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Home My Public Portal AboutBPReport09 Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee 2010 Report " Presented to Watertown Town Council January 26,2010 Agenda ■ Background ■ Safe Routes to School ■ Story Walk ■ Development Projects ■ Charles River Connector Rail Trail ■ Watertown Community Path ■ 2010 Iniatives 3 2 Background on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee ■ Since 1995, the Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee has served the Town of Watertown by: ■ advocating for the interests of bicyclists and pedestrians in matters before the Town; ■ supporting the development of bicycle and recreational paths in Watertown; ■ sponsoring special bicycling events; ■ raising awareness of bicycling and pedestrian issues. ■ Initially, the focus of the committee was Bicycle issues. In 2006, the Pedestrian agenda was added to the committee's focus. ■ Past accomplishments of the Committee include the development of the town Bicycle Master Plan(2000), �2 . zoning ordinance for bicycle parking(2003), and bicycle parking survey(2006), and pedestrian education(2007). 3 Safe Routes to School ■ Safe Routes to School(SRTS)is an international effort to encourage children to walk to school. ■ Background ■ Watertown's SRTS program began in Spring 2007 at the Lowell School with the Walking Wednesday's program.In the Fall,2007 the Walking Wednesday's program was expanded to the Hosmer School, and in the Fall of 2008 at the Cunnifff School. ■ Safety Training for 2nd graders at all 3 elementary schools has been established as part of the Watertown program. ■ Regular Walking Days established including International Walk to School Day on the first Wed in October,Watertown Walks Day on the last Wednesday in October,and Massachusetts Walk to School Day in May. 4 CSRTS 2009 Accomplishments ■ Sustained grant funds from WalkBoston CSRTS initiative to fund part-time Local Program Coordinator position. ■ Obtained a grant for$2,250 from Watertown Community Foundation to fund pedometer program for 3rd-51h grades&a district-wide science night featuring the "Dirt on Garbage" . ■ Obtained$2000 grant from Harvard-O'Neill to fund author's visit to Watertown to celebrate Story Walk installation and provide books to all K-2 Classrooms as part of Spring 2010 program. ■ Obtained$300 funding from the Watertown Savings Bank to support the Pennies for Pedestrians Program, bringing"green books"to all 3 elementary school libraries. ■ Sustained Community Task Force with representatives from: School Committee Boys&Girls Club Department of Public Works WalkBoston . Elementary School Teachers MassRides Elementary School Parents 5 CSRTS 2009 Accomplishments ■ Walking Wednesdays active at all 3 elementary schools ■ Walking School Buses(11-Hosmer,8-Lowell, 7-Cunniff) ■ Footsteps Feeding Families Friday's New Fall 2009 initiative to benefit the Watertown Food Pantry started at Hosmer School to be expanded to Lowell/Cunniff in 2010 ■ Watertown Step's Up to the Challenge Pedometer Program Results:Miles walked by 3rd,4th&5th graders in 2 weeks Cunniff: 2,484 Lowell: 5,026 Hosmer: 6,075 ■ Watertown Walks to School Month Proclamation-October Watertown Walks Day on 10/28 coincided with district-wide parent coffee with discussion of Safety Issues and Traffic Calming ■ Pennies For Pedestrians Program 6 CSRTS 2009 Program Plans ■ Grant extension from WalkBoston for January—March 2010 Currently seeking funding to continue program ■January—Parent on-line Walk to School assessment survey ■ Mid-March—Walking Wednesday's resumes March—DB Johnson Visit and Storywalk to Elementary Schools ■ April-Bicycle Safety Training- Grade 4&5 ■ May—Massachusetts Walks to School Day ■ Pennies for Pedestrian's Program Continues ywp 7 ti Story Walk ■ This initiative combines a children's story with encouraging families and children to walk. ■ Story Walk is intended to inspire parents,teachers,and caregivers to take young children on a short stroll that will be fun for all. ■ Story Walk helps build children's interest in reading while encouraging healthy outdoor activity for both adults and children.Pages from a selected children's book are attached to wooden stakes and placed along a path in a park or popular walking area. ■ Implementation ■ Installed in Fillipello Park and Arsenal Parks in mid September. 