Impending Destruction, Cambridge, MA, USA Common, Flagstaff Park, Harvard Square.

1. Introduction.
2. Summary.
3. Contacts, Reality among “Environmental Activists.”


1. Introduction.

[5/27, 18 and 10]





Let’s put it this way, when you look at the Cambridge Common from its main entrance, facing Harvard Square, the two dominant trees you see are slated to be destroyed. This is the first photo above.

Two out of three excellent trees behind the one on the left are slated to be destroyed. Of the six excellent trees behind the tree on the right, half, three are slated to be destroyed. This is the second photo above.

Of the five trees surrounding the monument to which those trees lead, four are slated to be destroyed. Another adjacent excellent tree to the southwest and a group of three excellent trees to the northeast are slated to be destroyed.

In preparing this report, I am going from my notes as to the particular location identity of trees I have photographed around the monument. As I get to the latter photos, the exact location of particular targeted trees is lost to me. The trees which are the focus of each shot, in each case are targeted. If I am wrong, please correct me.

I could go into a long analysis of the nonsense spouted by the City of Cambridge on this issue. The short, real explanation is that the trees being destroyed are, in the opinion of a very destructive city government, blocking the view. And Cambridge has a ruthless history of environmental destruction. It is horrifying that the targets are so uniformly excellent that, in the latter photos, I cannot separate them.

[06-02, 01]



This view corresponds to the second photo above, but from the entrance to the Common. The tree on the left is the right one of the trees at the entrance. The little tree is not being destroyed.

[06-02, 02]



This is the magnificent right tree of the two fronting the common’s entrance, to be destroyed.

[06-02, 03]



This corresponds to the second view above, just pulling the camera to the right. Counting from the end, next to the safe little tree, the two trees at the end and the 4th tree from the end are being destroyed.

[06-02, 04]



Closer view, last two trees on the right are slated to be destroyed.

[06-02, 06]



View from the other side, last 2 on right, slated to be destroyed.

[06-02, 07 and 08]





Back to the entrance. These are photos of the dominant tree on the left, slated tobe destroyed. The entrance can be seen in the second photo.

[06-02, 09]



Tree on the left is the dominant left tree being destroyed. Both left and right are being destroyed.

[06-02, 10, 2d left]



Second tree on the left, slated to be destroyed.

[06-02, 11]



At the circle around the monument, the right is being destroyed and the left middle.

[06-02, 12]



At the monument, the right front tree is being destroyed.

[06-02, 13]



At the monument, the right tree is being destroyed.

[06-02, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21]



The only question in my mind on the destruction of these trees is the exact location. Assume the central tree is targeted. More than one tree in a particular photo may be targeted.

2. Summary.

Looking at the proposed destruction on the Cambridge, MA, USA Common, I am reminded, yet again, that it is always a very severe error to say with regard to the City of Cambridge: “They would never stoop so low.”

I have done a lot of work on the planned massive destruction in the last week or so. The documentation is massive and horribly, perhaps deliberately, confusing. It is even worse for somebody, like me, who has lived through this outrage and remembers a, hopefully former, proposal which was even worse.

The numbers above are my best reading of a horribly confusing plan.

I spent three days doing photographs which have turned out to be close to useless. I took as many shots on June 2 as in the three prior days combined.

I will try to present planned destruction on the Cambridge Common which is publicly announced and unambiguous. There seems to be one tree in the Environmental Notification Form (of 22) which is not included in the tree destruction plan. I am open to corrections. Thank you.

The documents which are public are posted at http://www.cambridgema.gov/CDD/Projects/Transportation/cambridgecommon.aspx. The website is arranged so that you have to hunt through their list and figure out which one you want. The individual documents have major PDF documents which have very valuable components but which are set up so that the individual portions cannot be separately download.

Of particular value is the first document, their Tree Plan. This identifies destruction not kept secret.

The tree destruction plan shows 9 Norway Maples, 1 Red Maple, 6 Japanese Pagodas, 2 Lindens, 2 Elms, and 1 Crabapple to be destroyed. The ENF says 22, as opposed to the 21 in this document. I will try to figure out where the added tree is / post photos which might be of value in that regard.

I have tried to figure out a way to upload this plan to the blog. I have not been successful. PDF does not seem to be convertible.

The City Council preliminary vote concerning the destruction on November 19, 2012, is posted at http://www2.cambridgema.gov/cityclerk/PolicyOrder.cfm?item_id=36509. They voted the actual funds for massive, irresponsible destruction, making things quite imminent, on May 20, 2013. The dispositive action is posted at http://www2.cambridgema.gov/cityClerk/cmLetter.cfm?item_id=24223.

In direct violation of the November 19, 2012 order, no trees to be destroyed are marked. My memory is that the City Council did a walk through. Perhaps they decided the destruction was so offensive that they did not want their constituents to know.

The original motion was retroactively amended so that the original comment in the motion of close to 100 to be destroyed has been changed. It is posted at http://www2.cambridgema.gov/cityClerk/PolicyOrder.cfm?item_id=36485.

