A number of changes have taken place in the northern portion of the city, all for the better as far as I’m concerned.
First and foremost is the paving work that the city completed on Crafts Street between North Street and Waltham Street. This fresh, smooth pavement that has, so far, been untouched by anyone trying to fix a natural gas leak, is now lined with some bike lanes and parking chicanes. This is great news for the commuters who regularly use this road as an access point to reach their jobs in Boston and Cambridge, as well as anyone else who likes to use their bike. What’s interesting is that the bike lanes create a barrier between the vehicular roadway and the curbside parking, which is mostly unused. The result is that I’ve seen joggers use that stretch of tarmac to give sidewalk pedestrians plenty of social distance. The bike lanes now go from the Waltham Line right up to the park.
A second major change is that Park and Pedal now has electric bikes adjacent to its parking spots at Albemarle. I know that whenever I go by those spots during the day I see at least two cars parked there with bike racks, so I assume they’re being used for the right purpose. I don’t know what kind of program this is, nor do I know what deal they have worked out with the city, as my questions about this have gone entirely unanswered, both by the city and by the Park and Pedal people.
Finally, just today the city blocked off the small piece of Albemarle road between Crafts Street and North Street. This is something that’s been discussed for a long time, so it’s great to see it finally happen. It’s an example of a piece of road that is entirely unnecessary for traffic flow and has no driveways accessing it. It’s mostly used by people coming from Watertown Street and looking to take a left on North Street. It saves a few seconds at most, as those drivers can easily turn right and take the left on North from there in a way that avoids most pedestrian entanglements.
So kudos to everyone involved in traffic, public safety, and public works who got this done! I’m hoping that Crafts Street, between North and Washington, is going to get done soon.
What’s the plan for the small section of Albemarle that’s been blocked off?
Oh, and for the record, because I see this a lot: it’s Al-be-marle.
Not “Al-ber-marle.”
I’m a grammar dork.
I am curious about the section of Albemarle Road that has been closed: it has no driveways but it does have a curb cut located where a driveway perhaps used to be. Is the section already closed “permanently” or is there additional process needed to do so?
@Dave Brigham,
Welcome to a unique feature of the Massachusetts accent. As you probably know, we are well known for our many dropped “r”‘s. That results in an excess of “r” sounds that have to go somewhere. Hence, words without an “r” sound, e.g. “Al-be-marle” and my own name “Li-Sa” – tend to collect all of those orphaned “r”s that must go somewhere. That I believe leads to the insertion of an orphaned “r” where it doesn’t belong, hence the pronunciation of “Al-be-marle” as “Al-ber- marle”. This is a phenomenon I began studying in 1968. Quite fascinating linguistically.
Best regards-
Lisa a/k/a
Lee-ser…
My favorite story about the missing Boston R’s involved a guy I worked with years ago who had a really strong Boston accent. He was traveling in the midwest, went into a diner and ordered lunch. The meal came and he realized he had no silverware. He caught the waitress’s eye, called her over, and said pleasantly with a smile “How about a fahk”.
He was immediately in a heap load of trouble and had a lot of ‘splaining to do about Boston accents.,
@Jerry-
That’s a classic. Somehow I grew up with a mid-western “news caster speech” though my Mom said “hoss” for “horse” and “fo-wah” for “four”, and I was born and raised here. Mom also had some spicy regionalisms when she was angry e.g. “that frosts my aaaahhhhsss” (translation I’m angry) and “in a pig’s eye” (a/k/a I call B.S.).
@Lisap – I like “that frosts my aaaahhhhsss”. I may have to take that one up.
Meanwhile, nice column, Chuck. The city is incorporating incremental change, while we work on our diction.
The safer the roadways for bicycles, the more that bicycle use will proliferate. Let’s hope that the city expands these laudable efforts.
I didn’t grow up here, but I’m well versed in the dropped and added “r’s.” I love hearing Jerry Remy during Sox broadcasts talk about “Amic-er” Insurance…
Anyway…what is the plan for that slice of Albemarle Road?
BTW, I can’t resist: the Star Market on Route 9 in Chestnut Hill has named its aisles after various Newton Streets, including “Al-ber-male.”
