Wed 9/10 at 4 pm - Washington St pilot walk and observation with the Transportation Advisory Group

[pamw...@rcn.com]

I’m sorry for the late notice, I just received this yesterday from TAG.

 

There will be in-person TAG (Transportation Advisory Group ) meeting while the weather is still nice. We'll look at the Washington Street Pilot. All are welcome to join.

 

AGENDA

Wednesday, September 10, 2025, 4-5:30PM

IN PERSON Meeting @ Walker Park, Washington Street

 

The Transportation Advisory Group welcomes members of the public with interest in issues related to transportation, parking, safety, and streetscape design in the City of Newton.  Contact: Michael Halle, Chair, m...@halle.us .

 

This month’s meeting will be an in-person site walk and observation of the Washington Street Pilot. 

 

Meet at Walker Park on Washington Street in West Newton (across from Walker St on the Pike side.)

 

Contact the chair regarding accessibility if needed.

 

4:00 Welcome and introductions 

 

4:05 Agenda additions, announcements, and updates

 

4:15 Site walk and observation of the Washington Street Pilot Project

 

(Meeting will adjourn as time permits)

 

 

[Nancy Mazzapica]

Will there be an opportunity for questions and answers?

Nancy Mazzapica

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[ML Bell]

Thanks for the alert Pam. I don't think I can make that due to work obligations. But I do have a question. Who is all of that parking intended to serve? It just seems so odd that at a time when the city is pushing for less parking requirements, why so much along that stretch? Perhaps they just haven't been installed yet, but there are no meters and no signs restricting hours. I drove passed a number of times this passed weekend and someone had an old (maybe 1960s) truck parked all weekend with a "For Sale" sign. Is that the intent for the public streets? I doubt it. If it is a case of not yet installing meters or signs, what will the day/time restrictions be?

[Julia Anne Malakie]

Parking spaces meant to serve the same people who used them before, including WasSt businesses and at the Walker St end, the dog park users. During the planning/outreach process, the Planning Dept's alternatives for where to put the bike lanes each showed how many parking spaces would be preserved. They tried to preserve as many spaces as possible in order not to push parking onto the neighborhood side streets. Residents of those streets are concerned that if more of the Washington Street spaces become metered,  it will have the same effect of having more cars parked on some very tight streets.

The truck with the For Sale sign is another matter. Any car not moved for 72 hours can be ticketed if reported. Has it literally never moved? Doesn't seem to be working well as a marketing method.

Regards

Julia

[Emily Honig]

That vintage truck for sale has been there since the day the new parking spaces opened, and before that it was parked on the north side of Washington. I assume it belongs to someone who lives nearby. 

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Best,

Emily

[Michael Halle]

Thanks, Councilor.

Happy for anyone to join, meet at Walker Park across from Walker Street. We will probably walk down toward West Newton Square and then back to the Lowell intersection depending on the group.

Please note that this is our standard TAG meeting time and duration. We may not go until 5:30, depending.

Happy to enjoy the weather while we can.

--Mike

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[Anne Goldbach]

Michael,

Please advise who the other members of the Transportation Advisory Groups are. I am unable to find any information about the other members online.

Thanks,
Anne


Anne Goldbach


> On Sep 9, 2025, at 6:13 PM, Michael Halle <m...@halle.us> wrote:
>
> Thanks, Councilor.

> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/westnewtonneighborhood/077F86C8-D1CC-4033-95F9-31BFCCED5854%40halle.us.

[Michael Halle]

First, thanks to everyone who took the time and came out for the observation of the Washington Street pilot yesterday. It was a lovely day, and a good opportunity to meet and talk face-to-face while watching the behavior of the different users of the street. 

Next, about TAG....

The Transportation Advisory Group is the successor to Mayor Warren's Transportation Advisory Committee that helped shape city transportation policy during his administration. TAG has continued into the Fuller administration as a way to connect citizens and city staff working on transportation related issues.

TAG is run in the spirit of a formal city board or commission but is not one. There is not appointed membership, though members of the previous appointed TAC remain involved. 

