Nominations: ArchBoston Biggest Urban Planning Disaster

tysmith95

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What's the worst urban planning disasters in the Boston area. Basically the worst designed streets and development patterns

I'll nominate Alewife to start off. The apartments right off of route 2 are in a ghastly spot. No idea why they wanted to make Route 2 in Cambridge look like Route 1 in Saugus. I could nominate Route 1 in Saugus, but I like it too much and it brings back nostalgic memories of going to HockeyTown as a child so I won't.
 
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Massport seaport parcels, because we should know by now that megablocks, wide roads, public parking garages and ramp spaghetti aren't the right choices
 
Stick nomination: Seaport Public Transportation (aka Silver Line)

I'll also nominate Sullivan Square
 
- Silver Line

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- No North Station / South Station link

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- Unfinished Greenway parcels (exposed ramps)

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How has no one mentioned the West End? From vibrant, diverse, mixed use district to empty "parks" dotted by residential towers and crossed by maintenance roads and alleys. Not even true city blocks.
 
- Government Center: Obviously a disaster on so many levels
- Charles River Park: See Hubman's post above. This and Government Center continue to be festering, large open wounds on the Boston urbanscape.
- Rose Kennedy Greenway: Another open gash that could have been a series of intermittent pocket parks, laced with development tying the city back together, plus a surface light rail line. Instead we have a glorified highway median strip.
 
- Government Center: Obviously a disaster on so many levels
- Charles River Park: See Hubman's post above. This and Government Center continue to be festering, large open wounds on the Boston urbanscape.
- Rose Kennedy Greenway: Another open gash that could have been a series of intermittent pocket parks, laced with development tying the city back together, plus a surface light rail line. Instead we have a glorified highway median strip.

I'm glad someone has the same opinion on the greenway as me. Walking it feels like exactly that, as if I'm walking along a highway median.
 
Stick nomination: Seaport Public Transportation (aka Silver Line)

I'll also nominate Sullivan Square

These would be my top two as well. Sullivan Sq seems due for its day in the sun, and can still be fixed. But the Seaport was just an utter failure. At some point, a city is going to have to spend money to make money. Kicking the Seaport transit can down the road was such a gross abdication of responsibility on the part of the planners' generation.
 
These would be my top two as well. Sullivan Sq seems due for its day in the sun, and can still be fixed. But the Seaport was just an utter failure. At some point, a city is going to have to spend money to make money. Kicking the Seaport transit can down the road was such a gross abdication of responsibility on the part of the planners' generation.

Honestly I'm hoping that the state/city could come up with some sort of Amazon plan centered around Sullivan. It's already a major bus hub, and has two commuter rail lines going through it. I would love to see the state commit to totally redesigning that area and reestablishing a street grid. Connect it with Assembly to make it into a true neighborhood.

Close the Malden Commuter rail stop on the Haverhill line and relocate it to Sullivan. Also add a stop on the Newburyport Rockport line at Sullivan. Extend the Silver Line Gateway to that area.

The state actually owns a good bit of the land in the area, and they could offer some of it up as part of the incentive package. There is a huge bus hub (could be possibly be moved), but honestly I don't think they should have a bus hub right on the water. Let Amazon's new HQ face the beautiful multi billion dollar casino across the river.

Sorry getting a little carried away. But as of now the traffic at Sullivan is horrible, and the land use is severely underutilized considering its location.

A proper street grid could help a little with traffic and the opening up of blocks could greatly improve that neighborhood. I honestly think there is more then enough space in that area for all of Amazon.
 

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