SOMERVILLE, Massachusetts
Starting point: Old town, new mayor
Organizing strategy: Revamp and redesign existing infrastructure
Tools: Local government
Outcomes: Green and livable town
Prime Sources:
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The mission of the Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE) is to implement strategies that continually improve the environmental performance of Somerville city …
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City of Somerville, MA. Updates. 10/7/2015 The MIT Climate CoLab contest winners have been announced! … Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Environment View Page.
Walking and cycling
Somerville is considered to be both a highly walkable and bikeable city. In 2013, 7.8% of all commutes was made by bicycle, making Somerville the 5th city in the country for its share of bicycling In 2013, 49.8% of Somerville commuters either walked, biked or used public transit. Somerville launched its first Hubway stations during the summer of 2012 and hosts 12 stations.
The Somerville Community Path is a mixed-use path that runs along the old Boston and Lowell Railroad right-of-way from Davis Squareacross Somerville to the Cambridge border near Lechmere Square. Roughly 0.8 mile (1.3 km) of the path is finished and in use. The two finished segments feature pavement interspersed with brick and surrounded by grass, trees, pedestrian connections to nearby streets, and a community garden. The path is lit at night and snowplowed in the winter.
In 2013, the city broke ground on the first extension in almost twenty years that will extend the path another 0.25 mile (1.3 km) east from its current terminus at Cedar Street, to Lowell Street.
After serving as an Alderman for the city of Somerville for eight years, [Joseph] Curtatone was elected mayor in 2003. At 38, he was the second youngest mayor in Somerville history. He is serving his sixth term as mayor.[1] During his tenure, Somerville has been recognized by The Boston Globe Magazine as the Best Run City in the Commonwealth
EXEMPLARS 