1. Olympics presentation at Harvard Business School.
2. Some relevant past reports, in context.
3. Relation of Proposal to Needs of the Olympics.
a. Overview.
b. BU West Station.
c. Connection to Green Line B.
d. Connection to Commonwealth Avenue.
e. Commonwealth Avenue to Station 1.
f. Station 1, BU Housing and Athletic arena.
g. Station 1 to Station 2.
h. Station 2, Harvard Medical School, etc., and surroundings.
i. Station 3, North Harvard and Cambridge Street.
j. Station 3to Station 4.
k. Station 4, North Harvard and Franklin Streets.
l. Station 4 to Station 5.
m. Station 5. Harvard Stadium / Business School.
n. Access from North Allston, Station 5, to Harvard Square.
o. Harvard Station.
p. Restoring Magazine Beach.
1. Olympics presentation at Harvard Business School.
Last Monday, March 30, 2015, I attended a presentation by the folks who have the national nomination for the Boston area to seek the 2024 Olympics. It was conducted in a large amphitheater at Harvard Business School.
My impression was excellent. The folks had good ideas and they gave plenty of opportunity to talk.
It was a welcome relief from the corrupt tactics which are forced on people by the fake group which claims to be defending the Charles River, their major omissions of the stuff which people would find offensive in their plans, and their simply stealing a non existent vote of “support” after they lost to public displeasure in the open meeting. The details of the corruption have been discussed too much.
It is even worse because I recall similar tactics by another of Cambridge’s fake groups in the past. In fact, the very existence of these fake groups puts a very strong lie to the pious comments of the Cambridge City Council with regard to supposed lack of transparency by the Olympics folks.
You add that to Cambridge reprehensible environmental record while lying about themselves and the fact that the Olympics folks are undoing at least one outrage at the Magazine Beach playing fields, and you have yet more differences between the real world and the fake pieties of Cambridge, MA, USA.
2. Some relevant past reports, in context.
Here are some relevant past blog posts. The first two are the last prior posts. The third is several months ago.
a. Support for Olympics plan inasmuch as it proposes to destroy the Starvation Wall of introduced invasive vegetation walling off the Magazine Beach playing fields, placed in context with multiple Cambridge and friends’ attacks on the environment, March 27, 2015: http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2015/03/re-can-olympics-save-charles-river-from.html.
b. A proposal for transportation for the Olympics in Allston and for housing use, March 30, 2015. This is the recent analysis: http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2015/03/charles-river-olympics-housing-and.html.
c. Photo analysis of the area between the Mass. Pike “viaduct” (scheduled for replacement) and Boston University’s abutting buildings, April 19, 2014. This is where Green Line A should go. http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-green-line-streetcar-light-rail.html.
Green Line A should be constructed from the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue through the viaduct area, through Harvard’s planned medical school relocation, through the neighborhood, through the Harvard Stadium / Business School area, under the Charles River and into the existing Harvard Station through an existing tunnel.
Lack of the photo analysis is a major defect of the transportation proposal presentation. I will use some of the photos. Please refer to the much more detailed report.
In any case, this report goes into a LOT of detail.
3. Relation of Proposal to Needs of the Olympics.
a. Overview.
The proposal is for a streetcar line to connect Harvard Station to the Green Line B branch running along Commonwealth Avenue in Allston, just west of Commonwealth Avenue’s intersection with the BU Bridge.
Here is the main map, superimposed on the Massachusetts Department of Transportation initial map of the area Harvard intends to use for its relocated Medical School, the former Beacon Park Railroad Yard and the Allston / Cambridge exit of the Massachusetts Turnpike (I90), plus the relevant portion of the Mass. Pike.
Here is Boston University’s public map of the area to the east of the MassDOT map. The upper left corner connects to the MassDOT map.
In the upper left corner is the Mass. Pike. It goes under the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue (from the left) and the BU Bridge (from the top), both constructed on bridges.
b. BU West Station.
Green Line B runs down the middle of Commonwealth Avenue in a separated median area with traffic on both sides going in opposing directions.
