Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 2 p.m. (Boston time), Boston City Hall, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201
Hearing on Dockets #0204, #0588 & #0589
The Planning, Development & Transportation Committee, chaired by Councilor Durkan, held an oversight hearing on docket 0204 (safer neighborhood streets following the 30-day review, sponsored by Councilors Weber and Pepén), docket 0588 (city transportation philosophy, sponsored by Durkan, Pepén and Weber), and docket 0589 (status of state and federal transportation funding, sponsored by Council President Breadon). Interim Chief of Streets Nick Gove and Office of Neighborhood Services Executive Director Mohamed presented the administration's streets philosophy, state-of-good-repair record, and project pipeline, and answered questions on stalled projects, the revamped speed hump program, federal funding risks (including the reallocated $8 million Boylston Street/Fenway project and the $327 million I-90 cut), the Blue Hill Avenue center-running bus lane, and removed bus lanes and bike-lane protection. Councilors across districts pressed for clearer criteria, timelines, and engagement processes. Roughly 47 members of the public testified, overwhelmingly urging the city to restart paused safety projects. No votes were taken; the chair announced all dockets would remain in committee and adjourned the hearing.
0:37 for the record my name is
0:38 sharon durkan, district eight
0:39 city councilor and I'm chair
0:40 of the committee on planning
0:42 development and transportation.
0:43 Today is APRIL 21st.
0:46 The exact time is 2 P.M. This
0:47 hearing is being recorded and
0:49 is also being live
0:50 streamed@boston.Gov backslash
0:52 city council dash tv and
0:54 broadcast on xfinity channel
0:56 eight rcn channel 82 files
0:59 channel 964 written comments
1:00 MAY be sent to the committee
1:04 email at six plan
1:05 dmv@boston.Gov and will be made
1:06 part of the record and
1:07 available to all councilors.
1:09 Public testimony will be taken
1:10 at the end of this hearing.
1:11 Individuals will be called on
1:12 and the order of which they
1:14 have signed up and have two
1:15 minutes to testify.
1:16 If you are interested in
1:17 testifying in person, please
1:18 add your name to the sign up
1:19 sheet near the entrance of the
1:19 chamber.
1:21 If you are looking to testify
1:22 virtually please enter.
1:24 Please email our central staff
1:26 liaison shane pack at shane
1:30 shea and e.Pack@boston.Gov and
1:32 um your name will be added to
1:33 the list.
1:36 Today's hearing is on docket
1:36 0204.
1:38 Order for a hearing to discuss
1:39 making neighborhood streets
1:40 safer following the 30 year
1:42 review of street projects in
1:42 boston.
1:45 This matter is, uh, sponsored
1:46 by benjamin weber and enrique
1:48 pepen and referred to the
1:51 committee on JANUARY 28th, 2026
1:53 docket 0588 order for a hearing
1:54 to discuss city of boston
1:55 transportation philosophy and
1:57 status of infrastructure
1:57 projects.
1:59 This matter is sponsored by
2:00 councilors durkan, pepen and
2:02 weber and referred to the
2:05 committee on MARCH 18th, 2026
2:08 and docket 0589 order for a
2:09 hearing to discuss the status
2:10 of state and federal funding
2:12 allocated for transportation
2:12 projects.
2:14 This matter was sponsored by
2:15 council PRESIDENT Liz breadon
2:16 and was referred to the
2:18 committee on MARCH 18th, 2026.
2:20 Today I am joined by my
2:21 colleagues in order of arrival
2:21 .
2:23 Okay councilor flynn.
2:25 Councilor murphy.
2:25 Councilor.
2:26 Pepen.
2:27 Councilor.
2:27 Breadon.
2:29 Councilor weber.
2:31 Councilor cole.
2:32 Popper.
2:36 And councilor fitzgerald.
2:45 Um good afternoon everyone and
2:46 thank you for being here.
2:50 When I introduced my docket to
2:52 the council floor, I committed
2:53 to scheduling this hearing as
2:54 soon as possible in the midst
2:56 of budget season because I
2:57 believe this issue is important
2:58 and urgent.
3:00 Residents expect and deserve to
3:01 feel safe on our streets.