TAG also has no official power.  Its strength is in its collaborative ideas and its connections.

Meetings are virtual, typically monthly, as the agenda demands, second Wednesday of the month, open to all. Because there is no staff support, the agendas typically go out a couple days before the meeting and are posted on the city calendar.

-Mike

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From: westnewtonn...@googlegroups.com <westnewtonn...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Anne Goldbach <agoldb...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2025 9:56:49 AM
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Subject: Re: [WNewton] Wed 9/10 at 4 pm - Washington St pilot walk and observation with the Transportation Advisory Group

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[Lynne LeBlanc]

"TAG is run in the spirit of a formal city board or commission but is not one. There is not appointed membership, though members of the previous appointed TAC remain involved."

Where would one go to find out who is presently involved in the TAC?  

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/westnewtonneighborhood/B59BA9DF-55B1-7843-9E0F-23672FFCDAA2%40hxcore.ol.

--

Lynne LeBlanc
43 Brookdale Rd.
Newton, MA 02460
617.510.8032 (c)
LynneL...@gmail.com

[Michael Halle]

Attending a meeting would be your best bet.

-Mike

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From: westnewtonn...@googlegroups.com <westnewtonn...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Lynne LeBlanc <lynnel...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2025 2:46:29 PM
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[Lynne LeBlanc]

I understand Advisory Boards and most often the members of Boards or Advisory Boards are named. Is that not the case now in Newton? If a group is advising the Mayor or any Department in Newton, shouldn't that be made transparent? Besides going to a meeting, is it possible to find out who is currently partaking in the Board as informal "members"? And if I did go to a meeting would the members of the Board be visually distinct from someone going in to listen? And would they be identified?

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/westnewtonneighborhood/8ED9E2A7-B70B-194C-B667-7E038F91C2F5%40hxcore.ol.

[Michael Halle]

TAG is not a formal advisory board, and also has no power. 

That is distinct from other Newton Boards and Commissions that have formally appointed members and specific responsibilities.

There have been discussion of establishing a formal transportation related board at various times in the past, but the city already has the burden of supporting and maintaining scores of existing boards. It is also unclear how the power of such a board would would avoid overlap with Traffic Council, which deals with regulatory issues related to traffic and parking.

That leaves TAG in what I believe is a unique position as a voluntary mechanism to connect residents with the city regarding transportation issues. 

The way I look at it, the more mechanisms for communication and exchange of ideas in the city the better, including activities such as the Washington Street pilot observation yesterday.

-Mike

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From: westnewtonn...@googlegroups.com <westnewtonn...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Lynne LeBlanc <lynnel...@gmail.com>

Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2025 3:04:22 PM

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[Lynne LeBlanc]

The TAC may have not power but it does advise. So, who advises and whom does it advise? If it is a loose board can anyone serve? E.g could I walk into a meeting and serve? If not how are advisors selected? If past advisors serve, how does one become a past advisor to become a present advisor?

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[Michael Halle]

Anyone is welcome to join the meetings. 

For a wider viewpoint, feel free to ask Councilors Wright and Malakie who attend fairly regularly. Councilor Lucas joined in August, I believe, Councilor Block joined our meetings a couple times before he was elected to Council. Councilor Downs is a regular. I feel the discussion is mutually beneficial, but you should ask them.

Frankly, we welcome new members because many people tend to get bored with the wonkiness of looking at plans or facing that glacial slowness that things happen at the municipal level (any municipality, or even worse the state or federal government).  The people who stay offer deep experience with different neighborhoods in Newton. I am grateful for all perspectives.

I have served on these kinds of advisory groups for more than 30 years, but it certainly isn't everyone's cup of tea. If it is yours, or you have an expertise or passion that you'd like to contribute to your community, please attend. The more people of good will that can work together and listen to others, the better.

-Mike

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From: westnewtonn...@googlegroups.com <westnewtonn...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Lynne LeBlanc <lynnel...@gmail.com>

Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2025 9:26:40 PM

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