| Local Policy Description: | Police Units on Bicycle
Responsible Department: Police, Community Relations
CO2 Savings in 2010: 58 tons
The Brookline Police Department currently has four bicycles which are used for patrols. These patrols usually operate from April through December, with three bicycles out during the day and two at night. If six additional bikes were purchased by 2010, so that on average 8 patrol cars were displaced by bicycle patrols for nine months of the year, 116 tons of CO2 would be eliminated and the town could save $14,459 in fuel costs.
Hybrid Gas/Electric Vehicles in the Town Fleet
Responsible Department: Transportation, Highway
CO2 Savings in 2010: 8 tons
If the town purchased an additional 25 Prius for the town Fleet by 2010, it could result in an additional reduction of 102 tons of CO2 and savings of $12,736 in fuel costs.
Traffic Calming Programs
Responsible Department: Engineering, Transportation
CO2 Savings in 2010: Unknown
The Transportation Department has recently undertaken a number of traffic calming studies at Winchester Street, Walnut Street, Brookline High School and at the Driscoll School. The total cost of these four projects is estimated at $510,000 (Transportation/Engineering). Future traffic calming projects are envisioned for Reservoir Road; Emerson Garden; Babcock and Pleasant Streets; and Allendale and Grove Streets. It is not possible to accurately calculate an emissions reduction that can be directly attributed to traffic calming projects. While traffic calming projects do reduce vehicular speeds and encourage walking and biking a figure for trip reductions cannot be attributed to a specific project without intensive study and research. There are, however, non-tangible benefits that result from this measure such as increased safety and community livability in the neighborhoods where traffic calming has been implemented.
Conversion of Fleet Vehicles to CNG
Responsible Department: Transportation, Highway
CO2 Savings in 2010: 127 tons
At present, the Toyota Prius is an excellent vehicle with which to start an alternative fuel vehicle purchasing program. In the future however, the town may decide to consider converting some fleet vehicles, such as light vans or trucks, to CNG (compressed natural gas). CNG is the cleanest burning alternative fuel vehicle, and on a gallon-equivalent basis, costs an average of 15 to 40 % less than gasoline or diesel. While natural gas vehicles do emit methane, a greenhouse gas, any slight increase in methane emissions would be more than offset by the substantial reduction in CO2 emissions. CNG vehicles are used extensively by MassPort and the MBTA. If the town were to convert its light vans and trucks by 2010, 127 tons of CO2 would be eliminated, and $9,089 saved.
Conversion of Fleet Vehicles to Biodiesel
Responsible Department: Transportation, Highway
CO2 Savings in 2010: 456 tons
Another emissions reduction measure that the town could implement would be to convert heavy trucks used by the DPW to biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel is a clean, renewable diesel fuel substitute produced from agricultural resources such as soybeans or rapeseed. It can be burned in any standard, unmodified diesel engine. Current biodiesel fleets have reported operational consistency over extended periods of use, engine performance, and payload power and range are completely unaltered. Biodiesel does not function well in cold weather, but, as no tank conversion is required, vehicles can simply be fueled with conventional diesel during winter months. If the town’s 48 heavy trucks and equipment vehicles currently running on diesel were fueled with biodiesel for eight months of the year by 2010, 456 tons of CO2 could be eliminated. The town could also investigate low-sulfur diesel, which, although not widely available in the United States at present, reduces the particulate emissions that are associated with conventional diesel.
Parking Cash-Out for Town Employees
Responsible Department: Personnel, Transportation
CO2 Savings in 2010: 19 tons
Parking Cash-Out is a measure that would give municipal employees who have reserved parking in the town to give up their parking space in exchange for its cash value. This measure could be implemented in conjunction with the subsidized MBTA pass program, to further encourage town employees to seek out alternative forms of transportation. The calculations used to quantify the impact of this measure on greenhouse gas emissions focus only on the 104 parking pass holders who park in the Town Hall lot. If this measure were applied to all town employees who currently drive to work, its impact would be far greater. Calculations suggest that this measure would eliminate 18 tons of CO2 per year and avoid $7,629 in fuel costs.
Corporate T-Pass for Town Employees
Responsible Department: Personnel
CO2 Savings in 2010: 35 tons
The MBTA operates a Corporate T Pass Program in which businesses and municipalities can purchase subway and bus passes in groups for employees. The MBTA sends the passes to the business at the end of each month for the convenience of employees. Many employers choose to subsidize the pass program as an incentive for employees to take public transportation to work and to increase workplace morale. Even if the town decides against subsidizing the program, employees can still enroll (minimum participation is 5 people), as the benefits of public transportation and group purchase are numerous. The calculations used to quantify the impact of this measure on greenhouse gas emissions focus only on the 104 parking pass holders who park in the Town Hall lot. If this measure were applied to all town employees who currently drive to work, its impact would be far greater. Calculations suggest that this measure would eliminate 35 tons of CO2 per year and avoid $7,629.34 in fuel costs.
Telecommuting for Town Employees
Responsible Department: Personnel, Information Technology
CO2 Savings in 2010: 486 tons
Telecommuting, the act of working from home rather than traveling back and forth to a workplace, is thought to produce benefits for the companies and individuals involved, as well as present intangible benefits for the rest of society. The town could provide the technology and flexibility for certain employees to take advantage of telecommunication advances and reduce their number of trips by working from home. Each department would need to evaluate where this is possible and how such a program could be established fairly. Calculations demonstrate that creating a program whereby 350 town employees worked from home twice a month could result in an annual savings of $24,541 and the reduction of 486 tons of CO2.