The reality is that, under the City Manager’s mentality, there really is no way to tell whether he is lying about the destruction of trees. The lies of omission come when he brags about the replacement and does not say what he is destroying.

The ENF and the Development Department documents brag of a new Bike Highway. This is exactly where the lies of omission come in. The final plans seem to have moved the Bike Highway from on top of excellent trees in the eastern part of Flagstaff Park and the traffic island to the south. The presentation says the highway is now to the west of Flagstaff Park. My guess is that the added tree is associated with the Bike Highway.

The guess is that the additional tree is either on Flagstaff Park or on the traffic island south of it. The traffic island is clearly part of Harvard Square proper.

Here are photos of each from my visit of a week ago.

[05-27, 1 and 22]



3. Contacts, Reality among “Environmental Activists.”

This current outrage includes significant money from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Governor’s Office email form: http://www.mass.gov/governor/constituentservices/contact/.

State environmental people, DES Hotline: ESF.Hotline@state.ma.us.

All Massachusetts Legislators’ emails: http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/emails-for-all-massachusetts.html.

Cambridge, MA, USA city councilors: Council@cambridgema.gov.

**********

For people listening to Boston Sierra Club endorsements of environmentally destructive members of the Cambridge City Council, you should be aware that

(1) using the world’s definition of “environmentalism,” there are no environmentally responsible members of the Cambridge City Council, and

(2) there are Cambridge Machine activists very active and very visible in the Boston Sierra Club.

If you are talking to a person associated with the Boston Sierra Club, do a credibility check. Ask if they are familiar with the “Urban Ring” rapid transit proposal. This is a subway proposal designed to link the existing subway spokes. I have been working on it since 1985. Cambridge raised the project in a comment to an environmental Impact Statement in the last month or so.

If the Boston Sierra Club “expert” answers “yes,” that he / she is familiar with the Urban Ring rapid transit proposal, ask how many rail options there are. If the answer is “one,” you are getting the flat out lie put out by the City of Cambridge.

Cambridge’s flat out lie is that, of the TWO rail options, the only one that exists is the environmentally destructive streetcar option which the City of Cambridge supports. The reality is that THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS SUBSIDIZED THE OTHER OPTION, the responsible Orange Line / heavy rail option, the Kenmore crossing. The state legislature has subsidized the expansion of Yawkey Station as part of the massive Fenway Park area project which has gotten recent press.

Cambridge’s nonsensical proposal would move Yawkey Station three blocks. The Cambridge proposal would not work without moving Yawkey Station. The Kenmore Crossing uses the now subsidized and being expanded Yawkey Station as part of a brilliant megastation.

You should immediately respond to such nonsense from a Sierra Club “expert” by having nothing more to do with this person. Whether the person is stupid or venal is irrelevant, the person has no credibility and is not worthy of your time.

It is frequently difficult to pin these irresponsible people down in general. The deviant behavior in my test is extreme. They are pious in their demands that, if you are politically correct and pro environment, you have to rubber stamp them. Please do not waste your time arguing about destruction they can wiggle around.

Turn your back on them and walk away fast.

Then look at the Cambridge Common destruction photos again.

Cambridge, MA, USA’s Next Targets: Cambridge Common, Flagstaff Park, Harvard Square - Prequil

The big disadvantage decent people have dealing with the corrupt situation in Cambridge, MA, is that honesty puts you at a disadvantage. You try to be accurate but you are faced with obfuscation at best, and a long pattern of belligerent corrupt tactics.

I have been working on photos to communicate Cambridge’s plans for massive tree destruction on the Cambridge Common, Flagstaff Park and in Harvard Square for the past week. I took them over a three day period about a week ago.

The destruction is even more irresponsible than that targeting Kendall Square - Longfellow Bridge. The destruction is less massive than the stuff the Cambridge Machine and its fake groups are targeting on Memorial Drive between the Longfellow Bridge and the BU Bridge.

Let us put it succinctly.

The City of Cambridge admits to plans to destroy 22 trees on the Cambridge Common because they block the view.

The Cambridge City Manager is belligerent about his right to lie through omission. He brags about a supposed right to hide massive destruction by bragging about what is coming in, including all those saplings. He demands that decent human beings cross examine him and go through major efforts to catch the destruction he is lying about through omission.

The Cambridge City Council has placed the tree destruction in this project at 100 trees. The Cambridge City Council voted to mark those trees to give the voters a chance to object. In my photo studies, I saw no marked trees. After this vote, the City Council was scheduled to take a walk through.

The destruction have is extremely irresponsible. Could the Cambridge City Council simply have agreed to join the Cambridge City Manager in lying through omission?

Then blame their voters calling it the voters duty to keep the Cambridge City Council from environmental destruction? The final vote was unanimous, including every fake who gets elected lying he / she is an environmentalist.

In any case, this is a preliminary report showing, in general, major areas possibly threatened. I will follow with more detail in the next few days, after studying the matter further.

Cambridge Common.

[05-27, Common; 08 60 Common]



Flagstaff Park.

[05-27, Common; 22 76, Flagstaff Park]

West View.



[05-27, Common; 02 54, Flagstaff Park]

East View



Excellent traffic island in the heart of Harvard Square immediately south of Flagstaff Park.

