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’m an avid cyclist who rides almost every day during nicer weather. My experience with cycling in Melrose is that one must ride in the street, generally safe except for areas with dense traffic. I was doored many years back and am careful about what routes I take, I don’t ride on Main Street through the downtown area.
My wife and I walk together through the ward every weekeend for exercise and find the routes in the ward to be generally safe. There are certain areas that do not have sidewalks tha tare concerning.
I use the Orange line for public transportation when going into Boston. There is a bus stop near my house that is convenient for getting to the Orange line but I typically drive to Wellington.
A neighbor who is 90 years old walks the neighborhood all the time and her simple ask is: make the sidewalks safe.
Generally the experiences are safe. Crossing West Wyoming avenue is one of the riskier areas within my ward.
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?
Continue to build and support local businesses that are accessible by foot. Also keep the bike lanes paint clear, they wear over time.
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.
Continue to work with Jeana McNeil who is in my ward and part of the sustainable movement. I’ve supported her over the years and will continue to advocate for her position.
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?
Support the bike commute to school that Kara Oberg sponsors
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?
As an avid cyclist, I’ve been thrilled to see the continued development of the “bike to the sea” bike path, which continues to evolve, now with additional biking lanes in downtown Lynn. I have communicated in the past my thoughts and will continue to do so. My interest is in seeing well thought out bike lanes that support commuting and recreational cycling, without impeding the natural flow of traffic. For example, I think that the bike lane on Rte 60 in Malden could have been better thought out.
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?
I’m not an authority on street design, however, I believe that recent improvements have benefitted the community. One specific example in my ward is the Vinton/W. Emerson intersection. While not popular due to the hard right one has to take, the redesign has been effective in slowing traffic down at a dangerous intersection.
Ask for repairs to sidewalks that are in bad shape
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.)?
To be clear, the City Council does not set budget or reallocate funding - this is the job of the City administration. I would support initiatives brought forward by Mayor Jen and her team for traffic calming requests, as appropriate and fitting into the city priorities.
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?
Speeding on the streets.
I have been promoting stop signs and flashign crosswalks for a number of years with success. Looking forward, I have been working on several areas within the ward, collaborating with DPW, DCS and the Mayor’s team. Ravine road will have improvements in the near future. We are working to see how traffic can be slowed on W. Wyoming Avenue. I’m working with Kate on getting DCR to put a flashing speed sign on the fellsway. These are examples of the actions I am taking to help speeding.