On the BU Map can be seen a T designation a few blocks east of the BU Bridge / Comm. Ave. intersection. This is next to the location of the BU West Station. This station is unusually close to the next station to the east, the BU Central Station.
Moving the BU West Station to that point a block east of the BU Bridge would be simple. The intersection is already controlled by street lights and crosswalks. Relocating the station to this point would create a more logical distance between stations on the line.
This relocated station would be ideal for servicing the events slated for Magazine Beach, on the far end of the BU Bridge, not really that much of a walk.
c. Connection to Green Line B.
On Boston University’s public map of the area in the upper left corner can be seen the Massachusetts Turnpike going under the Commonwealth Avenue bridge close to the connection to the BU Bridge.
The street car spur should be run between the Mass. Pike and the Boston University Buildings south of it.
The nearest building in my photos, below, appears on this map between the Mass. Pike and Comm. Ave.
d. Connection to Commonwealth Avenue.
Here is the area where the switch should go. The Green Line A’s bridge would run from the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge going over the side of the bridge, to the right in the photos.
First is the northern, westbound side of the Commonwealth Avenue bridge. Green Line B is to the left. The Mass. Pike, not seen, is to the right. The dividing line immediately visible in the second shot is the separation between the bridge over the Mass. Pike and the bridge over Commuter Rail. The second divider above the commuter rail in in the background. The third picture is taken closer to the BU Bridge crossing. Now the first divider is in the background. The switch should go near the third picture, with the track crossing traffic and going over the side onto its own bridge at about the point where the first parked cars can be seen on the right.
e. Commonwealth Avenue to Station 1.
Here is the tightest part. Nevertheless, there definitely is room for the Green Line A bridge.
The photos start looking up at the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge and proceed to show the area between the BU Buildings and the Mass. Pike viaduct.
The BU map shows one building between the Mass. Pike and Commonwealth Avenue. This photograph is taken from its parking lot. Commuter Rail is straight ahead. There is a difference in construction between the bridge over the Commuter Rail and that over the Mass. Pike, to the left. Green Line A should be constructed in air rights over the Commuter Rail.
These photos start from a little bit west of the location in the above. They are headed west instead of east.
The commuter rail is to the right of the concrete wall. Green Line A could easily be placed on the beam supporting the Mass. Pike. To the extent more room is needed, there is ample air space from the BU Building. As you go further west, the space available on the supporting beams decreases, but there is still ample room from the BU Buildings.
The point of photograph moves further west. In the first photo, the building with the truck backed in is the closest structure to the Mass. Pike.
This is a view back to the area shown in the above sequence of photos. It has been awhile, but my memory is that the next three photos are all taken from the roof of the building with the truck backed up. It is easily accessible from the other side and used for parking. At this location, there is currently one commuter rail track between the Mass. Pike and the building. Looking at the above photo, there is a support for the Mass. Pike before and after the BU building on what appears to be BU property. Ideally, Green Line A, ideally would be built at this point simultaneously with the Mass. Pike reconstruction and cantilevered over the space (see below) above the commuter rail track and slightly above this building.
Green Line A would probably have to be done in part on air rights over this building. Definitely feasible and not significantly more intrusive than the current situation.
f. Station 1, BU Housing and Athletic arena.
I am sorry I have not been able to get a copy of the Olympics plans for usage. I have requested a URL for the plans presented at the Harvard Business School presentation without success.
Olympic plans include use of areas of Boston University which would be readily accessible from this station (and thus from Harvard Square and Kenmore Square, plus). Ideal connections.
Connection would be directly to a plaza in the residential complex a floor above street level. This is on the left in the photo showing the viaduct. Another photo shows the complex and the Mass. Pike from the side street east of the complex.
The streetcar bridge would be going steadily downwards from Commonwealth Avenue to the future Harvard Medical School area.
The exact point where Green Line A would be going underground would be determined by the slope needed to drop the bridge two floors from this stop.
A few more photos.
This is Boston University's new dorm. It would be ideal to build a station above the road and connecting with the dorm's plaza one story above the road.
This is the side street between the dorm and the building from whose roof / parking the prior photos were taken. The Mass. Pike can be seen in the distance in the first shot.
