Page 6 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, March 1, 2019 ANGELO’S "Over 40 Years of Excellence!" 1978-2019 Regular Unleaded $2.279 Mid Unleaded $2.639 Super $2.699 Diesel Fuel $2.839 KERO $4.759 Diesel $2.699 FULL SERVE HEATING OIL 24-Hour Burner Service Call for Current Price! (125—gallon minimum) Open an account and order online at: www.angelosoil.com (781) 231-3500 (781) 231-3003 367 LINCOLN AVE • SAUGUS • OPEN 7 DAYS SABATINOINSURANCE AGENCY Call for a Quote 617-387-7466 Or email Rocco@sabatino-ins.com We cover: * Auto * Home * Boat * Renter * Condo * Life * Multi-Policy Discounts * Commercial 10% Discounts * Registry Service Also Available ~ Op-Ed ~ Transporting Malden into the Future by City Councillor at Large Stephen Winslow alden’s future depends on us getting the basics right. Nearly every day since I took offi ce in 2018, a resident brings a traffi c safety or transportation issue to my attention. Every part of Malden is challenged by these core issues: speeding vehicles, old traffi c signals that don’t work or cause excess delay, crashes involving buses and pedestrians, sidewalks that lack ADA ramps and potholes that eat tires. Add in the city and MBTA projects to revamp areas around Malden Center and Oak Grove station and our issues become more clear. Bit by bit, these projects are shaping how we move around Malden, now and in the future. That is why we must constantly keep our eye on the prize; safe and easy travel for all our residents. M I made this a priority during my first campaign and I am pleased to report progress on making Malden safer and easier for all residents. We know there is more hard work ahead: http://www.sabatino-ins.com SABATINO 564 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 617-387-7466 Hours of Operation are: Mondays - Fridays 9am to 5pm Saturdays by appointment only • Under the leadership of 2018 Council President Debbie DeMaria and Councillors’ Crowe and Murphy, the Council voted to lower the basic speed limit in Malden to 25 miles per hour and continue the vital Complete Streets policy. The Parking and Engineering Departments have been working on plans for the new speed limit signs that will be installed this spring. The City has started to implement various “Complete Streets” projects that will help make our streets safer and easier for all of us. • At my request, the Mayor and the Council dedicated more funding to improving sidewalks and ADA ramps. Ramps on Mountain and Highland Avenues have already been replaced and major road and sidewalk reconstruction will begin along Forest and Main Street (work that was delayed in part due to the National Grid lockout). With the success of these projects, I have submitted a request for even more funding in 2019. • Together, the Council voted for an additional $5 million to complete road paving and water pipe replacement work that had started years ago. Plans are being developed to tackle the next phase of lead pipe replacement alongside road reconstruction work for streets in desperate need of attention such as Bainbridge Street. • Working together with the Mayor’s Office and Councillor O’Malley, I worked to secure $2.4 million in state and federal funds that will transform Exchange Street from a dumpy backstreet into a vibrant place where Maldonians can stroll, enjoy new murals, bike or park conveniently near their favorite restaurant. • Alongside the Mayor’s Offi ce and Councillors Spadafora and Crowe, I have worked to setup a LongTerm Transportation Study Committee. This committee is studying how Malden currently approaches its longterm transportation needs while also reaching out to our neighboring communities to understand their best practices in improving the fl ow of buses, vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists in their communities. The Committee expects to report its findings to the Mayor and Council in April. • After MBTA buses struck two pedestrians in the same week near Malden Station, I worked with the City Engineer and Police Chief to quickly assess and address the situation. When the City Engineer proposed creating a “Pedestrian Exclusive Phase” that would eliminate the hazardous confl ict that has pedestrians crossing in front of turning left turning buses, I quickly committed the $5000 in needed funds (raised from the new developments downtown) to make that happen in less than two days. That brings me to the future. One factor that motivated me to run for Councillor at Large was my own frustration with our capacity to modernize our transportation system with creative use of existing resources and the pursuit of more funding. We have dedicated DPW crews who respond to the constant stream of See, Click, Fix requests and stretch limited funds as best they can. Our Police Chief and Traffi c Offi cers earnestly consider resident requests for safety improvements, if the funds can be found to implement them. What I saw then and what I continue to see (with some improvement) is an approach to traffi c safety and transportation that reacts to problems that could be avoided, but are now so urgent that “piecemeal” solutions are used to fi x the immediate crisis while the underlying problem(s) remain unsolved. We must shift our focus from reactive to proactive, in order to help Malden find better ways to plan for our transportation future. On March 21st, we are planning Malden’s fi rst Sustainability Forum with the theme of “Transporting Malden into its Future”. The forum will take place at 6 PM at the 1st Parish Church on Elm Street and will be preceded from 4 to 6 PM by an E-vehicle fair in the Beebe School parking lot. Jackie DeWolfe, MA DOT’s Director of Sustainable Transportation will be the keynote speaker. Other “T-Talks” will focus on how nearby communities have worked to improve their transit, bus, walking and cycling networks. We would love to have your help in jointly planning our cities future. RSVP on Facebook or to my city email swinslow@ cityofmalden.org for more information. As a long-term advocate for creation of the Northern Strand Trail, I know that major changes to our transportation system take time and require the persistent advocacy on the part of both residents and elected offi cials. I plan on continuing my eff orts to see that all Malden residents can safely and easily reach their destination, whether you drive, take the bus or train, walk, bicycle or even scoot. I hope you will join me in fi ghting for our shared future. Prices subject to change FLEET
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