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(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers.)
Powder House Blvd used to be the prettiest, safest street in Somerville. It was a tree lined street with plenty of light. Besides the usual 5 o’clock traffic most cars that traveled the Blvd were residents of the West Somerville neighborhood.
Now with the redesign, which was designed by people not from the West Somerville Neighborhood, it has become one of the most dangerous streets in the city.
The 4 way stop signs at the corner of Curtis street are not working. Cars roll right thru them. You cannot even see the stop sign coming down Curtis from Teele Sq. because it is behind a post. Residents are afraid to cross the street. It also makes it impossible for the 3 blind residents to cross.
With the new speed bumps emergency vehicles cannot make it to a call on time, as they need to slow down to go over not one but 3 speed bumps. Those lost seconds matter in an emergency.
The new bike lane, which was not the option discussed during the last community meeting, has narrowed the road, not leaving much room for the cars to travel in both directions. It also does not leave room for cars to park.
There is no center line and with the arrows for the speed bumps and the bike lane it doesn’t look like there is even room for a center line. This is very dangerous with cars driving in both directions, especially at night.
Most of the West Somerville residents are lifelong residents that have taken pride in West Somerville. Our thoughts and ideas should be considered. We already know what works and what doesn’t.
No need for a bike lane. Bikers can utilize Broadway and use Curtis or Packard Ave to cut across. Broadway runs parallel to the Blvd and already has a bike lane.
The lights should be put back at the corner of Curtis. Add a delayed green or a green arrow so cars can turn left onto Curtis coming up from North street. This would help traffic flow.
One speed bump by Dow street is enough or you can paint 3D crosswalks that look like speed bumps or raise the cross walk like you did at the corner of Raymond Ave.
Make the light at the crosswalk in front of the school either blink red or turn to a solid red when pushed. Also teach people to look both ways regardless if light is red. Write “Somerville Cares look both ways” on the crosswalk so the people that look down at their phones will see it and actually pay attention.
Put the center line back and make the street wide again.
Restore the Blvd to the beautiful safe tree lined street that it has been for over 50 years.
-West Somerville Resident
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Agreed. All the city needs to improve the safety of the crosswalks is more/better lighting. What they did to Powder House is ineffective and reactionary.
Thank you West Somerville Resident. Your thoughts are in line with many of the West Somerville Residents. I have been told by a person (in response to my inquiry about “NO TRUCKS”) at state DOT that the jurisdiction regarding trucks on the blvd. Lies with the city. If it belonged to the state then plowing, sweeping, and other road issues would be done by the state. The money wasted on the road changes put in effect by the city is a disgrace. Some of the changes are done for the pleasing of Tufts, not the residents.
What is lost is the use of good ol common sense. Which we seem to have a shortage of these days. Yes,Powder House Blvd WAS the nicest street in the city.
I agree with everything you’ve stated here except one. Unfortunately most people in West Somerville now are not life long residents. That was made clear when I watched the meeting in July at the west somerville school regarding the changes being made to the boulevard. The Bike Nazi brigade was out in full force. See the first meeting they had at the school was not that well attended by that group, so if you watched that one you would have been under the impression that many didn’t want the bike lane or the loss of parking. Well they couldn’t have that so the word went out far and wide and the terrible two wheelers came out in force to tell us how bikes will save the world. I admire what you’ve put here but I have to say you’re fighting a lost war. Joey baloney wants to keep the only good job he has ever had so he will continue to cow tow to the young urbanites and their vegan lifestyle and that means cars=bad, bikes=good. Don’t you know that parking for cars is ruining the world?
Bike Nazis? Really? Every single thing in this poisonous comment represents what is wrong with the right wing meat gobbling alternative energy=bad, carbon spewage=good faction that is rotting the core out of our society and the world at large. Fortunately, this is a relatively small faction that will eventually wither away and vanish like to dodo. It’s just loud, ever since it stumbled onto the internet and made its fat little fingers learn how to operate a keyboard. My question is what kind of a Nazi are you? Never mind, we all already know.
A person who has been a spokeonoperson for the bike group who also works for the U.S. Dept of Transpotatiion, failed to mention that this same agency did a study of bikes in some major cities out westin some major cities in CA, TX, etc., found that after a period of time of operation of bikes in those cities had no major drop in pollution in the cities tested. That in fact the result of heat from the sun on all of the high rise bldgs was the result of pollution readings on those cities. The injection of bike routes on streets built wide enough only for cars resulting in increased traffic congestion will be the only findig in 10 years. The elimination of parking spaces on streets like Powderhouse Blvd. Where are the residents to park their cars. Winter parking, snow storms? Where are residents to go? The city should be requiring Tufts to add parking areas within their areas. A nice parking garage across the street where the tennis courts are by the President’s residence, would be a good location.
A person / the bike group / a study. I’ll need some specific citations before I believe this alleged “study” is anything real. Thanks in advance for the elucidation.
Although bike Nazi is a good description of some of the bikers it certainly does not apply to all. I would prefer not to see this term used at all. I have spent over 50 years biking here and using common sense have yet to have a problem or accident. Now that I am not mobile enough I am watching more aggressive behavior on both sides. I just want to get from point A to B safely and in one piece. I will say I have come very close to taking out some bikers in the last few years which I never had occasion to before. But now that they are running red lights and so forth like motorists it becomes a challenge not to take them out. Ruining the city is not helping it.
Precious, isn’t it, how easily the term “Nazi” is projected towards policies and people we disagree with? It’s especially ironic when it comes from so-called conservatives while a true Nazi occupies the White House. What a time to be alive.