4�" � ■ The installation was only available " �� ' for two weeks due to vandalism 8 Story Walk ■ This initiative was supported by many community organizations ■ Grant from Watertown Community Foundation ■ Support from businesses—Staples and Sterritt Lumber ■ Watertown Parks and Recreation Department ■ Watertown Department of Public Works titi�r�r 4k'•'A %yO ylenY}'Cl1mbs 11 nfounrat� /�_ti 0 Development Projects ■ Vision To create a multi-use recreational path on the former Boston&Maine rail right of way that runs from the east end of Watertown at Cottage Street through Watertown Square to the Charles River at Howe Park, with connections to the Minuteman and Charles River Bikeways. ■ Benefits ■ Increase open space for Watertown ■ Improve access to business,school,residential and cultural facilities by bike and foot ■ Provide safe bicycle and pedestrian connections to open space and recreational amenities ■ Reduce vehicular traffic resulting in improved environmental quality ■ Projects ■ Charles River Connector Rail Trail ■ Watertown Community Path ` 10 Charles River Connector Rail Trail (formerly Watertown Branch Trail) ■ This project is Phase One of a project known as the"Charles River Connector"by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation(EOT). ■ It will be a link between the very well used Minuteman Commuter Bikeway and the Charles River multi-use paths, through Watertown on the Boston&Maine rail bed ■ Project is spearheaded by the Department of Conservation and Recreation(DCR) ■ The Patrick-Murray administration announced on January 15, 2010 that the section between School and Grove Streets has been fully funded at$847,000. Construction should begin in the Spring of 2010. a„ 11 Branch Trail: Status by Section ■ Phase I-School Street to Arlington Street Statement by State Senator Stephen Tolman on the funding of this phase : "After over a decade of hard work by various government agencies,community groups,and my brother,former Senator Warren Tolman,this multi-use path is now one step closer to completion.I hope that today's announcement is the first of many and that together we can continue to make Watertown an even better place to live and work." ■ Phase II-Arlington to Cottage Street ■ Pending acquisition of right of way of specific sections ■ Pending design of Grove to Cottage Street ■ Phase III—Cottage Street to Fresh Pond ■ Pending clarification on use of section of rail by Newlyweds Foods g 12 RIRLANDP LD—RAN TRAILS S 11 D niR —9 Iq .(p( 'u u�au rv�kue eu N ay N �/ yy nee • . s • UB • r ••. � �erc..woe rnwx r vnsrv�. � Pkzvm LAM •t•.. .�`'/�,\l J Il — r:au LLO PMK C PFNOSPA�M1 BLI 4 U a f�� •/ I Wro w.aro„p c mr �qw„I-Dw o — a ^� PRIVATEDPFN6 Pvae .ryomaxretMPu- -i n s -, ..nn •r o.Prms p. MapsOnline 13p �o Arliji ft. i • • V L Between Tufts • Cottage 6y� 14 Watertown Community Path ■ The Watertown Community Path was referenced in the Watertown Open Space Plan for 2006-2011 approved by the Watertown Town Council in March, 2008. ■ In 2009 a Harvard O'Neill Grant was awarded to WCES to come up with a preliminary plan for the continuation of the path from School Street through Watertown Square along Linear Path to the River providing a pedestrian and bicycle by-pass of Watertown Square. ■ In the first five months of the project, the Town Planning Department has negotiated a contract with students from the Tufts University Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning (UEP)who will do much of the preliminary work for this path. 15 Watertown Community Path - models exist on some sections 16 Watertown Community Path - others will be more challenging All former rail bed kilo I 17 Keep the vision alive ■ Application for Assistance submitted to the National Park Service Rivers,Trails and Conservation Assistance Program- July 2008 [Copy available if requested] ■ Community Path through Saltonstall Park upgraded to ADA codes as part of Fire Alarm Conduit project ■ Bacon/Main Street project example of how this vision can be incorporated into other community projects ■ Keep vision of open,usable space in mind when deciding on future community development projects �b 44 » 18 2010 Initiatives ■ Safe Routes to School continuation ■ Walking programs ■ Bike safety training for all 41h and 51h graders(Mass Rides) ■ Organize one or more community bike rides ■ Outreach to bike/ped committees in other communities ■ Development Projects ■ Tracking of Charles River Connector path phase 1 construction ■ Follow-up with WCES on Community Path ■ Review development proposals such as Mt.Auburn parking �w lot and impact on the neighborhood and streets. ■ Develop more community involvement in bicycle& pedestrian issues in Watertown. 19 B&P Committee Members ■ Fred Hewett,Co-Chairperson(2005) ■ Peter Brooks,Co-Chairperson(1995)-resigned ■ Jeannette Belcher-Schepis(2008)-CSTRS Coordinator ■ Steve Engler(2008) ■ Sheila Fay(2000) ■ Janet Jameson(1995) ■ Bradford Parsons(2008) ■ Mari Ryan(2006)-resigned (3 Zif+ ■ Maria Saiz(1995) 411 Pg ■ Rob Van Dyk(2009) 4 20