Joan Pickett
She/Her
- Currently
- Retired; active in local groups
- Election history
- 1st time running
She/Her
A Cambridge resident for over 25 years, Joan Pickett has actively served on the Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Association as well as the Charles River Conservancy. She spent more than 20 years working in Strategic and Business Planning at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Joan is possibly most known for leading the charge against bicycling. She was the chair of the organization Cambridge Streets for All, which sued the city of Cambridge over its protected bike lane network (all lawsuits have failed, been rejected, or are being appealed at this time). She's also written the city council many times about problems with the Cycling Safety Ordinance, keeping parking, delaying bike lanes, and questioning cyclist counts. She's encouraged a moratorium on bike lanes based on another Cambridge Streets for All's member's analysis, and written an op-ed about e-bikes worrying her.
She has said that one of her motivations for running is to get the city to listen to residents and businesses more.
While Joan has not written as much about housing as she has about bike lanes, she has consistently and repeatedly opposed the amendments to the AHO and she focuses on "the context of a neighborhoods’ character and livability" and preserving neighborhood control.
At the moment, the character of our neighborhoods is under assault from new and proposed policies.
If this passes, you can check the box for new AHO regulations, declare victory and move on. Next year, if you are re-elected, you will still be wringing your hands saying we are not doing enough for affordable housing, and it will be true because you failed to look more deeply at the issues.
I do not support the proposal to amend to the AHO. By significantly increasing building height to twelve to fifteen stories, allowing for increased density, removing setbacks and removing review by neighborhoods, the character of our squares and neighborhoods could radically change. The proposed amendments appear reactive without sufficient thought or planning. No analysis or data supporting these amendments has been produced to show how many more affordable units will be developed. Yes we need more housing stock to accommodate persons and families at different income levels so those who have lived in the city can continue to live in the city. And we need a thoughtful plan how to accomplish the goal and ensure housing is in context with neighborhoods.
| Organization | Cambridge? | Union? | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| Save Mass Ave | this cycle | ||
| Cambridge Citizens Coalition | on Sept. 14, 2023 |
Distribution of funds, non-profits and their position in Cambridge
Distribution of funds, non-profits and their position in Cambridge
General. Note: only distributed in downloadable word or pdf documents.
General. Note: only distributed in downloadable word or pdf documents.
If the city is truly committed to climate change actions, why are they cutting down mature trees...?
Cambridge Streets for All & others vs. City of Cambridge
In September 2020, the City of Cambridge ("City") amended its Cycling Safety Ordinance ("CSO") concerning the installation of bike lanes on the City's streets. Plaintiffs Cambridge Streets of All, Leesteffy Jenkins, John Pitkin, Toby Leith, Elizabeth Saccoccio, Christine Perkins, Philip Kadets, Joan Pickett, Vicky Bestor, John Hanratty, Stuart Rosner, and Elizabeth Neustadt (collectively, "Plaintiffs") are business and property owners in the City of Cambridge ("City") who oppose the implementation of the CSO and the bike lanes and street restructuring that the City has undertaken pursuant to the CSO. The Plaintiffs have moved for a preliminary injunction enjoining the City from building any more bike lanes and directing the City to remove the bike lanes already in place. For the following reasons, the Plaintiffs' motion is DENIED.
TPT clearly could have done a better job in understanding the traffic flow in the area and resolved the problems before they happened. But the real problem goes back to how the CSO Ordinance is written and to the Council who voted in favor of it. The Ordinance is pushing TPT to 'just get it done' vs 'let’s get it done right'. The Ordinance is too prospective and inflexible leaving little room for TPT to adjust for location, location specific issues and timing. In a perfect world, the City Council would acknowledge the flaws in the Ordinance and amend it to allow for more flexibility.
I hope we are tracking and equally publicizing these types of accidents on a consistent basis, not just those that are car/cyclist accidents.
Pickett also said she wants the Council to approach street design more intentionally. “We need to step back and stop doing things quickly and do things thoughtfully,” Pickett said.
Oct. 27, 2023 — Muskaan ArshadPickett also said she wants the Council to approach street design more intentionally. “We need to step back and stop doing things quickly and do things thoughtfully,” Pickett said.
If you have driven in Cambridge recently, you know we have a transportation problem, and short-term it is not solvable by more people cycling.
...
Separated bike lanes have fueled deep division within Cambridge. We can start to mend our civic relationships by hitting the pause button on further installations and undertaking a process that will focus on the goals of safe and efficiently functioning streets. And that is why I will not sign the CBS pledge.
July 24, 2023 — Joan PickettIf you have driven in Cambridge recently, you know we have a transportation problem, and short-term it is not solvable by more people cycling.
...
Separated bike lanes have fueled deep division within Cambridge. We can start to mend our civic relationships by hitting the pause button on further installations and undertaking a process that will focus on the goals of safe and efficiently functioning streets. And that is why I will not sign the CBS pledge.
Hanratty was part of a group called Cambridge Streets for All that filed a lawsuit last summer over the loss of parking space from the Cycling Safety Ordinance of 2019, which calls for 22.6 miles of bike lanes citywide. That lawsuit was rejected by a judge on March 27, but is being appealed. Other members of that group were on a closed call explaining the analysis, including Joan Pickett and John Pitkin, a former member of chair of the city’s Board of Traffic and Parking.
