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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

The Word Around The Ward...

This is a new Ward 5 Online feature that publishes little snippets of information. Let me know how you like it!~Courtney O'Keefe

The Traffic Engineer was spotted cruising by Alpine Street to check out the traffic flow change implemented on Monday. As you all know, Alpine Street is now a one-way coming from Cedar to the fork with Princeton Street. Princeton is still a two-way.

Things are rocking around Maxwell's Green these days. A beautiful retaining wall between the tracks and the development has been constructed and the ramp going up to Lowell Street is really taking shape. Princeton Street residents, however, still battle with the sound and dust coming from the site and take solace in every noise-free moment they can get.

Abutters surrounding the Linden Avenue project had questions answered this past Tuesday at the Dante Club by the developers, architect, and their attorney at a neighborhood meeting scheduled by Alderman Sean O'Donovan and facilitated by Alderman-At-Large Bruce Desmond.

There's nothing like watching parades of people filing in to Lil' Vinny's in Magoun Square on Saturday night! The Ward 5 eatery just reopened with a new chef and updated menu. Check it out this weekend!

Just when the BOA thought they were going on vacation this summer with the end-of-July and beginning-of-August meetings cancelled by President/Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz; Mayor Curtatone has summer plans of his own with the GIC health insurance plan he advocated for. Finance Committee meetings have been scheduled to discuss the controversial plan.

The in-house Magoun Square meeting has yet to be scheduled as Alderman Sean O'Donovan deals with a family health emergency. This meeting comes in response to a report compiled by OSPCD on business in the newly renovated square and is being held in Magoun to get more business owners and concerned residents to attend. If this is something that interests you, please be sure to email Alderman O'Donovan through the Alderman page here on Ward 5 Online.

Today marked yet another power outage in Somerville. An issue in Everett caused parts of Charlestown and the 'Ville to lose power for around three hours. For those of you playing at home, NStar is set to be at City Hall soon via orders submitted to the Board of Alderman by Alderman At Large, Jack Connolly; Ward 7 Alderman Bob Trane and, of course, Alderman O'Donovan who chairs the Committee on Public Works and Utilities.

15 comments:

Jenn Keizer Roth said...

Love the new feature!
Are you looking for info from others (and filtering if need be) or gathering all on your own?

Courtney said...

I would appreciate good info from others, but will be filtering everything.

By all means, send it over!

Anonymous said...

I really like it!

John Cole said...

WHAT?! I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE %$@*&!! NOISE!

HEY, THE DIESEL FUMES ARE A TREAT, TOO!!

Nice new feature, Courtney.

Ron Newman said...

Why was Alpine Street changed to one-way? It is a popular street for bicyclists going both directions until the Community Path is extended. Putting up a silly 'Do Not Enter' sign isn't going to change that.

Courtney said...

The change is being trialed for 90 days at the request of residents.

Ron Newman said...

Thanks. Do you know why they requested it? Putting 'Except Bicycles' under 'Do Not Enter' would be a good idea (and would reflect reality)

Anonymous said...

Even though one-way, bicyclists are still going in both directions even when a policeman is present.

The one-way---for one reason and one reason only. With legally parked resident cars and service trucks, there is only ONE LANE serving vehicle traffic from east and west directions.

With the enhanced volume of traffic these days, and particularly during the winter snow months, there have been problems which prompted residents to seek relief via petitoning that portion of Alpine Street to be made one-way.

When bicyclists pay to put their bicycles on the road comparable to what a motorists pays to put their vehicles on the road; and if the shoe fits, pay taxes on property that impacted Alpine Street homeowners pay.....then the bicycle owners may have some input as to a street being made one-way, or not. Until then, bicyclists must just go with the flow---no pun intended.

Anonymous said...

WHAT?

Persons on bicycles using the street instead of the sidewalk!!!

What is this world coming to!?!?

What about all the hundred or so other Somerville streets made one-way?

How about the fact that persons on bicycles, by law must wear a helmet and most don't; and are required to comply with all laws applying to moving motor vehicles and fail to do so.

Before bicyclists complain about Alpine Street being made one way---they should clean up their own act. Respect pedistrians in cross-walks, stop at red lights, stop weaving in and out of motor traffic traffic, give hand signals on turns, go with the flow of traffic on one way streets, etc. etc.

Anonymous said...

Only passengers under 5 and riders under 17 are required to wear a helmet in Massachusetts.

http://www.helmets.org/mandator.htm

Anonymous said...

When is the last time you saw one under 17 wearing a helmet?

For the most part the under 17's are causing/creating the most dangerous scenarios on sidewalks, streets,----and city playgrounds.

Anonymous said...

Anyone who wonders why Alpine Street was made one way without having lived on the street; or absent that, experienced driving that street when it was two way; more so in the winter time after plowable snow has fallen; has no business voicing their disapproval against it now being one way.

That one way portion of the street cannot accommodate three small cars abreast.
Legally parked vehicles reduce the vehicles [including trucks, trailers, and fire apparatus] traveling in opposite directions, to using the same lane.

Meaning one vehicle or the other must "give way"--[back-up/move over] to the other for traffic flow to continue.

Anonymous said...

By the way Ron, what's the big deal about bicyclists being "disadvantaged" because Alpine is now 1-way!?!?

If one is intent to continue going east off the bike path that ends at Cedar Street, he/she simply picks up Alpine (now) one-way going east from Cedar Street. Nothing has changed for the bicyclist in that respect.

Now if a bicyclist wants to pick up the bike path going west, off of Cedar Street, he/she simply uses Albion Street; which is one-way going west to Cedar Street.
Albion being only one block south of Alpine from Lowell Street.

In effect, bicyclists have not been negatively impacted by Alpine being designated one-way.

Anonymous said...

While Ron Newman's posts are oftentimes interesting,and invite participation and responses; it would be nice if he responded to rebuttals to his comments (from others not in agreement) re some of his comments. Specifically (his)comments regarding Alpine Street being made one-way---and his assertion that bicyclists have been negatively impacted as a result of a portion of Alpine being made one-way as a result of a overwhelming number of residents wanting it one way.
Many of these same residents adult bicycle riders.

Anonymous said...

"When bicyclists pay to put their bicycles on the road comparable to what a motorists pays to put their vehicles on the road; and if the shoe fits, pay taxes on property that impacted Alpine Street homeowners pay.....then the bicycle owners may have some input as to a street being made one-way, or not. Until then, bicyclists must just go with the flow---no pun intended. "

Seriously?

Local streets are paid for by general local taxes that everyone contributes to (the gas tax only funds state roads).

By this logic, does this mean that pedestrians and people who don't own cars have no right to an opinion about what their street should look like? Traffic on our streets affect everyone, not just those who own a car.