3:03 Meeting that expectation is a
3:04 shared responsibility that
3:06 depends on consistent work and
3:07 clear coordination across city
3:09 um across the city.
3:10 Boston has committed through
3:12 vision zero to eliminate fatal
3:14 and severe traffic crashes by
3:15 2030 and there are a number
3:16 of important street and safety
3:18 projects underway to help get
3:18 us there.
3:19 But in recent months there has
3:20 been concern that too many
3:21 of these projects have been
3:23 slowed down or stalled without
3:24 clear evidence of what's
3:25 happening or why.
3:27 Constituents ask me every day
3:28 for updates.
3:30 Um as well as um through and
3:31 through being the chair
3:32 of planning, development and
3:33 transportation and I haven't
3:34 always had answers to those
3:34 questions.
3:37 Many of these projects are
3:38 desperately needed to protect
3:39 all road users and ensure
3:40 everyone can get around our
3:41 city safely, especially our
3:43 most vulnerable in district
3:44 eight where so many residents
3:46 and visitors navigate by foot
3:47 all every day.
3:49 This is something I think about
3:49 consistently.
3:51 I continue to advocate for a
3:52 city that works for everyone
3:53 and makes it easier for people
3:55 using all modes
3:56 of transportation walking,
3:57 biking or taking public transit
3:57 .
4:00 More and more young people are
4:01 choosing not to drive.
4:02 We need to embrace the future
4:03 and plan accordingly.
4:05 Recognizing that many boston
4:06 residents including myself do
4:08 not own a car, the delay
4:10 of many of these projects um
4:11 has also pushed state and
4:13 federal transportation funding
4:13 at risk.
4:16 Um on relatedly, we lost
4:18 millions of dollars in federal
4:19 transportation grants including
4:20 the roxbury resilient corridors
4:22 grant, which was yanked by the
4:24 federal government after we
4:24 passed it through this
4:25 committee.
4:26 Similarly, we've had
4:27 discussions in this chamber
4:29 about we will have at a time
4:31 when we are facing challenges
4:32 and a challenging budget season
4:34 coupled with federal
4:35 state funding.
4:35 uncertainty and decreasing
4:37 We should be doing everything
4:38 we can to secure every dollar
4:40 for these critical projects and
4:40 keep it.
4:42 I know that the city is taking
4:43 steps to expand public
4:44 engagement and community
4:45 involvement.
4:47 However, there does remain a
4:48 lack of flaherty, um, on how
4:51 we're moving in an overall
4:52 direction, what our
4:53 transportation philosophy is,
4:54 what our long term goals are
4:57 and how these projects um are
4:58 going to be made whole.
5:00 I look for I filed this hearing
5:00 order.
5:02 I'm glad to have combined it
5:03 with councilor breadon and
5:04 councilor rivers dockets to
5:06 support a broader conversation
5:06 today.
5:08 I hope that we can gain more
5:10 flaherty from city of boston
5:11 leadership about the
5:12 transportation philosophy and
5:13 decision making process.
5:15 The status of key projects and
5:16 the path forward to delivering
5:17 safer and more efficient
5:18 streets for boston residents.
5:21 As city councilors, we have an
5:22 important role to partner with
5:24 the administration to advance
5:25 the goal of safety on our
5:26 streets and sidewalks.
5:28 Thank you to all the residents
5:29 and organizations who are here.
5:31 What we're watching this
5:32 afternoon, and thank you for
5:33 your continued advocacy on
5:34 these important issues.
5:36 I want to thank uh, interim
5:38 chief chief net gove and bob
5:40 advisory for joining us today.
5:43 Um, nick gove is the interim
5:44 chief of streets for the city
5:45 of boston and mohamed is
5:47 executive director for the
5:48 office of neighborhood
5:48 services.
5:50 I'm going to go to opening
5:52 statements um from my
5:53 colleagues uh, that are
5:53 sponsors.
5:55 So um, councilor les breadon
5:57 you I'm sorry council PRESIDENT
5:58 Was right and you have the
5:58 floor.
6:00 Thank you, MADAM Chair.
6:01 And thank you all for being
6:02 here.
6:03 We have lots of, uh lots
6:05 of road users in the in the
6:07 house to, uh, listen to this
6:08 very important discussion.
