Mandarin Oriental | 776 Boylston St | Back Bay

It's a shame about the Marche Movenpick. It felt somewhat like a cosmopolitan institution...the only other one I've ever seen was in Montreal. With multiple PF Changs littering its landscape, Boston sends the message that it's less on par with multilingual world cities and moreso with provincial recepticles for chain franchises- the likes of Louisville or something.

As for Boylston, the mismatching (and in each case ugly) traffic light configuration reduces the pleasantness of its vista considerably. Give that street a different context (strip malls instead of the extant strip mall) and it could be in suburban Phoenix. The street must become urban in and of itself, and not rely on being the sum of its component parts.
 
czsz said:
It's a shame about the Marche Movenpick. It felt somewhat like a cosmopolitan institution...the only other one I've ever seen was in Montreal. With multiple PF Changs littering its landscape, Boston sends the message that it's less on par with multilingual world cities and moreso with provincial recepticles for chain franchises- the likes of Louisville or something.

As for Boylston, the mismatching (and in each case ugly) traffic light configuration reduces the pleasantness of its vista considerably. Give that street a different context (strip malls instead of the extant strip mall) and it could be in suburban Phoenix. The street must become urban in and of itself, and not rely on being the sum of its component parts.
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What?
 
As for Boylston, the mismatching (and in each case ugly) traffic light configuration reduces the pleasantness of its vista considerably. Give that street a different context (strip malls instead of the extant strip mall) and it could be in suburban Phoenix. The street must become urban in and of itself, and not rely on being the sum of its component parts.
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Ummm...hate to burst your bubble, but Boylston looks nothing like a strip mall. It is actually a very urban street that Phoenix could only dream of. I really couldn't care less about the traffic light configuration....
 
Multiple PF Changs? There's more than the one that's prepping to go into the Marche space? I believe the one by the Theater District is closing when the new location opens (or did close already?). I thought I saw the request for their liquor license transfer a few weeks ago.

Phoenix? It has a library designed by world-class architects? A unique collection of historic churches? A contemporary tower contrasting nicely with the neighboring "old" buildings, and another, even newer contemporary building housing an Apple Store (well, we'll soon have the latter ...). Two incredible liberal arts schools as bookends? An eclectic mix of old and new properties that (despite your opinion of the individual buildings) make up a diverse streetscape with a wide variety of shopping and dining experiences?

Maybe I should stop by Phoenix when I'm out west next month.
 
czsz said:
As for Boylston, the mismatching (and in each case ugly) traffic light configuration reduces the pleasantness of its vista considerably.
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That should be easy to fix. Remove all the overhead traffic lights on Boylston, and relegate them to poles on the right and left sides of the street. One on each side is all you need. This works fine on Comm. Ave. and Newbury.

This would be a good idea throughout the center city.
 
Ron Newman said:
czsz said:
As for Boylston, the mismatching (and in each case ugly) traffic light configuration reduces the pleasantness of its vista considerably.
Click to expand...

That should be easy to fix. Remove all the overhead traffic lights on Boylston, and relegate them to poles on the right and left sides of the street. One on each side is all you need. This works fine on Comm. Ave. and Newbury.

This would be a good idea throughout the center city.
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Boylston is much, much wider though.
 
That shouldn't matter, though. Beacon is equally wide and has traffic lights only at the sides. The same thing should be done with all the lights on the parkways such as Memorial Drive, Fenway, and Riverway.
 
What does the location of traffic lights have to do with anything? It's a street, there are lights on it - what else would you expect? As far as comparing Boylston Street to Phoenix... If anything, that picture makes Boston look more like 3rd ave in Midtown (with shorter buildings) than any other place. The pic actually really reminds me of Park Ave looking South with the MetLife building in the distance.
 
I think the complaint was just that the traffic lights uglify what would otherwise be a nice straight-shot view down the street. I suggested an easy way to remove these obstructions.
 
They could always go with the brasilian style, in which one road usually has preference (theres no such thing as a 4 way stop sign there)

That is, an avenue like this one would have no lights. The side roads that feed into it are all one way, and have stop signs. People turning onto Boylston simply would turn when they had space, and cars turning into off could just do so.

People on Boylston could drive uninterupted, as there are no roads that cross completely. The only light would be by Copley Square where an other alpha street (dartmouth) crosses.

So youd have a light at Mass Ave, and a straight shot to Dartmouth. The only street that cross Boylston in its entirety is Exter, and that could easily be stopped (southbound exter cars would be forced to turn into boylston)

A single light could be added for pedestrains between the two other roads.