[05-27, Common; 01 53 Traffic Island]

An evening at the Destroyed Nesting Area, Cambridge, MA, USA

1. Report.
2. Reality and the Corrupt Fake Group.
3. Contacts. Miscellaneous.


1. Report.

Tuesday evening, May 28, 2013, I visited the Destroyed Nesting Area of the Charles River White Geese, north of the Charles River, east of the BU Bridge, Cambridge, MA, USA.

The limited corrections achieved by Jennifer Wright Letoureau, Director of the Cambridge Conservation Commission continue to be respected.

Jennifer has done what she can within the extreme limits set by the Cambridge City Council. Jennifer is to be commended.

The Department of Conservation and Recreation, the railroad, the City of Cambridge, the fraudulent groups which enable the outrages, and irresponsible “journalist” coverage of various con games continue to be worthy of the opposite. (“Frauds” is a more accurate word than “con games,” taking everything into context.) (While the Cambridge Chronicle continues to publish nonsense while suppressing letters reflecting reality.)

[05-38, DNA; 04 92, CRWG, Railroad Workers]



The Charles River White Geese are resting in that tiny part of their home which is protected by Cambridge’s restriction of state environmental protections. The vehicles belong to railroad workers. The white pick up truck was apparently up on the tracks to the right when I came. The staircase illegally installed by Boston University which directly connects to where they should be parking is under the trees beyond the white pick up truck.

[05-28, DNA; 05 93, By the Charles]



A number of members of the Charles River White Geese are communing with the environment just off the Charles River. These small trees are a little bit east of the BU Bridge. All ground vegetation here and through major parts of the areas east of the BU Bridge has been destroyed by the Charles River “Conservancy” acting for the DCR. The fraudulent “protective” con games by the Cambridge Machine defends these outrages by lying that they are defending the Charles River and telling people there is nothing to be concerned about except for one old building which has been opened to the public once in the last eighty years.

[05-28, DNA; 06 94 Native Vegetation, Native Plastic]



This photo is taken from a spot slightly north of the last photo and looking in the opposite direction.

The excellent green vegetation to the right is one of the very few pieces of native ground vegetation which have not been destroyed by the friends of the Cambridge Machine. In the middle of the photo is a black plastic wall which remains from the BU Bridge repairs finished how long ago. With the usual fraud of the bad guys, I am confident that they would call this stuff “native” and the Cambridge Machine, with a straight face, would vouch for the lie.

To the left is the 50 foot buffer to the east of the BU Bridge which was destroyed as part of that project. Vegetation above and to the left of the plastic has been introduced by the DCR. The DCR and its robots almost certainly would lie that the introduced stuff is “native” and the native stuff is “introduced." There is a very great danger that the DCR will simply allow their introduced stuff to grow and grow and grow, as they have with the wall they have created blocking off the Magazine Beach playing fields from the water.

The Cambridge Machine is fighting for expansion of the outrages at Magazine Beach and to keep the existing outrages. The DCR’s explanation of the wall starving the Charles River White Geese by keeping them from feeding at Magazine Beach is incompetence. They claim they are not capable of chopping down bushes.

The Machine? Well, they are so busy with fraudulent meetings, it is very silly to worry about whatever they say.

[05-28, DNA; 07 96 on ramp, Correct parking]



To the left is the Memorial Drive overpass. To the right is the on ramp to Memorial Drive. The trees to the right could be the trees you see in the background of the first photo.

The Charles River White Geese cross this ramp to get to the tiny amount of food not taken from them.

The railroad workers should be parking here. The illegally installed staircase is pretty close to being to the right of the white car.

2. Reality and the Corrupt Fake Group.

Not Printed by the Cambridge Chronicle: http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/cambridge-chronicle-favorably-front.html

3. Contacts. Miscellaneous.

Massachusetts Governor’s Office email form: http://www.mass.gov/governor/constituentservices/contact/.

State environmental people, DES Hotline: ESF.Hotline@state.ma.us.

MassDOT Accelerated Bridges Program: 857-368-8904 or Stephanie.Boundy@state.ma.us

All Massachusetts Legislators’ emails: http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/emails-for-all-massachusetts.html.

Cambridge, MA, USA city councilors: Council@cambridgema.gov.

For people listening to Boston Sierra Club endorsements of environmentally destructive members of the Cambridge City Council, you should be aware that there are Cambridge Machine activists very active in the Boston Sierra Club.

Longfellow / Kendall, Cambridge, MA, USA - Update on Tree Destruction

1. Update on Coming Tree Destruction
2. Contacts.
3. Postscript.

1. Update on Coming Tree Destruction

We recently reported on the pending destruction of excellent trees adjacent to the Memorial Drive ramp to the west of the Main Street / Broadway in Cambridge, MA, USA, at http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/large-number-of-excellent-trees.html.

A strong supporter has been in contact with Stephanie Boundy of the MassDOT Accelerated Bridges Program.

Ms. Boundy states as follows:

**********

The yellow ribbon with a paint mark on the tree means that the tree is removed in phase 1. The yellow ribbon with no paint mark means the tree will be removed in a later phase. The trees with green ribbon are trees that are going to be transplanted.

