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Council calls for unified advocacy on MassDOT McGrath Boulevard redesign and advances Kensington Connector safety work
Summary
Councilors urged a unified city voice to press MassDOT on safety elements in the McGrath Boulevard redesign, including restoring or improving pedestrian signals near schools; the council also pushed for committee work on the Kensington Connector underpass to address lighting, artwork and safety following years of deferred maintenance.
Councilors used the Jan. 8 meeting to press for clearer, coordinated local advocacy on the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's McGrath Boulevard redesign and to advance local work on the Kensington Connector underpass.
Councilor Wheeler and members of the Pedestrian & Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) asked the council to take the committee's 25% design comments together with council input so the city can deliver a single, consistent set of recommendations to MassDOT. Councilors raised specific safety concerns for crossings near Otis Street and Winter Hill School and urged attention to hawk pedestrian signals and other signalization issues.
"When we're dealing with a state agency like DOT, if we have this group of advocates saying this and the city council saying this and the mobility department and the mayor's office saying this, they're gonna tune that out," Councilor Kampen said, urging a single voice. Councilors agreed to send the PTAC recommendations to the Traffic and Parking committee and to coordinate with the mobility department and mayor's office.
Separately, Councilor McLaughlin reopened a long-running order about the Kensington Connector underpass, pressing for beautification, improved lighting, artwork, and safety measures. Councilors recounted incidents in the corridor, including the death of an unhoused person and a fatal vehicle strike cited as reasons to prioritize improvements. The order will be sent to the appropriate committees (Housing, Community Development and Equity; Traffic and Parking) for further work.
Councilors emphasized coordination with state partners and noted budget constraints but said firm, unified advocacy and committee work can push projects forward in the coming year.
