#BUCPUA students hit the streets, analyze MBTA station areas

Doug Johnson, far left, points to intersection design flaws in Andrew Square
Doug Johnson, far left, points to intersection design flaws in Andrew Square

On June 14, #BUCPUA students spent a gorgeous evening strolling around the Andrew Square and Davis Square MBTA stations.   Through qualitative observations, students compared how well these contrasting areas deliver ideal outcomes of a transit-oriented development.

Doug Johnson’s UA 510 course, Special Topics: Transit-Oriented Development in the 21st Century, provides students the tools to complete a transit station area analysis.  Each student has chosen an MBTA light-rail station to evaluate, considering how the specific design elements support location efficiency and placemaking, especially for multi-mode transit. In two weeks, students will present findings and recommendations to transform an MBTA station area into an ideal transit-oriented development.

“I think it is important to take students outside of the classroom.  Seeing what we have learned in action in the real world creates a much better understanding of the topics we are studying in our textbooks and in the classroom.  The site visit that we took for UA 510 to Andrew Square and Davis Square really showed me the “before and after” of the transit-oriented development projects that we are studying in class,” shared Nicole Rothenburg (GRS’17).

Doug Johnson, far left, describes the development history of Davis Square
Doug Johnson, far left, describes the development history of Davis Square

At Andrew Square, students noted the area’s character, including the troublesome design of nearby intersections, uneven sidewalks that are not ADA-compliant, and the contrasting mix of residential, commercial, and industrial spaces.   While at Davis Square, students admired the plethora of restaurants and pleasant atmosphere that accommodates walking and biking.  Even so, students noticed a few poorly designed intersections and absence of some needed crosswalks.   After the tour, students reflected on the transit patterns of walkers, bikers, buses, and motorists, and how people actually use the areas surrounding these transit stations.  Considerations also included the ongoing need for mixed-use spaces and the implications from demanding the highest and best use of these dense, urban parcels.

 

– Courtney Thraen (MET’17)