Hi Ruth, I would appreciate it if you could forward this email to BVS list asap so everyone knows about the meeting tonight. If you scroll below, our neighbor, Judy Bright, wrote an email to city leaders about the negative impact a change to Upland would have on our neighborhood.

Thank you. Christine

There is a virtual mtg. tonight (Wed., 2/16 @ 5:30-7:30 pm) about Porter Square/Mass. Ave. redesign plans/ including Upland Rd. one-way and other items. Please attend this City mtg. to get the most current information about this project.

Click here to add to your calendar and to get the link!

People should email City Councillors their own feedback AND complete the SURVEY. See links below. !!!

Reference:

City website for the proposal is here:

Proposed options for Upland Rd on slide 44 in the presentation:

There is also a survey asking for general feedback on the proposal.

Recommend sending one email to all these leaders below:

tpt@cambridgema.gov

citymanager@cambridgema.gov

dsimmons@cambridgema.gov

qzondervan@cambridgema.gov

ptoner@cambridgema.gov

ssiddiqui@cambridgema.gov

pnolan@cambridgema.gov

mmcgovern@cambridgema.gov

amallon@cambridgema.gov

dcarlone@cambridgema.gov

bazeem@cambridgema.gov

cityclerk@cambridgem a.gov

Judy’s letter to city leaders:

I am reaching out per the City’s exploration of making Upland one way- the plans do not denote where the one way would start - if it’s going towards Mass Ave and conversely, where it would end if it starts at Mass Ave. I assume it is just the last block of Upland.- right before it hits Mass. Ave.? Can you confirm?

I understand that the city website for the proposal is here:

I see the proposed options for Upland Rd on slide 44 in the presentation:

There is also a survey asking for general feedback on the proposal.

I will put this feedback below in the survey (and hope others will do the same) but wanted to write to you directly.

I strongly urge the City to retain access to Upland Rd. (in either direction). After experiencing the effects of Shared Streets (how closing off even one "valve" of a complex network of streets in an area where the more open "valves" the better, I don't see how this plan will not create other issues elsewhere namely:

1. Along Mount Vernon Street.

2. Along Walden Street (which is already so compromised with traffic and will experience further congestion once the massive affordable housing development is completed behind Walden Square.)

3. Along all Linnean St. (through a school zone)

4. Along Raymond Street and into the area surrounding Raymond Park. People will try to avoid the (already existing) pain point of Walden & Garden and then the newly created pain point of Linnean and Garden. There is little doubt that traffic will pour into a few main streets (Raymond, last two blocks of Upland, and Huron (off of Raymond) to try to skirt the backups.

Upshot: Shared Streets taught us that we need all the existing options for travel to and through the Raymond Park/Avon Hill area. Turning Upland into a one-way in either direction is just going to create serious safety issues in this area. At the VERY least, I propose leaving Upland AS IS, and then evaluating whether Upland warrants a one-way after Mass. Ave project is completed.

I hope other community members are reaching out to you as well and completing the survey.

Best,

Judy Bright