Jamaica Pond Access Enhancements at Perkins Street and Parkman Drive

On Tuesday April 11, 2017 at a well-attended meeting of stakeholders, the Mass. Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), City of Boston Department of Parks and Recreation, and their engineering and design contractor BETA Group revealed plans for pedestrian and cycling access improvements at the intersection of Parkman Drive and Perkins Street and near the Cabot Estate entrance at Jamaica Pond. The plans include two sets of crosswalks, new paths and sidewalks as well as new traffic signals.

Click for larger image

Vehicle travel lanes on Perkins near the intersection will be narrowed to provide traffic calming and to reclaim greenspace adjacent to the pond. A new island west of Parkman, a concrete median between Cabot and Parkman, a bump-out at the Cabot crosswalk and widened sidewalks to the north are planned to enhance safety for pedestrians in the area. Plans call for the creation of two new ADA-compliant paths connecting the crosswalks to the main Pond-side recreational path while reducing erosion. Though five existing trees will be lost, ten new ones will be planted.

The plan for these safety and access improvements seemed generally well received by those in attendance, with spirited community input commenting on various details. Concerns were raised about whether the plan provides enhanced bicycle safety in the corridor, how the light cycles would function and whether "desire lines" of pedestrian behavior had been covered. It was noted that the community still awaits an access path to the Parkman Memorial from the Pond. JPNC Chair Kevin Moloney expressed gratitude that a plan was moving forward and asked for continued focus on the related Centre Street improvements between the VFW Parkway and Murray Circle as well as the more complex Arborway corridor improvements which have not reached the "25% Plan" stage eighteen months after the last community update. Mark Tedrow of the LivableStreets Alliance questioned whether the crosswalks at Parkman would provide maximal pedestrian safety. Peter Furth, speaking on behalf of the Boston Cyclist's Union, questioned whether the plans took advantage of contemporary best practices for cycling safety and called for consideration of a modern roundabout at the intersection to slow all traffic, not just those stopped at red lights.

DCR said construction staging will be coordinated to reduce rush hour impacts. Their timetable hopes to have most construction complete by year-end, with landscaping coming in Spring 2018. Next steps include taking the plan to the Boston Landmarks Commission next week, to the Mass Historic Commission in about 30 days, with construction bidding taking place this summer and construction beginning this fall.

Projects on the Emerald Necklace

All up and down the Emerald Necklace corridor of parks, from the Fens to Franklin Park, there are projects underway or in the planning stages that will help to preserve, protect, restore and improve access to this vital recreational, pedestrian, cycling and commuting parkway. In partnership with DCR, the City of Boston, Brookline, several green space and neighborhood groups and other sponsoring entities, careful stewardship of Frederick Law Olmsted's legacy will ensure the health of these parks for years to come. The following provides a brief and incomplete summary of many of these projects as well as links to additional information about them. 

You may visit

http://arborwaymatters.blogspot.com/2016/04/may-links.html

for a consolidated list of these resources.

ARBORWAY DCR PARTNERSHIP MATCHING FUNDS PROJECTS -Arborway Coalition

Stone Wall Restoration at Prince and Eliot Streets:

This historic wall has been holding up well, but recently has suffered some damage on the southern end. DCR has been made aware of the issue.

Gateway to theArborway Plan and Implementation:

The old chain-link fence was replaced by a new, lower fence along the Arborway median opposite the Arnold Arboretum. Sections of it have been repaired and relocated in order to improve pedestrian sight lines on the Arborway frontage road, but since that work new damage has occurred that needs to be repaired.

A DCR Partnership Matching Funds Project, the efforts to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety at the Hunnewell Gate crosswalk at the Arboretum are progressing. Expect to see improved signage and crosswalk signals, ladder-style paint and a safer median refuge between the mainline and the frontage road this year.

Annual hillside maintenance and woodlands management by citizen volunteers has resulted in efforts to control invasive species and the planting of many new hickories, redbuds and dogwoods. Many bags of trash were removed by volunteers early this spring.

OTHER INTIATIVES IN THE EMERALD NECKLACE CORRIDOR

A commitment to protect our precious green space includes sustaining the efforts already made previously and supporting new efforts. Some important projects are in the planning stages, some are being designed by architects and engineers, some are under construction, some are awaiting further funding, and some are conceptual gleams in the eyes of dedicated citizens trying to affect positive change in our community through civic engagement.