Boston University has construction on Commonwealth Avenue visible to the right, looking in the opposite direction. This construction includes Agganis Arena which I think (and I do not have the plans in front of me) is one of the Olympics sites.
Boston University has construction on Commonwealth Avenue visible to the right, looking in the opposite direction. I believe the near building is part of the athletic complex. Beyond it is Agganis Arena. One or both are probably Olympics sites. Beyond Agannis Arena / the dorms is Nickerson Field (formerly Braves Field of the long gone Boston Braves). Walter Brown Arena is beyond Nickerson. All of these sites are highly likely for the Olympics.
g. Station 1 to Station 2.
Now we are getting into the MassDOT Mass. Pike planned area / Harvard Medical School.
Daytime layover yards are being provided for South Station commuter trains around the area designated for Green Line A. It would be ideal to have Green Line A to be underground at this point, under the relocated Mass. Pike. Storage for South Station really should be larger than the MassDOT plans. Storage for Green Line A vehicles should be accomplished under the South Station storage.
Before the shown turn, Green Line A should go into the ground and be constructed as a direct underground continuation of bridge structure connecting to the switch on Commonwealth Avenue.
Photos in the next section come back to this area.
h. Station 2, Harvard Medical School, etc., and surroundings.
Station 2, exact location to be determined, would be the primary station for Harvard’s Medical School and related facilities. Connections are being created in the Mass. Pike plans for pedestrian connection to the area to the right / east, toward Commonwealth Avenue and Boston University’s westernmost holdings.
Here are some of the photos I have previously posted of this area. Looking at the map, the buildings on the right / eastern side have a very clear demarcation. The smaller buildings below on the map are residential housing. The larger buildings above are mostly if not all Boston University. There may still be some non BU ownership next to Harvard’s area.
The Olympics plans call for use of the BU area for Olympic facilities. BU's Malvern Field and New Balance Field are on the far side of the low buildings in the first photo. Station 2 would be ideal for these facilities.
The raised bridge in the last photo is Cambridge Street, which links not far from the viewed bridge to the River Street Bridge which is the next bridge to the west of the BU Bridge over the Charles River.
i. Station 3, North Harvard and Cambridge Street.
Cambridge Street is the Boston / Allston extension of the River Street Bridge, the highway bridge over the Charles west of the BU Bridge. Then comes the Western Avenue bridge, then the Anderson Bridge Connecting North Harvard Street to Harvard Square.
This station would service the neighborhood and the southern portion of Harvard’s Medical School project. It seems highly likely that Harvard will be building housing at this end of the project.
That is why I suggested Olympic housing for this area. Neighbors on the right / eastern side are highly concerned about highway noise. Covering over the Mass. Pike with a portion of the residential construction would be strongly appreciated by them, and the folks on the left / western side would not be displeased. That highway is the noisy part of the situation.
We are getting into an area for which I have few photos. I will try to correct this defect in coming days.
j. Station 3 to Station 4.
Under North Harvard Street, housing on both sides. It could use sound proofing, but streetcars really are quieter than automobiles, and the street cars would be replacing many automobiles.
k. Station 4, North Harvard and Franklin Streets.
Both streets are major in North Allston south of Western Avenue. It is not unreasonable to call Franklin the real extension of North Harvard Street, but the historical situation is different.
This station would provide excellent transportation for a lot of housing in North Allston north of the Massachusetts Turnpike. It would also not be inconvenient to Harvard’s construction on Western Avenue. Harvard owns all of Western Avenue. Its Business School, parking, a parking garage and affiliate housing fill the north side of Western Avenue between North Harvard Street and the Charles River.
The south side is under construction and Harvard has big plans.
l. Station 4 to Station 5.
Under North Harvard Street.
Harvard’s expansion / construction area is on both sides of North Harvard Street. A massive project is in progress on the northwest corner of Western Avenue.
On the northeast corner of Western Avenue is the now being dismantled Charlesview affordable housing, which Harvard intends to replace with another massive project.
