NEWS FROM THE NETWORK

The Power of the Network. We have updates on six key links in the Emerald Network this month! As the network continues to open connections to transit, jobs, and open space, it has the power to transform how we get around our city and the region.

Join Team Emerald Network! Register for Tour de Streets Today

Key links in the Emerald Network were advanced and completed this year, thanks in part to the money we raised during our annual fundraiser Tour de Streets. Help us make this year the biggest yet, by joining the fun at Tour de Streets on September 9th! Join Emerald Network Program Manager Nidhi Gulati for a 3-mile urban walking tour exploring hidden highlights along the Charles River and enjoy BBQ and live music at DCR's North Point Park. All walkers must raise a minimum of $100. Kids walk and eat FREE with adult registration! Bring the whole family! Click here and join Team Emerald Network today!

Check Out Our Improved Website

Our website has a fresh new look! We've been working hard on updating our website to make it easier for you to find updates and interact with the Emerald Network. We're excited to introduce the new Emerald Network slideshow and Greenway Stories. It's now time to take the show on the road and share our work! If you or someone you know wants to hear about the Emerald Network in person, email Program Manager Nidhi Gulati, and we will bring the Network to you!

Imagine Boston 2030 Party and Showcase

Join Mayor Walsh and the City of Boston on July 11th to celebrate the release of the Imagine Boston 2030 Plan! Imagine Boston 2030 is a bold vision for the future of city shaped by input from over 15,000 Bostonians. The plan brings a renewed commitment to improving access and mobility in the region and a promise for investment in the public realm. Check out sections ‘Opportunity for Growth’, ‘Enhanced Neighborhoods’ and ‘Waterfront’ for proposed actions and projects that can help make the Emerald Network a reality.

Roslindale Gateway Path at 10% Design

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our Greenway partners WalkUP Roslindale, the Roslindale Gateway Path is one step closer to reality. A 10% design for the proposed path between the Blackwell Path Extension and Roslindale Village Commuter Rail Station was presented to the community on June 15th. For more information and to check out the progress we've made, visit the project page, and view a summary of community engagement conducted by Tufts University.

The Roslindale Gateway Path is supported by our Greenway Partners program, dedicated to providing community groups with technical assistance and strategy to advance their projects.

Watertown-Cambridge Greenway Funded

Neponset Trail Extension Now Open

While we are celebrating all things greenway, the much-awaited section of the Neponset River Greenway is now open between Central Ave Station in Milton and Mattapan Square, filling a critical link for people on foot, bicycles, wheelchairs and more! A huge shoutout to our friends at the Neponset River Greenway Council for their continued advocacy and support on this project. Check out images from the newest section of the path on our Flickr page and get the local scoop in the Dorchester Reporter.

Governor Baker Announces Trail Funding Increase

At the Route 134 Bridge opening along the Cape Cod Rail Trail on June 28th, Governor Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito announced an increase in the budget of the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) by 60%, from $1.1 million to $1.8 million. This funding could go a long way in completing the vision for the Emerald Network. In his speech Governor Baker reiterated his commitment to working with municipal partners on trail projects throughout the state:

“Trails like the Cape Cod Rail Trail provide countless benefits to those who use them and the communities that support them, whether it’s access to open space and waterfronts, reduced congestion and carbon emissions, or opportunities to enjoy healthy, recreational activity. We are committed to working with our municipal partners to make the investments that can maintain and expand these vibrant assets for generations to come across the Commonwealth.”

Learn more at the MassDOT Blog, or read coverage in US News.

GREENWAY STORIES

Meet Our Youngest Greenway Advocate: 10 year-old Nia Negron

During a public workshop hosted by the Emerald Network and our Greenway Partner, Brookline Bicycle Advisory Committee, 10 year-old Nia Negron made a very pointed and convincing argument for improving the intersection at Hammond Street and Hammond Pond Parkway:

“My dad, my brother and I would love to walk to school more often, but it is so dangerous that we have to drive (to school). Every day, joggers, runners, and people who walk their dogs have to go through the street without a crosswalk. All I'm saying is that if we had a crosswalk in front of the Fire Station on Hammond Street, it would make peoples' lives better, easier, and safer!”

We applaud Nia for voicing her opinion and standing up not only for her own family, but for the hundreds of children in her school and neighborhood whose lives are directly affected by how streets are designed. Read more about our Greenway Partners program here.

East Boston Greenway

The East Boston Greenway is in many ways a success story for advocates of urban trails. The work of local advocacy groups like the Boston Natural Areas Network, Friends of the East Boston Greenway, and the Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Inc. (NOAH), has lead to the creation of a remarkably continuous corridor, connecting major open spaces in a neighborhood that has historically been fragmented by infrastructure like the MBTA Blue Line, Route 1A and Logan Airport.

To continue reading, click here.

GET INVOLVED

• Join us for our biggest fundraiser of the year -- Tour de Streets! Tour de Streets is a fun-filled day for the whole family, including a bike/walk, music, and BBQ at DCR's North Point Park. Help us celebrate the one year anniversary of our Greenway Partners Program! Click here to join or donate to Team Emerald Network!

• Live, work or play near Morrissey Boulevard? View the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s plans for reconstruction and submit your comments here by July 18th.

• Take advantage of beautiful summer weather in Metro Boston and check out some incredible greenways through the Landline 2017 Summer Ride Series.

• Check out the Neponset River Greenway and enjoy Riverfest on July 22!

• Summer is for greenways! Share your favorite summer Emerald Network photos with us on Twitter by tagging @streetsboston and using hashtag #EmeraldNetwork.

THANK YOU

		When they said ‘it takes a village’, they weren’t lying! The Emerald Network is a community and social network and we greatly value your support. Visit our website to find out more about the many people and organizations involved in our work. Donate today or sign up to volunteer-- your support helps to move us that much closer to making the Emerald Network vision a reality!