Comments on: Davis Square Pedestrian Environment Not Up To Code

By: eila

eila — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 22:36:56 +0000

UPDATE: Here comes an opportunity to SpeakOut about these issues!:

On October 17, 2011, the State Architectural Access Board will be hearing testimony, including the city’s response, to 4 Somerville complaints regarding pedestrian rights of ways violations. Two of the locations involve recently repaired Davis Square sidewalks and two involve recently reconstructed streets that are still not up to code. Because the repairs in Davis Square were merely aesthetic and did not improve the use-ability of the pedestrian access routes, this triggers MA 2006 Building code/Architectural Access standards (521 CMR).

Please come to testify about how these pedestrian issues affect your Davis Square experience!

WHEN: 2 -4 pm October 17, 2011

WHERE: One Ashburton Place, 21st Floor, Conference Room 1, Boston, MA

WHAT: Department of Public Safety Architectural Access Board informal Hearing on 4 Somerville complaints regarding pedestrian rights of ways violations.

DETAILS: The hearing is conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in M.G.L. c. 30A, and 801 CMR 1.02, the Informal/Fair Hearings Rules. Please turn off all cell phones and pagers prior to entering the conference room.

By: eila

eila — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 15:37:56 +0000

UPDATE, December 10, 2010:

At the recent December 9, 2010 meeting, the Board of Aldermen approved an order for Somerville’s DPW commissioner to identify and repair all damaged bricks in Davis Square before the winter- to avoid pedestrian accidents. The Committee on Public Health and Public Safety also discussed the City’s use and maintenance of brick pavers on city sidewalks and crosswalks during a Public Health & Safety Committee Meeting on December 6, 2010.

(We’ve been here before: On June 10, 2010: “36. Order By Ald. Gewirtz
That the Commissioner of Public Works Provide an Update on the Status of Brick Repairs in Davis Square and Perform a Thorough Review of the Square to Make
Sure There Are No Broken or Protruding Bricks Causing a Public Safety Hazard.”)

Read Katie Lannigan’s great report, on Somerville Patch:
City Discusses Use And Maintenance of Brick Paving, at
http://somerville.patch.com/articles/city-discusses-use-and-maintenance-of-brick-paving

By: Gulch

Gulch — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:43:53 +0000

Was he one of the vagrant bunch that hangs around
the College Ave. T station? They sleep off binges in the waiting room there, smoke, panhandle, curse loudly at one another, and get into fights. Been doing it for the past two years. They rule the roost.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:30:09 +0000

My 18-year-old son was attacked by a man in his 40s today in Davis Square today. My son came out of Starbucks with two hot chocolates in his hands, and the man ran across the street yelling incoherently, ran right up to my son and pushed the hot chocolates in his face and body, burning his eyes and neck and soaking his clothes. Thanksfully, another man stepped in to help and threatened to call the police and the psycho ran away.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Comment 8 raises a question about pedestrian lights and from a pedestrian advocacy standpoint, the first thing the city should do is program an automatic walk signal into every light cycle and install accessible pedestrian signals. The ultimate goal, especially since peds far outnumber cars, is to eliminate the traffic signals and put in raised intersections or at least raised cross walks.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:00:50 +0000

If we’re talking about Davis Square as a pedestrian environment, what about the light between the island in the middle of the Square and the side of Elm Street toward Cambridge? That light never gives the pedestrian a walk light unless they press a button, and the button is broken about 360 days a year. You learn not to bother trying and instead just step into traffic, hoping the next car is local and understands that the light is meaningless and this is the only way a pedestrian can cross.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:03:23 +0000

And if I’m not mistaken, several of these are subject to pending MAAB complaints. One way or another, the City will fix them…just wish that it was on a proactive basis rather than reactive.

By: eila

eila — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 04:40:15 +0000

Hmm, I thought all this section was built back when the Red Line came to Davis Square.

I assumed that these particular sidewalk amenities were performed by contractors paid through the Federal Highway Administration’s Urban Systems Program back in the 70′s. Can anyone fill in the knowledge base here?

And, wouldn’t it be great if we could call them back and have a re-do?!

Anyone feel like sharing memories of what it was like being a resident in Davis Square at that time?

By: Linda

Linda — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:32:41 +0000

I don’t get it! A lot of these changes were made fairly recently. Who was responsible for these botched “improvements?” If the specifications for accessible sidewalk slopes are so exact, are they hard to follow?

By: Gulch

Gulch — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:32:24 +0000

The sidewalk cyclists are also hazardous to pedestrian safety in Davis Square–as well as in the other squares.

There’s a local ordinance that prohibits sidewalk cycling in the squares, but it’s not enforced.

That the City cares about pedestrian safety is a lot of public relations puffery. If you’re elderly, disabled or sight-impaired, you walk in the squares at your own peril. Have a Nice Day, says City Hall.