Dear Editor:
Boston does have better ideas Reading, this past week got me wondering, if we decide to compare our Mile Square City to that of Boston, I say let us fully embrace it. The greater Boston area utilized bump outs as means to slow traffic and increase visibility in pedestrian heavy areas. In fact, you can see bumpouts right on the campus of Harvard, Dr. Horing’s alma mater, on Google Street View. I do also concur that we should embrace the four way red light, or as planners refer to it as the ‘pedestrian scramble.’ We already have something very similar at River and Hudson. Implementing the pedestrian scramble at the busier pedestrian intersections could (with the correct timing) reduce risk for the pedestrian and increase flow without removing bumpouts. As for double parking, a great way to get rid of it is a two fold solution: 1. You narrow the road. The only reason people double park is because Washington is wide enough to fit six cars across. Narrowing the road by adding a protected bike lane, extending the sidewalk, etc. would eliminate the ability to double park. 2. Now I can already hear the gnashing of teeth of the mere suggestion that we actively eliminate double parking. With that I offer another solution: add more temporary loading and pick up zones along Washington. This action would create spots for 10-20 minute spots for quick pickups and dropoffs. This allows the trucks to make their deliveries and people to pick up their take out, all without double parking. Increasing enforcement will only act as a bandaid to a greater problem. Finally, we arrive at bicycles on the sidewalk and cyclists ‘flaunting the law.’ Interestingly enough Boston managed to find a good solution for this issue, they built bicycle infrastructure. If you venture to Boston today, they are constantly building bike lanes, bike traffic signals, bike racks, etc. Because Boston cyclists have a stake in the transportation network, the issues of riding on the sidewalk and running red lights seem to vanish. In Hoboken, people make a stink when you put an unprotected bike lane on a back street. Perhaps we should emulate the ideas of Boston.
Regards,
Tim Staub
