Sidewalks, ISD and Traffic & Parking

So, here we are - we've had our usual 'warning shot' snowstorm (and what a warning with tree damage and power outages); nearly all the leaves are down ("leaves are down and the sky is gray..." - sorry, that damn Pandora won't leave me alone); and we're just a few weeks away from walking in a winter wonderland (no, not the T stop) and that's what I want to talk about: walking.

Walking is a significant part of why I live in this city. I like to walk (especially when my walks are 'backed up' by a good public transportation system) and so I chose to live in a city to have sidewalks and useful places (stores, restaurants, bars, parks etc.) worth walking to. I would walk even if it were possible to be convicted for drunk driving in Massachusetts (and I'd like to thank the man who drunkenly staggered from Davis Sq. to Teele Sq., and ultimately into Theo's Pizza, on Sunday night for providing some great entertainment).

What's my point?

My point is this - the snow is coming and soon many of the sidewalks will be virtually impassable because many of my neighbors and fellow-Somervilliens do not (seem) to share my enthusiasm for walking. The signs are already visible with some sidewalks less-passable due to the leaves (check the sidewalk opposite Hodgkins-Curtin park, for instance - the leaves have been ground into tiny slippery leaf-nuggets by all the feet that have trod over them or notice the residents who seem to think that storing a new mondo recycling bin on the sidewalk ALL WEEK LONG is a good idea). Already I'm dreading the pedestrian-packed-ice-sheet that we can expect in front of the fire-ravaged block of Teele Sq. (many of the active Teele Sq. businesses fail to shovel properly - will we be surprised when the owner of a crater fails to clear the sidewalk?) and the extra time required to carefully pick one's way down Holland Ave. towards Davis Sq. through the slush-filled handicap ramps and the narrow paths created by other pedestrians.

What can be done about this?

Fines for sidewalk blocking fall under the Inspectional Services Dept. (ISD) which sounds reasonable until one considers that ISD personnel are traveling around in their cars and only issue a sidewalk-blockage ticket in response to a complaint. Meanwhile, we have a small army of Traffic & Parking personnel walking the very same sidewalks that are blocked as they do their daily rounds. Would it not make sense to put 'sidewalk enforcement' into the hands of the city personnel who are most often using those sidewalks?

Recently, Mayor Curtatone called on citizens to call 311Somerville whenever they hear the sound of aircraft. I'd like to call on other citizens to join me in calling on the city to write more sidewalk-blockage citations so that we can enjoy our city's walkability throughout the winter.

Who's with me?

Poll Results

There were 13 responses to the poll. Respondents were not required to answer each question so do not be surprised when the number of replies to a question is fewer
than 13.

Replies in the order in which the questions were asked.

Visitation Frequency
occasionally	3
frequently	4
daily	1
when I saw a tweet referencing it	4

enjoyment
not at all	1
somewhat	4
quite a bit	8

I learned of this blog from
A tweet from Ward7Somerville	6
Andy Metzger's article	6

This blog inflenced my vote
not at all	2
somewhat	6
quite a bit	1

Other sources of influence
Somerville Journal	9
Ward5Online	9
Somerville News	7
Somerville Patch	6
Greater Somerville	2
Candidate Literature	3
Somerville Journal Blog	1

I believe this blog
was generally fair	7
was biased for or against a candidate	6

I hope this blog
continues	12
ceases	1

Comments

great job!

Enjoyed the candid remarks about each candidate, keep up the good work.

weird connection between ward 5 online and greater somerville

You & Ward 5 Online are two of the best blogs online.

I was/am a
A voter from Ward 7	5
A voter from another Ward	8
(Other) A blogger	1

age
36 to 45 y.o.	6
26 to 35 y.o.	4
> 55 y.o.	1
46 to 55 y.o.	1
< 25 y.o.	1

My particpation included
Voted	13
Door-knocked in Ward 7	1
Door-knocked in another Ward	1
Held a sign for a Ward 7 candidate	1
Held a sign for a non-Ward7 candidate	1
(Other) blog reader	1

A poll about this blog...