**********

This translates as 6 excellent trees to be destroyed imminently, five excellent trees to be moved, and two excellent trees on the Cambridge bound side of the street to be destroyed in the near future.

This makes MassDOT not as irresponsible as the City of Cambridge and the Department of Conservation and Recreation. That lower level of irresponsibility is no surprise, but nothing to be proud of.

2. Contacts.

Massachusetts Governor’s Office email form: http://www.mass.gov/governor/constituentservices/contact/.

State environmental people, DES Hotline: ESF.Hotline@state.ma.us.

MassDOT Accelerated Bridges Program: 857-368-8904 or Stephanie.Boundy@state.ma.us

All Massachusetts Legislators’ emails: http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/emails-for-all-massachusetts.html.

Cambridge, MA, USA city councilors: Council@cambridgema.gov.

3. Postscript.

I have been swamped. My next report, hopefully this afternoon, will pass on photos from the Destroyed Nesting Area with its continued destructive parking by railroad workers with explicit approval by DCR. That destruction has been lessened by Jennifer of the Cambridge Conservation Commission.

I also have worked for nearly a week on a report on the pending totally irresponsible destruction of 22 to 100 excellent trees in the Harvard Square / Cambridge Common / Flagstaff Park part of Cambridge, MA, USA. I took photos over a three day period at the end of last week. That may commence with general photos.

For people listening to Boston Sierra Club endorsements of environmentally destructive members of the Cambridge City Council, you should be aware that there are Cambridge Machine activists very active in the Boston Sierra Club.

Cambridge Chronicle favorably front pages Machine Con Game on the Charles River.

Enough said, May 23, 2013 edition.

The Cambridge Chronicle, in recent months, has had problems publicizing reality when it comes to the ongoing environmental destructiveness of the Cambridge Machine and its cynical con games. I think the editor took offense against me when I referred to the leader of the fake group fighting for destruction of Alewife as fighting for destruction of Alewife.

The following is the response I submitted to their favorably front paging the con game at Magazine Beach.

**********

Editor
Cambridge Chronicle

Your article on the Machine’s activities at Magazine Beach was illustrative of the problems which really exist in Cambridge politics.

You emphasized the former beach, now playing fields. This is where the real problems are, and the real problems all stem from irresponsible activities of Cambridge and the State over the last 13 years. All the real problems were kept secret until they were done.

Cambridge and the state have walled off the former beach with a bizarre wall of introduced bushes and destroyed the former boat dock.

They have destroyed much of the playing fields for drainage to drain off the poisons. They are dumping poisons on the banks of the Charles River to keep alive sickly grass which they introduced after they destroyed the responsible grass which was there for the better part of a century. They installed part of a bike highway which is targeted at destroying hundreds of trees. They have been starving the 32 year resident Charles River White Geese.

You have done a prohibited act. The Machine calls it anti - Charles River to mention the real problems at Magazine Beach.

The Machine in its January meeting tried to help the state expand the real problems at Magazine Beach to the top of the hill which contains the historical building and expand the problems to the wetlands behind the swimming pool. The Machine spent all of their January meeting on the issue. It looked like they could lose the vote. So they postponed the vote to their February meeting.

They conducted their February meeting on April 23, driving away the folks who showed up for the January meeting. They restricted discussion to the last ten minutes of the meeting and then presented a horribly complicated motion which also would destroy the little parking lot next to the historical building.

After keeping the "meeting" from knowing what they were doing, and having a "meeting" of safe votes and folks who could care less, the Machine took a "vote."

The simple questions are: Why does the Cambridge Machine call it anti - Charles River to discuss the real problems. Why did they sneak through an expansion of the real problems? Why are they telling people to look only at this building and ignore the hundreds of trees they are fighting to destroy, plus ignore the real local problems which they are attempting to expand?

Why the corrupt behavior?

*********

Of course, the machine would not be so honest as to use the term “anti - Charles River.” That, however, is very clearly what they communicate.

For a discussion of the fraudulent meeting, please see http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/magazine-beach-bad-faith-flaunted-by.html.

Kendall / Longfellow Trees to be Destroyed this Weekend? Cambridge Machine Assists.

1. Destruction this weekend?
2. Cambridge Machine Assists.
3. Contacts.


1. Destruction this weekend?

Overnight Thursday - Friday, I reported imminent destruction of the above trees, at http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/large-number-of-excellent-trees.html.

They are located between Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA, USA and the Longfellow Bridge above the Charles River. They are to the west of the northern most part of the Longfellow Bridge, connecting to Memorial Drive.

This evening, Saturday, May 25, 2013, I went by the trees at about 5 pm.

They were now surrounded by hey bales. This is used to mark a construction / destruction site.

We are dealing with rotten people.

It is entirely possible that destruction is targeted for Sunday or Monday because that would be the time when defense is least possible.

2. Cambridge Machine Assists.

I provided notice of the last posting to the listserve of the Cambridge Machine in Cambridgeport.

They are following the standard, corrupt, practices: lie of concern and suppress inconvenient realities.

