The Manager's report back on South Massachusetts Avenue project community outreach and engagement

In response to Policy Order O-3 dated June 25, 2018 requesting that the City provide as many engagement opportunities as possible as part of the South Mass. Avenue project, and specifically targeted at engaging the senior community, we submit the following.

The South Massachusetts Avenue Safety Improvement project is the latest project that

the Community Development, Traffic, Parking and Transportation and Public Works departments have undertaken in support of the City’s commitment to Vision Zero, which the City Council adopted in spring 2016, to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries on streets. Aligned with this commitment, the City has undertaken the South Massachusetts Avenue project to improve safety and reliability for users of the street, particularly for those who walk, cycle and take transit. The work will be accomplished through quick-build methods such as re-striping, signal re-timing, signage and installation of materials like flex-posts.

Learning from the experience of past projects, we designed a robust community engagement process to inform the South Massachusetts Avenue Improvement project. This included an advisory committee of stakeholders with diverse interests and backgrounds to provide continued input on the project, in-person public meetings, online engagement, on-site engagement and information/outreach tables at public events.

All ages are welcome at outreach events for the project and we are hosting outreach tables at community events and gathering places such as the Central Flea, Central Square Farmer’s Market, and Screen on the Green at Green Rose Heritage Park in the Port. The survey provided an opportunity for people to comment from the comfort of their homes. In addition, we have created engagement opportunities at locations convenient to seniors such as the Citywide Senior Center, JFK Apartments and Manning Apartments and will also present the project at the senior town meeting in August.

The draft conceptual design, which includes separated bicycle lanes, a new crosswalk and several sections of exclusive bus lanes, was developed with input received through a community engagement process which, to date, has included the following.

Advisory Committee

o The City Manager appointed a South Massachusetts Avenue Advisory Committee that includes residents of Cambridgeport and The Port, and representatives from businesses and institutions, pedestrian and bicycle advocacy groups and the City’s standing pedestrian, bicycle and transit advisory committees. Three Advisory Committee meetings were held in spring 2018.

Public meetings

o Two open public meetings on May 3rd and June 19th

Survey and Online engagement

o Survey on the project web site (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LRWH76Q) and via paper copy, provided an opportunity to give information and comments o A wiki map on project web site (http://wikimapping.com/wikimap/Massachusetts-Avenue-Sidney-Street- to-Memorial-Drive-Public-Comment-Map.html#.W04AeNJKjcu) that provided people an opportunity to identify places of concern and make comments

On-site Outreach

o Door to door business outreach on June 12th reached over 20 businesses along the corridor o Walking tour with Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian committee members on

May 24th

Neighborhood or other Presentations

o Update to the Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association at LBJ

Apartments on June 20th

Information/Outreach Tables, including survey distribution and input opportunities: o Cambridge City Wide Senior Center on June 25th o A Taste of Cambridge on July 10th o Central Flea on Sunday July 15th

Additional outreach events, including those targeted towards seniors, are planned as follows:

Advisory Committee

o An additional meeting of the project Advisory Committee is planned for later this summer to review the final plan.

Public Meetings

o A public open house is planned to share the final plan this fall.

Presentations focused on Seniors

o Presentation at the Senior Town Meeting at the Citywide Senior Center on Aug. 2nd o Presentation at coffee hours at JFK Apartments in early August o Presentation at coffee hours at Manning Apartments in early August

Information /Outreach Tables

o Central Square Farmer’s Market on July 30th o Screen on the Green at Green Rose Heritage Park on Aug. 1st o Central Flea and/or Farmer’s Market in August (dates TBD)

As outreach continues, the conceptual plan for the corridor will continue to be refined. Implementation of the project is planned for Fall 2018. Ahead of installing changes such as exclusive bus lanes, changes to the location of parking, and installation of a separated bicycle lanes, we will include additional outreach to corridor users using email, web and social media updates as well as on-site information.