Hey, there! Log in / Register
North Enders not so sure a street with no curbs a good idea
By adamg on Sat, 08/29/2009 - 2:38pm
Matt Conti discusses nascent opposition to a plan to turn the space in front of the old Martignetti's between Hanover and Salem into a stretch shared by both vehicles and pedestrians.
Hey, just like Washington Street in Downtown Crossing! Also, he tells us that sort of shared space is called a "woonerf" - which is Dutch, apparently for "No, we don't know what a 'Masshole' is."
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
The Dutch have a homogeneous
The Dutch have a homogeneous and extremely law abiding culture. Bostonians, not so much. What is ultimately going to happen with woonerf's here is that the biggest bully on the block will win the day. In other words, the most obnoxious person in the biggest vehicle is going to run ripshod over anything and anyone in their path.
Here's a woonerf for ya
Ever drive down Commercial Street in Provincetown? That's a woonerf, folks. Two-way bike and pedestrian traffic, one way car traffic, and utility poles and traffic signs all over the place. Extremely limited parking, bike racks everywhere, an occasional sidewalk here and there -- it's a joy! Can it be mechanically recreated by the BRA? Unlikely, but Commercial Street is a great example of a shared street right here in Massachusetts.
Commercial street in P-town
Commercial street in P-town is a joy? In a Disney-resorty sense, yeah. Outside the tourist-kitsch world? Not so much.
Commercial Street
really needs to be car-free. There's a perfectly lovely two-lane road a block north of it. People walk all over the middle Commercial Street even though it's not car-free, and then a car with out-of-state plates will try to drive down it and will be all like BEEP BEEP HOW DARE ANYONE BE IN THE ROAD. The locals who only try to drive on it if they need to deliver a big load or something are more patient and don't act like asses, but it still isn't fun for anyone.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
dual use
The locals would never stand for it but Commercial street could be a dual use street. From 5AM - 11AM it could be used by vehicles and delivery trucks. After it could pedestrian only. How much nicer would a sidewalk table be if there was no traffic?
Or a middle-of-the-street table!
All the restaurants could have patio seating!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Commercial?
Isn't a block north of Commercial St the harbor?
EDIT: Ah, nevermind, just realized you meant the little piece between Fleet and Cross.
Did you see what city we're talking about?
:o)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Wandering
Pboston?
Seriously, I need a scorecard for some of these threads.
Ripshod?
Ripshod? Is that anything like roughsh*t?
Old(e?) Derby street in
Old(e?) Derby street in Salem is like this with access for emergency, deliveries, and I believe I saw "The Ride" drop a handicap person off once as well. The street is passable by cars and trucks for when they are needed but is pretty much used only by people most of the time.