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Mattapan's new bridge

New bridge over Mattapan Line

Tim Murphy snappedbeginnings of the new bridge over the tracks near Mattapan Square for the Neponset Greenway path (that, when completed, with connect Hyde Park with Dorchester along the river).

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Comments

is it a foot bridge? im confused

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The path is really coming along! You can see it very well from River St. Can't wait until it's done!!!

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Until they figure out how to get people across Blue Hill Ave, this bridge will not be linking Hyde Park and Dorchester.

That said, I can't wait for the extension to be complete.

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Can't people just cross at the light?

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Basically, to follow the crosswalks, one has to cross River Street, then cross Blue Hill Ave, then cross Cummins Highway, then cross River Street AGAIN.

So yeah, it's possible, but I would not say there is a link between Hyde Park and Dorchester via foot or bike until the link is smoother.

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Since the path to Hyde Park continues on the Milton side of the river, you might find it easier to cross at the corner of Blue Hills Ave and Brush Hill Road.

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Basically, that is saying that bicyclists should ride on the sidewalk. Plus, you have a similar series of movements to get across, with even more lanes.

Of course, I am coming from Roslindale, so I take Cummins to Fairway, then after crossing Blue Hill Ave at the light, I cut off at Babson, then down Fremont to what I am hoping to be an entrance to the trail. And of course I am running it.

Now, when I run from Readville to Mattapan Square, I take the path, but I cut off to get home at Cummins.

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Aha. When I run it, I'm coming from Readville, so I cross on the Milton side and continue down Eliot to connect to the next finished section of the path at Central. When the new path opens, I expect to cross at the same spot to get on the trail. And the good news is that Milton finally fixed the signal at Brush Hill so it doesn't send pedestrians across a green light.

Hey, Waquiot, did you run yesterday?

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Yeah, but only a 5 miler over at the Minuteman Trail.

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The peace bridge connecting Mattapan and Milton still has to be built connecting two diverse communities but the rest of the Greenway should be completed in the next few months.

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Are there plans for such a bridge? Where would it be located? Right now, of course, Milton and Mattapan are connected via Blue Hill Avenue.

Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com

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And Central Ave.

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And I have to admit, routing it that way is a good idea. The woods between the playground and the train station will no longer be ignored.

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Bicyclists and pedestrians just want a safe way to traverse dangerous crossings. Unless they prax it up with flamboyant fixtures and junk, this looks like a cost effective design.

There are many places where simple bridges like this could make a huge improvement in safety and convenience.

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Interesting design but some may not like it when completed.

The appearance is that of a bridge that will be similar to that crossing Amtrak electrified tracks throughout the region. It will have 6 foot high barriers along the sides that will be either solid metal or fine mesh metal. If so visibility will be limited and it will be like walking through a trench or tunnel.

The design is meant to prevent people from reaching out to electrical lines that power the trains or from protruding objects out to the wires. While the MBTA uses 600 volts DC current (average), the Amtrak lines use 25 kilo-volts AC which is more dangerous. In the end, both can be fatal.

That said, save your breath trying to change it. The design is federally mandated and when Amtrak electrified the tracks along the NEC countless people tried to get these barriers changed, especially on safety and visibility grounds, but the feds would not budge.

If people want a bridge here, this may be the only design that will be legally allowed.

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The Neponset RWA lists a slightly different proposed design. It's no great shakes, but it's a little better than the NWC bridges.
IMAGE(http://www.neponset.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/15ftcanopybridge2011.jpg)

The bridge over the river is even better.
IMAGE(http://www.neponset.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ryanbridge2015a-1024x694.jpg)

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