6:13 Um, I found docket 0589 in
6:14 order for a hearing to discuss
6:16 the status of state and federal
6:18 funding allocated for
6:19 transportation and streets
6:19 projects.
6:22 Uh, it it came as sort of a
6:25 wake up call recently when we
6:28 lost $327 million cut from the
6:31 I-90 project as part of a, uh,
6:33 because the project was years
6:34 behind schedule and the money
6:36 wasn't obligated.
6:38 I think in this case we're
6:40 looking citywide uh, hundreds
6:42 of millions of dollars that are
6:42 in jeopardy.
6:45 Uh, as we as a city uh, if we
6:46 use the city do not move
6:49 forward decisively and obligate
6:51 these funds and show forward
6:51 direction.
6:53 We have many unanswered
6:56 questions about why the process
6:57 is stalled.
7:00 And we also, um, feel that this
7:03 is a moment, uh, in the middle
7:05 of our budget season and uh,
7:06 looking forward to what we can
7:10 and and uh, forcibly deliver
7:12 from boston that in this moment
7:13 it's critically important that
7:15 we partner with our state and
7:17 federal partners and that we
7:19 partner with the mbta to make
7:21 sure that we, uh, utilize the
7:24 funds and use them as, uh as
7:25 they were intended.
7:27 Uh, and and if we don't use
7:28 them, we're in danger of losing
7:29 them.
7:31 So this is an important moment
7:33 and an important issue for all
7:35 of us across the city.
7:36 But it's a particularly
7:37 important for my district as
7:37 well.
7:39 Thank you, MADAM Chair.
7:40 Thank you, council PRESIDENT.
7:42 Um, next we'll go to, uh, the
7:44 lead sponsor of the other
7:44 docket.
7:46 Um, councilor weber, you have
7:47 the floor and two minutes.
7:49 Uh, thank you very much.
7:52 Uh, I'm glad to see so many
7:54 today.
7:54 of my colleagues coming out
7:56 Uh, and for the administration
7:57 and for everyone who's shown up
7:58 here in city hall.
8:01 I know I filed, uh, docket on
8:05 the 30 day review, uh, in APRIL
8:05 2025.
8:09 Uh, and so it's been a year for
8:11 us to try to figure out what
8:13 that review meant and what we
8:13 were doing about it.
8:15 And honestly, I feel like, you
8:17 know, uh, we haven't done a
8:19 good job since that review came
8:22 out and said we need a better
8:24 community process, uh, around
8:25 street safety improvements and
8:28 instead what we've had is no
8:29 process and no improvements.
8:32 Uh, and so, uh, you know, I
8:34 speak for my constituents in
8:36 district six who, you know,
8:38 want to be able to walk, uh,
8:39 you know, walk around safely
8:41 and ride their bikes safely on
8:42 the streets.
8:45 And right now as their city
8:46 councilor, I don't know what to
8:48 tell them in terms of how to
8:49 how to move this process
8:51 forward, how to get speed humps
8:52 on their streets.
8:54 Uh, and how to address, you
8:55 know, areas where there's
8:56 dangerous conditions.
8:59 Um, you know, we had glen
9:00 ingram who died.
9:02 Uh, you know, right in front
9:03 of forest hill station crossing
9:05 the street on a green light and
9:06 it's just you know, it's I
9:08 think you know, uh, the
9:09 majority of my constituents
9:11 want to see improvements go
9:12 forward.
9:14 Uh, and the answer can't be
9:15 that we're never going to do
9:16 anything.
9:18 Uh, so you know, I'm here.
9:20 I'm I hope we get some answers
9:21 and I just want to thank
9:23 everyone for coming out today.
9:24 Thank you.
9:25 um, next we're going to go
9:27 to councilor pepen who uh, is
9:28 the co-sponsor on all these
9:29 dockets.
9:31 Good afternoon everyone.
9:33 Thank you to the advocates,
9:35 panels organizers and community
9:36 members who are here today.
9:38 Your voices, your persistence
9:39 and your commitment to safer
9:41 streets are what is going to
9:42 keep this city moving forward.
9:44 But I'm not just here as a city
9:45 councilor with someone here
9:46 that stands with you.
9:48 Before I had the honor
9:49 of serving on the city council.
