Project File No. 606376 Attn: Bridge Project Management July 3, 2013 Thomas F. Broderick, P.E.

Chief Engineer, MassDOT Highway Division Dear Mr. Broderick, We are a group of Allston-Brighton residents and concerned community organizations writing to offer comments to the proposed design for reconstruction of the Cambridge Street Overpass. First, we would like to thank MassDOT for moving forward with the long-overdue reconstruction of this bridge. In addition to making structural and safety improvements, this project is an important opportunity to improve the design and functioning of the corridor. Allston-Brighton was cut in half decades ago when the Turnpike was extended into downtown Boston, and Cambridge Street reinforces that division. This bridge reconstruction is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to begin repairing that damage by treating Cambridge Street not as a highway but as a neighborhood street that is used by people of all ages and abilities; on foot, on bike, on a bus, or in a car. The proposed design takes a number of important steps toward making Cambridge Street a neighborhood street that accommodates all users. We applaud MassDOT for reducing the number of lanes, widening the sidewalks, and adding buffered bicycle lanes. However, there remain several concerning aspects of the design: 1) A safe pedestrian crossing must be provided at Linden Street. The Franklin St pedestrian bridge and Mansfield St stairs/ramp are heavily-trafficked access points for pedestrians and bicyclists. Installing a fence in the median so that pedestrians and cyclists may only cross at Harvard Ave or Lincoln St will perpetuate an unsafe situation, and will further divide the neighborhood. Pedestrians and cyclists currently cross from Franklin and Mansfield streets to the MBTA bus stop and other destinations beyond Linden St by scurrying across five lanes of traffic. People at the Franklin St bridge lifting bicycles or even strollers over the jersey barriers into active traffic lanes are not an uncommon sight. A crossing at this location is such a strongly desired link that people consistently cross despite the safety risks, and they will continue to do so even if no safe crossing is provided. We propose a signalized crosswalk from the bus stop at the corner of Linden St, with lights timed in conjunction with the Harvard Ave intersection. This has added benefits of calming traffic on Cambridge St, where speeding is a chronic issue, and will improve level of service for vehicles turning onto Cambridge St from Linden. Red light ahead signals/signage can be provided on the Westbound approach to improve visibility. 2) The aesthetic aspects of the project must be improved. Cambridge St is a gateway to the neighborhoods and to the Allston Village Main Streets business district, yet today it is a crumbling eyesore. We look forward to aesthetic improvements such as the attractive, humanscale lighting included in the proposal. However, the aesthetics of the fencing and landscaping should also be considered. Fencing for the Cambridge St and Franklin St bridges should meet technical and safety requirements but also beautify the corridor. Examples of attractive highway fencing exist from elsewhere in Massachusetts and around the country, while ugly fencing, such as the chain-link fence and jersey barriers that currently demarcate the northern sidewalk, invites graffiti and vandalism. Fencing should be minimized to the greatest extent allowed by safety regulations, and eliminated in approaches to the bridge. Planters should be used in the median instead of fencing; Boylston Street in the Back Bay is an example of this treatment (photo below). In addition, the plans require removing two large trees along the northern sidewalk between Harvard Ave and the Franklin St bridge. These trees should be replaced, and additional trees should be added, in any location where there is sufficient space, such as eastern end of the project scope. 3) Make improvements to the proposed bike facilities. As proposed, the buffered bike lane traveling eastbound begins at Linden St. Instead, bicycle facilities

should begin at Harvard Ave as either a continuous buffered bike lane or a dedicated bus/bike lane. The westbound buffered bike lane should also be continued to the Harvard Ave intersection at street level. Directing cyclists to mount the curb and merge with pedestrian traffic and bicycles traveling both directions to and from the Franklin St bridge would cause frequent bike-ped and bike-bike conflicts. Many cyclists will choose to stay at street level and mix with traffic despite the lack of a designated route, since most are turning left or continuing straight. There is a strip of grass along this proposed shared-use path that currently serves no usable purpose. MassDOT is taking a temporary easement of this area for construction; it could be taken permanently in order to create more space in the right of way between Harvard Ave and the Franklin St bridge. A vertical barrier such as planters (see photo below) or bollards should be provided in the buffered bike lane. Bike lanes elsewhere in Boston, even with a paint buffer, are routinely blocked by cars driving or parking in them, while cycletracks (bike lanes with a physical barrier between bikes and cars) are very effective in separating bicycle and vehicle traffic, without relying on police enforcement. Cycletracks also provide a greater feeling of safety to cyclists using the bike lane, encouraging families and other risk-averse cyclists to use them. Heavy volumes of bike traffic turn left at both Harvard Ave and Lincoln St. Safe accommodations must be made for these turns, with bike boxes, signals, or signage/markings directing cyclists to make a two-stage turn. 4) Safe pedestrian access during construction. During certain phases of the construction there will be no sidewalk on the north side of Cambridge St, and yet there will be no way for pedestrians to safely cross in order to access the sidewalk on the south side. The current plans rely on the stairs and ramp at Mansfield St as an alternative access point during the phase of the project where the Franklin St bridge is reconstructed. Repair of the stairs, which are currently crumbling, should be included in the scope of this project. During construction pedestrians will be directed to cross Cambridge St at Lincoln St, where no signal phase exists for pedestrians to cross without conflicts with turning vehicles. A pedestrian-activated exclusive walk phase and an ADA accessible crosswalk should be installed on the western side of the intersection. For many years Cambridge Street has served as a barrier in the Allston-Brighton community, an ugly and dangerous obstacle separating the two halves of the neighborhood from each other and from accessing other destinations in the region. This project represents a crucial opportunity to begin transforming Cambridge St back into a neighborhood connection, linking Allston Village to the Honan Library and the Gardner School, the river, Harvard University, Cambridge and points north, and linking North Allston residents to the many businesses, jobs and services in Allston Village and beyond. The need to prioritize pedestrians, cyclists and transit users will only grow in the years to come. Census data show that nearly half of households in the vicinity of Cambridge St do not own a car. The current design for the overpass takes several crucial steps away from treating Cambridge St as a highway, and toward treating it as a neighborhood street, but it does not go far enough. The measures proposed in this letter would add to that progress, and make the street safer and more inviting for everyone. Thank you for considering these comments. Sincerely, Allston-Brighton Bikes Galen Mook, President Allston-Brighton Community Development Corporation Allston Civic Association Paul Berkeley Allston Village Main Streets Boston Cyclists Union Pete Stidman, Executive Director Charles River Conservancy CommonWheels Bicycle Co-Op LivableStreets Alliance - Charlie Denison, Advocacy Committee Chair Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition StartupLab Allston