Casey Arborway Project - MassDOT

Now a little more than a year into what is expected to be a two-year construction process, the Casey Overpass has been demolished and substantial utility work is underway. As the spring and summer progress, we'll see more signs of the new permanent alignment of surface roads, plazas, sidewalks and bike paths, especially east, west and south of the MBTA station. For a detailed look at the demolition and the many positive changes coming to Forest Hills, see the ArborwayMatters blog.

Hazardous Tree Removal on the Parkways – DCR, Olmsted Tree Society, Emerald NecklaceConservancy

Over the winter DCR contractors removed 38 damaged and diseased trees in the corridor identified in a survey of Heritage Trees last year. You may have noticed the small, brass “dog tags” screwed into each mature tree on the sidewalk side about eight feet off the ground. These identify each and every tree in the inventory with detail about their location, size, and health. Though we're all sad to see some of the old trees go, many more new trees are being planted to replace those lost to the allée over the years. With care and maintenance, most will grow strong and tall in years to come. In honor of their 150th year, Ropes & Gray LLP has donated 150 red oaks and two years of their maintenance to the Emerald Necklace. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s Olmsted Tree Society in partnership with Boston Parks & Recreation, Brookline Parks and Open Space, and the DCR continue their important efforts to preserve our tree canopy.

Improved Multi-modal Access to Emerald Necklace Parks in Jamaica Plain - DCR

After several public meetings DCR continues work on ambitious plans to improve multi-modal safety and pedestrian and bicycle facilities in three areas of Jamaica Plain: the intersection of Perkins and Parkman Drive near Jamaica Pond, Centre Street between Weld and the Murray Circle Rotary, and the Arborway between the Pond and the Arboretum. These plans have benefited from engaged community input at every step. The challenges here are great but the potential is enormous for local residents, commuters and recreational users alike. ArborwayMatters has detailed the state of these complex plans as presented to the community in October.

Jamaica Pond and Surrounds

In recent years and months, the boardwalk around Ward’s Pond in Olmsted Park has been replaced and Councilor Matt O'Malley has been instrumental in the installation of a new water bottle refill station at Perkins and the Jamaicaway as well as a sunscreen dispenser at the Jamaica Pond Boathouse (a program now being rolled out nationally). Several benches have been replaced around the pond this spring, but as always with this heavily used and well-loved park, upkeep and maintenance are an ongoing challenge. Ssome of the stone walls along Parkman Drive are in need of repair. Efforts continue by Olmsted 2022 and the Friends of Jamaica Pond to protect the green and verdant backdrop of Hellenic Hill from development that would mar the experience of all who love this park.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossing at Route 9 and Olmsted Park - Brookline Construction is underway to improve one of the greatest safety hazards to recreational and commuter bicycle use along the Emerald Necklace Corridor – the missing Riverway link between Leverett Pond and River Road at Route 9 in the Broookline Village/Longwood area. Decades of planning and advocacy have created an opportunity for significant enhancement, and the Town of Brookline is moving forward with construction this year.

Muddy River Restoration Project in the Back Bay Fens – Army Corps of Engineers, DCR

The Army Corps of Engineers continues their work to improve flood control, water quality and habitat restoration in the Fens while rehabilitating historic Olmsted landscapes in the Muddy River watershed. Phase One of this extensive project which alleviate flood concern and opens portions of the river long buried in culverts to the sky is nearing completion and will transform the look and appeal of the parkland between Park Drive and Avenue de Louis Pasteur.

Roslindale Arboretum Gateway Path Initiative – WalkUP Roslindale, LivableStreets

With bicycle commuting increasing dramatically in the city and with a transformed Forest Hills on the horizon, WalkUP Roslindale is spearheading a plan for a safe and direct bike link between Roslindale Village and Forest Hills. Other organizations participating include Rozzie Bikes, the Arnold Arboretum and the MBTA. The proposed path begins at the Roslindale Square commuter rail platform, continues on a level grade along the southeastern edge of the Arboretum parallel to the commuter rail tracks before connecting with the Bussey Brook Meadow path and continuing to Forest Hills. Simple, useful and easy to implement, the path could provide lasting benefit to the area.

Allandale Woods

The City of Boston is undertaking trailhead maintenance and improvements in the urban wilds of the Allandale Woods, while the Friends of Allandale Woods remains engaged with developers and the BRA over a proposed residential project at 64 Allandale Street.

Engaged participation, watchful care, diligence and responsible stewardship of our shared public resources are an important part of how these projects come about. Your interest and efforts are greatly appreciated and demonstrably effective.

Thank you for your interest and support,

Sarah Freeman, Arborway Coalition

Gerry Wright, Friends of Jamaica Pond/Community Service Care

Clay Harper, ArborwayMatters

Improving Multi-Modal Safety and Access to Emerald Necklace Parks in Jamaica Plain

In mid-October DCR and the Emerald Necklace Conservancy hosted a public meeting to unveil revised planning for safety and access improvements on the Arborway. The project area runs from Eliot Street to South Street in Jamaica Plain, including the Kelley Circle and Murray Circle rotaries - features installed long after Frederick Law Olmsted's original designs for the parkways.

Preliminary plans had been formulated by Toole Design Group with the help of community and advocate input over two chilly nights in February. I described those meetings here:
Blog post on February Meetings

Before their revised plans were revealed, traffic modeling was reviewed, community comments were considered, and revisions were made to the plans.

Toole reviewed the traffic data for the meeting, which showed a few quirks known well to locals: the a.m. peak traffic tends to be split between the center lanes and carriage road, while in the p.m. peaks the geometry of the existing roadways at Kelley Circle sends most of the traffic along the carriage road side, close to the abutting homes. The traffic counts in the chart above were done prior to the Casey-Arborway construction, and reflect typical expected peak volumes. 

In February Toole's research showed that high rates of vehicle speed and poor road design was contributing to an extraordinarily large number of crashes:

Toole then took time to review the safety benefits of modern roundabouts in parkway situations such as these. Signalized intersections can create many points of conflict while modern roundabouts create fewer, which can lead to safer conditions for all modes - cars, bikes and pedestrians:

Project heads announced a phased plan for the project, stating that improvements south of Murray Circle towards Forest Hills - including the Arborway Frontage Road opposite the Arboretum - would have to wait for "Phase 2" because of grading differentials on the mainline Arborway lanes that make that portion of the project more complex and expensive than first anticipated.

That prohibition should not (but does currently) delay the installation of two raised-table crosswalks on the Arborway Frontage Road proposed in the initial design: one at the Hunnewell Gate/Arboretum crosswalk and another proposed at St. Rose Street to cross to the Arborway Hillside trail. That crosswalk was inserted to slow vehicles coming down the Arborway Hillside and to create connectivity towards the Forest Hills Gate of the Arboretum and new Casey-project sidewalks to be built on the eastern side of the Arborway next year.

For now, the main project area is as follows (in all these maps, North is to the right where Jamaica Pond lies):

The revised plan took into consideration community input and local objections to some of the original ideas floated, and now maintains both Prince and Orchard Streets as existing one-ways southbound. Toole also re-evaluated how the Pond/Prince/Parkman roadways interact west of Kelley Circle (towards the top of the image above). 

In the current plans, the Carriage Roads between the existing rotaries become one-way roads that travel in opposite directions from the nearest center lanes of the Arborway. All thru-traffic will be directed towards these center lanes. Bike lanes between the roundabouts will be created on the median side of the Carriage Roads, which will now carry loads more comparable to a neighborhood street than to a busy thoroughfare. For that reason, Toole has recommended that these bike lanes between the roundabouts be painted lanes rather than fully protected (other than by virtue of their placement in a 'local traffic only' one-way street). There was considerable blowback on this lack of physical separation from the bike advocacy community in attendance.

Reconfiguring the roadways with traffic calming features added is expected to slow down the speed of traffic within the project area, but the elimination of three traffic signals is expected to lead to very similar end-to-end travel times. The proposed roundabouts and access routes reduce conflict points between vehicles, pedestrians and bikes while also creating conditions for an orderly flow of traffic at peak volumes. Northbound Arborway "slip lanes" have been added near the rotaries since the February plan, allowing a single lane of thru-traffic to avoid the rotaries entirely (but not the crosswalks).

This image of the revised Kelley Circle near the pond help illustrate many notable features:

Pedestrian sidewalks are shown in black. Bike paths between the sidewalks and roadways are yellow. Every crosswalk and bike crossing is a raised-table: low and wide humps which slow vehicles to speeds estimated by Toole to be 20 mph rather than the 45 mph and more typically experienced in the corridor. Pedestrians and bikes cross where cars are traveling at their slowest. Deflection islands for entering and exiting roadways at the roundabouts encourage cars to stay in their lanes and change directions at slow speeds. The central islands have wide aprons around them to allow for larger emergency vehicles like firetrucks. The surface of the roads is "reversed-cambered". Rather than tilt into the curve as they would on an interstate highway they tilt outward, which tends to discomfort drivers traveling at speed and leads to safer and slower travel. All intersections on the main corridor and roundabouts of the project area are "Yield-controlled" rather than signal controlled - the plan eliminates three traffic signals:

The Murray Circle Rotary is to be reconfigured as a modern Dual Roundabout which slows traffic, reduces conflict and serves the needs of all users. In the western lobe, Centre Street heads towards Faulkner Hospital in the top left corner. As with the Kelley Circle drawings, pedestrian sidewalks are black and off-street bike lanes are yellow, with raised-table crosswalks where traffic is slowest. There is a large deflection/refuge island between the two Murray Roundabouts.

The Arborway continues toward the lower left. Centre Street enters from the Monument area at the bottom, and Prince and Orchard enter from the right.

Toole Design Group produced two animated renderings showing the performance of these proposed roundabouts during Peak AM and Peak PM periods based on actual observed data:

This image shows an overlay of how the new configuration is built from the old. White shows the existing roadways while orange shows the new design:

Bicycle routes are shown here. Safe off-street bike lanes everywhere except between the roundabouts where they are on the newly calmed local traffic carriage roads:

Pedestrian routes shown here, with crossings via raised-table crosswalks:

The reconfiguration of Greenspace is shown in this rendering:

The tentative timetable for the project was outlined as follows:

DCR is seeking public comments on this proposal through November 5, 2015. DCR's page for public meetings, with an opportunity to review materials, presentations and provide input during the comment period is available here (you can scroll down to February 3 & 5 for the extensive material from the first round of meetings):DCR's public meetings page link

Connecting Casey Arborway Bike Paths to Jamaica Pond: A New Proposal

Toole Design Group

Recently DCR held two public meetings at the Arnold Arboretum to discuss possible future Arborway Bicycle Facilities between the Casey Arborway Project and Jamaica Pond. Preliminary in nature, the purpose of the meetings was to seek community input and develop “Starter Ideas” that might help this portion of the historic Emerald Necklace parkways gain more balance and become more inclusive and safe for all users: cars, bikes, pedestrians. Upon the completion of the Casey Arborway Project, there will be strong bike and pedestrian facilities both to the south in Forest Hills and to the north of the project area at Jamaica Pond and beyond, but this section of the Emerald Necklace is not currently safe for any mode of travel. The goal is to improve the comfort and safety of all users while keeping in mind the DCR’s Historic Parkways Preservation Guidelines which make the case, as Patrice Kish, DCR’s Director of Cultural Resources put it, that “A parkway is not a road. It’s a park with a road in it.”

The meetings came about thanks to advocate engagement. When DCR prematurely painted (and then removed) bike lanes between the two rotaries without community or expert input, it was suggested that a plan be developed to address the needs of all users. DCR contracted with nationally recognized Toole Design Group to collect data, solicit community input from neighbors and stakeholders, and to provide design services.

With participant turn-out hampered by recent blizzards, difficult travel conditions and a last minute scheduling change, some two dozen members of the public attending the Tuesday, February 3 meeting first heard about traffic counts and accident rates. According to Toole’s new counts, 49,200 vehicles use the Arborway between the two rotaries each day. These rotaries are Murray Circle at Centre St. (added to the Frederick Law Olmsted parkways in 1932) and Kelley Circle at Parkman Drive near the Pond. For northbound traffic (towards the pond), approximately 50% of vehicles come from Forest Hills to the south and 50% come from Centre St. and the Faulkner Hospital area to the southwest. Northbound, more drivers use the inner lanes while southbound drivers prefer the outer lanes. This is partly a function of the geometry and deflection angles of the approach lanes at the rotaries, and partly a function of the vehicle's ultimate destination as it exits the area.

There have been 135 vehicle crashes in the study area between 2008-2012, some causing very serious injuries. Crashes have been geographically distributed throughout: 38 occured between South Street and Centre, 23 at Centre and Murray Circle coming from the monument, 30 on Murray Circle itself, and 36 at Kelley Circle. Speeding is certainly a factor, with average speeds in the study area significantly above the posted 30 m.p.h. limit. These factors indicate that reconfiguration should take place on the roadways to improve vehicle safety and to provide safe accommodation to pedestrians and cyclists. Telegraphing their preliminary design preferences, Ian Lockwood of Toole provided a thorough description of the many types and purposes of modern roundabouts - roadway features that are very different from a large-scale rotary which provides little traffic calming and does not encourage safe use for pedestrians and bikes. A typical example is configured like this:

Toole Design Group

Attendees were asked to consider what they like and don’t like about the area currently, and to apply their extensive local knowledge to the question of what might be missing and what might be done to improve the area. All suggestions were encouraged in breakout groups, extensive notes were taken on large format maps, and ideas were then shared with the larger group for discussion. After the first meeting, Toole Design Group spent an intensive 48 hours incorporating as much of the community’s input as possible and then with better weather and turn-out presented their “Starter Idea” proposal to a group of some 50-75 neighbors and advocates at the second public meeting on February 5, 2015:

Both Murray and Kelley rotaries would be reconfigured in this proposal to create smaller modern roundabouts, with raised table-style crosswalks for pedestrians and bikes at the approach and exit points of the roundabouts. These would enhance safety for the crosswalks dramatically, while providing traffic calming for vehicles conducive to the park setting, increasing contiguous greenspace. Toole proposed that almost all traffic lights be eliminated, since lane deflection directs and protects all routes of vehicle travel. This reduces points of conflict between vehicles and reduces air pollution from cars waiting at traffic lights.

From the south at Forest Hills, a pedestrian path would continue from South St. through the Arborway Hillside to a new raised-table crosswalk at St. Rose Street on the Arborway frontage road. The crosswalks at the main Hunnewell entrance to the Arboretum would also be raised on both the frontage road and main line Arborway:

Toole Design Group

Bike lanes are created along the Arboretum and Arborway Hillside by removing the median and using the existing curb lines to preserve trees - a strategy used wherever possible throughout the corridor. The two-way bike facility along the Arboretum and the one-way lane along the Hillside would connect with the Casey Arborway Project facilities at Forest Hills and continue to Franklin Park or on Morton Street towards Blue Hill Avenue:

Toole Design Group

The Murray Circle rotary becomes a double roundabout in this design, with raised crosswalks and pedestrian refuge islands throughout the entire area for traffic calming and safer paths for all users. Lanes are deflected (i.e. steered) towards the continuing routes. Asphalt is reduced and greenspace is increased (sidewalks black, bike paths yellow in this image):

Toole Design Group

The outer frontage road lanes between the existing rotaries are reconfigured for bikes and residents with regional vehicle traffic using the center lanes. Along the top of the following image on the westerly frontage road, the direction of local vehicle traffic is reversed to northbound-only. Buffered two-way bike lanes would be provided on both frontage roads along the inner edges, away from frontage road parking and local traffic:

Toole Design Group

Toole Design Group

Kelley Circle is also reconfigured to improve facilities for bikes and pedestrians, with a reduction in confusing crossovers and increased traffic calming for vehicles. Two small bicycle rotaries are including, echoing the new configuration at the southern end of Southwest Corridor Park within the Casey Arborway Project:

Toole Design Group

Patrice Kish, in closing, reminded the audience that the historic Emerald Necklace is not only one of the most important parks in Boston, it is one of the most important parks in the nation. The idea that parkways are not roads, but parks with roads in them echoes the lasting and influential vision of Frederick Law Olmsted and the through-line of urban American landscape architecture. Similar sentiments were echoed by Toole’s Ian Lockwood, who made a strong case for urban placemaking, designing for the local community and for regional resource enhancement rather than designing solely for transient commuters. “People going through your neighborhood should do so on your terms, not theirs,” he said.

DCR welcomes all comments received by March 6, 2015 to dcr.updates@state.ma.us
Be sure to note “Arborway Bicycle Facilities” in the subject line.
The full presentations from which these images were extracted are available here under Public Meetings, February 3 & 5, 2015:
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dcr/public-outreach/public-meetings/