South of Western Avenue, North Harvard Street turns east around the Franklin Street conection. This is the end of the area which shows to shows on the Massachusetts Department of Transportation map upon which my analysis is based. For simplicity, here is another copy.
I cannot find my photos of the Charlesview housing, in the process of destruction. I will get further photos of it and photos of the other project, which is at a density as great as the average Harvard Square is zoned for.
m. Station 5. Harvard Stadium / Business School.
Station 1 should go under North Harvard Street south of the connection to the western route / the layover point on the eastern route.
This station would directly serve Olympic sites planned for the Harvard Station / B School area. An excellent map was provided in the presentation. I have not been able to find it on the internet, but have asked for an on line URL from the Olympics organizers, should it be available.
n. Access from North Allston, Station 5, to Harvard Square.
On the south side of the Charles River is Harvard Stadium. It would be viable to run the line either west of Harvard Stadium under existing fields or east of Harvard Stadium under North Harvard Street which is the Boston Allston extension of the Anderson Bridge connecting North Allston / North Harvard Street to Cambridge / JFK Street.
The western route seems better. A layover should be made west of Harvard Stadium underground at which trains coming and going could pass each other. Some yard space for temporary storage at this point makes excellent sense. The trains would go around the Harvard Stadium complex and go under North Harvard Street.
The alternate route would go under North Harvard Street with layover next to a field of Harvard’s east of North Harvard Street and storage under that field.
A tunnel under the Charles River would connect the park at the southwest end of JFK Street in Cambridge to the South Side of the Charles River. Access through the park would be necessary. From this point on until we reach the Mass. Pike viaduct, all construction is cut and cover. The tunnel under the Charles River would be cut and cover, just cut and cover under water. Using a single track tunnel would minimize disruption. I think the construction of this tunnel would probably be done by temporary dams around the construction area, definitely less than ideal environmentally, but necessary.
o. Harvard Station.
Harvard Station in Harvard Square, Cambridge is across the Charles River from Harvard Stadium and the Harvard Business School, where the Olympics presentation was given. The Red Line subway used to terminate at Harvard Station with a train yard for the heavy rail vehicles of the Red Line subway at the intersection of Memorial Drive and the Anderson Bridge crossing the Charles River.
When the line was extended to Alewife station near the Belmont and Arlington lines and near the end of the Route 2 superhighway, there was no more use for the storage yard. It was torn up and replaced with a park, a hotel-residential complex, and Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
The JFK School and the park abut the western side of John F. Kennedy Street which connects Harvard Square to the Anderson Bridge.
Immediately to the west of the JFK School is a walkway connecting the park to a complicated but not long street pattern and then to Harvard Square. West of the walkway is the Charles Hotel. The walkway is on a supporting wall behind the JFK School. Very visible in that wall is the unremoved tunnel which connected Harvard Station to the storage yards.
In Harvard Station, the tunnel directly abuts bus tunnels which connect bus routes to the Red Line. The only separation between the former Red Line tunnel and the bus tunnels is one wall.
It would be simple and very inexpensive to run a Green Line street car track up that tunnel with a terminus at the busway. The streetcars are designed to be able to change direction simply by opening up operation facilities in the last car.
The connection would be simple.
p. Restoring Magazine Beach.
Restoration is promised by the Olympics folks. Restoration should be responsible, i.e. undo the outrage which Cambridge and its friends did through flat out lies, lies of omissions, and the continuing dirty tricks of its fake group to keep and expand the outrage.
Here are before and after photos of the invasive wall installed by Cambridge and the DCR:
Restoring responsible grass in place of the invasives Cambridge and the DCR put in place should be simple. That would remove the need for the expensive drainage system to drain off the poisons which should not be there in the first place.
The starvation wall of invasive shrubs, of course, should not be replaced. The lawn to the river which was promised and which exists everywhere else on the Charles River Basin should be restored, along with the very real tourist attraction which the Charles River White Geese provided at the Magazine Beach playing fields prior to their heartless abuse accomplished through flat out corruption.
Corruption, corruption, corruption, business as usual in environmental destruction on the Charles River and elsewhere from Cambridge and its friends.
