Dot Bike

The Dorchester Environmental Health Coalition
Quarterly meeting - The A,B,C,s of Alt Energy
is happening on Monday, March 31
from 6 to 8 pm
at the VietAID Community Center
42 Charles Street, Fields Corner.
On the agenda:
Main topic - a representative of Mass Technology Collaborative will
present information on Commonwealth Solar. This new initiative provides rebates to homeowners on a first-come first-served basis for design & construction of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy projects that are up to 5 kilowatts in size,
Also, hear about:
- the new DotBike group,
- the city’s Free Tree program,
- an opportunity for an energy co-op, and
- an update on Diesel Legislation.
And some freebies…
Free Event.
Light Supper Provided. [not just chocolate this time!]
Sponsored by the DEHC Air Quality Campaign.

Please call or email with questions, thanks!

Rosanne Foley
Dorchester Environmental Health Coalition
DotWell, 1452 Dorchester Avenue, 4th floor
Dorchester, MA 02122
Tel. (617) 474-1478, Fax. (617) 474-0465
Rosanne.Foley@dotwell.org
http://scidorchester.org/user/266

Just a quick reminder about the meeting tonight at 6:30 at the St. Marks rectory, 20 Roseland St. See the item in upcoming events for a map and directions

Here is a brief agenda:

1. Ramping up outreach
   • identifying and volunteering for regular notifications to individuals, groups, calendars, newsletters etc.
   • creating an info packet to make outreach easier
2. Set ride calendar through Dorchester Day
   • Commuter rides
   • April parks ride
   • Bike week events
   • Dorchester Day activities
3. Updates and Announcements
   • rack request update
   • t-shirts
   • Bike rodeo volunteers
   • Tenean to U.Mass bike link review

Hope to see you there.

Four DotBikers and a handful of other riders braved the unseasonable weather on a 17 mile loop that started in Milton but rode primarily in Dorchester and Mattapan. The ride was lead by Doug Mink a long time Boston bicycle advocate and Boston Natural Areas Network board member. The route included a trip through Dorchester Park, Clam Point, and a planned ride down Gallivan Blvd. with a left on Adams St. was narrowly averted at the adamant suggestion of the Dot Bikers, who insisted on a ride down Minot St. instead. It warmed up about halfway through the ride (possibly due to a stop at Philip’s Candy House - with free hot chocolate) and overall was a lovely ride down one of Boston’s best cycling routes.

Doug provided a wealth of information about the history and current status of efforts to create a continuous bike path from the Blue Hills Reservation to Castle Island in South Boston. The group stopped at several points where he described the efforts to get the existing bits of the Neponset River Greenway path in place and the obstacles that have made further progress slow. It was rather astonishing to hear of the extent of anti-cycling uproar at community meetings, and even in official documentation that describes, for example, cycling as facilitating criminal activity.

Of particular interest was an update on plans for improving the Harbor Walk connection between Tenean beach and UMass. This segment, which requires negotiating several unintuitive turns from Tenean to Freeport to a Morrisey Blvd. sidewalk can put off all but the most determined riders. Back in 2001, groups working with Boston Gas had negotiated an easement for a path between Victory Park and the draw bridge on Morrisey Blvd. that would have avoided both the Freeport-Morrisey intersection and the high-speed ramp traffic coming off I-93. However, change in ownership of the gas depot to KeySpan and security concerns after 9/11 quashed that plan. With the recent change in ownership to National Grid it might be a good time to revisit this plan and contact DCR to work toward a traffic free Harbor path connection. DotBike will follow up with Doug to get all the details and contact information.

Community Safety Officer Rory is holding the annual “bike rodeo” to be held in the IBEW parking lot at 256 Freeport St on Saturday June 21st from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

100 free kids bicycle helmets will be given away while they last.

Bike Skills “obstacle course”

Mechanical check up of your bike.

Fire Safety demos and activities.

NOTE CHANGE IN LOCATION

The next DotBike meeting is happening Tues March 25th, 6:30 p.m., at 20 Roseland St, in the St. Marks church rectory. Directions via T - exit Shawmut station, walk straight ahead, left on Centre, quick right on Samoset, left into St Marks church parking lot, building is behind and to the right of the DotHouse building. By car, either park on Dot Ave and walk behind St Marks church on Roseland and it will be the first building on your right, or turn on Welles Ave, to Samoset St, turn right into parking lot, building is ahead. By bike, travel on walkways to go behind St Marks church.

