Link below is the Committee's website

https://www.brooklinema.gov/1605/Boylston-Street-Corridor-Study-Committee

Toole's design presentation will be available on the website (link above) by end of day on Thursday.

A recording of this entire session will also be available on the website tomorrow. Last week's recording is already up.

green space could be greatly enhanced by adding/promoting green roof gardens and solar panels. Think flat roofs: Audi, newer residential and commercial construction, the historic fire station, for examples. Think carbon sequestration, transpiration from plants/trees, evaporation - green lush gardens bring temperatures down!

Thank you Deane, all great ideas!

Please type your questions in the Q & A

Feel free to provide comments in the chat!

Susan, later in presentation we will talk about areas to enhance, improve.

As for developers we have been holding interviews with many, as well as existing property owners. We will discuss briefly later in presentation

Roof top gardens and roof tops restaurants were a big ask during the Visioning process

The current corridor development seems to have very little concern for tree canopy and open space. The new Audi dealership and the new Hotel have no or very limited trees. This is not conducive to pedestrians.

Sam, welcome to the neighborhood. We would like to see the same.

The heat on the Audi dealership corner is intense in comparison to the gas station corner that has big tree cover.

RE: Deane’s comments - Lincoln School Students did an after school program redesigning the same issues of pedestrian access, bikes, greening.

Assuming that Route 9 is still a state highway, how can the town make any significant changes to the sidewalks, cross walk functionality, enhancements that truly make this a “place” rather then primarily a car route?

John, a lab use may be a possibility in the future at 10 Brookline Place. A market analysis done by Pam McKinney during the visioning process revealed that lab space was not particular viable on the corridor due to the narrow sites.

Would a cross bridge make more sense at Lincoln?

Cathy good questions. A transportation / design study was done by the State to address some of these element. A copy of this Study is on our website.

Gordon, I think without lights/exit points along Boylston, as center lane would be difficult. But an interesting thought to consider!

The corridor seems to be a dividing line between different uses on either side. The design should include ways to cross over Rt. 9.

Bryan - Cross walks slow down traffic AND make the street more of a “parkway/ community avenue.” We want to encourage more people to populate Route 9 so those commuters recognize its NOT a highway.

i agree, I just mean for Lincoln. The other two cross walks would still slow it down

Since Rt 9 is a state road, what restrictions are placed on the design to make the road better for Brookline?

Now you’re talking!

Bryan, pedestrian bridges aren’t used in contexts where the goal is to be people-friendly and walkable. The ramps (assuming there were space for them) double the crossing distance, and the grade changes increase effort required, especially for those with disabilities. They also create isolated confined spaces that can feel unsafe at night.

I was involved in the permitting process for 2 Brookline Place. We decided against allowing lab use there. Safety requirements for level 2 or 3 labs are extensive. Public safety people need special training to respond. Cambridge has done this. Our fire ladders only reach about 80 feet. 2 Brookline Place is too tall to be all reached. This is not true of 10 Brookline Place. But if you read the safety requirements for level 3 labs you might question the safety of putting such labs in a place dense with other uses. John Bassett

Alex - Bravo - also the issues of heat gain can be mitigated better with increased trees @ grade.

Please note- rte 9 or Boylston St is a highway. For most people it is a road that goes west or east-I would love to see more trees etc. But we can't lose sight of the purpose of rte 9.The back roads are now jammed as more drivers try to maneuver around Rte 9. Those lovely neighborhoods have become congested and clogged

I love this example, but I would be shocked if DOT was okay with it.

Eliminating a travel lane on each side really opens up the possibilities, and

…and I’m guessing will help reduce/slow traffic.

Alex - can this example of center planting medium only be achievable if Boston moves in the direction of other cities across the globe that create parking outside the city with buses leading into the city center

worrying that the traffic could be worsen

I agree with TC, it would be bumper to bumper

Don’t forget the need for trees in the Cypress/Brinton section.

