Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership

Organization’s primary purpose:  Improve public transportation and air quality for Somerville residents

Contact name:  Ellin Reisner

List 3 – 5 issues you are working on: 

  • Ensuring the Green Line is extended through Somerville through advocacy on time to meet the December 31, 2014 deadline.
  • Educating Somerville residents about land use issues associated with the Green Line extensions
  • Working on ways to improve air quality in Somerville to reduce the risks due to mobile sources of pollution and educating residents about the impact of mobile sources of pollution on their health.
  • Address transportation issues in Somerville to improve quality of life and promote economic development

Skills/Expertise desired:  Expertise on land use, transit oriented development, working with immigrant communities (Central American, Brazilian and Haitian), and quantitative analysis of survey data.

Possible project idea(s) 

Idea #1 in a nutshell – Develop a quarterly newsletter (electronic and hard copy) in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French about the Green Line, land use issues associated with the Green Line, the community path, air quality, transit oriented development and quality of life issues associated with transportation improvements

Key to success?  Available competent personnel to carry out this project and to measure feedback on the topics covered.

Potential barrier?  Lack of financial resources

Idea #2 in a nutshell -   Reach out to children of families, particularly immigrant families to provide information about health effects of pollution and educate them in exercising influence to change policies on locating housing, parks and schools near highways.

Key to success?  Skills needed to develop educational content to support these efforts and staff to work with students

Potential barrier?  Lack of financial resources and time from STEP members to supervise.

Idea # 3 in a nut shell -  Evaluate the impact of community outreach (charette) meetings on the Green Line stations and land use decisions that will be held in Somerville.

Potential barrier?  Lack of personnel to carry out and need for expertise to develop a survey tool to measure impact.

Key to success?  Adequate resources and ability to get information about results out to the community and elected officials.