COMMUTER RAIL
Clifford, Kathleen (US SSA)
~ SENT ON BEHALF OF TOM LALLY (oldto...@yahoo.com) ~
HI FOLKS:
WITH THE AMOUNT OF AUTOS CHOKING OUR ALLSTON AND BRIGHTON STREETS, THE PRICE OF GASOLINE, MASSPIKE TOLLS AND THE ECONOMY BEING WHAT IT IS, IT SEEMS WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT WAY TO GET AROUND.
MUCH OF OUR PLANNING LATELY HAS TO DO WITH WALKING. BICYCLING AND SOME TALK ABOUT BUSSES AND TRAINS, AND WELL IT SHOULD BE.
IN MAY 2005, THE BRA PUBLISHED THE NORTH ALLSTON STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR PLANNING. IN THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING SECTION, THEY ANNOUNCED THAT THE STATE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF TRANSPORTATION AND CONSTRUCTION (ETOC) WOULD PLAN WITH HARVARD A "MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION CENTER " IN THE ALLSTON LANDING SOUTH PROPERTY AREA.THIS WOULD INCLUDE A COMMUTER RAIL STATION AT ALLSTON LANDING.
A MAY 11 2006 BOSTON GLOBE ITEM REPORTED THAT HARVARD WILL PRESS THE STATE TO BUILD A COMMUTER RAIL STOP , NEAR THE ALLSTON TOLL BOOTHS OF THE MASSPIKE, TO SERVE THE UNIVERSTY'S NEW ALLSTON CAMPUS.
THIS SEEMS TO BE A PRETTY SENSIBLE THING FOR THE UNIVERSITY TO PLAN FOR , IT WILL TIE IN WITH THE PROPOSED URBAN RING, AND HELP TRAVEL TO THE LONGWOOD MEDICAL AREA.
AS I STARTED OUT BY SAYING, THE ALLSTON/BRIGHTON RESIDENTS HAVE SIMILAR CONCERNS, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN BOSTON BY DIRECT RAIL CONTINUES TO MAKE MORE AND MORE SENSE.
THERE ARE COMMUTER RAILS GOING INTO EITHER THE NORTH, OR SOUTH STATIONS IN BOSTON, FROM TWELVE DIFFERENT PLACES AROUND THE METROPOLITAN AREA.
ALL, EXCEPT ONE, STOP AT THE INNER COMMUNITIES THEY PASS THROUGH, INTO THE CITY.
- THE GLOUCESTER/ROCKPORT LINE STOPS IN CHELSEA.
- THE HAVERHILL LINE ALSO STOPS THERE.
- THE LINE FROM LOWELL STOPS AT WEST MEDFORD.
- THE FITCHBURG LINE STOPS AT ALEWIFE AND PORTER SQUARE.
- THE LINE FROM NEEDHAM JUNCTION STOPS AT ROSLINDALE, FOREST HILLS AND RUGGLES.
- THE LINE FROM FRANKLIN/NORFOLK STOPS AT READVILLE, MORTON ST., UPHAMS CORNER,AND JFK/U.MASS.
- THE LINES FROM PROVIDENCE, FAL RIVER AND NEW BEDFORD ALL STOP AT HYDE PARK, FOREST HILLS AND RUGGLES ST.
- THE LINES FROM MIDDLEBOROUGH/LAKEVILLE, KINGSTON AND GREENBUSH ALL STOP AT JFK/U.MASS.
- THE LINE FROM WORCESTER/FRAMINGHAM DOES NOT STOP AT BRIGHTON OR ALLSTON, BUT WILL STOP AT FENWAY, IF THERE IS A GAME.
ALL OF THESE LINES SEEM TO BE DOING QUITE WELL WITH TWO TRACKS ( 2 ), EVEN THE WORCESTER/FRAMINGHAM LINE THROUGH THE NEWTONS, YET WE ARE TOLD THAT ALLSTON & BRIGHTON CANNOT HAVE ANY STOPS, (EVEN WITH THE FIVE( 5 ) TRACKS FROM CAMBRIDGE STREET TO MARKET STREET). SOMETHING ABOUT THE FREIGHT YARDS AT BEACON PARK. IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT CSX AND THEIR FREIGHT MAY BE GONE, IN AS SOON AS FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
IT SEEMS THAT WHILE THE STATE PLANNERS RECOGNIZE THAT ALLSTON BRIGHTON HAS NO COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE, THEY FEEL THE TRAINS SHOULD NOT STOP IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE SHOULD WAIT FOR A FUTURE CONCEPT REFERRED TO AS "FAST-TRACK", SIMILAR TO THE OLD BUDD-LINERS, THAT SEEMINGLY WILL OPERATE SOME DAY, BETWEEN THE GAPS OF THE REAL COMMUTER TRAINS FROM THE NEWTONS AND BEYOND.
AT LEAST, THE STATE SEEMS TO HAVE SEPARATED THIS "ALLSTON/BRIGHTON COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE" ISSUE, FROM THE URBAN RING AND ITS TWENTY-THIRTY YEAR TIME- LINE.
MAYBE WE CAN ALSO SEPARATE THE ALLSTON/BRIGHTON COMMUNITY'S NEED, FROM THE BRA, HARVARD AND THE STATE EOTC FUTURE PLANNING, AND FIND A WAY FOR THE PRESENTLY OPERATING WORCESTER/FRAMINGHAM/NEWTON COMMUTER RAIL LINE TO STOP IN ALLSTON/BRIGHTON ON THE WAY INTO THE CITY.
