Emerald Network -- 200 miles of seamless shared-use greenway paths connecting Boston and adjacent cities.

February 2020 Vol. 4 Issue 1

NEWS FROM THE NETWORK

Happy New Year! Thank you for being a dedicated reader of our newsletter. We enjoy curating the latest greenway news, stories, and events from around the region and in your backyard. Help continue to grow the Network by forwarding this issue to a friend and encouraging them to subscribe today!

Celebrating Great Progress in 2019

LivableStreets

Now that we are almost two months into 2020, we have taken the opportunity to reflect on all the progress and success of 2019. It was a big year, during which we celebrated 5 years of the Emerald Network, and achieved many important milestones. In 2019, we added 5 completed miles to the Network, for a total of 20 completed miles since our launch in 2015. With 44 miles in the planning, design, and construction phase, roughly 40 miles remain for us to tackle in the coming years. We can't wait to see what's in store for 2020!

StreetTalk 10-in-1: Watch Program Director Ambar Johnson's Full Talk!

Jeff Detritch

Our December StreetTalk 10-in-1 event was amazing, and the best part is that you can relive it all! Thanks to WGBH Forum Network we have a live recording of all of the presentations. This includes the StreetTalk by Program Director and Emerald Network aficionado, Ambar Johnson in which she discusses the complications greenways cause around issues of displacement and gentrification. 

Watch here. 

DOT Greenway: No CPA Funding but Hope is Not Lost

OJB Landscape Architecture

You may remember an update from our October Newsletter mentioning that, along with DOT Greenway partners, we applied for Community Preservation Act (CPA) Funding for the DOT Greenway. Unfortunately, the funding was not approved due to the early stage of design the project was in. However, we aren't giving up the fight! The good news is that it opens up an opportunity for the City of Boston to take leadership of this project and find ways to get the funding needed to make the project a reality. 

Massive Development Project Suffolk Downs Highlights Issues Faced Across the Developing City

BPDA

Suffolk Downs, a massive development project currently in design for the old horse racing track in East Boston, has been getting a lot of attention recently. As a development that would include a new street grid and 10,000 units of housing, there is much to be done to ensure that community needs, affordable housing, and accessible transportation options are taken into account. Additional concerns have been raised that the review process has not been accessible to non-English speakers, as the law dictates it should be. 

GreenRoots Chelsea recently organized a march to advocate for affordable housing in the design. The project is currently under review by the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) board, and a vote will likely be announced soon. 

Northern Strand Community Trail to be Completed

MassDOT Blog

The Baker-Polito Administration has announced that construction will soon begin on the remaining sections of the Northern Strand community trail. When completed, this trail will run 11.5 miles linking the Mystic River to the Lynn shoreline, connecting the five communities of Everett, Malden, Revere, Saugus, and Lynn. This is a great win for greenways, and will extend vital connections through Lynn, in addition to completing a few more miles of the Emerald Network. Read more here. 

Mystic River Crossing Bridge Hits a Gondola Shaped Snag

MassDOT

The proposed Mystic River Crossing footbridge that would span from Assembly Row in Somerville across the river to the Encore Casino, would provide a key connection from Everett to the Orange Line. Wynn Resorts, the owner of Encore, had agreed to finance some of this bridge, as it would allow patrons to easily access the Casino from the Orange Line's Assembly Station. In a recent development, the Casino has pivoted to proposing a gondola across the river, instead of a bridge - the feasibility of which The City of Everett is seeking grant funding to study. Gondola or not, what's most important is that the bridge remains a reality to provide a safe and public route across the river.

Read more about what that could mean for the future of the bridge here. 

Join Boston Parks to Envision a Better Moakley Park

The Moakley Park Winter Warmer will be an afternoon of fun with s’mores, hot cocoa, kids’ activities, snowshoeing (weather-permitting), music, and more! Explore new recreational activities, learn about resilient landscapes, and lend your voice to the ‘Make Moakley Yours’ campaign. Learn about what is being done to make Moakley Park accessible to all of Boston as you enjoy the festivities! The Boston Parks Department want to hear what you want to see for Moakley Park in the short and long term, to make it a more resilient, healthy, safe and vibrant park for Boston’s many communities. This event is free to the public and family friendly. Learn more here. 

Honor Black History Month with Food and Greenways

Boston Black Restaurant Challenge 

The Boston Black Restaurant Challenge, launched by State Representative Chynah Tyler, is entering its 3rd year with even more restaurants on the list for you to enjoy. We've highlighted a few here that you can get to via the Emerald Network.

Oasis Restaurant: Located in Dorchester/Upham’s Corner, this restaurant is accessible via the 15 and 17 bus, as well as Columbia Road, one of the Emerald Network's priority projects.

Shea Butter Smoothies: Located just by Mattapan Station in Mattapan, this smoothie shop is easily accessible by the Neponset River Greenway, in addition to the Mattapan trolley, various bus routes, and Blue Hill Avenue. Although it's not technically a greenway, as with Columbia Road, Blue Hill Ave is a key corridor that the Boston Transportation Department is redesigning.

Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen: There are so many different ways you could get to Darryl's - the Green Line, Orange Line, 1 bus. It's also very easily accessible by the South West Corridor - make sure to pay it a visit!

Soleil: Located in the heart of Roxbury, this restaurant is just off the South Bay Harbor Trail, which connects to the South West Corridor Park, and will eventually connect all the way from the Harborwalk. 

Check out all the restaurants included in the challenge here, and get eating!

THANK YOU