If all Brookline employers were encouraged to allow employees to telecommute the impact on greenhouse gas emissions could be quite substantial. Calculations used to quantify the impact of this measure assume that 40% of the total workforce in Brookline (30,668 people) work in positions that are suitable for telecommuting. If 9,952 employees telecommuted twice a month, it could result in financial savings of $5,739,715 and in the reduction of 105,776 tons of CO2.
Support for Car Sharing Programs
Responsible Department: Transportation
CO2 Savings in 2010: 26 tons
The town is currently assisting with the Zipcar car sharing program by providing three free parking spaces for Zipcars in Brookline. There are 81 members in Brookline with five Zipcars located in the town. The benefits of the program are numerous. According to recent statistics compiled by Zipcar, the member/car ratio in Brookline is approximately 16 to 1, which has taken an estimated 38 cars off the road. The cost of being a Zipcar member is far less than the cost of renting or owning a vehicle. Additionally, members do not have to worry about the responsibilities associated with owning a car -Zipcar takes car of those logistics. The Zipcar program in Brookline is responsible for the elimination of 26 tons of CO2.
Walk to School Program
Responsible Department: Transportation, School Department, Energy Efficiency/Environmental Coordinator CO2 Savings in 2010: 58 tons
Many parents in Brookline drive their children to school even though many schools are well within walking distance. The increased vehicular traffic going into and out of the schoolyards each morning and afternoon pose safety hazards for students as well as drivers. A Walk to School program would lessen concerns about traffic safety near schools. A Walk to School program would involve parents walking their children to school, or putting them on a 'walking bus', which would consist of parent volunteers and a group of children that attend the same school. Such a program has many other benefits aside from decreasing emissions and increasing safety. It can create a sense of community between families and schools in a particular area and promote healthy forms of transportation such as walking or bicycling. If Walk to School programs achieved a 25% participation rate in Brookline's 8 elementary schools, 58 tons of CO2 could be eliminated and residents could save $ 7,281 in avoided fuel costs.
Bicycling Infrastructure Improvements and Outreach Program
Responsible Department: Transportation, Highway
CO2 Savings in 2010: 484 tons
The four greatest impediments for commuters choosing to bicycle to work and for errands are safety, weather, distance and inadequate facilities for storage or changing at destinations. While the town cannot control weather or people's commuting distance, better infrastructure in the form of bike lanes and storage facilities can encourage more bicycling. This measure would involve the construction of a one-mile bike lane, the installation of 100 bike racks in town and a supporting education/outreach program to stress the value of biking. The outreach program could be developed with input from the Brookline Bike Coalition. If this measure encouraged 300 people to switch to bicycling as their primary method of transportation for eight months of the year, it could result in a reduction of 484 tons of CO2 and financial savings of $60,474.49 in avoided fuel costs.
Program to Increase MBTA Ridership
Responsible Department: Transportation, Engineering, Energy Efficiency/Environmental Coordinator
CO2 Savings in 2010: 3,238 tons
With this measure, the town could implement an outreach program or social marketing campaign with the goal of decreasing personal automobile trips and increasing MBTA ridership among Brookline residents. While many people in Brookline have excellent access to public transportation, the personal automobile remains the most frequently used form of travel. An outreach program or social marketing campaign could be developed that enabled Brookline residents to overcome these perceived barriers to public transportation, and to see the numerous individual and community benefits that would arise from an increased MBTA ridership in the town. If such a campaign was successful, and enabled 10% of the town’s population to switch to public transportation for 60% of their trips, 3,238 tons of CO2 could be eliminated and $793,115 could be saved through avoided fuel costs.
Taxicab Study
Responsible Department: Transportation, Highway
CO2 Savings in 2010: Unknown
The town is currently considering undertaking a study to determine how to make Brookline taxicabs more sustainable through improved regulations. The Transportation Department is planning to open up the taxi market to two outside companies in the next year. The proposed cab study will look at the effects of ‘opening up’ the taxi market in the town, with the aim of ascertaining the sustainable number of taxicabs in Brookline. The results of the study will then determine the number of taxis that each company will be allowed to operate. The Department hopes that increased competition will allow enforcement of stricter regulations on the taxi companies, particularly in terms of more stringent inspections, the age of cars and compliance with idling and roaming rules. The taxi study would also determine average VMT for taxis in Brookline, which would enable the calculation of greenhouse gas emissions from this sector. Daniel Flores of the Department of Economics at Boston University, who studies the taxi industry, has offered to undertake the study for approximately $3,000. The Highway Department is investigating approval for the funding.
Support for Urban Ring Project
Responsible Organization: Board of Selectmen, CCAB
CO2 Savings in 2010: Unknown
The Urban Ring project of the MBTA plans to add a ‘rim’ to the current hub and spoke transit system in greater Boston that connects with all the existing and planned transit lines (Commuter Rail, Green, Blue, Orange, Red, Silver and numerous MBTA bus lines). While Brookline will only host a small portion of the transit line, it will increase the efficiency for other transit line riders in the town. The construction of the Urban Ring will provide an incentive for Brookline residents to use public transportation more often and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from single-occupancy vehicle use. In January of 1999, the Joint Committee on Transportation of the Board of Selectman sent a letter to the town’s state representatives endorsing the Urban Ring transit route, and signed the Urban Ring compact with Boston, Cambridge, Everett, Chelsea and Somerville. The town should continue to support the measure in the future. Since there will inevitably be some time before the actual construction of the Urban Ring begins, the project may provide opportunity for the town and CCAB to lobby for the use of alternative fuel vehicles to be used on the new lines once construction is complete.
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