9:51 I work for transportation for
9:52 massachusetts tea for in MAY in
9:53 that role.
9:54 I saw firsthand what's possible
9:57 when we commit to fold people
9:58 centered transportation policy.
10:00 And I also saw what happens
10:02 when we have to take progress
10:03 stalls safety suffers and
10:05 communities are left behind.
10:07 That experience shaped how I
10:09 show up today to this building
10:10 because at the end of the day
10:11 transportation is not just
10:12 about getting from point a to
10:14 point b it's about safety.
10:15 It's about equity.
10:16 It's about whether a parent
10:18 feels safe and comfortable
10:19 letting their child walk to
10:21 school, whether a senior can
10:22 cross the street with
10:23 confidence, whether a cyclist
10:25 can ride without fear and
10:26 whether a public transit rider
10:28 are treated with dignity they
10:28 deserve.
10:30 That's why I made
10:31 transportation its high
10:33 priority in my work on the
10:34 council and why continue to
10:35 advocate for it every single
10:35 day.
10:37 Safer streets don't happen by
10:38 accident.
10:39 They happen because we choose
10:40 them.
10:41 They happen when we invest in
10:42 traffic calming measures like
10:43 speed bumps.
10:45 They happen when we improve
10:45 signage and visibility.
10:48 They happen when we build safer
10:49 and more accessible crosswalks
10:51 and sidewalks, and they happen
10:52 when we have the courage to
10:54 take on larger projects
10:55 redesigning our streets so they
10:57 work for everyone not just for
10:59 cars but for pedestrians,
11:00 cyclists, transit riders and
11:03 drivers alike from our school
11:04 zones to our residential
11:05 streets to our busiest
11:05 corridors.
11:07 Every part of the city should
11:08 reflect that commitment.
11:11 That is why I'm proud to be a
11:12 co-sponsor on both dockets that
11:13 we're going to hear from today.
11:15 Um, transportation is probably
11:16 a topic that I hear from the
11:18 most in my district residents
11:19 consistently asking me what's
11:20 the what's the what's the
11:21 update on the projects?
11:23 Where are we getting more speed
11:24 humps when our streets are
11:25 going to be safer?
11:26 So I'm looking forward to the
11:26 questions.
11:27 Thank you, MADAM Chair.
11:28 Thank you so much.
11:29 Um and for each of my
11:30 colleagues that aren't
11:31 co-sponsors, we're just going
11:32 to let you have a minute.
11:34 Um, not two minutes because I
11:35 know we have a lot of public
11:35 testimony.
11:37 Um, but you'll have a chance to
11:39 ask more questions when we get
11:41 questions.
11:41 to, um when we get to
11:42 So councilor flynn, you have a
11:43 minute?
11:45 Thank you.
11:46 I'll try to be brief as
11:47 possible.
11:49 This this.
11:50 Hearing is important.
11:52 This is an issue I've worked on
11:55 for eight years trying to keep
11:57 our streets and sidewalks safe
11:58 .
12:00 Trying to reduce the speed
12:02 limit which we did from 25 to
12:02 20.
12:03 I think it should be reduced
12:04 even further.
12:06 I think we need to make major
12:08 infrastructure changes in the
12:10 city of boston, um, to provide
12:14 a safer environment for people
12:15 for all people especially
12:17 persons with disabilities in
12:17 our seniors.
12:20 We need more traffic
12:22 enforcement as well from the
12:24 boston police enforcing all
12:25 rules of the road.
12:28 Boston can't be the wild west.
12:31 It has to be a city where
12:33 people follow the rules and
12:35 respect the rules and the rules
12:37 are enforced consistently.
12:37 Thank you, councilor flynn.
12:41 Councilor murphy, you have the
12:41 floor.
12:42 Thank you.
12:44 so last year.
12:46 it was stated with my former
12:46 .
12:48 Lead sponsors.
12:50 Um, I was the lead sponsor in
12:51 APRIL of last year when we
12:51 filed.
12:53 The hearing.
12:55 Order to get answers on the 30
12:55 day review.
12:58 And we know that came after the
13:01 need for the safety surge
13:01 initiative.
13:02 And just hearing.
13:03 From residents every.
13:05 Resident if you're walking
13:07 biking in a car on a bus you