Concerning the Boston Complete Streets Guide

I sent this email to bostoncompletestreets.org. I'm hopeful that they will respond.


Greetings,

I was delighted to here Vineet Gupta's presentation to Livable Streets last week, but I was rather dismayed to look over the Complete Streets Guidelines and read nothing about rail-based transit, nor hear much mention of it from Mr. Gupta. Although Boston has one of the more comprehensive rail systems in the nation, there is clearly a need to expand the system within and outside of the city. It is difficult to be "complete" without considering subway and above-ground rail stations, which are the ultimate place-makers in Boston and most other major cities. I am well aware of the financing problems concerning rail expansion, specifically the glaring problem that Boston cities are directly responsible for funding their own streets but not their rail. I'm also well aware that the there is no state bonding capacity left to fund new projects. This means that the city must step up and fund its own rail improvements, essentially through charging more for driving and parking. We are already starting to see the consequences of neglecting rail, as demonstrated in the projects like East Broadway in Somerville and Mass Ave in Arlington, where lane reductions would preclude the ability to install (restore in fact) quality modern streetcar service on two transit-starved corridors. Please update the guidelines to reflect how existing and new rail is fundamental to complete streets. I would appreciate hearing from someone about this important issue, especially is there is any rational for omitting rail service from the guide.

Thank you,
Andy Likuski
Graduate Student of Tufts Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning