Washington Street Complete Streets Project
Washington Street is a major artery that provides access to schools, public buildings, and two commercial districts. The Town has applied for $29 million federal and state funding to rebuild Washington Street between Washington Square at Beacon Street and Brookline Village at Station Street using a Complete Streets approach.
Currently, Washington Street is constrained by a relatively narrow right-of-way that features two lanes of traffic, on-street parking in both directions, a patchwork of bicycle accommodations, and sidewalks that are in poor condition and serve large volumes of pedestrians. The MBTA Route 65 Bus runs along Washington Street, connecting riders to Brighton Center and Kenmore Square. There are safety and accessibility issues with intersection design, signal timing and equipment, roadway deterioration, safety, accommodations for people with disabilities, and transit amenities.
The Concept Design recommended by the Design Review Committee has many elements that would make Washington Street safer and more welcoming for all users, including protected bike lanes along the entire project length. However, there has been some pushback against the current design's proposed removal of some curbside parking on Washington Street, which is necessary to create space for the protected bike lanes. The Transportation Board approved the Concept Design at its February 5, 2025 meeting, and he Brookline Select Board is expected to vote on the Concept Design at its February 11, 2025 meeting.
Biking Brookline believes that the current proposal provides access to adequate parking on the Washington Street corridor for all users. We are optimistic that the parking studies in Washington Square and Brookline Village that the Town has committed to conducting will confirm this.
Incorporating Complete Streets elements in the design, including protected bike lanes, is critical in meeting the Town's Complete Streets Policy goal to design public ways that accommodate people of all ages and abilities whether traveling by foot, bicycle, wheelchair, mass transit, or motor vehicle. Protected bike lanes contribute to meeting the Town's climate goal of encouraging the use of sustainable modes of transportation and its goal of creating a Green Routes Bicycle Network.
We also believe that the protected bike lanes are critical in securing the $29 million in federal and state funding for the project. The loss of federal and state funding would likely result in a much scaled-down project without all the Complete Streets elements.
Biking Brookline has documented public support for the protected bike lanes by circulating a petition that asks the Town to create protected bike lanes on the entire Washington Street project. As of February 6, 2025, the petition had been signed by 1,474 people, including around 1,200 Brookline residents, a majority of the Town Meeting Members, including 70% of the those Members who represent the districts in which the project runs, and a majority of the School Committee.
You can read more about Biking Brookline’s perspective on the Washington Street Project in the Comment Letter that Biking Brookline submitted to the Design Review Committee.
Washington Street Complete Street Project
Washington Street is a major artery that provides access to schools, public buildings, and two commercial districts. The Town has applied for $29 million federal and state funding to rebuild Washington Street between Washington Square at Beacon Street and Brookline Village at Station Street using a Complete Streets approach.
Currently, Washington Street is constrained by a relatively narrow right-of-way that features two lanes of traffic, on-street parking in both directions, a patchwork of bicycle accommodations, and sidewalks that are in poor condition and serve large volumes of pedestrians. The MBTA Route 65 Bus runs along Washington Street, connecting riders to Brighton Center and Kenmore Square. There are safety and accessibility issues with intersection design, signal timing and equipment, roadway deterioration, safety, accommodations for people with disabilities, and transit amenities.
The Concept Design recommended by the Design Review Committee has many elements that would make Washington Street safer and more welcoming for all users, including protected bike lanes along the entire project length. However, there has been some pushback against the current design's proposed removal of some curbside parking on Washington Street, which is necessary to create space for the protected bike lanes. The Transportation Board approved the Concept Design at its February 5, 2025 meeting, and he Brookline Select Board is expected to vote on the Concept Design at its February 11, 2025 meeting.
Biking Brookline believes that the current proposal provides access to adequate parking on the Washington Street corridor for all users. We are optimistic that the parking studies in Washington Square and Brookline Village that the Town has committed to conducting will confirm this.
Incorporating Complete Streets elements in the design, including protected bike lanes, is critical in meeting the Town's Complete Streets Policy goal to design public ways that accommodate people of all ages and abilities whether traveling by foot, bicycle, wheelchair, mass transit, or motor vehicle. Protected bike lanes contribute to meeting the Town's climate goal of encouraging the use of sustainable modes of transportation and its goal of creating a Green Routes Bicycle Network.
We also believe that the protected bike lanes are critical in securing the $29 million in federal and state funding for the project. The loss of federal and state funding would likely result in a much scaled-down project without all the Complete Streets elements.
Biking Brookline has documented public support for the protected bike lanes by circulating a petition that asks the Town to create protected bike lanes on the entire Washington Street project. As of February 6, 2025, the petition had been signed by 1,474 people, including around 1,200 Brookline residents, a majority of the Town Meeting Members, including 70% of the those Members who represent the districts in which the project runs, and a majority of the School Committee.
You can read more about Biking Brookline’s perspective on the Washington Street Project in the Comment Letter that Biking Brookline submitted to the Design Review Committee.