Our Communites

Keeping our streets clean and safe is a major priority for Marty. She authored the Green Ticket Law, which gives cities a new way to collect unpaid fines from people who receive tickets for improperly disposing of their trash or failing to clear snow and ice from their sidewalks. Cities can now add unpaid fines to property tax bills. A more reliable way to collect fines should provide an incentive for residents to comply with the law. We all benefit when our neighbors do what is right.

The Charles River, from Magazine Beach to the Esplanade, is a precious resource that must be protected and enhanced, so everyone can continue to enjoy the river basin. Marty led the fight to stop the re-routing of Storrow Drive into the Esplanade when the Arlington-Clarendon Street tunnel is rebuilt. And, on an issue near and dear to this district, she led the charge to prevent the transfer of Storrow Drive and Memorial Drive from the Department of Conservation and Recreation to the Highway Department, making sure our parkways are not turned into highways.

Marty serves on the Charles River Water Quality Commission, the purpose of which is to study the feasibility of once again making the Charles River safe for swimming. She secured funding for the restoration of Community Boating’s docks, allowing construction to begin in the fall of 2010. Marty consistently fights for the longest possible hours at the Magazine Beach pool and works to improve its cleanliness and maintenance.

After decades of neglect, the majority of the bridges over the Charles River, including the BU Bridge and the Longfellow Bridge, are being restored, thanks to the Accelerated Bridge Program approved by the legislature and Governor Patrick. In addition to providing much needed repairs to our infrastructure, the bridge program is stimulating our economy by creating jobs. Marty actively participates in the planning processes to ensure that the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists have an equal weight to those of motorists. She served as a member of the Longfellow Bridge Restoration Task Force in 2010, and was awarded an Advocacy Award by the LivableStreets Alliance for her work advocating for all users of the bridge. Knowing how important it is to her constituents in the West End, Marty supports rebuilding the Leverett Circle pedestrian bridge.

Recognizing the importance of sunlight in our parks, Marty is the lead sponsor of An Act to Protect Certain Public Parks, which limits the amount of new shadows that can be cast on the Esplanade, the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Copley Square, and Magazine Beach.

Lowered groundwater levels threaten buildings in the Back Bay and on the flat of Beacon Hill. While in the state legislature, Marty continues her longtime advocacy on this issue, working closely with the city and state agencies responsible for finding a solution to this critical problem. She is also a lead sponsor of legislation enhancing groundwater protection.

As the only elected official standing with the Beacon Hill community, Marty led the fight to stop Suffolk University from building a mega-sized dorm in the neighborhood. She continues to work with the Beacon Hill Civic Association to ensure Suffolk abides by the agreements it has made with the neighborhood.

Marty understands the unique issues faced by urban communities and works with city and state officials to improve our quality of life. After years of delays, she closely monitored the Cambridge Street project and pushed tirelessly for its completion. In addition, her work with the Boston Police Department has resulted in increased enforcement in the Back Bay by the Commercial Vehicle Unit to keep trucks out of restricted areas, and she continues to push for increased police enforcement of the speeding law and the city’s ordinance against loud motorcycles. Marty strongly supports efforts to build a neighborhood public school in the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, or the West End.

Realizing the unique contributions of the Central Square Theater to Central Square and the region, Marty led the successful effort to ensure that the theater received the critical state funds it needed to complete construction.

During the 2009-2010 legislative session, Marty’s efforts ensured the passage of three laws that directly benefit her constituents. An Act Relative to Development of Air Rights over the Turnpike ensures that all buildings constructed over Turnpike air rights in Boston will be subject to local zoning, making sure neighbors have a strong voice in the development process. A new law guarantees that the installation of the elevators at the Science Park/West End MBTA station will be completed without delay, and Marty spearheaded legislation allowing the City of Boston to lease the Pink Palace, the former men’s comfort station in the Boston Common, for commercial purposes to enliven the park.