There is plenty of experience from other places where decreasing traffic capacity simple eliminated traffic.

*simply

…just as adding capacity will increase traffic.

Scott, LOL -yes BUT having a reliable alternative with bikes, public transportation, walking needs to be accomodated

Can you show the image with the four options shown graphically?

Cathy: Not necessarily. Regional traffic seeks other routes 9like Mass Pike), people choose other options, as limited as they may be, and low-value trips are often eliminated.

...A good local example was Longfellow Bridge during construction.

I think all of these options are wonderful for calming traffic and hugely improving the benefit to Brookline residents and folks visiting local businesses, not to mention protecting pedestrians and cyclists in this currently-dangerous corridor.

Scott, BUT we want to keep more cars off Walnut St and other parallel routes that are residential… there already is excessive traffic on Walnut for folks wanting to avoid Rt. 9. How does Cambridge address this?

If there truly no traffic increase, then two lanes seems to be the right answer.

The traffic volumes suggest that now a lot of traffic diverts itself to parallel neighborhood streets (Walnut and Davis) between Cypress and Washington. What ever is done should reverse this and get some traffic off Walnut and Davis and back on to Route 9. John Bassett

I am here Rep!

And I am very excited. This has come such a long way in a wonderful direction.

Great, Frank, thank you for coming!

This is Nika :) Does it say Frank? I think Frank is also here.

Hi Nika! glad you're with us and advocating for us!

Kara - AND timing for cross walks

Welcome, Nika! SO glad you could join us! Yes, says Frank.

Yes it’s me :)

does the designs provide solutions for huge snow piles during the New England winter?

CTPS= Central Transportation Planning Staff! In house consultants to State transportation agency….

Monica, yes, the gas leaks are something we did bring up during the visioning process. With the climate legislation I hope we can tackle the gas leaks during the future developments.

lets have rain gardens so we can save rainwater runoff - don't let it go down the drains!

Yes to managing rain water with green infrastructure beyond trees — the planted medians look great.

Hey T C - we need to look how melting equipment is used in Canada and possibly other urban setting like NYC. ( Its removed and melted off site.) The large piles are clearly in conflict with pedestrian access.

Good point/thoughts, Cathy Neal. As we often see worse traffic jam during snow days as the driving lanes got even narrower, considering with either of the new design options.

I think we should only consider the concepts that increase the sidewalk width, this seems essential to me. Next essential element, trees.

Four trees in front of the Homestead hotel “died” this year. I am hoping thoughts about trees are long term visions. I do hope trees are included either way

OK, that works for me!

What Emily said!

Here here, Emily!

Snow removal on sidewalks has been far superior than in the past, but it is always better when Old Lincoln is in use.

Monica, thanks for the observation on those trees. Yes, it is a precariously narrow area to allow trees to thrive and withstand the wintertime salt

Thanks everyone for all of your comments!!! We are challenged to keep up with all of them and answer them, but we will save this chat thread so that we can see ALL of your feedback, questions, etc!

Snow removal on High Street up is one of the biggest problem areas, but also in front of Boylston park, and all of the South side of the street where the sidewalks are much narrower.

In the graphic I wonder what the overhang is? So

thanks everyone

https://www.brooklinema.gov/list.aspx please sign up for NOTIFY ME via this link

Look how narrow the parking is. Sidewalks are also very narrow

There is an underground culvert running along the tracks that

Actually, sometimes we need some more pedestrian services here in Brookline.

This will keep you apprised of all of

Two thoughts about commercial use: 1. Any “improvements” may make rents unaffordable to small merchants. 2. How can we justify more commercial when we already have numerous vacancies within Brookline Village @ existing storefronts @ “Cypress Crossing?

And @ Cypress Crossing

My apologies, please disregard. That was to say that the notify me link will keep you apprised of all future meetings and activities of this Committee

This is not showing current construction

We absolutely could use laboratory/biotech commercial here. Has the committee spoken with real estate experts who understand what the minimum density is to support office and/or lab space?