That would remove ALOT of lights, but its an untested concept in the US
 
That may work if we only had to consider vehicular traffic, but it would become very difficult and dangerous to be a pedestrian trying to get across Boylston.

How do pedestrian manage in Brazil? Drivers down there must actually yield to pedestrians.
 
Yeah, also all the side streets that feed into Boylston street would back up unto Newbury becuase of all the pansy ass drivers that are too afraid to step on the gas during rush hour.
 
the problem with that is that LOTS of pedestrians cross this street. You do not want to turn it into a 40mph one-way speedway.
 
TC said:
That may work if we only had to consider vehicular traffic, but it would become very difficult and dangerous to be a pedestrian trying to get across Boylston.

How do pedestrian manage in Brazil? Drivers down there must actually yield to pedestrians.
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Either by crossing at the designated corner (Mass Ave) or walking when there are no cars.

And yeah, Ive done that in a 6 lane (single direction) road. Its like real life frogger!


Oh also, I want to make it clear that my example (of Brasil) isnt the case in all cities and all roads. Just more common than here.
 
jass said:
TC said:
That may work if we only had to consider vehicular traffic, but it would become very difficult and dangerous to be a pedestrian trying to get across Boylston.

How do pedestrian manage in Brazil? Drivers down there must actually yield to pedestrians.
Click to expand...

Either by crossing at the designated corner (Mass Ave) or walking when there are no cars.

And yeah, Ive done that in a 6 lane (single direction) road. Its like real life frogger!


Oh also, I want to make it clear that my example (of Brasil) isnt the case in all cities and all roads. Just more common than here.
Click to expand...

It's an interesting concept, especially when you consider the amount of jaywalking that occurs anyway (and jaywalking is my weak spot ... I pretty much dare drivers to hit me!).

Mass Ave and Boylston is one of the few intersections where I wait for a pedestrian signal. I wouldn't want to bring the dreaded rumble strips or speed bumps to maintain safe speeds, but there are other ways of traffic calming (trees, bulbouts, etc.) to keep a steady, but safe flow of cars interacting with pedestrians.

Hrm.

I was actually talking with Marty Walz the other evening about keeping in mind pedestrian flow along the Boylston Street corridor (the conversation grew out of the recent Longwood/Fenway funds--some $55M--a piece of which is the eastern edge of Fenway at Mass Ave/Boylston). She's a huge proponent of pedestrian-friendly streets. In fact, I think I heard her say to someone else that she doesn't even own a car. Good on her.

Anyway, I'm loosing focus.
 
bbfen said:
jass said:
TC said:
That may work if we only had to consider vehicular traffic, but it would become very difficult and dangerous to be a pedestrian trying to get across Boylston.

How do pedestrian manage in Brazil? Drivers down there must actually yield to pedestrians.
Click to expand...

Either by crossing at the designated corner (Mass Ave) or walking when there are no cars.

And yeah, Ive done that in a 6 lane (single direction) road. Its like real life frogger!


Oh also, I want to make it clear that my example (of Brasil) isnt the case in all cities and all roads. Just more common than here.
Click to expand...

It's an interesting concept, especially when you consider the amount of jaywalking that occurs anyway (and jaywalking is my weak spot ... I pretty much dare drivers to hit me!).

Mass Ave and Boylston is one of the few intersections where I wait for a pedestrian signal. I wouldn't want to bring the dreaded rumble strips or speed bumps to maintain safe speeds, but there are other ways of traffic calming (trees, bulbouts, etc.) to keep a steady, but safe flow of cars interacting with pedestrians.

Hrm.

I was actually talking with Marty Walz the other evening about keeping in mind pedestrian flow along the Boylston Street corridor (the conversation grew out of the recent Longwood/Fenway funds--some $55M--a piece of which is the eastern edge of Fenway at Mass Ave/Boylston). She's a huge proponent of pedestrian-friendly streets. In fact, I think I heard her say to someone else that she doesn't even own a car. Good on her.

Anyway, I'm loosing focus.
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Actually, thats another good point. Cars will only go at 40mph if they can (aka Storrow).

Add some calming features, and theyll go slow(er)

And Im like you when it comes to jay walking. My motto is that if they hit me, it's their hospital bill.
 
Tell me about her ...

I was actually talking with Marty Walz the other evening ...
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So, is she clueless or what? She has 100% opinions the opposite of me.
 
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