Monthly Meeting of February 3, 2010

President Ben Garvin called the meeting to order.

Officer Elections
Officers were nominated and all elected unanimously at this meeting.  The new officers are:

President, Benjamin Garvin
Vice-president, David Gacioch
Treasurer, Julian Weatherill
Secretary, Matina Madrick

Discussion of the Removal of Bus Stop for Northbound #1 at Shawmut and Mass Ave

• Greg Strangeways, Transportation Planner from massDOT  (Department of Transportation) attended the meeting.

• Members of CSANA and the community presented arguments for and against the removal of the bus stop.

• Arguments in favor:
  • The only bus stop sited in front of a residential stoop with no retail tenants at ground level.  Waiting passengers often leave trash on the steps.
  • The buses frequently skip this stop even if not full (may be a function of the Mass Ave construction).
  • The stop is only 400 feet past what will be the new Washington Street stop (on the North side of Washington Street).  The distance between the new Washington Street stop and the new stop on the North side of Tremont is approximately 1400 feet.
  • There is 1000 fee nearby Silver Line has 1000 feet between at least one stop.
• Arguments opposed:
  • Only the #1, and not the CT1, service this stop.
  • In the mornings, several elderly and disabled people use the stop and it may be problematic for them to walk further.
  • Most of the stops on the Boston side of the bus route are closely spaced.

• Mr. Strangeways addressed some specific points and described potential improvements to the #1 route planned by massDOT.
  • Increased service. In November more buses were added to the  #1 line.
  • Improvements. Additional bike racks, bus shelters, and trashcans, increased supervision and communication with central dispatch, and traffic signal preemption.  The stop at Columbus Avenue may be removed.
  • Stop spacing. Stops are no more than a quarter mile apart and ideally 750 to 1300 feet apart.
  • Stop Removal. massDOT is generally asked to add stops, not remove stops.
  • Public Process. Public meetings will be scheduled for comment on the plans.  More information should be forthcoming in about six to eight weeks.

Update on Installation of Park Benches

• The Parks Department would like the brick pads under the park benches to be the same color as the bricks in the path of the park.  This will further increase the cost of installing the benches.

Miscellaneous

• CSANA has completed its comments on the contract from the City for park maintenance.  David Gacioch will submit the comments to the City.
• Mass Ave Construction. A couple of questions were raised which association members will try to address.  When will the old streetlights be removed?  How many trees originally between Tremont and Chester Park Square on the even side?  Construction will resume in the spring.
• A Boston University journalism student attended the meeting and introduced herself.  She is covering the South End Community for the semester.
• Plantings in the parks will be made symmetrical in the spring.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:06 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Matina Madrick