These people have posted fights to protect vegetation on rooftops in Kendall Square.

These people have posted fights to prevent signs in Kendall Square.

These people suppressed from their list, news of the imminent destruction of these excellent trees.

Reality is that the corrupt practices at their last meeting were part of their fight for destruction of hundreds of trees between the Longfellow and BU Bridges. This excellent grove is just and extension of that outrage.

3. Contacts.

Massachusetts Governor’s Office
Phone number: 617-725-4005
Email form: http://www.mass.gov/governor/constituentservices/contact/.

State environmental people, DES Hotline: ESF.Hotline@state.ma.us.

MassDOT Accelerated Bridges Program: 857-368-8904 or Stephanie.Boundy@state.ma.us

All Massachusetts Legislators’ emails: http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/emails-for-all-massachusetts.html.

Cambridge, MA, USA city councilors: Council@cambridgema.gov.

Your suggestions?

Large Number of Excellent Trees Marked for Imminent Destruction Near Longfellow Bridge, Charles River, Cambridge, MA, USA - Approvals obtained by lying through omission

Destruction approvals obtained through lying in the Longfellow Bridge project.



Massachusetts Governor’s Office:
Phone: 617.725.4005
email form: http://www.mass.gov/governor/constituentservices/contact/.

State environmental people, DES Hotline: ESF.Hotline@state.ma.us

MassDOT Accelerated Bridges Program: 857-368-8904 or Stephanie.Boundy@state.ma.us

FLAT OUT LYING IN PUBLIC STATEMENTS. Mention of a "retention pond". No mention of massive very visible destruction of major trees.

There was no public mention of massive destruction of very visible trees in the public announcements.

1. Introduction.

Mishka reported to me late yesterday afternoon as follows:

*********

So, this is a part of that destructive superdisrupting reconstruction of the Red Line bridge across Charles River
(Longfellow Bridge).

There are a large number of very nice trees quite far from the bridge on the Cambridge side marked for destruction by yellow plastic tape wrapped around them...

The official purpose seems to be another instance of fake "environmentalism" (they seem to want a retention pool for the water coming off the bridge, and that seems to be their reason for killing a large number of nice trees).

*********

This sounds like more of the lying by omission of which Cambridge and its robots are experts.

The most recent meeting I attended on the Longfellow Bridge mentioned a retention pool on the Cambridge side.

They did not mention wanton tree destruction.

This looks like an extension of the tree destruction the Cambridge Machine has been fighting for on the Charles River along with the falsely named Charles River “Conservancy.”

The consultants at that meeting bragged that they were part of that massive tree destruction project, using, of course, the politically correct euphemisms.

Miska follows:

**********

I counted the marked trees and made photos (there are no posting about destruction of public shade tree, despite those postings being required by law, but there are obvious preparations for cutting those tress down regardless).

So, I am going to forward you the photos:

1) screen shot of that Google presentation;

2) the photo of the affected area made from an office tower across Main Street.

3) 6 photos of 6 trees which have yellow tapes and red paint marks on them, and are obviously marked for destruction.

4) 5 photos of 5 trees which have green tape around them (I don't know what green tape means in this case)

5) 2 photos of 2 trees on the other side of Main street, which have yellow tape around them (no red paint,
but still a bad sign, and they probably want to kill those trees as well).So, all together I am going to forward you 15 pictures.
************

Miska has provided me the photos and maps. Here they go. I hope I got this all straight. I am open to improvements.

Most of the trees targeted are on the east side of Main Street / Broadway, Cambridge as it becomes the Longfellow Bridge above Memorial Drive in a ramp system feeding from Memorial Drive east bound under the Longfellow Bridge to the Longfellow Bridge heading into Boston, generally southbound.

Two photos are from the other side of the street.

2. Documentation.

[01 Google Maps ground description]



[02 view from the office tower across Main Street]



[03 Yellow Tape Red Paint Tree 1]



[04 Yellow Tape Red Paint Tree 2]



[05 Yellow Tape Red Paint Tree 3]



[06 Yellow Tape Red Paint Tree 4]



[07 Yellow Tape Red Paint Tree 5]



[08 Yellow Tape Red Paint Tree 6]



[09 Green Tape Tree 1]



[10 Green Tape Tree 2]



[11 Green Tape Tree 3]



[12 Green Tape Tree 4]



[13 Green Tape Tree 5]



[14 Across Main Street, Yellow Tape, Tree 1]



[15 Across Main Street, Yellow Tape, Tree 2]



3. Contacts.

Massachusetts Governor’s Office email form: http://www.mass.gov/governor/constituentservices/contact/.

State environmental people, DES Hotline: ESF.Hotline@state.ma.us

MassDOT Accelerated Bridges Program: 857-368-8904 or Stephanie.Boundy@state.ma.us

All Massachusetts Legislators’ emails: http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/emails-for-all-massachusetts.html.

Cambridge, MA, USA city councilors: Council@cambridgema.gov.

Destroyed Nesting Area: North South Highway.

