Personal Experience with Non-Car Travel
Please share your recent experiences walking, biking, using public transit, or traveling with someone who has mobility challenges around Melrose. How safe and accessible did you find those experiences outside of a car?
I’ve spent a lot of time walking around Melrose with my mother, who has mobility challenges and is elderly. Seeing the city through her eyes has really informed me as to how many barriers still exist and how much work we need to do to make our streets and sidewalks accessible for everyone.
Some crosswalks are nearly impossible to navigate with a cane or walker, and many sidewalks are uneven or too narrow for a wheelchair. I recently met a resident who takes care of her elderly father and has a crosswalk in front of his house that is basically impassible. There are also intersections where traffic moves far too fast for someone with limited mobility to feel safe.
It is essential to design streets and sidewalks that genuinely work for all residents — from improving crosswalks to maintaining sidewalks and prioritizing accessibility — so no one in Melrose has to feel unsafe or left out when getting around.
Overall, those experiences made clear to me that getting around Melrose without a car can be challenging, especially for residents with mobility limitations. While some streets and sidewalks feel reasonably safe, many crosswalks are challenging to navigate, sidewalks are cracked and cramped, and certain intersections feel unsafe because of fast-moving traffic. Experiencing this firsthand underscored how important it is to continue improving accessibility and safety so everyone can get around Melrose safely and confidently.
Near-Term Municipal Actions
Please name one concrete step the City of Melrose should take within the next two years to make streets and sidewalks safer for people walking, biking, or using mobility devices. How will you ensure this step will serve people of all ages, abilities, and neighborhoods equitably?
The City should play an active role in making it safer and more appealing for residents to walk, bike, or use public transit. We already have a 25-mile-per-hour speed limit throughout Melrose, but limits only matter if they’re respected—and right now, too many drivers treat them as suggestions. Enforcing our existing speed limits consistently, particularly in residential areas and near schools, is one of the most effective ways to protect pedestrians and cyclists.
Beyond enforcement, the City can continue to invest in safe sidewalks, visible crosswalks, better lighting, and clearly marked bike routes that connect neighborhoods to schools, parks, and business districts. We should also keep working with the MBTA to improve accessibility so public transit is a viable alternative to driving.
Ultimately, encouraging people to walk, bike, or take transit starts with making our streets feel safe. When drivers slow down and respect the rules, everyone—whether behind the wheel or on foot—benefits.
City’s Role in Advancing Active Transportation & Climate Goals
Transportation is the largest source of carbon emissions in Massachusetts. What role should the City of Melrose play in encouraging people to travel by foot, bike, or transit? Please share one specific action you would take as a councilor, and explain how it supports Melrose’s sustainability and climate goals.
As a councilor, I would also like to see expanded bike infrastructure in downtown Melrose, starting with more bike racks while looking to create safer, more connected routes between streets and key destinations. Making it easier for people to bike for short trips helps reduce traffic and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
This kind of investment fits directly with Melrose’s sustainability goals. By providing practical, reliable options for getting around without a car, we can make our downtown (and the small businesses that reside there) more accessible.
School Travel & Family Transportation
Melrose does not provide school buses and students are not assigned to their neighborhood elementary school by default, contributing to significant car traffic at drop-off and pick-up. Name one specific thing you would do to help families who want safe, reliable options to get children to and from school without relying on cars?
I think we have to get the sidewalks clear of snow and update the recent ordinance that was passed by the Council without any enforcement provisions.
Regional Connectivity
Many nearby communities are investing in interconnected trails and paths that support both recreation and commuting. How would you work with neighboring communities and state/regional agencies to expand safe walking and biking connections to and from Melrose?
Expanding safe walking and biking connections requires coordination beyond our city limits. I would want to work closely with neighboring communities and state or regional agencies to identify key corridors where people travel between Melrose and surrounding areas, and develop plans that make those routes safer and more accessible.
That could include improved crosswalks, sidewalks, and bike lanes that connect seamlessly across city lines, as well as shared traffic-calming measures to reduce speeding on streets that serve as regional connectors. By working collaboratively, we can ensure that walking and biking aren’t just safe within Melrose but also part of a regional network that encourages people to leave their cars behind.
Street Design & Business Districts
How can street design improve safety and foot traffic in Melrose’s business districts? Name one specific thing you would do to encourage the city and business community to make these areas more inviting for people walking, biking, or arriving by transit?
Good street design can make a massive difference in both safety and the success of our business districts. When people feel safe walking, crossing, or biking downtown, they’re far more likely to engage with the area.
We can start by improving visibility and predictability for everyone on the road. That means clearly marked crosswalks, curb extensions that shorten crossing distances, and intersection designs that naturally slow traffic without relying solely on enforcement. Consistent enforcement of our 25 mph speed limit is also key — because even the best design fails if drivers don’t respect the rules of the road.
One specific thing I would do is work with the City, the Chamber of Commerce, and local businesses to add practical amenities that make it easier to get around without a car, such as more bike racks and increased street lighting.
Budget and Staffing Priorities
Budget cuts impact the City’s ability to implement street projects, pursue state transportation grants, and enforce safety laws. What specific actions would you take (e.g., prioritizing budget, accessing other funding sources) to improve the City’s ability to respond to resident requests (e.g., traffic calming, speed enforcement, street design, etc.)?
I would focus on making the City’s response to resident requests faster and easier to track. This means ensuring that concerns about speeding, traffic, or street safety are addressed, and that residents can see what’s being done to make the City responsive. I believe this can be achieved through thorough oversight, allowing Councilors to have City officials speak in Council Chambers about any progress towards addressing the concerns of residents.
Most Pressing Street Safety Issue
What do you see as the single most pressing street safety issue in your ward (for ward council candidates) or in the city as a whole (for at-large candidates)? As a City Councilor, how would you address it?
The single most pressing street safety issue in our city is the consistent enforcement of our 25-mile-per-hour speed limits. We already have the laws on the books — what we lack is consistent follow-through. Too many drivers treat our neighborhood streets like cut-throughs, and residents in every part of Melrose can tell you where the problem spots are.
Enforcing the existing 25 mph limit isn’t about writing more tickets — it is about making our roads safer for everyone. I would push for greater coordination between city departments and law enforcement to make sure speed enforcement is a visible, consistent priority. We’ve set the standard with a 25 mph limit; now it’s time to actually make it mean something.