2. Soldiers Field Road.
3. Grand Junction Commuter Rail.
4. Commuter Rail Access to / from Commonwealth Avenue.
5. Access to / from Cambridge Street / Western Avenue, Allston.
6. Alternate proposals.
a. Architect’s proposal.
b. Boston University type proposal.
7. Summary.
1. Introduction.
On Thursday evening, October 17, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation led its fairly regular monthly gathering of invited advisors. The location was the North Brighton neighborhood of Boston. The meeting concerning the rebuild of the Massachusetts Turnpike (I90) on the south side of the Charles River across from the severely reduced habitat of the Charles River White Geese..
The structure of the meeting came as a surprise since MassDOT had promised to present a final version of its proposal. Instead they broke the meeting into four rotating demonstration groups working over large plans. Two of the groups presented different parts of the MassDOT ideas. The other two were presentations of the two non MassDOT concepts which were featured at the last meeting. In contrast to prior presentations with one lecturer, each presentation was a group effort.
The MassDOT concept was a minimal arrangement to fulfill the various goals it is working on. They have the West Station commuter rail, South Station overflow storage and the Mass. Pike turning as close as possible to the southern edge of the working area, along with roadway access. The maps used included significant portions of the Cambridge side. The comparison of the Mass. Pike working area to residential Cambridge drove home just how very large the area the are working with it.
Here is the most recent version of the plans I have. It is several months old and thus lacks accuracy in details.
2. Soldiers Field Road.
There were changes of note in the relationship to Soldiers Field Road and with regard to public access to the Commuter Rail from the direction of Commonwealth Avenue.
Soldiers Field Road is being rearranged so that the rebuilt Mass. Pike will be above it for a portion. There has, for some time been planning for access from the site to the east bound side of Soldiers Field Road (inbound).
The plans shown on Thursday presented, for the first time, a ramp from Soldiers Field Road west bound (outbound) to the site. This, they explained, is being considered at the request of Harvard. The addition of this ramp could greatly improve the westbound exit to the River Street Bridge because half or more of that traffic is going to the south, exactly the direction where the new ramp would lead.
One of the maps showed a second entrance from the site to the eastbound side. I suggested that creating two added entrances would be a problem to Soldiers Field Road, and that the addition of an access road would resolve the problem.
3. Grand Junction Commuter Rail.
MassDOT has dramatically, but nicely, firmed up tentative opposition to use of the Grand Junction for Commuter Rail. That usage would be destructive to the Cambridge side of the Charles and to its animals. MassDOT made it very clear that their plans for Commuter Rail are solely to South Station, with no current plans to North Station via the Grand Junction.
A particular concept which has been raised has been to consider the use of DMU (Diesel Motor Unit?) vehicles being studied by the MBTA, the regional public transportation entity. MassDOT stated that they are considering this use, but SOLELY to South Station. The MIT types have been using DMU as a code word for Grand Junction commuter rail. This was clearly rejected at the present time.
One MIT type was quite distressed that the plan did not include a study of commuter rail on the Grand Junction. I informed the gentleman that MassDOT had studied the concept and determined it was of no value to anybody other than Kendall Square, which is dominated by MIT and related companies.
The gentleman responded to the effect that he considered a benefit to Kendall of value.
4. Commuter Rail Access to / from Commonwealth Avenue.
The proposed West Station is firming up as a structure the equivalent of four residential stories high.
It remains west of a series of low buildings which have been adjacent to the railroad yard.
Previous discussions spoke of access going through an opening in the middle of the buildings. This presentation firmly spoke of a ramp to the west of the low buildings, to be constructed in the extreme of their parking lot, next to small houses.
5. Access to / from Cambridge Street / Western Avenue, Allston.
The proposal continues to have four streets in varying directions for vehicle / pedestrian access. There was comment that at least one street directly feeds into a residential street on the other side of Cambridge Street which could become a short cut from North Harvard Street.
It looks like there is proposed two new streets connecting Cambridge Street and Western Avenue between the residential neighborhood and Soldiers Field Road. One is Stadium Way, being proposed by Harvard for quite awhile. There is another street in the plan between it and Soldiers Field Road. Driving away from the meeting, I did see a roadway of some sort in that area off Western Avenue.
6. Alternate proposals.
a. Architect’s proposal.
They are still pushing construction to and above the Charles River. They concede that, at this time, the proposal would remove rail access from a chemical company in the area.
b. Boston University type proposal.
This is the proposal which would build a bike highway over the Grand Junction railroad bridge and connect to the BU Boathouse by destroying the Wild Area.
The speaker did not want to talk about this concept. It had featured very prominently in the presentation made to the entire group at the last meeting.
Close study of his map showed the bike highway stopping short of the Charles River and apparently ramping down to the existing bicycle highway following the Charles River on the south side.
7. Summary.
MassDOT appears to be progressing in a responsible manner. I hope the active and destructive lobby continues to be stood up to.
During the meeting, I did not mention my proposal for management of the created parklands. It is in writing and communicates very clearly. It is posted at http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/charles-r-to-massdot-bar-dcr-from-mass.html.
I think that the legislature would be quite interested in having a say with regard to any increase in powers granted to the former Metropolitan District Commission, now Department of Conservation and Recreation, as I have analyzed in great detail.
I should think, at minimum, that a lot of those details would be confirmed by the Cambridge Conservation Commission and by the manager of MassDOT’s BU Bridge project.
MassDOT’s manager of the BU Bridge project has not been mentioned before. He was quite familiar with the situation in the Destroyed Nesting Area of the Charles River White Geese. I should think he would be as shocked about the outrage inflicted there by the DCR / friends as would any decent human being. He certainly made a good impression when Friends of the White Geese gave him a tour of the area.
And accessing the two key articles in the Boston Globe / Boston Sunday Globe with those blatant lies from the DCR / MDC would be not that difficult.
Then again, it is highly likely there are legislators who remember the sales pitch given by the Charles River “Conservancy” and the part it played in the $20 million given to the DCR for destruction of hundreds of trees and animal habitat between the BU and Longfellow Bridges.
What should be done with an entity which has been punished so severely and so deservedly and still has not learned?
Part is my suggestion to MassDOT. Their power should not be expanded by the Mass. Pike work. The Mass. Pike open space being created and the associated highway in Boston between the BU and River Street Bridges should not belong to DCR / MDC.
Similarly, the area in which DCR / MDC has been so vicious and is increasingly so vicious should be taken from the DCR / MDC for the public good. DCR / MDC should lose the Cambridge side of the Charles River from the Longfellow Bridge to the River Street Bridge.
You can only get so low.
