Davis Square Needs Better Parking and Biking Options, Say Readers
We asked Somerville Patch readers how to improve the Davis Square streetscape. Here's what some of them said.
The city is planning streetscape improvements in Davis Square, and it's hosting a series of meetings on the matter this summer.
Everything is on the table: changes to sidewalks, roads, bike paths, crosswalks, traffic lights, bus terminals and more.
We asked Somerville Patch readers what they thought needed improving.
Here's what some of them said:
Kevin Thomas Crowley said Davis Square is irrelevant to the average Somerville citizen with its "bars, bistros, banks and wallet busting restaurants."
That said, Crowley commented, "I hate to even suggest it … but the square needs a parking garage on its outskirts."
"Just think of all the people who want to come there if it were not an almost impossible place to park," he commented
CP Kostos agreed, suggesting a "2-3 story well designed and landscaped" parking facility that would look great and pay for itself in the long run.
Bike Path
However, a reader who goes by "A" didn't want a garage, commenting, "This square is meant to be arrived at via Red Line, bus, bike, or foot, and cannot handle more cars clogging up the streets."
This reader suggested diverting the bike path around the square so bikers could ride through the area more easily. Currently, the bike path ends at one side of the square and picks up again on the other side, which means cyclists have to get off their bikes or ride through roads congested with cars and pedestrians.
Paula Woolley also thought it's too hard to ride through the area, particularly with kids. She wants a safe bike route through the square.
She also would like to see a green grocer, a bookstore and maybe a Stellabella Toys.
In This article
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Somerville Community Path ("The Bike Path")
15 Rev Nazareno Properzi Way, Somerville, MA (Path runs from Grove St. to Cedar Ave.)
Chris Devers
10:42 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
A parking garage. Like the one at Harvard Vanguard. That's empty all the time. That's what people think Davis Square needs?
If a parking garage is really needed — and that's debatable, but I'll play along — then surely the most expedient thing would be to make more use of this existing facility, right ? The doctor's offices there generally operate from 9-5 during the weekday, so making the garage more available for nights & weekends could help the shops & restaurants & theatre.
(Plus, there's a huge parking lot or two behind the theatre that could be similarly used more at night, but as far as I can tell, it's empty most of the time. Again, let's prove that the existing infrastructure is inadequate before we go planning to bulldoze existing homes or businesses to go build some ghastly parking garage.)
Warren Dew
12:42 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
That was my thought too. There's parking in Davis square; people just don't want to use it.
Same goes for the bike paths, to be honest.
MJ
1:07 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
Considering the disaster the city has made of Bow St. in Union square with it's new layout (tough back in only parking spots and a bike lane where as a motorist you fear when you try to go onto Summer Street you will hit a cyclist that you don't realize is staying on Bow st. to head over to Somerville Ave.) I think the city should just leave Davis alone. As the previous commenter mentioned there are plenty of lots in Davis that sit empty at night b/c they are business permit only and the Harvard Vanguard garage is unused at night. Currently unused parking needs to be evaluated first. I also fear if the city did something like they did on Bow St. there would be a decline in people going to Davis. My roommates and I have stopped going to Union and avoid driving through it now because of the poor design on Bow St. I used to drive down to Neighborhoods for brunch every couple of weeks to meet friends but we are now going elsewhere simply because of the poor road design there.
Warren Dew
12:43 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Agreed. Davis square is fine as it is. Sure it's better for pedestrians than it is for cars and bikes, but that's what makes it such a nice place.
kevin thomas crowley
12:00 pm on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
can a non client of HV park in their lot during the day? at night?
Warren Dew
12:44 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
You can park in the lot, but the structure underneath the lot is not open at night.
The lot does have a somewhat complicated park and pay system that doesn't always work. The city should do something about that.