PB Cycle 2

Many thanks to the PB Cambridge Steering Committee, Budget Delegates, Participatory Budgeting Project staff, City staff, the Stanford Crowdsourced Democracy Team, and all of the volunteers and participants who helped make the City's second PB cycle a success!
 

The $600,000 in FY17 capital funds for the seven winning projects from the second PB cycle became available on July 1, 2016. The Budget Office will continue to update this information as more work is completed.

 Additional notes about some of the projects:

• Separate bike lanes from traffic: Separated bike lanes were installed at two locations near Harvard Square in July 2017: a two-way separate bike lane on Brattle Street from Eliot Street to Mason Street, and a one-way separated bike lane on Mass. Ave. from Trowbridge Street to Quincy Street. More details.
• Water bottle fill stations: Public Works installed the water bottle fill stations at Russell Field (near Alewife path), Donnelly Field (near baseball fields), Green Rose Heritage Park (near playground), Hoyt Field (near basketball courts), and St. Peters Field in Danehy Park. Old water fountains were removed at these locations and the new water bottle fill stations were put in their place.
• New chairs for Cambridge Public Schools: The School Department purchased 130 new desks, 110 chairs, 9 lockers, and 3 science tables for the Amigos School. The School Department purchased 100 guest chairs, 60 desk/chair combos, and 12 cafeteria tables for Cambridge Rindge and Latin School.
   

Click here to read the rulebook from the second PB process.

To read about all 540 ideas that were submitted during the second cycle, please visit the City of Cambridge's Open Data Portal.

From September-November, 35+ Budget Delegates worked in 4 committees to research, assess, prioritize, and develop the 540 submitted ideas into the following 23 final project proposals, which appeared on the ballot in December 2015.

1. Interactive Technology for the Main Library ($60,000)
2. Digital Sign at City Hall in Multiple Languages ($75,000)
3. Little Free Libraries (Book Exchanges) ($16,250)
4. Cambridge Garden of Peace ($350,000)
5. Block Party Trailer with Party Equipment ($81,000) 
6. Free Wifi and Soofa Benches in 3 Parks
7. Shape Up Our Squares! ($40,000)
8. Faster, Better #1 Bus for Cambridge ($250,000)
9. Separate Bike Lanes from Traffic ($50,000)
10. Make Massachusetts Avenue Safer for Bikers ($70,000)
11. Real-Time Bus Arrival Monitors in Harvard Square ($24,000)
12. Five Water Bottle Refill Stations ($40,000)
13. Wellington-Harrington Community Garden ($100,000)
14. Veterans’ Garden ($250,000)
15. Cambridge Prepared Food Rescue Freezer Van ($48,000)
16. The Sustainable Energy Pilot ($90,000) 
17. Nursing Pod for Mothers and Infants ($20,000)
18. Inclusive Playground for All Kids ($305,000)
19. Volleyball Court at Danehy Park ($61,000)
20. Invention and Production of Music ($150000)
21. New Chairs for Cambridge Public Schools! ($190,000) 
22. Outdoor Exercise Equipment
23. Remodel the Kitchen at the Frisoli Youth Center

View an English version of the PB2 paper ballot.

From December 5-12, 2015, 4,184 Cambridge residents age 12 and older - regardless of immigration status - voted for up to 6 of their favorite PB projects on the ballot. The following 7 projects won a total of $600,000 in funding:

1. Cambridge Prepared Food Rescue Freezer Van ($48,000)
2. Separate Bike Lanes from Traffic ($50,000)
3. Five Water Bottle Refill Stations ($40,000)
4. Make Massachusetts Avenue Safer for Bikers ($70,000)
5. Shape Up Our Squares! ($40,000)
6. Faster, Better #1 Bus for Cambridge ($250,000)
7. New Chairs for Cambridge Public Schools! ($102,000)

 

The full vote totals are detailed below:

	Project	Cost	Votes	Cumulative Cost
1.	Cambridge Prepared Food Rescue Freezer Van	$48,000	2,330	$48,000
2.	Separate Bike Lanes from Traffic	$50,000	2,214	$98,000
3.	5 Water Bottle Refill Stations	$40,000	1,583	$138,000
4.	Make Massachusetts Avenue Safer for Bikers	$70,000	1,399	$208,000
5.	Shape Up Our Squares!	$40,000	1,306	$248,000
6.	Faster, Better #1 Bus for Cambridge	$250,000	1,301	$498,000
7.	New Chairs for Cambridge Public Schools	$190,000*	1,256	$688,000
8.	Free Wi-Fi and Soofa Benches in 3 Parks	$92,000	1,252
9.	Invention and Production of Music	$150,000	1,126
10.	Real-Time Bus Arrival Monitors in Harvard Square	$24,000	1,025
11.	Little Free Libraries (Book Exchanges)	$16,250	1,013
12.	Inclusive Playground for All Kids	$305,000	966
13.	Outdoor Exercise Equipment	$260,000	925
14.	Interactive Technology for the Main Library	$60,000	740
15.	The Sustainable Energy Pilot	$90,000	688
16.	Block Party Trailer with Party Equipment	$81,000	650
17.	Remodel the Kitchen at the Frisoli Youth Center	$200,000	631
18.	Wellington-Harrington Community Garden	$100,000	620
19.	Volleyball Court at Danehy Park	$61,000	588
20.	Cambridge Garden of Peace	$350,000	576
21.	Veterans' Garden	$250,000	529
22.	Nursing Pod for Mothers and Infants	$20,000	475
23.	Digital Sign at City Hall in Multiple Languages	$75,000	290

*The proposal for new chairs in Cambridge Public schools will be funded at $102,000 instead of the full amount in order to stay within the $600,000 allocated for this PB process.

Winning projects were included in the City's FY17 Capital Budget. Many thanks to the PB Cambridge Steering Committee, the Budget Delegates, the Participatory Budgeting Project, City staff, the Stanford Crowdsourced Democracy Team, and all the volunteers and participants who helped make the second PB process a success!