Around Town

Watertown Residents Wanted to Apply for Zoning Board, Planning Board, Bicycle & Pedestrian Commission

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Watertown residents can apply to be on the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee. See more details, below. City Manager George J. Proakis is inviting Watertown residents to apply for membership on the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee. Interested applicants should complete and submit a Universal Application. The Planning Board is involved in long and short-range planning as well as implementation of the City’s land use regulations.

Around Town

LETTER: Questions About New Position on Traffic Commission

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By Linda ScottWatertown Resident

Democracy?  I know you’re out there somewhere…

This is not a letter that I could even imagine having to write, but here goes. When I looked at Tuesday night’s agenda for the City Council meeting, I noticed an unusual item. Then I started getting phone calls. Other people were curious about this item as well. So I got curious. Why would there be a sudden change to the structure of the Traffic Commission without any visible input from them?

Government

Watertown Looking at Closing “Little Greenough” on Weekends for Recreation

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A screenshot of a Google Map showing the section of Greenough Boulevard that Town officials are looking at closing on weekends. A Town Council Subcommittee supported the idea of doing a pilot program to close a portion of Greenough Boulevards to traffic on weekends during parts of the year, similar to Memorial Drive in Cambridge. The section of the roadway, sometimes called Little Greenough, runs between North Beacon and Arsenal streets, and provides a link between the two thoroughfares. On Dec. 10, the Committee on Economic Development and Planning voted to recommend that the full Council request that the state do a pilot study of closing the road on the weekends during the spring, summer and fall, and examine the impact on traffic.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee

Deadline Coming Up to Take Watertown’s Bike & Pedestrian Plan Survey

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The following announcement came from the Town of Watertown:

Watertown encourages active transportation — walking, biking and transit — to help reduce congestion, and improve both air quality and public health. The Watertown Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan will help achieve those goals by identifying and prioritizing future improvements to the Town’s streets and walkways, making it easier for people of all ages and abilities to choose more active forms of transportation. The plan will identify new and improved bicycle and pedestrian connections in Watertown and to the region’s larger active transportation network, to help people get where they want to go easily and safely, and car-free. 

The Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee also provided the following information:

The Town of Watertown is developing a Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. The Plan will establish short and long term goals to improve upon the Town’s pedestrian and bicycling infrastructure, policies, and programs, and will make recommendations on how to reach identified goals. Implementation of this plan will make transportation safer and more convenient within Watertown and to neighboring towns for all users, improve the Town vibrancy, and expand transportation mode choices. Public input is critical to the creation of the plan.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee

Changes on Common Street Will Help Cyclists, Bike Path Planned on Marshall Street

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Changes will be made to help bicyclists get through and around one of Watertown’s more tricky intersections. 

The Department of Public Work is finalizing plans to restructure the Common Street intersection with Orchard Street and Church Street, as well as the nearby Common Street and Spring Street intersection. Common Street at Orchard and Church streets will become a rotary, and bicyclists can either follow the roadway around the round-about, or use the pedestrian paths around the edge. Heading toward Mt. Auburn Street, members of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee had questions about whether bicycles should be encouraged to stay on Common Street, or continue down Spring and use another side street to get to Mt. Auburn.

Around Town

Watertown Moves Bike Event Happening This Sunday Along the Charles

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Live Well Watertown, the Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee and Bay State Bike Week will host a special bicycle event along the shores of the Charles River. The event was rescheduled from last Sunday due to rain. The Watertown Moves Bike Event will be on Sunday, May 21, 2017, from 2-4 p.m. at the Watertown Square Dock (at the Galen St. Bridge on the Charles River). The groups sent out the following announcement:

Dig your bike out of the basement, garage, or shed and bring it down for a free check-up and get some bike safety tips from Commonwheels friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Around Town

Celebrate the New Charles River Path, Park & Join a Guided Walk or Bike Ride

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Come out to see the improved Charles River Path, the new park along the river, and join in a guided walk or bike ride around the area or just enjoy the park and play some games. 

The event will be on Sunday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. t0 1 p.m., and is part of Watertown Moves. The event is sponsored by Live Well Watertown and the Watertown Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, and co-sponsored by Livable Watertown. The activities will be held a the newly refurbished Watertown Riverfront Park, featuring the Braille Trail, on Charles River Road at Irving Street (see the map below). Knucklebones will be at the park to facilitate games and group activities.