Description
I posted this issue previously, but the comments got out of hand.
Again, people were honking furiously at the garbage trucks on Tremont St. around noon today while the collectors were trying to do their jobs. There was more honking from a different episode at 8AM because two very large trucks were not able to pass each other on the street. The response to my last ticket was that there were no feasible actions to take. I disagree, and propose:
1) Cambridge should acknowledge that we have far more vehicles per hour than what is considered normal for a residential street (especially compared to neighboring Norfolk St., for example). I estimate over 100 vehicles per hour for a good period of the day, with a good chunk of that number being heavy trucks. Please use this information to understand why there is support from our neighbors to turn our small, traffic-burdened street into a Shared Street.
2) Install some "No honking", "No idling" signage to remind drivers to stop impacting residents with their driving behaviors.
3) Speak with some of the trash collectors and make sure they don't feel harassed. Invite them to ask if they would like a police or city escort if they have any frustrations with this aspect of the route.
4) Encourage Cambridge police to ensure residents through public channels that they are aware and taking aggressive driving seriously (including needless honking). For reference, their current Twitter has no traffic tips, but their banner photo shows an officer standing in a bike lane...Enforcement was understandably low at the height of COVID here, but traffic is back to its old rates and traffic safety metrics are grim in Massachusetts this year, so focusing enforcement on traffic again makes sense.
Thank you.
7 Comments
City of Cambridge (Verified Official)
City Hall – DR (Verified Official)
LISA WHITE (Registered User)
Tremont Neighbor (Registered User)
I hope the shared streets designation on Tremont will be enforced vigorously. It would be helpful (though don't know if possible), if some notice could be put on the Somerville end so that people's expectations are set when the enter the street.
A "no trucks except for delivery" policy would be helpful, as in my experience big trucks use Tremont as a way to avoid Prospect.
LISA WHITE (Registered User)
Email:311updates@somervillema.gov
Also contact Somerville City Councilor for Ward 2 , JT Scott. He is very responsive in my experience . Our house is on the city line so we interact with both cities. Good luck
d (Registered User)
Closed Traffic - NC (Communications) (Registered User)