A vision for the Washington Street corridor

by | Sep 24, 2017 | bicycles, development, Newton, Newton Corner, Newtonville, traffic, West Newton | 30 comments

Jeff Speck recently presented his vision for the Washington Street corridor to the Newton-Needham Chamber, building upon the recent plan for West Newton Square, extending through Newtonville towards Newton Corner.  The main theme is a road diet.  By eliminating underutilized roadway, Newton could create a far more attractive streetscape, open up new opportunities for recreation, transportation safety improvements, public transit, and yes, development.

A road diet might even improve traffic conditions, channelling traffic and eliminating conflicts that come with vehicles changing lanes.  A two-way cycle track along the pike could provide top-notch bicycle facilities  The idea of a road diet and cycle track along the pike is not new; it has been the subject of previous studies and TAG has been pitching it for several years now.  With

What’s wrong with this picture?

What’s wrong with this picture?

by | Sep 18, 2017 | bicycles | 15 comments

While walking in West Newton on our way to Mango Thai Cuisine (my daughter loves their summer rolls) I came across the bike rack pictured here. While I really appreciate the sentiment, it would be nice if the bike rack was actually usable.  For those of you who...
No Exit

No Exit

by | Apr 28, 2017 | bicycles, Upper Falls | 9 comments

On a beautiful Friday afternoon like today, I sometimes choose to bike the scenic route home. Today that meant a trip down the Upper Falls Greenway as opposed to the more direct line of taking Needham Street between my office and Winchester Street.  I’ve done...