TOM LALLY, ALLSTON
john.man...@gmail.com
I agree with your ideas. It is interesting to see all of the other
neighborhoods who benefit from commuter rail access.
The Commonwealth's EOT has created an interactive map that allows
residents to make comments on how to improve the transportation
systems. The site is called "you move Massachusetts"
http://www.youmovemassachusetts.org/map.php . I would encourage you
to post a comment on there, although I am not sure how the input will
be used.
I posted a comment saying we should have a commuter rail stop near
Electric Avenue and Parsons Street in Brighton. There is land over
there that could be wrestled away from Turnpike Authority and
developed into a T station with a drop-off area. The pedestrian
access, traffic and parking would have to be carefully planned but it
is worth looking into. If not there, then somewhere along the
tracks. I didn't conduct a study to determine the demand for such a
station but it seems like "if you build it, they will come."
How about "West Station" at the Allston Landing South parcel? Is that
what Harvard and BRA are going for? I heard former Transportation
Secretary, Fred Salvucci mention the idea of a West Station as a
intermodal transportation hub similar to North and South Station to be
located at the CSX rail yards site. Is that part of the plan or is it
just an idea?
It seems like there is an exciting future for transportation in
Brighton. Who is making the decisions? Do we have a seat the table?
Thanks
John Mangiaratti
Brighton, MA
PS: More Salvucci comments from ABCDC Annual Meeting can be viewed at
BrightonCentered blog http://brighton-community.blogspot.com/2008/06/in-praise-of-nixon-administration.html.
On Nov 17, 1:28 pm, "Clifford, Kathleen \(US SSA\)"
<kathleen.cliff...@baesystems.com> wrote:
> ~ SENT ON BEHALF OF TOM LALLY (oldtomla...@yahoo.com) ~
>
> * THE HAVERHILL LINE ALSO STOPS THERE.
>
> * THE LINE FROM LOWELL STOPS AT WEST MEDFORD.
>
> * THE FITCHBURG LINE STOPS AT ALEWIFE AND PORTER SQUARE.
>
> * THE LINE FROM NEEDHAM JUNCTION STOPS AT ROSLINDALE, FOREST HILLS
> AND RUGGLES.
>
> * THE LINE FROM FRANKLIN/NORFOLK STOPS AT READVILLE, MORTON ST.,
> UPHAMS CORNER,AND JFK/U.MASS.
>
> * THE LINES FROM PROVIDENCE, FAL RIVER AND NEW BEDFORD ALL STOP AT
>
> ALL STOP AT JFK/U.MASS.
>
> * THE LINE FROM WORCESTER/FRAMINGHAM DOES NOT STOP AT BRIGHTON OR
Kate Jordan
On Nov. 5th, EOT hosted a meeting regarding transit planning in
Allston Brighton with presentations on a multimodal Allston Brighton
Station study and the Urban Ring project. EOT presented 5 potential
sites in Allston Brighton --all which would require further analysis.
EOT will announce a meeting in January with their study results. It
would be good for as many residents as possible to attend to provide
feedback and get involved in the planning process.
--Kate Jordan
On Nov 18, 12:18 pm, "john.mangiara...@gmail.com"
> Mr. Lally,
>
> I agree with your ideas. It is interesting to see all of the other
> neighborhoods who benefit from commuter rail access.
>
> The Commonwealth's EOT has created an interactive map that allows
> residents to make comments on how to improve the transportation
> be used.
>
> I posted a comment saying we should have a commuter rail stop near
> Electric Avenue and Parsons Street in Brighton. There is land over
> there that could be wrestled away from Turnpike Authority and
> developed into a T station with a drop-off area. The pedestrian
> access, traffic and parking would have to be carefully planned but it
> is worth looking into. If not there, then somewhere along the
> tracks. I didn't conduct a study to determine the demand for such a
> station but it seems like "if you build it, they will come."
>
> How about "West Station" at the Allston Landing South parcel? Is that
> what Harvard and BRA are going for? I heard former Transportation
> Secretary, Fred Salvucci mention the idea of a West Station as a
> intermodal transportation hub similar to North and South Station to be
> located at the CSX rail yards site. Is that part of the plan or is it
> just an idea?
>
> It seems like there is an exciting future for transportation in
> Brighton. Who is making the decisions? Do we have a seat the table?
>
> Thanks
> John Mangiaratti
> Brighton, MA
>
> PS: More Salvucci comments from ABCDC Annual Meeting can be viewed at
Joan Pasquale
The Sports Depot Restaurant used to be a Railroad Station/Stop. I'm always pushing for a Commuter Rail Stop to be placed there. The chain link fence at the end of that street could be opened up and utilized as an entrance/exit area. My other constant request is for a high rise parking garage, somewhere in that area as well - which would certainly enhance Allston's Business District.
There should be a Commuter Rail Stop in the Sports Depot area of Allston, and another one at Brighton Landing near the Stockyard Restaurant to accomodate that new Business District. A/B Residents need to rally for what we want and need as Residents did re:the Forest Hills Station. Just think of the lesser amount of traffic that would be on A/B Streets, if folks could utilize a Communter Rail instead of Driving to and from work. Traffic and Pollution would decrease considerably.
Joan Pasquale
> Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:18:48 -0800
> Subject: [AB2006] Re: COMMUTER RAIL
> From: john.man...@gmail.com
> To: AllstonBr...@googlegroups.com