WalkBoston Wendy Landman, Executive Director John Connolly, Boston City Councillor-at Large Elizabeth Adams, 10 Dana St. #412, Cambridge Helen Aki, 5 Gore St Place, Cambridge Priscilla Anderson, 30 Windom St, Allston Mariana Arcaya, 26 Soden St , Cambridge Baylor Bennett, 47 Aberdeen Ave, Cambridge Tom Bertulis, 31 Parkton Rd #1, Boston Stephanie Bianchi, 330 Western Ave, Cambridge Tito Bottitta, 55 Magazine Street, Cambridge Scott Brazelton, 99 Gordon St #16, Allston Monica Briggs, 17 Lourdes Avenue, #3, Jamaica Plain Mitchell Broesder, 8 Murdock Terrace, Brighton Matthew Brooks, 131 Park Drive #2, Boston Jeffrey Bryan, 58 Riverdale St., Allston Robert Buchanan, 27 Walnut Street, #2, Somerville Charlotte Burger, 3 Appian Way, Boston John Carlson, 55 Magazine St., Cambridge Bennett Chaney, 12 A Lopez Street, Cambrige Colleen Clark, 21 William St., Cambridge Todd Consentino, 37 Annafran St, Boston Graham Conway, 53 Brentwood st, Allston Daniel Conway, 22 Mead St #2, Allston Patrick Correia, 81 Brighton Ave. Apt 2, Boston Stewart Craig, 8 Pratt St, Allston Paul Creighton, 10 Park Vale Avenue, Allston Matthew Danish, 53 Ashford Street, Allston Joseph Davin, 21 Parkvale Ave, Allston John Dempsey, 15 Arden St. Apt. 3, Allston Julia Donnelly, 11 Concord Ave, Somerville Andreae Downs, 854 Chestnut, Waban Raphael Dumas, 143 Albany St #136C, Cambridge Elizabeth Egan, 1726 Commonwealth Ave, Brighton Alex Epstein, 278 Beacon Street, Somerville John Eskew, 11 Raymond St, Allston Andrew Facini, 76 Elmira Street, Brighton David M Fenchel, 65 Pleasant Street, Cambridge Paola Ferrer, 19 Royal St. , Allston Rose Filoramo, 9 Park Vale Ave Apt. 4, Allston Ethan Fleming, 9 Brackett St, Brighton Rob Foley, 32 Mansfield St., Boston Marianna Foos, 1384 Commonwealth Ave, Boston Bradley Frank, 1246 Commonwealth Ave, Allston Nina Garfinkle, 7 Holyoke Street, Boston Ralph Gillis, 142 Commercial St. Apt 205, Boston Erin Gilmour, 99 Hooker St, Allston Mitch Glass, 43 Linnaean St, Cambridge Joshua Goldman, 17 Hallam St #3, Boston, MA Paul Gregoire, 271 Pearl St, Cambridge Isaac Gross, 54 Hurd Rd, Belmont Rebecca Gutwin, 7 Pratt St #1, Allston, MA Karl Gutwin, 7 Pratt St, Allston Brandon Hanks, 1404 Commonwealth Ave #3, Boston Rosie Hanlon, 172 Chiswick Road, Brighton Matthew Harless, 32 Raymond St., Allston David Hart, 69 Hovey St, Watertown Jonathan Hart, 72 Strathmore Road #2B, Brighton Daniel Hennessey, 12 Pratt St, Allston Leah Hennessy, 25 Arlington St., Brighton Sean Hooley, 7 Buckingham St, Somerville Michael Iceland, 5 Chilcott Place, Boston Noelle Janka, 34 Robeson St, Apt 2, Boston Stephen Joachim, 9 Park Vale Ave #4, Allston Daniel Kamalic, 44 Cummington St, Boston Diane Kaplan, 337 Allston St , Cambridge, MA Kristine Keeney, 141 Centre St., Roxbury Julia Kester, 108 Elm St, Cambridge Hannah Kohut, 315 Allston St, Brighton Johanna Kovitz, 12 Farrington Ave Apt 4, Allston Sarah Kurpiel, 320 Amory Street Unit 3, Jamaica Plain Jasmine Laietmark, 58 Hobart Street, Brighton Jason Lederer, 53 Howard Street, Cambridge Mark Lussier, 1230 Commonwealth Ave, Allston Emily Manning-Mingle, 72 Verndale Street, Brookline Harry Mattison, 28 Mansfield St, Allston Lisa Mcdonough, 44 Raymond Street, Allston Laurel McMechan, 12 Everett Square, Allston Addison McMechan, 1317 Ogden Street #4, Denver CO 80218 Kevin Meehan, 50 Arlington St, Brighton Joseph Melnick, 10 Eliot St, Somerville David Miller, 726 Commonwealth Ave # 402, Boston Jessica Mink, 77 Neponset Ave., Roslindale, MA Megan Mix, 7 Scottfield Road, Allston Zoe Morosini, 65 Waldemar Avenue, Winthrop Julie Mullany, Loring Park, Minneapolis Kyla Neilan, 34 Brainerd Rd #2, Allston Steven Nutter, 24 Maple Ave , Somerville Kara Oberg, 84 Prince St 4b, Boston Myles O'Brien, Elmore St, Roxbury Brian O'Donnell, 5 Seager Ct, Brighton Alana Olsen, 99 Gordon St #16, Allston Nicole Panas, 24 Aldie St, Allston Joel Parks, 13 Ledgewood Dr, Bedford

