ABOUT US
Mass Ave Coalition is a non-profit organization based in Boston and located along Massachusetts Avenue. Our community is very valuable to us, and we would like to improve it and highlight its history and beauty by partnering with its members.
There are three main areas we currently would like to focus on: public health, streetscape, and vehicle & pedestrian flow, specifically along Mass Ave and its surrounding communities.
There are many stakeholders along and near Mass Ave who represent tremendous power and passion. Neighbors report feeling overwhelmed by these three areas of focus, leading to disengagement. Businesses and institutions often operate as if they were in a different community. Our goal is to bring all of these groups of people together for the common interest of all.
PUBLIC HEALTH
Since 1864, when Boston City Hospital became the first municipal hospital in the US, the South End has hosted services for those of us who are poor or disenfranchised. This community has flexed to provide care to those at risk of being forgotten during crises like the Spanish Flu and now the opioid crisis. Prior to COVID, our zip code 02118 (less than 3% of Boston’s land area), hosted 55% of Boston’s adult emergency shelter beds and 2 of 5 methadone clinics.
Now Boston Medical Center (BMC), Boston Health Care for the Homeless, and a cluster of many other providers serve patients and clients who struggle with homelessness, mental illness and/or addiction. This cluster draws nationally recognized leaders in substance use disorder and homelessness, as well as people who struggle with these, and also predators. Massachusetts Ave and nearby streets, alleys and parks are often used for drug injection, drinking, smoking, urination, defecation. The pejorative nickname “Methadone Mile” describes a sad reality: people who appear to be impaired and others dealing drugs often dominate the public space. This stigmatizes patients, imposes a very large burden on residents, and has made ground-floor retail business difficult or impossible.
STREETSCAPE
Massachusetts Avenue has a long and strong history of residential living, musical institutions, medical services, and businesses. We have the need to improve our physical space that can connect residents, businesses, musical venues, medical and educational institutions by considering:
Tree analysis, tree planting plan, and flower bed plan including both sides of the avenue as well median strips
Connecting the two halves of Chester Square Park that was split when Massachusetts Avenue became a highway
Parklets that could allow residents, hospital workers, and businesses a place to relax and enjoy the space
Public art installations that represent the history of the avenue and engages avenue walkers
Improving business access by providing unique options for retail and restaurants with sidewalk space to improve business access
Infrastructure changes, such as sidewalk expansion, that make this a pedestrian and walk friendly avenue
Outline charette & social media strategies, including a web site, that could help the Coalition solicit input from residents, businesses and institutions that can allow them to contribute their thoughts about streetscape improvements
VEHICLE & PEDESTRIAN FLOW
MA Rte 2A (Mass Ave) carries both regional commuters and local traffic.
Before COVID-19, Mass Ave was badly congested and polluting the air most of the day. Daytime bus routes took twice as long as night runs, costing both commuters and the MBTA dearly. Post-COVID, more people are choosing to walk and ride bicycles, as well as drive. Additionally, bus passengers require more space.
Protected bicycle lanes from the Charles River to Symphony fade into a thin strip between moving and parked cars in the South End, with narrow sidewalks along this area as well.
GoBoston 2030 offers a vision to serve our transportation needs. Bus lanes increase service frequency and capacity. Shared cars reduce demand for parking. Wide sidewalks and protected bike lanes accommodate many people with relatively little right-of-way. However, GoBoston 2030 is an “aspirational plan”. Implementation is contingent on community support and on funding from multiple jurisdictions. We need to organize ourselves to advocate for Mass Ave’s many users and user groups.