One thing I love about living in Boston is that the scale and density make it really easy to get around by bike. I grew up in areas of California where it's difficult to get anywhere without a car. A few years ago I got rid of my car and haven't regretted it. I now see biking as the ideal form of transportation as it addresses issues of public health, environmental health, social equity, community, congestion and general quality of life. I feel very fortunate to have the luxury of using my bike to commute to work, travel, run errands and get together with friends. I know that many Americans are not so fortunate and I look forward to being involved in work that will expand this opportunity to other communities.
Amy Linné has been a bike enthusiast for several years and helped start a bike group in her Boston neighborhood of Dorchester. Amy recently received her Master in Landscape Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design where she pursued her interest in the intersection of public space and sustainable infrastructure. Her final design project explored the use of a waterfront site in Milwaukee, WI for hydrological research while developing a public interface and connectivity to other waterfront amenities. Amy has worked as a design intern for the landscape architecture firm, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, developing graphics and construction documents for projects at a range of scales. Amy has been working in Alta’s New England office since May 2011.
Recent Projects
Boston Bike Share Station Planning and Permitting, Boston, MA
With its sister organization Alta Bicycle Share, Alta Planning + Design has recently brought the Hubway bike share system to the City of Boston. The system includes 610 bicycles and will soon expand to Brookline, Cambridge and Somerville. Amy coordinated field work and assisted in site planning and design of station locations. She was also responsible for developing drawings for installation, permitting, and outreach to coordinate with city and state officials. With permitting and installation largely complete, the system has been a success with nearly 40,000 trips taken so far.
Charles River Basin Pathway and Bridge Master Plan, Boston, MA
Alta Planning + Design is working with the MassDOT to develop a plan that addresses the needs of pedestrians and cyclists along an eight-mile stretch of the Charles River Basin in Boston, Cambridge, Watertown, and Newton. Alta’s two-year effort includes recommendations for new paths along the river, in addition to enhanced pedestrian and bike connections to the adjacent neighborhoods and ten bridges across the Charles River. The current Connectivity Study effort is putting specific emphasis on the Charlesgate interface, with the goal of connecting the Charles River Esplanade with the Emerald Necklace. Amy has helped to coordinate the comprehensive pedestrian-bike count at 23 locations throughout the Basin, an effort conducted twice a year.
