Media Contact:
Shira Burns
[email protected]
April 30, 2024 – BOSTON – Dorchester Bay EDC will be part of an upcoming project team working to transform Columbia Road to improve traffic safety and public health.
The team, led by Toole Design Group, recently received a contract and purchase order from the City of Boston to begin implementing the Columbia Road Transportation Action Plan, drafted in response to the City of Boston’s Request for Proposal.
The team will collaborate with the community to investigate different ways to improve the corridor into a welcoming space, including improving traffic flow and safety for pedestrians and non-vehicular users, and adding greenery.
Dorchester Bay EDC will act as community advocates throughout the community design process, utilizing our network to ensure that the community members who rely on Columbia Road will have their needs met by the end product. The team will gather input from the community throughout the planning process, then utilize the feedback to draft options for the design. The team will subsequently present these options to the community for further feedback.
The project team includes LivableStreets Alliance, Agency Landscape + Planning, Reed-Hilderbrand, Kleinfelder, Dawood, Grayscale Collaborative, DS4SI, Fairmount Indigo CDC Collaborative, and Jaypix.
“Dorchester Bay EDC is excited to begin engaging residents in the Columbia Road design process to ensure they have a seat at the table and their priorities are heard,” said CEO Kimberly R. Lyle. “Our neighbors are ready to be involved in a design process that will benefit our community, and are excited about the potential safety improvements to Columbia Road. This is also a critical opportunity to improve transportation and air quality in the neighborhood.”
“LivableStreets Alliance is excited to support the Columbia Road project with a group of fantastic partners,” said Abby Jamiel, Emerald Network Director. “We are looking forward to working with the community to make the roadway a safer place to be.”
“I am dedicated to strengthening the economy and the social values of my neighbors and community,” said Jaypix. “My hope is to preserve and amplify the communities’ legacies with the people, making it easier for artists and residents to engage and participate in the planning and process; knowing we are needed. Community voices and values are important and this process will result in education and understanding, developing valued perspectives while exploring ways to maintain and beautify the places we can call home.”
The timeline below is from the City of Boston’s Columbia Road Transportation Action Plan website:
“1. Immediate road and sidewalk improvements: The City will be addressing immediate concerns that can be addressed quickly. This will include repainting crosswalks and vehicle travel lanes, fixing potholes, and repairing uneven sidewalks. You will start to see improvements in spring/ summer 2024.
2. Short-term pilot: We will collect community input to design and test a small-scale temporary change to the street. This will be used to encourage community conversation about transportation. The pilot will address one or more of the following goals: 1) Change street design to increase safety for walkers and bikers 2) Add trees or landscaping for more shade and a prettier road 3) Add more space for sitting, playing, or relaxing along the road 4) Improve the experience of riding the bus or the Fairmount Line. We will implement the project in Fall 2024, and it will include fun community events.
3. Street Redesign Vision: The City is taking a new approach to public involvement. Our team will provide many ways to get involved in the process. In Fall/Winter 2024, we will lead community conversations about potential new design options for Columbia Road. We expect different designs may be recommended for different sections of Columbia Road. The process of developing a vision and design concept will be completed by June 2025.” (Source: City of Boston).
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Dorchester Bay Economic DevelopmentI Corporation (DBEDC)
Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC) is a community development corporation founded by local civic associations in 1979 to address the problems of economic disinvestment, unemployment, crime, community tensions, and the shortage of quality affordable housing undermining Boston’s North Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods. Over the last 45 years, we have worked in partnership with local leaders and stakeholders to build and preserve 1,200 units of affordable housing and over 164,600 square feet of commercial space, to engage residents in community life, and to support a robust economy through small business support and economic development.
The structures we have built are physical manifestations of our work, but at its core, our work is about strengthening the community, which is made up of the people who live and work in our neighborhoods.
For more information, visit the DBEDC website at www.dbedc.org, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, like us on Facebook, connect with us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to our email list.
