The quality of life in our village centers relies on these business districts being pedestrian-friendly. But it’s also vital for residents to be able to walk to the village centers.

While the cold of winter may drive some of us into our cars, it’s really snow and ice on sidewalks that make people less likely to amble down to their village center. To date, the City of Newton has been unable or reluctant to require residents to clear their sidewalks of snow. But that could change next week.
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Mayor Setti Warren is hosting a Community Meeting on Safety at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 27, at Newton North High School. All are welcome. The mayor’s goal is to “explore ways to make Newton a safer city for travelers of all ages.” All Newton residents and employees can participate in break-out discussion groups or sign up to participate in future subcommittee meetings.

Newton Villages was created to foster community involvement in planning for the future of our village centers. Walk-ability ranks high among the qualities that make these public spaces enjoyable. Yet, we want the village centers to be safe and convenient for everyone. That means walkers, joggers, parents pushing strollers, bicyclists, the physically disabled, senior citizens, people commuting by bus, trolley, or train, and people driving personal cars or commercial vehicles.

Come to Wednesday’s meeting to share your thoughts. The event is being co-sponsored by Newton Villages, the League of Women Voters, Bike Newton, and Bike and Pedestrian Task Force. For more information, please contact David Koses at 617.796.1133 or dkoses@newtonma.gov.

Interested in traffic solutions, transportation modes, and what makes an enjoyable street or square? Consider attending a presentation by Ben Hamilton-Baillie tomorrow night in Boston’s Downtown Crossing.

Architect and urban designer Hamilton-Baillie will talk about “shared streets” and how to reconcile traffic movement with good urban design.  Organizers of the event say his “work is creative, his expression is whimsical, and his practice is forward thinking.”

The event is sponsored by the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance together with MAPC’s MetroFuture initiative.

Attendance is free but space is limited. Get more information, directions, and register.

Join Historic Newton volunteers for walking tours of two of the city’s historic villages, both of which sprang to life around the mill industry on the Charles River.

Lower Falls circa 1905, from the collection of Historic Newton. Click for more historic images.

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Findings of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute pedestrian study illustrate that the city has room for improvement for safe walking in at least four villages.

The findings appear on the website of the League of Women Voters of Newton, in a new section addressing the group’s efforts to study pedestrian mobility.

You may download the findings for each village from the LWVN page, or download the PowerPoint presentation (large file) here: WPI presentation.

The league collaborated with the city’s planning department to sponsor this study by Worcester Polytechnic Institute students. The student group studied existing conditions and possible improvements to pedestrian crosswalks and other facilities in Newton Centre, Newton Corner, Chestnut Hill, and West Newton.

The study identified pedestrian problems in four villages, including 12 problems in Newton Corner.

During April, a group of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) students is studying pedestrian mobility in the city.

The group is focusing on improving pedestrian mobility in three village centers and in Chestnut Hill. For more details, download the complete research proposal (a PDF file).

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