1. Introductory.
2. Cambridge’s proposed north south bike highway on the Grand Junction with and without the very minor and obvious changes needed to make it a responsible proposal.
A. General plans.
B. Photos from May 17, 18, and 19, 2013.
(1) to (3) But let’s start first with the beautiful residents.
(4) to (5) Area where the Cambridge Proposal and responsible behavior split.
(6) to (9) Responsible route, Vassar Street.
(10) to (23) Cambridge’s irresponsible alternative.
(24) Summary.
3. Postscript.
4. Contacts.


1. Introductory.

Another of the outrageous attacks on the environment being fought for by the Cambridge Machine is the southern end of a proposed bike highway following the Grand Junction railroad in Cambridge.

The woman who is the embodiment of the current corrupt tactics being taken on the Charles River recently posted a meeting announcement by highway lobby people fighting for further destruction, this time North - South.

So I have gotten pretty good photographs on that issue. The highly destructive east west highway is a key part of the destruction she and the Cambridge Machine have been fighting for under the euphemisms of bathhouse and “underpasses.” One record of her, and the Cambridge Machine’s corrupt behavior fighting for the east west highway and other outrages on the Charles River is posted at http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/fake-neighborhood-association-trying-to.html.

I have a bunch of photos all taken in the period May 17 to 19, 2013 that I have been putting together ever since concerning the irresponsible southern end of the north south bus highway proposal. My last report on the Grand Junction highway project was posted at http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2013/05/visits-to-destroyed-nesting-area.html. In that analysis, I went into the current conditions without providing photos. It was a lot less work but probably less communicative.

2. Cambridge’s proposed north south bike highway on the Grand Junction with and without the very minor and obvious changes needed to make it a responsible proposal.

A. General plans.

Cambridge and its buddies are playing to the highway lobby pushing for a new highway following the Grand Junction railroad from the Somerville line to the Charles River. Most of it makes sense. The area next to the Charles River does not.

As usual, we are dealing with well trained robots who go to their handler to find out what their opinions are. Thus, to them it is irrelevant that southern extreme of their Grand Junction bike highway could be responsibly done differently.

The portion the robots blindly fight for between Memorial Drive and the Charles is destructive while creating a longer route and thus highly wasteful.

This report will go into the two alternatives where the alternatives count.

I went into this problem in a number of reports last August, including an extended letter to the Cambridge City Council.

I am trying the report again here with a lot more graphics.

(1) [Reserved. This upload did not compute.]

(2) [01 MDC; destroyed Nesting Area - Map]



This is my cropped version of DCR plans provided me in August 1999. The head of planning provided the plans on request. She went over the plans with me pointing out the very few points on which her plans deviated from the plans originally announced by the Cambridge City Manager in 1996 at a presentation of the predecessor to the Charles River “Conservancy.”

The goose meadow blow up shows a planned layout for a roadway system in the Destroyed Nesting Area.

The recently created roadway pattern fits this map as a work in progress. The two roadways connect to a roadway under the BU Bridge which would run in the Charles River and conect to the Magazine Beach playing fields. You have to look very carefully. The road under the BU Bridge is shown between the letters “B.U.” and “BRIDGE.”

Since then, Cambridge has added to the mix a proposal for a north south highway which would go through the Destroyed Nesting Area.

(3) [Arial Shots, 2006; Cambridgeport]



This photo provides less detail, but does show you where the North South highway would go. The BU Bridge is in the middle, bottom. The Destroyed Nesting Area is to the right of the top end of the BU Bridge. There is a black line running diagonally from there to the top right of the photo. It is marked in purple “Grand Junction Railroad.”

The city’s plans would have a small vehicle highway (“bike path” euphemism) parallel to the Grand Junction, going under Memorial Drive (marked) and then running through the destroyed nesting area.

The plans in the 2006 bike highway analysis (impossible to copy) created by the Cambridge Development Department show the highway (looking at the detailed DNA plan, (2), above) connecting into the DNA toward the bottom of the DNA, running around the bottom of the DNA and then going up along the left highway shown on the plan. It would connect to the east west highway going west, along the road under the BU Bridge and run up to the eastern leg through the DNA. The eastern leg, apparently, would travel along the ramp to Memorial Drive at the top of the plan.

This plan shows the Grand Junction proceeding as a broken line northeast from Memorial Drive. It also shows a street ending at Memorial Drive.

This is Vassar Street. You can see Vassar Street ending at the ‘a” in “Memorial Drive”. Vassar Street goes north almost to the Grand Junction Railroad and sharply turns right just before the Grand Junction.

Responsible planning would have that small vehicle / bike highway cutting over to Vassar Street at the Vassar Street turn, proceeding down Vassar Street to Memorial Drive and connecting to the bike highway on the south side of Memorial Drive.


I will proceed below with photos of this area taken on May 17, 18, and 19, 2013. Now, remember, this is a cheaper, faster alternative to running the bike highway through the Destroyed Nesting Area. As such it is responsible behavior. But we are dealing with Cambridge, the DCR, their fake groups, and their pride in corrupt behavior.

Responsible behavior is very visibly not within their limits of business as usual.

