Comprehensive Audit of City Streets Underway

Neighborhood Engagement Walks (NEW), a comprehensive audit of every street across Boston began on September 15.

Representatives from Mayor Martin Walsh’s Offices of Neighborhood Services (ONS) will begin walking the 850 miles of city streets in an effort to access its neighborhoods with the findings presented in a forward-facing story map.

The initiative is one of the Mayor’s pledges for increase transparency and accountability in city government to identify constituent concerns through conversation and cataloging issues facing each neighborhood.

This effort put forth by the mayor is certainly a positive plan to evaluate infrastructure challenges in neighborhoods, and a great way to further have ONS representatives to understand every facet of the community’s needs.

Mayor Walsh has created a cross-departmental effort between ONS working closely with Inspectional Services, Public Works, Transportation and the Parks Departments that will place all these agencies on the same place with neighborhoods benefiting as well.

The audit will reportedly be completed by the end of the year generating a neighborhood report outlining the findings that will be shared with the public and presented to neighborhood groups including the North End/Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) and the North End/Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) which will also benefit from the audit that will show roots that have been covered, highlight the identified issues and display the process of resolving each issue.

            The North End/Waterfront representatives for ONS is Nicole Leo, 617-635-4987 on nicoleleo@boston.gov.