41.490 
in a number of different ways.

02:09:41.490 --> 02:09:43.790 
A lot of people
look specifically

02:09:43.790 --> 02:09:47.150 
at the commute trip because
that is the data that's

02:09:47.150 --> 02:09:48.680 
most readily available.

02:09:48.680 --> 02:09:52.650 
But of course, commutes
are only one trip purpose.

02:09:52.650 --> 02:09:56.210 
In fact, it's fewer
than 20% of the trips

02:09:56.210 --> 02:10:00.080 
that people make are commute
trips, so 80% or more

02:10:00.080 --> 02:10:02.100 
of our trips are
other kinds of trips.

02:10:02.100 --> 02:10:04.790 
And it's really important to
look at all kinds of trips.

02:10:04.790 --> 02:10:07.850 
And we do collect
data on how people

02:10:07.850 --> 02:10:09.990 
arrive at different locations.

02:10:09.990 --> 02:10:12.110 
And I think we've
talked about before,

02:10:12.110 --> 02:10:14.090 
but for those who
hadn't heard, somebody

02:10:14.090 --> 02:10:17.870 
referenced the number of trips
that people come into this area

02:10:17.870 --> 02:10:21.920 
by transit and bike and walking.

02:10:21.920 --> 02:10:25.280 
And clearly, people
are coming to this area

02:10:25.280 --> 02:10:27.320 
by those sustainable modes.

02:10:27.320 --> 02:10:31.640 
I think that in the last
customer survey outreach,

02:10:31.640 --> 02:10:36.710 
it was something like 16%
to 17% do arrive by bicycle.

02:10:36.710 --> 02:10:39.320 
What we have heard again, is
that-- what we're trying to do

02:10:39.320 --> 02:10:41.780 
is make it so that people
who don't feel comfortable

02:10:41.780 --> 02:10:45.000 
now have the choice to do that.

02:10:45.000 --> 02:10:48.140 
The other thing I was going
to say is that we have seen--

02:10:48.140 --> 02:10:51.770 
somebody asked a
question about data

02:10:51.770 --> 02:10:55.310 
that the State had about
trips and changing trips

02:10:55.310 --> 02:10:58.220 
over the last couple of years,
and that definitely affected

02:10:58.220 --> 02:11:00.470 
trips, as Joe was
saying, by COVID.

02:11:00.470 --> 02:11:03.380 
But we've seen increasing
different kinds of trips

02:11:03.380 --> 02:11:05.990 
through, say, our
Blue Bikes data,

02:11:05.990 --> 02:11:09.110 
and we've had millions of trips
that people make by that mode.

02:11:09.110 --> 02:11:12.560 
So we do keep track of
all the different modes

02:11:12.560 --> 02:11:17.250 
and in different ways and
have that data available.

02:11:17.250 --> 02:11:19.700 
And again, what we
are hearing and that

02:11:19.700 --> 02:11:22.580 
is very supported by
all of the policies

02:11:22.580 --> 02:11:24.560 
is that people really
want to be able to make

02:11:24.560 --> 02:11:27.920 
these trips by more active
transportation of walking

02:11:27.920 --> 02:11:29.750 
and biking and taking transit.

02:11:29.750 --> 02:11:31.130 
And it's really
important that we

02:11:31.130 --> 02:11:34.910 
are able to provide that
safe opportunity for people

02:11:34.910 --> 02:11:35.510 
to do that.

02:11:35.510 --> 02:11:38.790 


02:11:38.790 --> 02:11:40.115 
MARGARET KENT: Thank you.

02:11:40.115 --> 02:11:42.240 
We had a question come in
about parking enforcement

02:11:42.240 --> 02:11:45.120 
and what plans the City has
made for parking enforcement

02:11:45.120 --> 02:11:48.000 
within the project area.

02:11:48.000 --> 02:11:50.570 
JOE BARR: So I can speak
to that a little bit

02:11:50.570 --> 02:11:53.270 
because parking enforcement
is under Traffic, Parking

02:11:53.270 --> 02:11:54.410 
and Transportation as well.

02:11:54.410 --> 02:11:57.290 
So we do a fair amount
of parking enforcement

02:11:57.290 --> 02:12:02.160 
in Porter Square already because
it is a highly busy location.

02:12:02.160 --> 02:12:04.670 
And so I think we would
definitely continue that.

02:12:04.670 --> 02:12:08.518 
But we work very closely with
our Parking Enforcement Group

02:12:08.518 --> 02:12:10.310 
as we implement these
projects to make sure

02:12:10.310 --> 02:12:14.630 
that they adjust how we do
enforcement and their approach

02:12:14.630 --> 02:12:16.280 
based on the changing design.

02:12:16.280 --> 02:12:19.650 
So we don't have specific
plans in place yet.

02:12:19.650 --> 02:12:22.520 
And even if we did, I probably
wouldn't give you the details

02:12:22.520 --> 02:12:24.860 
because we don't want everyone
to know exactly how we

02:12:24.860 --> 02:12:26.540 
do parking enforcement.

02:12:26.540 --> 02:12:28.880 
But we certainly take
the changes in design

02:12:28.880 --> 02:12:32.190 
into account as we plan out
the enforcement activities.

