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Why some Boston officials are wary about Waymo
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Smell that? The corpse flower at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society has finally bloomed, bringing a rare phenomenon — and pungent odor — to the Garden at Elm Bank in Wellesley. The bloom will only last 24 hours, so if you want a whiff, make it down there today.
Now, to the news:
Wary about Waymo: Back in May, autonomous taxi company Waymo brought its LIDAR and camera-equipped cars to the streets of Boston to map out the city (with human drivers behind the wheel). Waymo's driverless vehicles are already on the road in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta, and the company may hope to add Boston to its list in the future. But before that could happen, the tech would need a green light from city officials and the State House — the former of whom were skeptical during a testimony last week before Boston City Council.
- We've got Way-mo problems already: Boston's streets are shared by cars, bikes, mopeds, pedestrians and more. Boston City Councillor Ed Flynn doesn't think it's appropriate to add self-driving cars to the already "chaotic" dynamic. "Boston is one of the oldest major cities in the country, with narrow one-way streets, alleys and the lack of a traditional grid system, especially in downtown," Flynn said. "In winter, we have snow banks, icy roads. We also have issues with double parked cars." (As of now, Waymo cars have not yet been validated "for fully driverless operations in snow," according to the company.) Boston's Chief of Streets Jascha Franklin-Hodge also questioned the cars' safety, saying even though there's evidence suggesting autonomous vehicles are safer on average, that research doesn't quite apply here because of the complexity of our infrastructure.
- The human impact: According to the Greater Boston Labor Council, 70,000 app-based drivers and tens of thousands of Teamster truck transport and delivery drivers could be displaced if the technology became widespread. " My main concern with this technology in Boston — and honestly across the country — is the loss of jobs," said City Councillor Enrique Pepén, who rode in an autonomous Waymo while in San Francisco. Matt Walsh, Waymo's regional head of state and local public policy, said the tech isn't meant to replace all kinds of drivers, but add another transportation option to a large network people can choose from.
- Zoom out: Walsh says Waymo "has no official plans at this time for a commercial launch in Boston." (The only company with approval to test the cars currently is Motional, which has a two-year permit from January 2024 to Jan. 31, 2026, according to MassDOT.) Even so, Massachusetts officials would need to pass a statewide law creating a regulatory framework for autonomous vehicles before any could officially hit the road. And there's always a possibility cities and towns could pass their own bans on the tech. "We are committed to engaging in a robust conversation at the state and local level on what autonomous vehicle regulations could look like in Boston," Walsh said.
Air quality report: This past weekend's weather in Boston may have been beautiful, but the air quality wasn't so pretty. New England was blanketed in smoke Saturday, which drifted down from wildfires burning in Canada's Manitoba and Saskatchewan provinces.
- As of Friday, there are more than 500 wildfires burning in Canada. On Saturday, Boston, Brockton, Fall River and Weymouth recorded air quality indices of 150, which could be unhealthy for some. Air quality has improved a bit as of today, with an index between 50-100 (considered moderate).
Detour incoming: If you ride, cycle or walk along the Somerville Community Path, there's a detour starting today. The pathway between Lowell Street and Central Street will be closed for about a week while contractors repair broken concrete in the area, according to Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne. Here are two alternative routes locals can take during the closure.
- For cyclists: Signage posted along the path will point you toward Vernon Street, where you can bike north or south before reconnecting with the path at Lowell Street or Central Street, respectively.
- For pedestrians: Walkers and runners can use the Vernon Street detour or take Albion Street, which also connects with the path at Lowell Street and Central Street.
P.S. — It’s Worcester Restaurants Week! Starting today through Aug. 10, you can snag a three-course meal at select restaurants in the city for $29.25! (A few premium restaurants go up to $33.25). See the participating businesses here.
