Greetings Councilors:
Are you aware of the many resident concerns being voiced about the excessive size of the sidewalk bump outs along the Mount Auburn Street Corridor? Someone is certainly monitoring the negative feedback.
Note the most recent Mount Auburn Street Project Updates for the week of Aug. 3rd. The City’s Project Team clearly places the onus of the design concept on the 07/10/2018 endorsement vote of the Town/City Council.
Talk about passing the buck. Since when did Councilors become project engineers?
“The Rehabilitation of Mt Auburn Street Concept Plan, which was endorsed by the Watertown City Council on July 10, 2018, established guidelines for rebalancing the roadway to better accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, and adjacent businesses. One key component of the project is providing sidewalks that meet or exceed current accessibility standards, including maintaining a minimum clear pedestrian path of travel, accommodating individuals using mobility devices, and improving the overall pedestrian network along the corridor. So you may be seeing wider sidewalks or updated grading in some areas, and those are to be more accessible to all residents and visitors.”
https://mailchi.mp/a2e50f64982d/mount-auburn-work-week-of-january-26-30-8337248?e=dcc33c9014
Councilors: I stood my ground in 2018, against the project as presented; as I will do today. I was the lone dissenting vote on July 10, 2018 and Nov. 13, 2018.
My statement was read into the record as follows:
“Although the Concept Project is still a work in progress; after the vote of the Town Council on July 10, 2018 for the 25 Percent design plans, the General Concept Design is finite. After long and careful consideration, at this time, I cannot support the Mount Auburn Street Project in its entirety as submitted. Thank you.”
In my opinion: the Mount Auburn Street reconfiguration will adversely challenge all users of the public way. I can only hope that all of us will have safe journeys when we traverse the roadways in Watertown.
Yasas, (Literally meaning “health to you”)
Angie
Angeline Maria B. Kounelis
Retired Watertown District A, East End, City Councilor