DCR has set Thursday, February 18 as the last day to comment on its proposed Hammond Pond Parkway Improvements. At an online public meeting on January 21, 2021, DCR presented preliminary plans for a pedestrian- and bike-friendly redesign of the Parkway, and asked for public comments about the plans. The proposal would reduce the number of vehicle lanes from four to two between Beacon Street and the traffic signal at the driveway leading to The Shoppes at Chestnut Hill Mall. It would create a 12-foot-wide shared-use lane for bicycles and pedestrians on the west side of the roadway, separated by a landscaped median. The shared-use lane would extend all the way from Beacon Street to Route 9.
Please visit the DCR website at
to see the presentation and for a video of the presentation as well as additional informative material including recently a recently posted traffic study of Hammond Pond Parkway. It would also be informative to visit our Newton Conservators page on this project at https://newtonconservators.org/comment-on-proposed-hammond-pond-parkway-improvements/
Newton Conservators has coordinated with the Transportation Advisory Group, the Newton Safe Routes to School Task Force, Bike Newton, Friends of Webster Woods, and Green Newton in a joint letter of support which can be found at the following link: Hammond Pond Parkway letter . The letter covers pedestrian, biking, wayfinding, and parking improvements to the DCR plan.
DCR encourages the public to comment on the plan by the deadline of February 18, 2021. Comments may be submitted online at www.mass.gov/dcr/public-comments.
