The Newton City Council should not approve the Walk, Roll & Bike Network Plan on November 17 and should instead schedule a new public hearing on the final version. While the goal of improving safety and mobility is shared across our community, residents have not yet been given the opportunity to review the completed plan, its updated priorities, or its long-term financial and logistical impacts. Moving forward without this essential transparency risks undermining public trust and reducing confidence in the process.
The only citywide meeting took place in June 2023, when the plan was still preliminary. Public comments at that time addressed early concepts—not the finalized network maps, corridor redesigns, capital needs, or implementation timelines. Given the scale of the proposed system and its implications for neighborhoods citywide, a dedicated City Council hearing is not only reasonable but necessary.
Since that initial meeting, the Washington Street road-diet pilot has created measurable and widely felt impacts, including congestion, lane narrowing, and cut-through traffic on smaller side streets. These effects have raised new concerns about similar redesigns proposed elsewhere. Impacts vary significantly by neighborhood—Newtonville, West Newton, Auburndale, and quieter residential streets face different challenges.
To date, no detailed traffic counts, emissions modeling, emergency-response analyses, or crash data have been made publicly available. Without clear and complete information, neither residents nor councilors can fully assess whether the plan will improve safety or unintentionally worsen congestion, emissions, and accessibility.
The Council should:
1. Delay approval on November 17 and schedule a new public hearing.
2. Require updated data on traffic, emissions, safety, and emergency access.
3. Provide residents the opportunity to review the final plan and offer informed comment.
A plan of this magnitude should not advance without a complete and transparent review. Contact the City Council today to voice your concerns.
Anne Goldbach
Newtonville
