Architects propose Allston Esplanade along new Pike

Northpoint park is a great little park. I mean it's in the middle of a transportation nexus, but that's what makes it so interesting. If you're looking for bucolic you're living in the wrong part of town.

That sounds great. I hadn't heard about that project, do you have any more information?

I was just thinking that.. will they fix the transit in the area, or has a "West Station" turned into a pipe dream now?

Cambridge Street is getting revamped at some point, so at least it will be walkable. You're right though, that area is a pain to get to as is. It would be nice if the 64 bus ran a little more frequently, getting to Central Square from Allston shouldn't be so difficult.

I was at the public meeting at Jackson Mann last week, and MassDOT assured everyone that regardless of which plan they chose, West Station would be included, it just doesn't have any funding currently.

That picture doesn't look much like a mixed use path to me... the key indicates that bikes get the protected path in the middle of the promenade/park, while pedestrians get sidewalks on the streetside. This is less like the Comm Ave mall and more like the Southwest Corridor Park between the Stony Brook T and Ruggles. That stretch of park should be illuminating, as pedestrians are technically prohibited from using the protected path, but many do, leading to constant friction between cyclists and pedestrians.

Shaws/Super 88 and the B Line, I suppose. It seems a shorter walk to a grocery store/transit than many parts of Allston and Brighton. I don't know that sticking more people on the B Line will work out wonderfully, but assuming that pedestrian bridge across the New Pike actually shows up it's only a few blocks, at least from the southern end of the development. The northern end has a bit more of a trek, but not out of line with the rest of Lower Allston, and people seem to get by okay there.

You know what the design needs. A pair of pedestrian bridges that crosses the [moved] turnpike and tracks. There should be one at Malvern and another at Babcock. Then you would just be a short walk away from Commonwealth Ave and additional stores.

Of course, such would be no use if they are not heavily lit, cleaned, and patrolled. Otherwise they would be deathtraps like the one across the turnpike now.

But as far as these land use plans being put forth. It was my understanding that Harvard, owning said land involved, already has plans for more campus expansion to the parcels. Thus there will be no public access, private housing, or parks you can get into. Has something changed?

If West Station (terrible name, btw) is built as in some of the proposals and has access to both sides of the pike, then it will act as a de facto pedestrian bridge there. It'd be nicer to have a real street running over the Pike though...

BU owns the end of Babcock Street, so it might have to be one of the others, but I think your point stands pretty tall here. Having lived in Lower Allston and worked at BU, connections between the two further east would have been awesome.

Both options presented definitely feel superior to the MassDOT version...whatever happens, I really hope they seize this opportunity for all (or as much as possible) of what it's worth!

Both proposals show ramps going to the cross roads. I would assume there are lights at the cross roads. It will be much slower getting from the pike to Cambridge, although hopefully safer. I am not sure the proposaled ramps have enough run out to handle backups.

Privately owned, too.

If you want to hold a megamillion fund raiser for the state to buy the land to pump more cars into those tiny capillaries known as "cities built before cars", feel free. Just don't even dream of raising that money via a gas tax - drivers wouldn't stand for that!