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Broadway Bus Lanes Forum at the Somerville Media Center Main Studio with Kat Powers (moderator), Mike Capuano (panelist), and Chris Dwan (panelist)
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Man, that was like watching Ivan Drago in there against Apollo Creed. “Throw in the towel”!!!
Bravo Mike.
I echo Tim. Mike did a GREAT job articulating the average person’s opinions.
This debate is actually part of a publicity tour for Mike Capuano’s upcoming book: “Equitable? What does that even mean? — How I overcame being a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus to publicly advocate against transportation improvements in my hometown.”
“Sure, I used to run as a progressive politician, but now that I’ve lost public office I realize it is much easier to just complain about things while offering no meaningful solutions.”
“It is better for the environment if we just keep the roads open exclusively to automobiles. Because when cars can drive faster they create less pollution.”
“You know what would make crossing Broadway safer for pedestrians? Not walking across Broadway! You get to Broadway however you want, then you get into a car and cross the street in the car. That’s how you make Broadway safer for pedestrians. It’s just common sense, which I know a thing or two about. It’s also equitable because now everyone is in a car.”
“Yes, studies performed by the city show that the the bus lane made Broadway safer, did not meaningfully increase transit time for vehicles, and led to increased uses of other forms of transportation, but WHERE ARE THE STUDIES? That’s what I want know. Where are the studies that draw the conclusion I am looking for, which is that changing the city in ways that do not directly benefit me is bad.”
“I am proud that they named a Somerville school after me. Although I have recently petitioned the school to replace their turf field with a parking lot to honor my values and ongoing contribution to the city of Somerville.”
“Former congressman John Lewis once said of me ‘(he is) a champion and fierce advocate for those who have often been forgotten or left behind.’ I’ll tell you one thing, Congressman Lewis, I am proud to ‘leave behind’ those suckers who have to walk, ride, or take a bus to get to work! Get in a car you losers, or get out of my way.”
“Although traffic on Broadway was just as bad and dangerous crashes were more common, I liked it better in the old days. Back then when I sat in traffic I didn’t have to think ‘could there be a better way?’ Now when I drive I am confronted with the possibility that I am wrong, which makes me uncomfortable. We need to change it back to no choices.”
Mike’s definition of equity is braindead. The number of people using cars vs other transportation (buses, trains, foot, wheel) is directly impacted by the infrastructure and services available. Dedicate more to cars, more people use cars. We shouldn’t design the city for people driving through Somerville, we should design it for how we want to live here.
Gee, if only there was a place to find information about things going on where you live, like before a thing happens…
https://www.thesomervilletimes.com/archives/89188
Should we tell Mike about newspapers? He seems uninterested in all the other routes–besides the city notices you can sign up for, the neighborhood groups on facebook and non-facebook blogs, twitter, Nextdoor, the email lists…
What does he need, a concierge to ask him about all future bike lanes? Sorry–plenty of us don’t have staff for that kind of thing and manage to stay involved with our neighborhood by various means. Not everyone can get to every meeting–but if you actually participated with your neighborhood group someone could go and represent the group, or report back with the issues. Gosh, if only this had existed. [Narrator: it did exist. I went to the Winter Hill in Motion meetings]
Now that I think of it, I didn’t see him in the MBTA Better Bus meetings either. He better get his concierge on that, he might not like it.
Wow the bike advocates are coming for Mike in these comments. I think they are just mad that he made some good points. I too live in winter hill and the bike lane was a total shock to me and I hate it – and I take the bus. It doesn’t actually make my commute any better and has resulted in traffic and idling cars on Broadway 7 days a week. Winter Hill in Motion sounds like a group about ADA issues – I talked to Jessie Clingan and even he agreed the name was misleading. Most people in my neighborhood had no idea any meetings were being held before the change was implemented and we feel that our opinions were not solicited and have been disregarded. No one in my neighborhood considers the bus lane a success.
Anyone saying that the bus lane on broadway hasn’t improved the commute is delusional or didn’t live on Winter Hill prior to them. Back before there were bus lanes, if I missed the bus, I could jog from the top of Winter Hill all the way to Sullivan an count on making it there either just before or just after the bus because the bus was stuck in traffic. They’d also get log jammed and you’d end up with two leap frogging each other. That’s no longer the case.
Jon. I have lived in Winter Hill for 20 years. That is your experience. My personal experience is that it is not an improvement. Please respect other people’s opinions, even if you don’t agree with them, and please don’t use unkind words.