...
Bike advocates were contacted Monday and asked if they were aware of the findings. “It’s hard to directly evaluate this lengthy report without looking into the details of the data analysis further. However, its conclusions are at odds with professional consensus,” said Nate Fillmore, a co-founder of the Cambridge Bicycle Safety group.
“Of relevance, the Federal Highway Administration just released a report on the safety of protected bike lanes” that included Cambridge and found that “quick-build” lanes such as those in use in Cambridge “cut the risk of crash in half compared to regular bike lanes,” Fillmore said.
...
The group said it welcomed feedback from the council and city transportation officials. Pickett encouraged councillors to “do their own analysis” and said there could be a moratorium on bike lanes “until they get a chance to look at what’s going on.”
April 24, 2023 — Marc LevyHanratty was part of a group called Cambridge Streets for All that filed a lawsuit last summer over the loss of parking space from the Cycling Safety Ordinance of 2019, which calls for 22.6 miles of bike lanes citywide. That lawsuit was rejected by a judge on March 27, but is being appealed. Other members of that group were on a closed call explaining the analysis, including Joan Pickett and John Pitkin, a former member of chair of the city’s Board of Traffic and Parking.
...
Bike advocates were contacted Monday and asked if they were aware of the findings. “It’s hard to directly evaluate this lengthy report without looking into the details of the data analysis further. However, its conclusions are at odds with professional consensus,” said Nate Fillmore, a co-founder of the Cambridge Bicycle Safety group.
“Of relevance, the Federal Highway Administration just released a report on the safety of protected bike lanes” that included Cambridge and found that “quick-build” lanes such as those in use in Cambridge “cut the risk of crash in half compared to regular bike lanes,” Fillmore said.
...
The group said it welcomed feedback from the council and city transportation officials. Pickett encouraged councillors to “do their own analysis” and said there could be a moratorium on bike lanes “until they get a chance to look at what’s going on.”
The Superior Court dismissed on Tuesday a lawsuit against the city over parking-space changes brought on by its Cycling Safety Ordinance.
The plaintiffs, a group called Cambridge Streets for All, went to court in June 2022 in hopes of stopping the city from adding more protected bike lanes under the CSO and removing existing lanes that took away parking spaces. In November, the city made a motion to Judge Maureen B. Hogan to dismiss the suit.
The Tuesday decision found that Cambridge Streets for All hadn’t supported its claims adequately, according to the city’s Law Department.
...
“Clearly we’re disappointed by the court’s decision,” said Joan Pickett, chair of the group, who was reviewing the finding and other materials when contacted. More information would be available later, Pickett said.
March 7, 2023 — Marc LevyThe Superior Court dismissed on Tuesday a lawsuit against the city over parking-space changes brought on by its Cycling Safety Ordinance.
The plaintiffs, a group called Cambridge Streets for All, went to court in June 2022 in hopes of stopping the city from adding more protected bike lanes under the CSO and removing existing lanes that took away parking spaces. In November, the city made a motion to Judge Maureen B. Hogan to dismiss the suit.
The Tuesday decision found that Cambridge Streets for All hadn’t supported its claims adequately, according to the city’s Law Department.
...
“Clearly we’re disappointed by the court’s decision,” said Joan Pickett, chair of the group, who was reviewing the finding and other materials when contacted. More information would be available later, Pickett said.
As a pedestrian, I am worried city streets will get more dangerous now that faster, heavier electric bicycles or e-bikes have been officially recognized by state officials.
Sept. 10, 2022 — Joan PickettAs a pedestrian, I am worried city streets will get more dangerous now that faster, heavier electric bicycles or e-bikes have been officially recognized by state officials.
“It is surprising how many people across the City are totally unaware of the mandate to install separated bike lanes. That tells me there was not enough outreach from the city nor any meaningful citizen engagement. All people want is a chance to participate in a meaningful way,” said Joan Pickett, a homeowner in Mid-Cambridge since 1998.
June 10, 2022 — Marc Levy“It is surprising how many people across the City are totally unaware of the mandate to install separated bike lanes. That tells me there was not enough outreach from the city nor any meaningful citizen engagement. All people want is a chance to participate in a meaningful way,” said Joan Pickett, a homeowner in Mid-Cambridge since 1998.
Pickett is president of the Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Association (MCNA), which for years led a campaign against the government center Harvard is building on the northeast fringe of campus.
The new center is going ahead—the wrecking balls moved in last week to clear away the lots where its two main buildings will go. The tunnel that is supposed to connect the buildings once preoccupied community members, but now it’s not even an issue for Pickett and her fellow neighborhood activists.
“We think it’s dead,” she says.
Yet Pickett is quick to add that she and the neighborhood association are keeping a watchful eye on Harvard and its new center.
Nov. 3, 2002 — Lauren R. DorganPickett is president of the Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Association (MCNA), which for years led a campaign against the government center Harvard is building on the northeast fringe of campus.
The new center is going ahead—the wrecking balls moved in last week to clear away the lots where its two main buildings will go. The tunnel that is supposed to connect the buildings once preoccupied community members, but now it’s not even an issue for Pickett and her fellow neighborhood activists.
“We think it’s dead,” she says.
Yet Pickett is quick to add that she and the neighborhood association are keeping a watchful eye on Harvard and its new center.