Rich Parr, 7 Bagnal Street, Allston Molly Parr, 7 Bagnal Street, Allston Matthew Pearlson, 152 Prince St., Boston Bob Pessek, 9 High Rock Way #1, Allston Edward Popko, 12 Everett Sq., Allston Chris Porter, 28 Lakehill Ave, Arlington Julia Prange Wallerce, 51 Bow Street #1, Somerville Michael Price, 7 Westford St, Allston Kyle Ramey, 457 Mt Auburn St., Camridge LV Randolph III, 929 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge Ben Reed, 45 Houghton St, Somerville Susan Regan, 53 Lawton Street, Brookline Alexandra Reisman, 40 Russell St. #2, Cambridge Parker Reynolds, 1133 Commonwealth Ave, Allston Madelyn Rhenisch, 20A Winship Street, Brighton Julie Riley, 14 Park Vale Ave #4, Allston Colby Riordan, 38 Glencoe St, Brighton Jessica Robertson, 55 Royal St Apt 3, Allston Mike Sanders, Washington Street, Brookline Melissa Santley, 352 Riverway #23, Boston Ruth Scheer, 4 Chiswick Rd. #36, Brighton Leeor Schweitzer, 34 Brainerd St, Boston Brad Searles, 72A Franklin St., Allston

Amie Searles, 72A Franklin St., Allston James Sinclair, 610 beacon St, Boston Rebecca Smith, 268 Broadway, Cambridge Catherine Snedeker, 30 Aldie Street, Allston Charity Stafford, 26 Wadsworth Street, Allston Allegra Stout, 131 Franklin St., Allston Liam Sullivan, 6 Craft Place #3, Jamaica Plain Ray Swartz, 10 High Rock Way, Allston Christopher Thompson, 7 Scottfield Rd. #1, Allston Anthony Toppi, 18 Quint Ave, Boston Laura Troeger, 253 Cambridge Street, Allston Ryan Troy, 3 Appian Way, Boston Devan Vacarelli, 259 Fayette street, Quincy Rita Vaidya, 11 Raymond Street, Allston Christopher Wagner, 10 Islington Street, Allston Ryan Walas, 260 N Harvard St, Allston Ariel Weinberg, 32 James St, Brookline Brent Whelan, 332 N Harvard St, Allston Annie White, 1 Delany Circle, Brighton Anna Wieckowski, 289 Corey Rd Apt. 6, Brighton Andrea Williams, 236 Chestnut St, Cambridge Joshua Wilson, 96 Naples Road Apt. 1, Brookline Elissa Yanover, 27 Osborne Road, Brookline

CC: Senator William Brownsberger Senator Sal DiDomenico Representative Kevin Honan Representative Michael Moran Councillor Marc Ciommo Councillor-at-Large Felix Arroyo Councillor-at-Large John Connolly Councillor-at-Large Ayanna Pressley Commissioner Thomas Tinlin, City of Boston Transportation Department Vineet Gupta, City of Boston Director of Transportation Planning Nicole Freedman, City of Boston Director of Bicycle Programs Captain Wayne Lanchester, Boston Police District 14 Angela Holm, Mayors Liaison to Allston-Brighton Mark Gravallese, Project Manager, MassDOT Highway Division

Median planters in place of fencing:

Bike lane buffered with planters: