Will Brownsberger -- State Representative, Democrat, 24th Middlesex District

I spoke earlier this week with Sue Clippinger, the traffic planner in Cambridge. She said that she was working on getting the application together for a truck ban on Blanchard Road. She said that she had all the necessary data at this stage. She said that she foresaw little objection in Cambridge since most of [...]

Blanchard Road residents have ongoing concerns about traffic congestion, truck traffic and speed.

Residents on Blanchard Road between Concord Avenue and Grove Street (which lies in Cambridge, but on the Belmont line), have expressed an interest in having a ban on truck traffic. The challenge is to identify a non-residential alternative route.

The Governor called me on Thursday with they welcome news that he has decided to allocate federal stimulus funding to expedite the construction of the Alewife Greenway — a great improvement in the bikepath that runs from Alewife Station to the Mystic River.

For over 5 years, the Town of Belmont has been designing the reconstruction of Belmont Street and Trapelo Road — the busiest traffic corridor in town.

State-federal funding for the actual construction may still be five years away, but the good news is that the state has finally placed the project in its long term funding plans.

The T is now starting a conversation about choices between fair increases and service reductions. See local details and hearing schedules here.

Given that the potential for road congestion reduction in the area is limited, it makes sense to improve bicycle and pedestrian alternatives for local residents. Several projects are in progress or on the drawing board.

Slow progress continues in efforts to address traffic issues in the Alewife area, one of the most congested areas in the state. Expectations for improvement should remain low.

Yesterday, I sat in on a meeting where the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization struggled to define the long-term parameters of a financially realistic Transportation Improvement Plan. Locally, the tight planning environment will likely mean further delay in the Belmont-Trapelo Corridor project (my primary concern in the meeting) and perhaps other projects.

A quick update on Alewife traffic issues.  Some progress has been made that merits report.

Six months ago, I shared with you some thoughts about traffic in the Alewife area.  Here’s an update.

A recently released study offers a depressing finding about cut-through traffic in the neighborhoods near Alewife in Arlington, Belmont and Cambridge:  The traffic does not flow east and west; it flows from everywhere to everywhere.

Overview of major regional planning and study processes with links to primary sources.

Regional transportation planning, educational excellence, health care, environmental protection.