Public Meeting on BU and Craigie (Museum of Science) Bridges
Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR)
Kirsch Auditorium, MIT Stata Center (32 Vassar Street, Cambridge)
Tonight, 6:00pm
Ever noticed how life on foot or on a bike can be a little dicey on the streets of our fair city? You’re not alone. And while most of us just resort to a sturdy helmet and a strong middle finger to deal with life’s little indignities, the folks at LivableStreets Alliance are doing much more.
Based in Cambridge, LivableStreets Alliance is all about making our streets more…well, livable, by advocating for better transit options that don’t involve driving. That means better public transportation and streets that are designed to be friendlier to bikes and pedestrians. The organization actively lobbies government to take pedestrians and cyclists into account when streets and bridges are being redesigned, and also hosts talks and events aimed at educating the public about what goes into a good streetscape. The LivableStreets Alliance newsletter is a great way to help you stay on top of what’s new in the struggle.
Post contributed by Alex of Urban Boston. Image tagged Bostonist by MS2171.
The organization encourages everyone to come out tonight to a Department of Conservation and Recreation meeting about the future of the BU and Museum of Science bridges, to make sure they are designed not just for cars, but with people and bikes in mind, too. Although the DCR promised bridges that would work for everyone, we won’t believe it ‘til we see it. [See the bridge program recently presented.]
Plenty of other bike-friendly events are coming up. Tomorrow night, the MassBike Thirsty Riders Club meets at Coogan’s Pub (171 Milk Street) from 6 to 9pm. Beers will be had and biking will be discussed. On a more serious note, Thursday, Livable Streets hosts a Boston Bikes Update at 7pm at the BPL. Nicole Freedman, Boston's Director of Bicycle Programs, will report on the current state of biking in the city and how it can be improved.
On February 5, LivableStreets Alliance brings Enrique Penalosa to Boston to discuss the notion of "urban happiness". A former mayor of Bogota, Colombia, Penalosa redesigned streets, improved public transit, and generally made his city much better for people who got around without a car. As the LivableStreets Alliance press release says, Penalosa “helped transform Bogota's attitude from one of negative hopelessness to one of pride and hope.” Sounds pretty good, right? We hope our mayor and his transportation chief think so, too.
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