Since we skipped the survey results in this presentation, please refer to our slides from last week's session to see our findings: https://www.brooklinema.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24756/Boylston-forum_Jun-2-2021

We do need auto related uses. Audy's garage provides valuable repair services.

I hope we are not thinking about a downtown Boston corridor like Brookline Ave at Fenway has become. It’s Brookline.

There were about 100 trees removed in the last few years

Yes indeed, John. The Mobile station was considered a site to PRESERVE for the foreseeable future. Elias Audy is very involved in the work we are doing here.

I would agree that the height profile should increase to mimic the Madris building. Greater density of both residential and commercial use properties would go a long way to improving both the character and the usability of the area.

Thank you so much for the excellent facilitation, questions, and discussion. I’m especially excited about greenspace, trees, bikes, affordable housing, and slowing traffic to stop at shops! - Rep Nika

I keep hearing better uses for Mobil site from speakers.

Fantastic David. Multiple messaging channels works!

The Greater Point neighborhood spent many years dealing with keeping them smaller, not allowing a special use permit and I think denying them a variance which is why they still have a parking lot and as In understand are still keeping cars off site. One of the bidets concerns was about cars turning left and right off Cypress.

Sorry them is the car dealership

Frances - I think we need to acknowledge that 1. The Mobil is a locally owned business, 2. The number of service stations in Brookline has been reduced significantly in recent years,

https://www.brooklinema.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24667/BSCSC-4-7-21-memo-to-Bulfinch

Bulfinch memo above

Pam McKinney's market analysis: https://www.brooklinema.gov/DocumentCenter/View/19664/Brookline---Route-9-Market-Slides-June-25-2019

Thank you for the excellent work of this committee. I feel very well represented! I look forward to walking or biking or shopping along Boylston St.!!

Auto-oriented businesses don't necessarily kill pedestrian-friendliness. There are car dealers and service along Comm Ave near Babcock, and Herb Chambers dealerships on Comm Ave and Brighton Ave. Keys are that they're small and not visually repellent

Wendy thanks for all the committees work. I am approaching much of this as a local banker and secondarily as the President of the chamber and a long term resident of Brookline

I agree with Linda P on form-based zoning!

Two parcels were combined at 221 + 229 to create one for the new 5 luxury apartments currently under construction. This was all in the works before we were able to mobilize this current

Agreed, Bill. Automobile-oriented uses make the area hostile to people walking, and their parking needs result in very low tax assessments on a per-acre basis. I realize that some have commented in favor of keeping the Mobil station, but I think we need to be thinking about the future and something on such a key site that will enhance rather than deter walkability. While the site's owner may choose to keep doing business as-is for the near term, incentives for denser zoning (via overlay) on that site — consistent with those that may be proposed elsewhere in the area — would be more forward-looking, and would certainly not compel any change of use in the near term.

I agree, with Mitch. I like the idea if having services that are meant for more mundane needs, not just gift shopping. That’s what I meant by pedestrian.

According to DPW Commissioner Gallentine the Town has decided not to have a temporary Davis Path. The final bridge must be ADA compliant. This will take time an money. John

BHA presentation here: https://www.brooklinema.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24708/BHA-ppt-5-10-21

Thank you Kara, Wendy et al. I continue to learn a lot from you and from participants. Keep my office posted on how to support. Rep Vitolo keeps me very much in the loop as well. Would love to help with spreading the word in Precinct 5! (Rep Nika, listed here as my aide Frank ;) )

One last time, our website here: https://www.brooklinema.gov/1605/Boylston-Street-Corridor-Study-Committee

Given the skewed demographics of the survey respondents, I’d encourage the committee to do more outreach targeting under-represented groups.

Thanks, all.

Thank you

A pleasure!

Thanks!

Thank you all!