Archived Advocacy Issues

Carlton Street Footbridge
Transportation Bill
"Pitch the City" Contest

Carlton Street Footbridge

On November 17th, Brookline Town Meeting voted 192-25 (160 votes needed for passage) to approve the warrant article for funding of the restoration of the Carlton Street Footbridge.

Thank you to all who supported the warrant! Read the full warrant and a summary letter from Rob Daves and Bob Schram, proponents of Warrant Article 5.

Brookline Town Meeting Executive Summary

Note from Proponents

Transportation Bill - Historic parkways and bridges

Update, July 2009:

The Transportation bill that passed the legislature in late June is a mixed bag for parks but it is clear that the combined advocacy efforts of our environmental coalition paid positive dividends. While the bill transfers most DCR bridges as well as a few parkways (including the Casey overpass in Jamaica Plain past Forest Hills) to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the management of the Jamaicaway, Riverway, Fenway, Storrow Drive, etc., remain with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The bill calls for a report due in one year to identify and make plans for any additional parkways that should be transferred. In consultation with DCR Commissioner Rick Sullivan and many of our colleagues, we will work to ensure that the new report will recommend no additional transfers of parkways within the Emerald Necklace. We will be asking for your public support for keeping the remaining parkways at DCR.

We appreciate the efforts of the legislators who worked so effectively with us to prevent the massive transfer of historic parkways from DCR to the new Mass Trans department. Special kudos to Chairman Joseph Wagner, Rep. Martha Walz, Rep. Alice Wolf, Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez and others for their leadership.

Click here for legislator contact information: House | Senate

Transportation Bill Advocacy History

-Click here to read the letter submitted on 4.1.09 by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and many other environmental organizations.

-The full text of the testimony submitted 3.12.09 by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy against transferring parkways and parkway bridges currently under the control of DCR to MassHighway is available here.

-Emerald Necklace Conservancy Op-Ed in 3.25.09 Boston Globe

"Pitch the City" Contest - Help turn Beantown into Greentown

Boston has been recognized as the 3rd greenest city in the nation. Help us get to number one!

WINNER: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Mural Project Alexandra Reilinger (11) and Mikayla Colson Leaning (12), Jamaica Plain, MA

Murals related to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle that would be painted at Boston Public Schools and T stops, and on electrical boxes, with Recycling Bins next to the murals. The murals would engage Boston residents, workers, and visitors to reduce, reuse and recycle. They already have the support of Boston’s Youth Mural Crew. Can the power of public art change the way we act? Boston has been recognized as the 3rd greenest city in the nation. Thank you to all of the people that submitted ideas to Pitch the City, a collaborative contest from D2E and the City of Boston that seeks creative ideas to help make Boston better for people and the planet.