MassDOT

Casey Overpass: A New Bridge Is Better

Ferris Wheels Bike Shop — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:59:45 +0000

A Forest Hills bridge is a connector, not a barrier, because it keeps 24,000 vehicles per day that are not going to local destinations off local streets. With the bridge, the traffic volumes on New Washington Street are kept relatively low, about one-third of what traffic volumes would be without a bridge. This is the central argument for building a new bridge—the quality of the pedestrian, auto, bike, and transit experience would be degraded with the addition of 24,000 vehicles per day, the additional lanes required to accommodate these regionally vehicles, the additional signals and travel time required for vehicles to maneuver a contorted and convoluted surface street pattern. A new, modern bridge would allow a simpler, reduced traffic surface street that would help reconnect the area divided by the 1950s Casey Overpass.

Please visit the new website for pro-bridge advocates: RebuildCasey.org

MBTA chief might need to buy a car again

adamg — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 13:54:42 +0000

Channel 5 tweets that MBTA General Manager Rich Davey will replace state Transportation Department Secretary Jeff Mullan next month. As head of MassDOT, Davey will assume responsibility for highways across the state, including the turnpike and the ever popular Big Dig.

State wants to drive stake through heart of undead connector between Red and Blue lines

adamg — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 23:59:29 +0000

In addition to announcing more delays in the Green Line extension, the state Department of Transportation wants to make sure the dormant proposal to extend the Blue Line to Charles/MGH stays dead.

In a filing with state environmental officials, MassDOT says spending another $49 million to study finishing what is now a $748 million project it has no intentions to build is pretty damn stupid, so it wants to be released from any obligations to do more studies.

As a matter of policy, MassDOT believes that it is irresponsible to spend precious public funds to design and permit transportation projects for which there are no identified construction funds, particularly given the need to continually refresh planning and permitting materials for major projects. To pursue final design of the Red Line/Blue Line Connector project at this point would be to squander resources that could otherwise be spent on projects for which construction funds are already committed.

Therefore, MassDOT is initiating a process to amend the [State Implementation Plan] to permanently and completely remove the obligation to perform final design of the Red Line/Blue Line Connector.

Another bridge closing on the Charles

Kaz — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:58:07 +0000

I just received notice at work from our building's transportation coordinator that the Craigie Bridge will have major lane closures this winter to repair the bridge. Craigie Bridge is the steel drawbridge on O'Brien Highway at the Leverett Circle that allows for ship access between Charles River and the harbor.

The construction is planned to run from November 2010 to April 2011. It will include two periods where all three inbound lanes from Land Blvd to Leverett Circle will be closed to traffic. The first period begins the evening of November 5 and runs until mid-December. The second period will begin in late January. Only outbound traffic into Cambridge from the Circle will be able to use O'Brien Highway.

MassDOT will be holding a 2-hour public meeting on Thursday October 7 at 6:30 PM in the Museum of Science's Cahners Theater to discuss the impacts.

Here's a thought: When the state rebuilds the Longfellow, narrow the roadway and give more space to walkers, bicyclists

adamg — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:02:23 +0000

ForLeft considers two alternates for a rebuilt Longfellow - one of which has only one traffic lane in each direction:

... I love the idea of cutting down on car traffic and [putting] benches on the walks. This is a chance to really change the urban environment. ...

Doesn't the governor normally only announce bad news on Friday afternoons?

adamg — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:05:43 +0000

Is there something we need to know about the five people announced this afternoon as board members of the new mega Department of Transportation that will oversee everything that moves in the state starting Monday?

In any case, here they are, along with descriptions supplied by the state: