Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced on Friday that applications are available for the 2018 Neighborhood Slow Streets program:
“The Neighborhood Slow Streets program is a community-based effort to reduce speeds and improve the quality of life on Boston’s local streets. Neighborhoods associations, community groups, faith-based institutions and other organized groups of neighbors are invited to apply to the program… All completed applications will be evaluated using the same objective criteria. The top-scoring three to five neighborhoods will be selected, and the community process and design of each new zone is expected to be completed by early 2020.”
Goals of the program are to reduce drivers to 20 MPH ,and make streets feel more inviting to everyone including walkers and bicyclists. The deadline for applications is Friday, August 24, 2018.
The pilot program for Slow Streets was implemented in 2017 in the Talbot Norfolk Triangle in Dorchester, and the Stonybrook neighborhood of Jamaica Plain:
“Talbot-Norfolk Triangle resident Tiffany Cogell said, ‘Neighborhood Slow Streets puts the power of safe infrastructure changes into the hands of residents while allowing them the opportunity to interact directly with the City. It creates opportunities for deeper engagement between the local government and residents, and gives residents the chance to voice their opinions and lived expertise. It saves lives and is a great benefit to every community that is able to participate.’ “