The following information was provided by Watertown for All Ages:
A local non-profit organization, Watertown for All Ages (WAA), is spearheading an initiative that will help older residents stay independent, active and engaged in the community even when they no longer drive.
“Older people who stop driving are at risk of isolation and depression, a problem that our initiative will seek to prevent,” said Chris Miara, coordinator of the new project.
WAA recently received two grants to start a town-wide effort to ensure older people have information about, and access to, safe and appropriate transportation. The grants from Tufts Health Plan Foundation and the Watertown Community Foundation will be used over the next year to study the obstacles older residents face in getting around town without a car and develop a set of recommendations to address these obstacles.
WAA is in the process of forming an advisory committee of town officials and residents to guide the work of the transportation project, and is seeking volunteers to participate in this and its other activities dedicated to making Watertown a more ”age-friendly” community.
For more information, email info@watertownforallages.org or call 857-228-4821.
If senior citizens cannot drive anymore then they will have to walk. If they have to walk in the winter and people do not have to shovel their sidewalks then it will cause more isolation. Easy solution, make homeowners & business owners required to maintain their property and clean their sidewalks not just for the elderly but everyone who walks.
Watertown Ordinances require businesses to clear their sidewalks within 2 hours of the end of a storm, or by the beginning of the next business day. Businesses are subject to a fine of $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second offense, and $300 for the third offense. The Town also requests that residents clear their sidewalks, to allow neighbors to safely move around town.
There is a problem with areas where sidewalks are not considered to be in front a business or a home and they are never shoveled. For example, there is a long stretch of sidewalk along Arsenal Street between the Toyota Dealership and the first home facing Arsenal Street that is never shoveled out and your only option is to walk into the street. It is especially concerning due to the fact that it is a main road with very high traffic patterns. It was stated at a town meeting by a representative of the DPW that it is not a priority of the town to shovel this area and that it is not the responsibility of any business or property owner to shovel out the area, because it is not in front of any property.
In my neigborhood people don’t even use the sidewalks, they walk in the middle of the street most of the time.