City Council - Planning, Development, & Transportation Committee Hearing on Dockets #0204, #0588 & #0589

• Date: April 22, 2026
• Governing Body: City Council Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation
• Meeting Type: Committee Hearing
• Chair: Councilor Sharon Durkan
• Councilors in Attendance: Liz Breadon (Council President), Benjamin Weber, Enrique Pepén, Edward Flynn, Erin Murphy, Miniard Culpepper, John Fitzgerald, Brian Worrell
• Administration Panel:
  • Nick Gove, Interim Chief of Streets
  • Mohammad Mazzuri, Executive Director for the Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS)

The hearing addressed three related dockets:

1. Docket 0204: Order for a hearing to discuss making neighborhood streets safer following the 30-day review of street projects.
2. Docket 0588: Order for a hearing to discuss City of Boston transportation philosophy and status of infrastructure projects.
3. Docket 0589: Order for a hearing to discuss the status of state and federal funding allocated for transportation projects.

Key Points from Sponsors:

• Chair Durkan: Noted that while the city is committed to Vision Zero, many projects have slowed down without clear explanation, potentially risking federal grants like the Roxbury Resilient Corridors Grant.
• Council President Breadon: Highlighted the loss of $327 million from the I-90 project due to delays and expressed concern over hundreds of millions more in jeopardy if funds are not obligated.
• Councilor Weber: Criticized the lack of progress since the April 2025 review, stating, 'We need a better community process around street safety improvements and instead what we've had is no process and no improvements.'
• Councilor Pepén: Emphasized that transportation is an equity issue, focusing on the safety of seniors, children, and cyclists.

Interim Chief Nick Gove outlined the Streets Cabinet's mission, emphasizing a shift from 'temporary infrastructure to durable, well-designed and integrated solutions.'

Core Priorities:

• State of Good Repair: Prioritizing basic maintenance (potholes, street lights, resurfacing) as the foundation for safety.
• Safety Surge Phase 2: Moving away from an 'algorithm-based approach' for speed humps to a model that evaluates if a neighborhood is better served by speed humps versus other measures like raised crosswalks or bump-outs.
• Coordinated Approach: Evaluating streets due for resurfacing for simultaneous safety improvements.

Reported Progress:

• 105 miles of roadway resurfaced.
• 27,000+ potholes filled.
• 18 miles of bike lanes constructed (nearly doubling the network).
• 1,400 speed humps installed citywide.
• 6,400+ ADA-compliant curb ramps constructed.

The administration provided updates on several high-profile projects and funding concerns:

• Boylston Street (Fenway): Chief Gove clarified that $8 million in federal funding was not lost but reallocated to the 2031 federal schedule by the MPO.
• Cambridge Street Bridge (Charlestown): This project has been moved up in priority.
• Rutherford Ave and Sullivan Square: Now moving to the 25% design submission after decades of planning.
• Blue Hill Avenue: The Mayor and Secretary Ang are meeting frequently. The $80 million federal grant is tied to transit improvements; the MBTA maintains that center-running bus lanes are the most effective design.
• Projects Starting Construction in 2026:
  • Cummins Highway (completion this summer)
  • Harrison Avenue (Ink Block)
  • Jones Ave
  • Lower Roxbury
  • Lost Village
  • Ellis Safe Routes to School

• Speed Hump Eligibility: Councilors Weber and Durkan pushed for clarity on how residents can request speed humps. Gove stated that the program is being redesigned to ensure humps are placed where they are 'needed most' rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Enforcement: Councilor Flynn and Councilor Fitzgerald called for increased traffic enforcement. Gove noted that BTD handles non-moving violations (parking), while moving violations remain the responsibility of the Boston Police Department (BPD).
• Blue Hill Avenue Opposition: Councilor Culpepper highlighted a petition with 2,000 signatures opposing center-running bus lanes, asking at what point the city will consider alternative designs. Gove responded that they are balancing transit needs with community feedback and planning a joint meeting with the MBTA.
• Infrastructure Removal: Councilor Worrell and Chair Durkan questioned the removal of bus lanes and bike lane separators. Gove cited low compliance and lack of transit time savings for removals on Summer Street and Boylston Street.

Over 40 individuals provided testimony, largely critical of the administration's recent 'pause' on safety projects.

Key Testimony Summaries:

• Tristan Thomas (ACE/Transit is Essential): Demanded a concrete plan and timeline for projects with federal funding at risk, specifically mentioning the $20 million for Roxbury.
• Reggie Ramos (T4MA): Challenged the administration's claim that nothing is on pause, stating, '16 projects have been passed, and we need the city to get on a move on them today.'
• Kelly McGrath (Brighton Main Streets): Reported that small businesses on Western Ave have seen 20-25% revenue losses due to the removal of 150 parking spaces and called for a balance between bike infrastructure and business needs.
• Elijah Evans (Bikes Not Bombs): Advocated for the immediate unpausing of the Blue Hill Avenue redesign to protect vulnerable commuters in Mattapan and Dorchester.
• Resident Concerns: Multiple residents (including Sarah Freeman and Ben Crowther) expressed frustration over the lack of communication regarding specific neighborhood improvements like the Center South Action Plan and safety signals at Fallon Field.

• Action Taken: No formal votes were held. Dockets 0204, 0588, and 0589 remain in the Committee on Planning, Development, and Transportation.
• Requests for Information: Chair Durkan requested that the administration update the Vision Zero crash data online (currently only updated through December 2025) and provide a detailed schedule of all state and federal projects.