With the election is over, I thought I would ask for some reader feedback regarding this blog. Like an election, if you don't vote (respond) you cede the right to complain. Answer any or all of the questions below. Include comments if you like.

Next Friday (11/18), I will publish the results. If there are a very small number of responses then I won't publish any of the 'Reader Information'; if possible, however, I will publish that information disassociated from the 'Reader Experience' data.

If the poll makes a reference to something that you do not recognize, take a look at the bottom of the page for an explanation or a link.

Thank you for participating and for reading this blog.



Explanations:
Andy Metzger's article refers to: http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/somerville/2011/08/30/who-is-behind-the-ward7somerville-blog/
Ward5Online refers to: Ward 5 Online
Greater Somerville refers to the TV show described here: http://greatersomerville.wordpress.com/
Candidate Literature includes any information provided by a candidate including mailings, web-sites, speeches, tweets, etc.

Any questions

41 votes

Apparently, the preliminary election outcome wasn't a 'mandate for change'.

Ward 7 Prediction

Due to my poor prediction in the preliminary race (http://ward7somerville.blogspot.com/2011/09/wag-wild-ass-guess-about-result.html) I was feeling a little sheepish about issuing a prediction for tomorrow's Main Event.

However, emboldened by the fact that the Stars & Stripes are flying at 49 Russell Rd. today (and will surely be waving tomorrow as predicted here: http://ward7somerville.blogspot.com/2011/11/in-ward-7-somerville-journal-endorses.html), I'm going to go ahead...

It's a shame that the folks at The Somerville Journal (esp. those who compiled the endorsements: http://www.wickedlocal.com/somerville/news/x1379037300/Endorsements-Top-picks-for-Somerville-Board-of-Aldermen) aren't tasked with printing the ballots - I can't help but wonder if they would have gone this route:

In Ward 7, The Somerville Journal endorses...

...neither candidate.

Although both candidates have expressed a dedication to Ward 7 neighbors, we do not feel strongly enough to put full support behind either one. Incumbent Bob Trane has an important bond with many of his dedicated constituents, but he seems more skeptical of the mayor’s critics than of the mayor himself. Challenger Katjana Ballantyne wants to give the residents more of a voice and is a big advocate for mixed-use development, but her obliqueness on many of the issues does not give voters, or us, a real sense of how she will represent the ward.

While The Journal is unwilling to put their full support behind either candidate, the highlighted quotes above suggest, to me, which candidate they prefer. As a voter who is largely supportive of the mayor, I am glad to hear that The Journal finds Trane to be supportive of him as well.

Perhaps full support from The Journal would have been forthcoming if Bob Trane had not asked for his money back (from recent campaign finance report):

(That's a joke - I'm not seriously suggesting that The Journal's endorsement could be bought or that the candidate would be interested in buying it.)

It seems that The Journal is as puzzled as I have been at Ballantyne's failure to be forthcoming and clear about her plans. In any endeavor, the burden is on the challenger to show why he is the better choice. As I said back in July, Ballantyne has dealt only in "fluff" (obliqueness):

Speaking of that July post, at the time I received an e-mail taking me to task for suggesting that Ballantyne's new flagpole and her (then) recent expressions of allegiance to the Boston Bruins were simply pandering to popular symbols. For that commenter, I would suggest that you take a few trips down Russell Road to see how frequently the flag is raised these days. I can't recall the last time that I saw that flag proudly waving.

I'll predict that it is up on Tuesday, November 8.

Ward 7 "Election" today on Ward5Online

Vote

The 'ballot' is on the right-hand side of the page.

Trane for Ward 7 - Somerville News Endorsement

Somerville News Endorsement

He knows his constituents. He is out there every day in Ward 7, and not just at election time either.

We know that Bob Trane is the best candidate for the job because we think he is the people’s Alderman. We are proud to endorse him and urge every registered voter in Ward 7 to vote to re-elect Alderman Bob Trane on Tuesday, November 8.