From Newton's Mayor Fuller's Desk: Lime Bikes, Street Design

From The City of Newton Mayor: You may have already seen the bright green Lime bikes around Newton. The bike share program has unofficially arrived. Grab your helmet and take a spin.

We’ve OK’d the contract with Lime, and we’re just waiting for signatures before everything becomes 100% official. We’ll officially launch in a couple weeks when more Lime bikes will arrive here.

In the meantime, Lime bikes from our partner town Watertown have started appearing in Newton, so go ahead and use them.

It’s really easy. Download the free Lime app from the app store on your smartphone and add a few dollars for your first ride – it’s $1 per half hour, or $29.95 a month for unlimited use.

Then hit the Ride icon on your phone, find where a bike is located, follow the simple directions to unlock the bike, and off you go. Remember to bring your own helmet.
I took a ride yesterday, check out the video.

Newton joined a partnership with 15 other cities and towns in Metro Boston to begin the state-of-the-art dock-less bike share program that allows riders to pick-up and drop-off bikes anywhere in the city where they can legally be parked. Bikes can also be picked-up and dropped-off in the other participating communities, including Watertown, Needham and Waltham.

A second bikeshare company, Spin, will be adding bikes here in Newton in August. Both companies will offer discounts to students, corporations, and low-income riders.

Ride your bike safely and follow some simple rules. At the end of your ride, leave bikes only:

• On the sidewalk next to the curb, leaving a clear path for pedestrians

• At or near a bike rack

• Next to benches, sign posts, newspaper boxes, trash cans, or trees

And please don’t leave bikes on the ground or on grass, or blocking sidewalks, crosswalks, fire hydrants, driveways or loading docks.

We’re trying to make Newton as bike friendly and safe as possible. Look for more bike lanes in the months ahead.
See a Lime bike in the wrong place? Call customer service at 617-796-2100.

More information and answers to frequently asked questions are on the website.

(with Mike Mazzola and District Attorney Marion Ryan at the 83rd Annual St. Mary of Carmen Festival in Nonantum last weekend.)

Street Design Matters

How wide should a street be? What about the radius of turns at busy intersections? Or the width of a sidewalk? Where can there be protected bike lanes?

The answers to these questions affect safety, traffic, and ultimately the quality of life in Newton.

They’re among the myriad issues City officials have been considering over the past several months as they developed the Newton Street Design Guide using best practices from around the country that fit with Newton.

People from many departments collaborated on the design principles. Representatives from public safety, public works, transportation, planning, and environmental worked together. It’s a living, flexible guide that will be updated and revised over time to guide decisions for transportation planning.

Completed in June 2018, it is already being used in the designs for the improvements in West Newton Square and Walnut Street in Newtonville coming next year. Private developers will need to follow the guide as they propose projects.

“We’re trying to slow traffic down in neighborhoods, but keep it moving on our main streets. Simultaneously, we want walkers and bikers to be safe. This guide will help us find the best ways to do that,” Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said.

For example, it can be beneficial to slow traffic through residential neighborhoods by reducing turning radii on corners and narrowing travel lanes on some streets.

Each of Newton’s roads is categorized into a type of street. Watertown Street, for example, is a commercial arterial street; Walnut Street is a residential arterial street. Lincoln Street is a commercial collector street, and Crafts is a residential collector street, and Walter Street and Hagan Road are both residential local streets.

The guide has specific guidelines and recommendations for each type of street.

More than traffic is considered. Storm water needs to flow into the ground through storm drains or through pervious surfaces to prevent flooding. The locations of sidewalk trees and the types of material they should be surrounded by to keep them healthy are also considered. Specific measurements for the distance of sidewalk benches from curbs were also detailed to make sure there is enough space for wheelchairs to easily pass.

Lighting and aesthetics are also included, with a family of lighting options selected that will improve the look of village centers.

“Complete streets do cost more, but complete streets are better streets,” Mayor Fuller said.

Do You Know Someone Struggling with Addiction?

Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s Substance Use Services Department has a support group to help people who know someone struggling with substance abuse disorders.

A clinical social worker from Newton-Wellesley leads the group. Join them in Room 401 at Newton-Wellesley every other Tuesday, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. beginning on Tuesday, July 31 through Aug. 21.

For more information, contact Matt Manela at mmanela@partners.org.

Photo: courtesy Newton Mayor