On Wednesday, January 17, Josh Ostroff, outgoing Director of Newton’s Transportation Planning Department, presented a proposal before the Public Facilities Committee to allow reconfiguration of Washington Street from Lowell Avenue to Chestnut Street to make it “safer, more welcoming and enjoyable” for residents and businesses.
The design phase and construction management services will be funded with $500,000 from fees from Newton’s cannabis Host Community Agreement revenue. Construction costs will be covered by $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, which must be allocated by December 31, 2024.
The Committee’s unanimous approval of the project will allow the plan to move to consideration by the entire City Council. Then the concept will move to the design development phase, conducted by design consultants Howard Stein Hudson working with City Councilors Susan Albright and Pam Wright, the Planning Department led by Barney Heath, the City’s Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Yeo, the Department of Public Works, the Fire and Police Departments, and Parks, Recreation and Culture, along with community members Mike Halle and John Pelletier.
The Washington Street pilot has its roots in the 2019 Washington Street Vision Plan and incorporates a “road diet” approach to the design featuring one travel lane in each direction. As part of the “road diet” planning process, Mr. Ostroff said the working group promoted the study – through email notices, social media, and hand delivered flyers – to residents, local businesses, and other stakeholders. Councilors Wright and Julia Malakie distributed flyers about the projects to residents on side streets from Chestnut to Lowell, and the Newtonville Area Council publicized the survey at its May meeting. Mr. Ostroff reported that 1,162 people had responded to the survey. About 100 people attended a public meeting on November 30.
Mr. Ostroff underscored the “trial” aspects of the plan, explaining that there would be no permanent changes to the street. Concept 3 — the plan alternative preferred by both the consultants and survey respondents — will narrow Washington Street from two lanes in each direction down to one lane in each direction plus a two-way, shared-use (bicycle and pedestrian) path on the south side, with the possible addition of concrete tree planters between the car and bicycle lanes. The plan includes accessible bus stops, turning lanes, on-street parking, and shortened, well-defined crosswalks, and the possibility of a dog park.
At the Public Facilities meeting, City Council President Laredo asked for measurements of goals and questioned the potential length of the study, which Mr. Ostroff suggested could last for a decade. Councilor Lenny Gentile responded that he felt comfortable with the concept because “nothing is permanent,” and the proposed changes can be reversed. Councilor Andrea Kelley, who lives on the north side of Washington Street, expressed concern about the survival of trees in planters, but in an interview with Fig City News, she agreed that the bike lanes on the south side of Washington Street will be a safety improvement for Newton North students who bike to school. At the same time, she said many questions remain, but she appreciates the pedestrian and bike-safety measures in the proposal.
Public Facilities Vice Chair Alison Leary, who approved of the proposal’s emphasis on traffic calming measures, told Fig City News, “We need to give people options to bike safely.” Acknowledging the increased housing resulting from developments at Dunstan East, the West Newton Armory, and Walker Street, she said, “If you build safe infrastructure, people will ride bikes and walk. Construction is temporary, and the plan can always be changed.”
Councilor Andreae Downs also emphasized safety aspects of the plan. She said she has received emails from people who do not want to be bombarded with surveys because ‘they didn’t sign up to be Councilors.” She agreed with concerns of many of her colleagues that vehicles speeding on Washington Street have led to accidents and that the road-diet plan would help to remedy the problem. According to Councilor Downs, the redesign project will work because the lanes on Washington Street are wider than those on the adjacent Mass Turnpike. (In fact, they are the same width or narrower.) Asked about how traffic will manage with one lane adjacent to the three residential construction sites, Councilor Downs said engineers would work it out. She warned against “fear of change and fear of new things.”
Washington Street resident Meg Ward expressed disappointment that the proposal did not go to the Public Safety and Transportation Committee. Noting that the 2019 Washington Survey was sent to all residents in the area, she was concerned that there was not more public input, particularly at the November 30 meeting, which she said came to a hard stop, preventing more comments from local residents. Ms. Ward predicted that the switch from two lanes to one at Lowell Avenue will cause major traffic back-ups along Washington Street, and the idling cars will reduce air quality.
Councilor Wright stated that she looks forward to the increase in trees and bicycle safety along the route, and she notes that since it is a pilot with no permanent changes, the design could be adjusted as needed. She said that many students currently bike on the sidewalk, across numerous driveways and side streets, so routing bikes on the side south of the street will be much safer. She expressed concern that the design will need to address the transitions on each end of the route, and she worries about some potentially increased traffic on the side streets moving to the lesser used Watertown Street.