02:12:32.190 --> 02:12:41.168 


02:12:41.168 --> 02:12:43.460 
MARGARET KENT: Shall we take
one more question, Brooke?

02:12:43.460 --> 02:12:47.620 


02:12:47.620 --> 02:12:50.530 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Let's
do one final question.

02:12:50.530 --> 02:12:52.090 
And I can read this one.

02:12:52.090 --> 02:12:54.340 
"There's a policy order
requiring the establishment

02:12:54.340 --> 02:12:56.170 
and input of an advisory board.

02:12:56.170 --> 02:12:58.900 
Is the board going to be
allowed to meet and give input

02:12:58.900 --> 02:13:01.150 
before Porter Square
is implemented?"

02:13:01.150 --> 02:13:03.045 
So Joe, I'll let
you handle that one.

02:13:03.045 --> 02:13:03.670 
JOE BARR: Sure.

02:13:03.670 --> 02:13:06.045 
So yes, we are working,
as we indicated,

02:13:06.045 --> 02:13:08.170 
with City Council on
assembling or putting together

02:13:08.170 --> 02:13:10.780 
that advisory group.

02:13:10.780 --> 02:13:15.160 
We do expect that we'll
be able to have them meet

02:13:15.160 --> 02:13:17.950 
at least a couple of times
before this project is

02:13:17.950 --> 02:13:20.470 
implemented, so we
hope that there'll

02:13:20.470 --> 02:13:24.730 
be an opportunity for
them to review it.

02:13:24.730 --> 02:13:27.970 
That said, that
board is advisory.

02:13:27.970 --> 02:13:30.370 
It's not going to be
the one that decides

02:13:30.370 --> 02:13:31.990 
what does and doesn't happen.

02:13:31.990 --> 02:13:35.423 
And really we want to
pair that kind of input

02:13:35.423 --> 02:13:37.090 
with all the input
we're hearing tonight

02:13:37.090 --> 02:13:39.460 
from people who live
in the neighborhood,

02:13:39.460 --> 02:13:41.320 
people who travel
through the area, people

02:13:41.320 --> 02:13:42.730 
from all over the city.

02:13:42.730 --> 02:13:44.500 
So the advisory group
is very important

02:13:44.500 --> 02:13:46.208 
and we will try to
make sure that they're

02:13:46.208 --> 02:13:49.030 
able to review this, but the
community meetings like this

02:13:49.030 --> 02:13:51.550 
are also a really important
part of the outreach

02:13:51.550 --> 02:13:54.003 
that we'll be doing.

02:13:54.003 --> 02:13:54.920 
BROOKE MCKENNA: Great.

02:13:54.920 --> 02:13:56.850 
Well, thank you very much.

02:13:56.850 --> 02:14:00.110 
And thank you to everyone
who stuck with us

02:14:00.110 --> 02:14:02.690 
through this extra time.

02:14:02.690 --> 02:14:09.920 
As we mentioned previously,
we do have an in-person office

02:14:09.920 --> 02:14:15.140 
hours-type event this upcoming
Saturday between 10:00 and 2:00

02:14:15.140 --> 02:14:17.720 
at the Lunder Arts
Center at Lesley

02:14:17.720 --> 02:14:20.330 
right there in the
heart of Porter Square.

02:14:20.330 --> 02:14:23.450 
And we'll be there to answer
any questions you might have

02:14:23.450 --> 02:14:27.380 
about this project, and the
folks from the Mass4 project

02:14:27.380 --> 02:14:31.010 
will also be there answering
questions on that process

02:14:31.010 --> 02:14:31.680 
as well.

02:14:31.680 --> 02:14:34.760 
So we'd love it if you
could join us on Saturday.

02:14:34.760 --> 02:14:38.300 
If the weather forecast
gets worse, please

02:14:38.300 --> 02:14:41.270 
check the website on Friday.

02:14:41.270 --> 02:14:44.390 
But we're going to do our best
to hold this event on Saturday.

02:14:44.390 --> 02:14:48.440 
And then our next meeting
will be sometime in April,

02:14:48.440 --> 02:14:51.110 
so you can look out for
more information about that.

02:14:51.110 --> 02:14:54.170 
And we tried as much
as we could to answer

02:14:54.170 --> 02:14:55.520 
as many questions as possible.

02:14:55.520 --> 02:14:59.360 
We didn't get to all of
them, but we will take them

02:14:59.360 --> 02:15:00.350 
into account as we move

02:15:00.350 --> 02:15:01.460 
Forward.

02:15:01.460 --> 02:15:03.980 
And if anyone has
a specific question

02:15:03.980 --> 02:15:07.310 
that we didn't get to,
please feel free to follow up

02:15:07.310 --> 02:15:10.470 
with us via email.

02:15:10.470 --> 02:15:12.710 
And with that, I think
I will say thank you

02:15:12.710 --> 02:15:15.530 
to everyone who joined us, and
thank you to all the City staff

02:15:15.530 --> 02:15:17.930 
and to Margaret for
joining us tonight.

02:15:17.930 --> 02:15:19.862 
And everybody have
a great evening.

02:15:19.862 --> 02:15:20.570 
Thanks very much.

02:15:20.570 --> 02:15:22.240 
Bye bye.

02:15:22.240 --> 02:15:24.000