B. Photos from May 17, 18, and 19, 2013.

I have photos of the two different alternate routes for the Grand Junction bike highway, the responsible alternative and that pushed by the Cambridge Machine and the Highway Lobby.

(1) to (3) But let’s start first with the beautiful residents.

(1) [05-17, 04-07, DNA]



(2) [05-17, 05 08 Charles, DNA]



Enjoying their beloved Charles River, a few feet south of the next photo which is under their beloved Big Tree, an area stomped on by irresponsible parking.

(3) [05-17, 06 09, DNA, Big Tree]



I will start the photo analysis of the bike highway proposal at the northern end of that portion of the proposal where there are differences between responsible behavior and that of the City of Cambridge.

On Map A.(3), the point of change is where Vassar Street would cross the Grand Junction if it continued to go straight north, to the top.

(4) to (5) Area where the Cambridge Proposal and responsible behavior split.

(4) [05-18; 14 41 Alt Bike Hwy]



This is where responsible behavior and the behavior fought for by Cambridge and its robots separate.

The white building fronts on Vassar Street.

Responsible behavior would put the bike highway immediately to the right of the building as viewed. That would bring it to the bend of Vassar Street and then turn right.

Cambridge and its robots want the bike highway to follow the tracks proceeding to the right.

It is coming from the left.

(5) [05-17A; 07 18 Gd Jctn, Bike Hwy]



The white building is to the right of the camera. Straight ahead and bearing right is where the bike highway would be coming from.

The large shape to the left is the back side of a recently constructed housing project at the corner of Chestnut and Sidney Streets in Cambridge, MA.

A new rapid transit stop would be created pretty close to the building straight ahead under the Urban Ring alternative which the Cambridge Development Department lies is the only alternative under consideration. That stop is part of the reason for the non stop lies for more than 20 years by the Cambridge Development Department. Under the alternative being subsidized by the legislature, the Kenmore Crossing, the rapid transit line would be underground and would cut off to the right several blocks away.

(6) to (9) Responsible route, Vassar Street.

(6) [05-17A; 04 15 Vassar St, Bike Hwy]



This is the street side of the building shown above.

(7) [05-17A; 05 16 Bike Hwy.



Closeup. The white building is to the right.

Straight ahead is the tracks and the location of the north south bike highway.

All the state / city has to do is run their Bike Highway through this spot.

(8) [05-17A; 06 17 Vassar St Fm Bike Hwy]



Photo is taken from the street side of the white building. This is Vassar Street. The car is at Memorial Drive.

All the city / state has to do is turn the bike way and they are readily accessible to Memorial Drive.

(9) [05-17A; 03 14 Vassar St Bike Hwy]



Photo is taken either at or near to the Memorial Drive sidewalk. This is the reverse view of photo (8).

At this point, the bikes are at Memorial Drive, which is where they want to be.

(10) to (23) Cambridge’s irresponsible alternative.

(10) [05-18; 15 42, Alt Bike Hwy, G Jctn, N of Mem. Dr]



(11) [05-18; 16 43, Alt Bike Hwy, G Jctn, N of Mem. Dr]



(12) [05-18; 16 44, Alt Bike Hwy, G Jctn, N of Mem. Dr]



These three pictures follow Cambridge’s irresponsible alternative, moving from the separation point toward the Charles River. The hole / light in the third picture is the underpass under Memorial Drive.

That underpass is crucial. Cambridge says it “needs to be widened” to allow the irresponsible alternative.

Not that long ago, Cambridge was arguing that that opening needs to be widened for access by traffic coming off an off ramp from the Massachusetts Turnpike (I90) over the Grand Junction railroad bridge. This highway was, at that time, called a busway for buses from Newton. The transit people from the MBTA supposedly did an engineering study to figure out if an off ramp could be built off I90 to Cambridge. Only after they proved it could be done did they notice that creating a busway to Cambridge for a bus from Newton was so far out of whack expense wise that the benefit was far outweighed by the cost. But only after doing the study did the MBTA notice the obvious.

Several months after the study, Harvard University bought the Beacon Park railway Yards and the I90 (Mass. Pike) exit to Allston / Cambridge. Several months after that, moneys were provided for an additional change in the existing off ramp area which made the connector viable for traffic in both directions on I90 (Mass. Pike).

Now Cambridge and its robots are crying that it is necessary to widen this underpass for bikes.

(13) [05-17A; 01 12 Gd Jctn N of Mem Dr]



This is the track in (6) to (8) viewed from the sidewalk of the Memorial Drive overpass above the crucial opening.

(14) [05-17A; 10 21 Gd Jctn frm Mem Dr].



This is the track on the south side of Memorial Drive, shot from the sidewalk on the Memorial Drive overpass.

You can see signs of work supplies from the Railroad workers.

To the right is the Destroyed Nesting Area of the Charles River White Geese.

To the left in the lighted area is a steep slope to the Charles River. In the nearer area, to the left is a hard to access wild area in which all ground vegetation has been destroyed by agents of the DCR.

Formerly, there were a lot of nests of the Charles River White Geese to the right in dense ground vegetation. That vegetation has been destroyed by the DCR and the railroad. As protection has been destroyed and destroyed in the Nesting Area, the Charles River White Geese have been forced more and more to the left of the railroad tracks for nesting. A lot of nests have been placed on the slope above the Charles River.