Here’s a link a google map.

Our submission for bike rack requests was just sent off to Nicole Freedman.

We’ve asked and are hoping that on top of these requests the city will reserve some additional racks from this first round for our neighborhood so as we reach out to more people in the community and identify new appropriate locations we can make an additional submission.

Here’s a summary of the locations and number of racks requested.

• Codman Square Library - 4 total (2 in front and 2 in back)
• Lower Mills Library - 2
• Codman Square Post Office - 1
• Lambert’s produce - 3
• The Ice Cream Smith - 2
• South Bay Stop & Shop - 2
• Ashley’s Breakfast Shop - 1
• The Banshee Pub - 1
• JJ’s Irish Pub - 1
• Fields Corner Post Office - 1
• Flat Black Coffee House - 1
• Inspectional Services at 1010 Mass Ave. - 1

These are on top of the 16 racks requested in conjunction with St. Marks and Fields Corner Area Main Streets along Dot Ave in those areas which makes 36 rack requests that DotBike has played a role in. A great start! But there’s still more work to do.

Our first DotBike ride went off without a hitch. Thanks to all who participated.

Even with the less than clement weather earlier in the day and cool temps we had a great turnout for this first shakedown ride. Sixteen people gathered at the fountain on the common, chatting and waiting for the stragglers to roll in (your author being one of the last to arrive). After a quick bit of paperwork and a short safety briefing we all set off to head to Dorchester on a clear and crisp (euphemism for pretty darn cold) evening. We collected another rider at the Fort Point channel and proceeded to Dot. Ave.

Once on the avenue we made good progress, passing many a car as they waited in lines of traffic, even though we stopped for all red lights and were riding single file-ish. At the Mother Teresa church we picked up four more riders making us 21 strong from Columbia Rd. to Fields corner. Somewhere around Savin Hill Ave. we were asked “Are you lost?” by a person on the sidewalk. Assuredly no, but the comment highlights that riding as a group makes people take notice and is far too uncommon, at least in that particular neighborhood. We made a quick stop at the VietAid center in Fields Corner and continued down Dot Ave. From this point on people started peeling off to head home here and there. Several people made Peabody square their end point and quite a few ducked into the Ashmont Grill for some after ride snacking and libation (if only there were some dedicated bike parking close by - a nearby stair handrail had to suffice).

And finally a smaller group of us reached the end of Dot Ave. in Lower Mills and enjoyed some great “home made” ice cream at the Ice Cream Smith (another location screaming for a bike rack or two).

All in all a very successful ride that was a step forward in one of our aims of increasing bike commuter visibility in Dorchester. In fact, a local businessman saw us riding down the Avenue and later jokingly referred to us as “that bike nerd herd”. I for one am hoping that that nickname doesn’t stick, but hey, if it does the job of positive change then I can live with it.

When I have a bit more time I’ll try to update this post with a link to some pictures of the ride.

And we plan to do more of these types of rides, especially as the weather gets warmer and the days longer. So stay tuned for more info on upcoming rides and events.

It’s 2 o’clock, the skies are clearing and yes we are still planning on riding today. Sounds like we are expecting several people starting from Downtown at the Brewer fountain (near Park St. station) and even more starting up at our North Dorchester meeting point at the Mother Theresa Church (corner of Columbia and Dot Ave.) so get ready to ride.

Please join Mayor Menino, the Boston Redevelopment Authority and City agencies for the unveiling of the Dorchester Avenue Streetscape & Transportation Action Plan on Saturday March 8, 11 AM to noon. For more information please visit www.dotavenueproject.com or call Jeremy Rosenberger at 617-918-4431.
Happening at Dorchester House, 1353 Dorchester Ave, 02122.
Their bike rack is located on the right side of the building, several yards back from Dor Ave…

Bike to Peabody Square, to the Carruth Open House - Dorchester’s first transit-oriented mixed-use project will have model units open this weekend! see my little blurb on Yelp: