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VOTE CALLED MISLEADING
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The following opinion was submitted by the East Arlington Livable Streets (EALS) Coalition:
A nonbinding referendum on Mass. Ave. that has qualified for the April ballot will have no effect on the design of the street because the measure “comes after the design has been decided and tries to fool people,” according to an East Arlington neighborhood group.
Chad Gibson, one of two cochairs of the East Arlington Livable Streets (EALS) Coalition, said of the referendum that “the design process is over” and there is no reason to revisit the number of
travel lanes in the Town’s Mass Ave Corridor Plan.
He also called the wording of the referendum, which asks for four lanes on Mass. Ave., "bait and switch," charging, "it promises four lanes but in reality would remove popular safety improvements from the new design, which is the real agenda.
"The pedestrian safety islands, dedicated turning lanes, and safer and shorter crosswalks of the new design would not be possible, because there is not room for them and four traffic lanes," he said.
"Neighbors finished a lengthy design process and strongly support the plan’s many safety features," according to EALS Cochair Phil Goff.
"An honest referendum to undo that work -- rather than just a trick question about four traffic lanes -- would not stand any chance at all."
The first of dozens of public meetings to redesign Mass. Ave. was held in October 2008. Although aspects of the project have been controversial, public comments at MassDOT’s April 2011 design hearing supported the safer design by a wide margin.
The EALS Coalition, founded in 2008 to advocate for safer streets and better quality of life, claims more than 400 direct members and supporters.
In addition to its work to make the Mass. Ave. design safer, the group has lobbied the town to fix broken street lights and repaint crosswalks, held educational events, promoted walking and biking to the Hardy School, and erected a sign on the Minuteman Path promoting Capital Square businesses.
This opinion was published Friday, Jan. 11, 2013.
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Saturday May 18, 2013 | 10:56:51 a.m.
ACMi NEWS
'HITS' KEEP COMIN'
YourArlington April ads maintains 7-month pace.
YOURARLINGTON FEED 
Only bike lane advocates mislead residents
After years of denial by rigged committees, Selectmen, and Town Meeting, residents finally get to answer if they want to keep the four lanes they now use every day, and have used for decades. Its been a years long process to fight for getting the most fundamental of many simple questions needed to be asked of residents but not. Vision-2020 could have put out a battery of specific questions on Mass Ave. design aspects in the last 12 years, but never has. Trash, recycling, and Pay As You Throw seem to have been more important to them than even a single question on how many travel/bike lanes people want on Mass Ave. Thanks to thousands of Arlington voters signing our petition, they will finally have their opinions counted. Democracy will get its day on April 6!
For years residents have been mislead with many false claims: "the road isn't wide enough for shared lanes", and yet, 25% plans for Arlington Center show 14 foot wide shared travel/bike lanes on the west side of Pleasant and Mystic Streets. "No room for turn lanes", yet Mass Ave pavement is a foot wider at Lake Street (80') than at Medford Street where there is a turn lane plus four travel lanes.
Lost raised median? The 75% plan of the one mile project calls for just 37 feet of raised median east of Orvis/Grafton minus a crosswalk cutout, and 63 feet between Egerton Road and Marathon Street. So, out of 5,300 feet, just 100 feet of raised median is planned. Plans show widened sidewalks, so its difficult to tell if a four or five foot wide raised area would or would not fit in those, or other locations. Designers worked harder at trying not to do a four lane plan than doing one. The previous 2002 (Berger) and 2005 (VHB) studies rejected by Selectmen (choosing FST to design) can help answer questions on what fits and what can't.
At the ONE public hearing, where the public is guaranteed a right to speak, a petition signed by 3,100 residents called for four travel lanes and no curb extensions. Over 70% of independent businesses also submitted a letter opposing loss of a travel lane. Residents were ignored by both Selectmen and MassDOT. The planning department called business owners "confused". A vote on April 6 will clear up any confusion.