I have seen mother geese, in desperation, nesting against the track. So much of their habitat has been ruthlessly destroyed.

The plans presented to the Cambridge City Council would construct a woven fence parallel to the railroad track to its right perhaps all the way up.

This fence would severely add to the hardships involved in nesting.


Depending on which plan you believe, the bike highway would go to the right pretty close to the camera, probably before the vehicle, or much further up, at about the top of the visible lighted area.

(15) [05-19; 07 51 DNA]



These privately owned railroad worker vehicles are parked on either side of where the bike highway would go if it meets the northern of the two crushed stone highways constructed in the “remediation” from the BU Bridge project.

(16) [05-19; 03 47, DNA, CC Hwy Q]



This is the northern leg of the two crushed stone highways constructed in the “remediation” from the BU Bridge project. It also corresponds to the connection for the east west highway in the plan in A.(2) above. This plan, you will remember, dates back to the presentation made by the Cambridge City Manager in 1996.

(17) [05-19; 04 48, EW Hwy, Plus QU]



Straight ahead is the big tree. This is where the report that the Cambridge City Council was voting on shows the Bike Highway goes coming off the Grand Junction. It would do a wide loop and either go up this, the southern of the two crushed stone highways from the “remediation” or go to the right of it. There is a wide area of dirt next to the BU Bridge which might be the target. The report the City Council voted on was horribly destructive.

The logical, less irresponsible (never assume the less irresponsible when dealing with Cambridge and its friends) alternative would have the northern crushed stone highway meeting the north - south route and the southern crushed stone highway meeting the east west route.

Note that the east west route is the route for which the Governor casually sneaked in $24M in bond authorization “incidental” to the $2M for the “underpasses” proposal rejected by MassDOT.

(18) [05-18; 12 28 DNA CC Hwy]



This is the southern of the two crushed stone highways. Careful viewing can disclose the parking lot created to the left, and the northern highway cutting over from the right just before the two reach the opening illegally made by Boston University in October 1999.

Straight ahead is the Memorial Drive overpass against which the railroad workers should be parking, and 640 Memorial Drive on the far side of Memorial Drive.

(19) [05-19; 08 52 Mem Dr. Ramp]



This is the sidewalk and Memorial Drive on ramp directly north of the Destroyed Nesting Area. The bikes would go through the illegal opening and proceed up this sidewalk.

(20) [05-19; 01 45, Mem Dr. Ramp, parking area.]



This is the view from the north side of the on ramp. To the left is where the Railroad workers should be parking. To the right is where the bicyclists and pedestrians travel.

(21) [05-17A; 02 13 Mem Dr, Bike Hwy, BU Boathse]



(22) [05-17A; 09 20 Mem Dr, Bike Hwy]



(23) [05-17A; 08-19 Mem Dr, Bike Hwy]



Here are three views of where the bikes would go until they pass Vassar Street.

(21) shows the BU Boathouse, which is constructed to the east of the wild area from which the Charles River White Geese would be separated by the Cambridge fence for the North South highway. (22) shows to the right the staircase on the left / east side of the BU Boathouse. (23) shows a car making an illegal left turn out of Vassar Street. The staircase can barely been seen to the far right.

We have reached the access point that can readily be made to Memorial Drive by running the Bike Highway down Vassar Street by the very short taking for access between the Grand Junction and Vassar Street.

(24) Summary.

The responsible route is the one shown in photos (6) through (9).

The Cambridge destructive nuttiness is shown in photos (10) to (23).

There is no comparison and no reasonable question which is the sane, responsible alternative.

The difference is so striking and so clear that the reasoning behind common outrages by the Cambridge Machine, such as April 23, is very clear.

Cambridge’s side cannot be justified by common logic.

So they simply indulge in corrupt behavior.

3. Postscript.

The environmental attacks on the Charles River stem from a multitude of sources with a multitude of guilty parties. Trying to fully analyze any particular issue based on a detailed discussion of ramifications for each of many actors can be a major problem.

The core environmental problem anywhere near the City of Cambridge is, pretty much, ALWAYS stemming from the outrage in place in the City of Cambridge. As you go from one problem to another, individual miscreants show up taking advantage of the outrage which is the City of Cambridge. On the Charles River, the core local problem, although usually lurking in the shadows, is Harvard University.

At the same time, however, the key folks bring in all sorts of characters with promises of division of spoils from environmental destruction. An analyzing the division of spoils can definitely make things complicated.

I will be trying in my reports from now on will be to lead with a particular topic and follow up with various analyses putting the latest presentation in context with the various rotters trying to do dirty. So here we go. First the photos with minimal analysis. Then analysis or cross references.

This report is now so long that I think I will simply end.

4. Contacts.

Massachusetts Governor’s Office email form: http://www.mass.gov/governor/constituentservices/contact/.

All Massachusetts Legislators’ emails: http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/emails-for-all-massachusetts.html.

Cambridge, MA, USA city councilors: Council@cambridgema.gov.