Also nearby, I have also noticed bike lanes painted a day or two ago on Cherry St, after the recent paving between River St and Derby St, though unfortunately the lanes do not extend all the way to River St.
A perennial problem among Boston area choruses is a tendency to sing the “Hallelujar” chorus at Christmas concerts.
Ben, The lanes on Cherry St are just edge lines, not bike lanes, since bike lanes would require parking removal. I believe they will help channel traffic, mitigate speeding, and provide a safer place to bike where parking isn’t present. I believe the plan is to continue the edge lines along the rest of Cherry St, but it might wait until next season.
Transportation is also investigating bike lanes on Waltham Street when it gets repaved, but a decision hasn’t been made.
Finally, I would put in a plug that the Charles River Watershed Association has some proposals to improve Cheesecake Brook from the Charles River up to Watertown Street. These could tie in nicely with improved bicycle and pedestrian accommodations in the Albemarle area.
Sorry to further hijack this fine entry into a “funny things Massachusetts people say” thread, but: A journalist friend of mine once set out to do a story about how the town of Grafton (nr. Worcester) served as the primary location for a film adaptation of Eugene O’Neill’s “Ah, Wilderness!” My friend had grown up on the North Shore, so she knew something of Massachusetts accents, but she was apparently unfamiliar with the O’Neill play. So, after interviewing some of the townspeople, she thought the title of it was “*Our* Wilderness!”
Fortunately, she discovered her error in time.
On a more relevant note, I’ve been impressed by the changes-in-progress I’ve noticed in this part of Newton. Almost tempts me to get a bike again.
@Mike What are the chances for a protected bike lane on Waltham Street, even if it’s just with flex posts? I bike that road a lot to get to W. Newton and Trader Joe’s, it can be harrowing with people speeding along it.
I am happy they have finally shut down the short section of Albemarle Rd between Crafts and North St. I honestly believe this will cut down on the amount of accidents at this intersection caused by people trying to cross from the park side of Albemarle, directly across Crafts St. A few years ago they put a “No left” sign there for cars traveling south on Crafts St. People ignored it (the ever popular “I don’t like this rule” so I’m going to ignore it) I hope this closure will be permanent as it will ease my angst trying to drive through there whilst looking 6 different directions so I don’t get killed!
my guess for the closed section of albemarle would be a giant bike rack… seriously.
Park the bike to get to middle school, express bus to downtown
There is already giant park across the road so no sense in making a mini park..
Techically i suppose you could squeeze in a tiny condo complex?
Chuck, there’s not enough width for protected bike lanes on Waltham St, but doing something at the curve approaching West Newton Square at Orchard Ave has been discussed. There are plans for traffic calming at Derby St and narrowing of the intersection at River St. Also discussion of some additional crosswalks.
Yes, this street has higher speeds than many cyclists would feel comfortable riding with, though a surprisingly high number of people use it in the Derby St area. We can make some improvements through engineering. At some point, though, we have speeds because we’ve ceded the street to motor vehicles. The more people use the street/cross the street/enjoy the street, the more aware drivers need to be.
Engineering can help bring the speeds down to a safer domain ( < 25 mph), but that will ideally bootstrap increased use.
Bugek, Albemarle between Crafts and North would be a great place to improve the brook to make it more resilient to flooding. The CRWA has some create plans to removing the culvert and meander the brook to increase its surge volume and improve the shoreline.
Those plans predate this closure. There would be even more opportunities if the road itself became a pervious pathway within parkland.
Mike,
A culvert or some kind of flood control would be great. Its like a raging river during storms. Gath pool area has been suffering from flooding for many years..
Would be very surprised if city actually finally addresses this. Maybe from the $ “donated” from new development at the end of the brook
Do residents only find out about bike lane changes once they appear?
Does the city have a map they can share of all these “future” new bike lanes?
Bugek, bike lanes often impact parking, which requires Traffic Council (or in fewer cases, City Council) approval. That triggers notification of abutters.
Good news about the repaving. Now i, along with most other drives in Newton, can go faster on the smooth roadway. Oh, the bicycle lanes run out in a few places. There are no warning signs for the bikers or the auto drivers. Should be looked into. It happens quite a lot and places amateur bikers in danger.
That short stretch of Albemarle Road is now reopened.