Showing posts with label public art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label public art. Show all posts

Thursday, August 19, 2021

MA News: weekend commuter rail volume; commissioning public art

"Weekend commuter rail off to good start"

"Weekend service on all of the MBTA’s commuter rail lines returned on July 3, and already ridership is back close to pre-COVID levels.

Saturday ridership is roughly 77 percent of what it was during the summer of 2019, while Sunday ridership is 100 percent, according to Justin Thompson, a spokesman for Keolis Commuter Services, the operator of the T’s commuter rail system.

Trains are still under-utilized, but those are strong numbers given that weekend service wasn’t even available on most commuter rail lines during the first half of the year. The numbers also represent a stark contrast with weekday ridership, which still hasn’t recovered from the pandemic and the corresponding decline in commuting to work. "

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"Weekend commuter rail off to good start"
"Weekend commuter rail off to good start"



"A new way to commission public art"
"MOST MASSACHUSETTS communities use the same process to commission public art as they do to pave a sidewalk or hire a streetsweeper. They put out a call for contractors, review the bids that come in, and select one, typically the cheapest one. There is little or no public input into the process.

Lynn, with the help of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, has come up with a new approach called Lynnstallation.

The process began with two community focus groups that outlined the standards and values they wanted reflected in a piece of art: engagement, multi-generationality, education, justice, support, positivity and joy, and a colorful appearance. "
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