Mayor Walsh Celebrates Ribbon Cutting of Central Square Revamp
New park and streetscape mark significant achievement for Go
Boston 2030 transportation plan
(EAST BOSTON - Tuesday,
September 12, 2017) - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today joined local community
members in East Boston to celebrate the grand re-opening of Bertulli
Park in Central Square, following an $8 million investment in the
comprehensive redesign and reconstruction of the park. The project
completion marks a significant milestone achievement for Go Boston 2030,
Boston's comprehensive transportation planning effort, which identified
Central Square as a high priority area for streetscape improvements to
increase safety and accessibility.
"I am thrilled to see such an
amazing transformation here in Bertulli Park," said Mayor Walsh.
"Concrete has been replaced with a beautiful, green parkland and a host
of other amenities that welcomes East Boston residents to visit, relax
and enjoy Central Square. I thank all of our partners in the East Boston
community who worked side by side with the City of Boston to make this
renovated park a reality."
The park now welcomes people with 97
new trees and related green infrastructure, updated pavement, new LED
lighting and seating, and new bicycle facilities. Streets surrounding
the park have been redefined to ensure safe and consistent roadway
conditions.
Additional new features include:
A wide,
pedestrian promenade on the Meridian Street side with a double row of
trees and several benches
An elliptically shaped granite wall
that also offers additional seating and separates the more active areas
of the park from a large parcel of green space Shortened pedestrian
street crossings between Bertulli Park, the East Boston Social Center
and surrounding businesses and residences ADA compliant ramps and
sidewalks for full accessibility
All new pavement, crosswalks and
other pavement markings
A plaza on the Border Street side
A polished and more prominently displayed veteran's memorial
The
installation of green infrastructure in the form of permeable pavement
that allows stormwater to feed the roots of the new trees instead of
sending it to drainage pipes and Boston Harbor.
"Restoring the
basic beauty of the park, enhancing it with contemporary elements, and
using current techniques to prioritize safe access between the park and
the surrounding area, will ensure that Central Square continues to be a
popular destination point for the East Boston community for years to
come," said Boston Transportation Commissioner Gina N. Fiandaca.
"The top project to emerge out of the Go Boston 2030 citywide
transportation plan was Walk and Bike Friendly Main Streets Districts,
with Central Square featured as a prominent example," said Chris Osgood,
Chief of Streets. "The new design transforms the area from a sea of
asphalt to a walkable, green, and safe environment."
"We're so
grateful to Mayor Walsh for again investing in the East Boston
community. The newly completed Central Square project is a beautiful
example of work being done to benefit the community," said Max Gruner,
Executive Director of East Boston Main Streets. "I am so excited to see
the space activated and used by East Boston residents, and I am certain
that this project will increase foot traffic to benefit small, local
businesses in Central Square."
During the design process, the
Charles River Watershed Association and the Boston Water Sewer
Commission (BWSC) worked with a Neighborhood of Affordable Housing youth
team to study how Central Square could include green infrastructure to
help manage stormwater and improve climate resiliency. The Boston Water
and Sewer Commission then partnered with the City of Boston's Parks and
Recreation, Transportation, and Public Works Departments to include
green infrastructure elements, and the Bertulli Park reconstruction
became a BWSC stormwater demonstration project. BWSC worked to make the
design mimic nature, wherein the ground soaks up precipitation;
countering the effects of typical urban development with hard
impermeable surfaces, which can lead to polluted stormwater runoff.
Central Square was redesigned using porous asphalt and concrete which,
along with permeable pavers, allow for normal traffic flow and parking
while providing a pathway for stormwater to reach the ground beneath.
"Boston Water and Sewer Commission has an unwavering commitment to
keep our waterways clean, and we are honored to be a part of Mayor
Walsh's vision for a more sustainable Boston," said Henry Vitale,
Executive Director of BWSC. "Green infrastructure in Central Square will
improve the quality of stormwater entering nearby Boston Harbor, while
creating a beautiful streetscape that East Boston residents will no
doubt enjoy."
At a press conference held in Central Square in
April 2017, Mayor Walsh presented his $2.08 billion proposed Fiscal Year
2018 - Fiscal Year 2022 (FY18-FY22) Capital Plan, which makes critical
investments in the City's infrastructure in every Boston neighborhood,
guided by Boston's citywide plan, Imagine Boston 2030.
Mayor
Walsh's FY18-22 Capital Plan, drawing on City, state and federal
sources, will invest $709 million over the next five years in
implementing the core initiatives outlined in Go Boston 2030: streets
that are safer for all users of our roads and sidewalks, particularly
pedestrians and cyclists; travel that is more reliable and predictable;
and quality transportation choices that improve access to interconnect
our neighborhoods for all modes of travel.
"It's good to see this
project in such a public place where people can see it and learn from
it. Boston needs lots more projects like this, especially with sea level
rise and heavier rain storms increasing our flood risk," said Kate
Bowditch from Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA), one of the
organizations that helped with community outreach as well as design
components of the project. "One of the best parts of this whole process
was working with the Chelsea Creek youth leadership crew from NOAH (the
East Boston Neighborhood of Affordable Housing). They really got excited
by these ideas, learned a lot, and were tremendous advocates, making
presentations to the community, and to the project team and city
departments. They deserve a lot of credit for making this a reality."
"The new design is a lot more pedestrian friendly and orderly," said
Philip Giffee, Executive Director of NOAH. "I especially like that there
are more trees and a new permeable stormwater system that will help keep
them watered. I am proud that the NOAH environmental youth crew was so
involved in giving feedback on these important issues that led to an
attractive, revitalized public space for people in East Boston."
The City of Boston would also like to recognize WalkBoston for their
assistance and contributions to this important project.
With this
project, Imagine Boston 2030 is building on Go Boston 2030 by tying
together investments in the open space, and environmental sustainability
to create a vibrant public space that can be enjoyed by all. Imagine
Boston 2030 is committed to expanding green-infrastructure and other
nature-based systems to improve Boston's ability to manage stormwater,
reduce runoff to improve water quality and mitigate the urban
heat-island effect.
About Go Boston 2030 Go
Boston 2030 is the City of Boston's long term mobility plan. It
envisions a city in a region where all residents have better and more
equitable travel choices, where efficient transportation networks foster
economic opportunity, and where steps have been taken to prepare for
climate change. Whether traveling by transit, on foot, on a bike, or by
car, people will be able to access all parts of Boston safely and
reliably. A list of projects and policies have been developed that are
being implemented as early action projects in the near term, and a set
of long-term projects and policies are intended to be implemented over
the next 15 years.
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Source: Mayor's Press Office
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