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Dear Editor,
We write in response to correct false information regarding bus and bicycle lane policy in the August 24, 2023 article attributed to Tara Vocino that states that we “allowed the MBTA to bring its terrible policies to Malden”.
First of all, as former Councillor (Neil) Kinnon well knows, two City Councillors cannot enact city policies, only a majority of the City Council can. The Traffic Commission or the Mayor can also do so. In fact, first the Mayor in October 2016 signed and then the City Council in 2018 led by Councillor (Peg) Crowe voted 8–0 to approve the City’s “Complete Streets Policy”. That policy specifically states that:
“The City of Malden recognizes that the users of various modes of transportation, including, but not limited to, pedestrians, cyclists, transit and school bus riders, motorists, delivery and service personnel, freight haulers, and emergency responders are legitimate users of roadways and deserve safe accessibility. ‘All Users’ includes users of all ages, abilities, and income levels.”
The Policy further states that “Complete Streets design recommendations shall be incorporated into all publicly and privately funded projects”
The Mayor and Councillor Crowe led a “Complete Streets Task Force” in 2017 that held community meetings and ranked projects based on four criteria including safety and public input. Three of the top five ranked projects were on Centre Street, with safety being a key concern.
Second, a majority of the City Council approved the installation of the Centre Street bus lanes with conditions. In 2020, the MBTA independently conducted a study of the bus routes most delayed by traffic congestion and proposed to implement bus lanes and traffic signal improvements along ten roads in six communities including Centre Street in Malden, and major streets in Revere, Lynn, Somerville, Boston and Brookline. The MBTA approached Malden to support a $1 million grant to implement a pilot project along Centre Street at no cost to the City.
City and MBTA staff in late 2021 and early 2022 at the behest of the City Council undertook an intense due diligence review of the proposal, including a review of pre-COVID traffic data and various iterations of the design that incorporated a new turn lane at Canal Street at Councillor Crowe’s request. After that review the City Council voted to approve the project with the condition that the traffic signal improvements occur first.
Unfortunately, Malden’s traffic signals along Centre Street date back decades, akin to “rotary phone” technology. Mr. Kinnon served for years on the City Council and his leadership helped contribute to under investment in roads, particularly Centre Street. Former Councillor Kinnon led the effort that diverted money raised from the new buildings in Downtown Malden that could have best been invested in improving those signals along Centre Street. The MBTA could not readily implement the traffic signal improvements due to the age of traffic signal control equipment and delays in obtaining and installing the new control equipment are a key reason congestion remains.
The article incorrectly states that the project creates safety issues. Malden High students and crossing guards had been asking for safety improvements at Centre and Ferry before 2020. The Centre Street project improves safety by significantly reducing speeds approaching Holden and Ferry Street near Malden High and Cheverus. The typical speed near Malden High and Cheverus has been reduced from 35 MPH to 25 MPH consistent with speeds on the rest of Route 60. The Centre Street project improves safety of motorists who drive and residents who cross Centre Street. Crash rates along Centre Street have been reduced 22% since the inception of the project when compared to a comparable pre-COVID period (from 77 crashes in January 2018 to June 2019 to 60 crashes from January 2022 to June 2023). The recent article falsely claims that bus and bike lane projects will contribute crashes elsewhere. In fact, the Centre Project has not done so. During those same periods, crashes citywide did not change, falling less than 1% (MA DOT Crash Portal Data).
Mr. Kinnon’s concerns about projects diverting traffic into neighborhoods is almost laughable considering residents of side streets near his current place of business, the Mystic Valley Charter School, face a steady stream of cars rushing to school drop off and clogging nearby streets at pick-up. Apparently MVRCS feels ensuring safety for its students warrants delaying traffic in Maplewood with multiple crosswalks often served by multiple crossing guards paid for by the taxpayers of Malden. All Malden students deserve the level of the safety provided to MVRCS students. Meanwhile MVRCS plans to add to congestion delays with its “expand and cram” plans to add more out-of-town students without any consideration of expanding outside Malden.
We do understand that the Centre Street Project has not met the expectations we and other fellow Councillors set when this pilot was undertaken. To keep Malden moving and to keep our streets safe for all, we need to continue to pursue policies that focus on mobility and safety for all. Rather than going backward to the 1970’s, we think the best thing to do is understand what we can do better and pursue the tens of millions in funding that can take Malden major roads into the 21st Century.
Signed,
Stephen Winslow, Ward 6 City Councillor / Former Councillor at Large
Ryan O’Malley, Ward 4 Councillor
References:
Malden Complete Streets Policy and Taskforce:
https://www.cityofmalden.org/284/Complete-Streets-Taskforce
MBTA Bus Projects:
https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/126389/mbta-bus-projects/
Part 2
Letter to the Editor: Malden ‘s Major Roads Will Continue to Crumble If We Focus on Speedways Rather Than Safe Streets For All
The City of Malden has for over 80 years relied on state and federal funds to pay for construction of our major roadways. Broadway / Route 99 received state funds in the 1950’s, the City created the Centre Street stretch of Route 60 with Federal Urban Renewal Funds in the 1970’s and the Eastern Avenue section of Route 60 was re-built in the 1990’s when MWRA installed a new water line and was restriped as a two-lane road to improve safety. Costs to reconstruct our major roads approaches or exceeds $10 million dollars a mile, well beyond the $1.5 million the City receives each year from the state now and also beyond the additional $3 to $5 million in local taxes the City dedicates to our streets. With 108 miles of road, the City must continue to seek state and federal funds to rebuild our major roads. Malden’s major roads were designed in the heyday of highway construction that funded road projects that tore down homes and businesses in Malden and other urban communities with the thought that wider and faster roads could keep ahead of increasing congestion.
Federal and state transportation programs focus on moving people and goods, rather than simply motor vehicles. The City will not be eligible to apply or receive federal or state funds to upgrade our major roads and traffic signals unless projects comply with current design guidelines that consider and accommodate all forms of transportation including transit and bicycling. As communities such as Lynn, Everett and Revere receive tens of millions of new federal funds to re-build their major roads in urban communities, Malden will lose out if it clings to a 1970’s approach to transportation.
Railroads, trolleys and walking created the underlying network of transportation that continues to serve many Maldonians today. A substantial portion of Maldonians, 40%, do not rely on autos as their main form of transportation. The bus stop by Stop and Shop serves many Maldonians and shoppers going to Asian food store on Broadway and Commercial Street want bus stops too. Federal “Commute to Work data cited in the article under report walking and bicycling since they only report on the longest leg of a commute and do not report on shopping or school trips. A 2018 study for the Oak Grove Station showed that 22% of the commuters using Oak Grove station walk and 10% bike, federal surveys report those as transit trips. With the cost of buying autos going further out of reach, use of e-bikes and e-scooters has increased so Malden needs to build streets that provide more safe options. The creation of the popular Northern Strand Trail and bike cages at both Oak Grove and Malden show that given safe places to ride, more Maldonians will choose bicycling.
We do understand that the Centre Street Project has not met the expectations we and other fellow Councillors set when this pilot was undertaken. To keep Malden moving and to keep our streets safe for all, we need to continue to pursue policies designs that focus on mobility and safety for all. Rather than going backward and let our roads from the 1970’s crumble, we think the best thing to do is understand what we can do better and pursue the tens of millions in funding that can take Malden major roads into the 21st Century.
Stephen Winslow, Ward 6 City Councillor / Former Councillor at Large
Ryan O’Malley, Ward 4 Councillor
