jdrinboston
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If SD is successful, it won't be a Boston casino. It will be a Revere casino. And the citizens of Revere have cleary stated they want it. Bully for them!
MA Casino Developments
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If SD is successful, it won't be a Boston casino. It will be a Revere casino. And the citizens of Revere have cleary stated they want it. Bully for them!
TheRifleman
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No matter what, the casino will continue to effect the residents of E.Boston if the casino gets built in Revere. The same if E.Boston Residents approved the casino why didn't the Revere residents get a vote in the first place.
The politicans are being very sneaky and manipulated about this proposal.
The reality is even if it gets built in Revere I'm sure it will effect E.Boston somewhat so now E.Boston people votes really didn't matter.
The Casino would have made more sense in the Seaport District.
jdrinboston
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Guess what? Towns don't exist in bubbles. Lots of things that happen in towns affect their neighboring towns/communities. You don't think Gillette Stadium poses negative impacts to Walpole/Sharon etc. You think life in Norton might be easier in the summer if the Comcast Center wasn't down the street in Mansfield?
My town (Winthrop) just voted for a new High School/Middle School last night. Assuming you pay Mass. income tax, you're going to pick up 60 percent of the cost. But don't worry, when you're town decides to build a new school, I'll do the same for you.
SD seems like a decent place for middle class housing near transit...same with wonderland.
Clean up Monsanto,fix Rutherford ave/Sullivan sq. boom done.
Btw what are the chances that the alcoholic lets Boston have happy hour???
Clean up Monsanto,fix Rutherford ave/Sullivan sq. boom done.
Btw what are the chances that the alcoholic lets Boston have happy hour???
jdrinboston
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I don't disagree with you on any of this. But I fear the location of Wonderland/SD under direct flight paths to Logan is going to keep investors from seriously considering those sites until all other land parcels/potential infill developments in the region have been spoken for/developped.
jdrinboston
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whighlander
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Semass -- let's put it this way
I'm Channeling Frank Sargent at the huge rally with the Building Trades over the late great Park Plaza
There was some arguments about the proposal for the enormous complex 2 blocks from Boston Common / Public Garden
Then while the term Park Plaza vanished all the same got built in somewhat distributed context {both spatially and temporarily}
The cornerstone was a rally on the steps of the State House
Hundreds of BIG Union Guys where standing with there arms folded in the Background while in front the very traditional Yankee governor said to roaring acclimation .... "You want Park Plaza ... .I want Park Plaza .... we all want Park Plaza"
A bit off topic -- but I'll bet thousands of old development plans are being brushed--off today and preparing for re-submission
Walsh is a vassal to the Building Trades
whighlander
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Today's real question is that the bill has been passed in the State House -- Now how committed is Boston to the 2024 Olympics
I thinking the prospects for a formal Bid by Boston is now very high -- lots of good jobs at good wages
I thinking the prospects for a formal Bid by Boston is now very high -- lots of good jobs at good wages
Plus Whighlanders comment on the seriousness of a Boston Olympics bid are key.
You have direct mass transit access and a massive track of land that is relatively secure. Moreso then any other place, the infrastructure for the main stadium seems in place for here.
Couple follow on questions and points:
1) A stadium (Olympics or no olympics) will probably bring in more traffic then a casino. Casino would be a steady stream, maybe peaking around friday nights and events. A stadium brings in 30 at once for a game that starts when 6-7pm.
2) Does an Olympic stadium at Suffolk downs necessitate a BLX in both directions? I imagine the Red-Blue Connection has to happen- Otherwise you get a huge overload at Green for people going to events hosted in MIT/Harvard. BLX to Lynn seems necessary to get traffic for soccer games off 1A and onto the T.
Personally, I wanted to see the horseracing saved, but I do think Everett is a better site overall and opens up for more opportunities like this.
It is a good transit-centered space but it is also sea level rise ground zero. The track was built on fill and still has a tidal stream running through it. A casino may have been able to get insurance and permits for a risky location, especially since no one would live there but it could be tougher for residential.
I hope they can save horse racing at the site. I know that it is a little past peak but those events still do well in other places.
Also +1 on soccer specific stadium at Wonderland. So many benefits.
This is a thread about casinos, I'm pretty sure there is another floating around about redeveloping the tracks. There is already a thread about the olympics. If someone wants to start a thread about locations for soccer specific stadium that would be cool too, but let's keep this one related to the casino proposals, eh?
That being said, +1 on BetonBrut weighing in, or anyone in eastie on what they think is next.
That being said, +1 on BetonBrut weighing in, or anyone in eastie on what they think is next.
Besides "traffic!!!" what real net negatives does the casino bring to Everett? I would trade prostitutes and drug dealers hanging out on Everett's Beacham Street (overlooking brown fields and LNG tankers) for prostitutes and drug dealers hanging out on a gloriously manicured riverfront (overlooking brown fields and LNG tankers). Crime and addiction? Lower quality of life? Take another look at that neighborhood and share your alternatives.
I hope the traffic is horrible. I hope it is the worst road to drive in the commonwealth. Meanwhile, I will happily bike from my house on new riverfront paths, enjoy the new connections and revived littoral landscape, and walk in Wynn's front door ten minutes later. Throw some dice, see a show, have a bite, and wave at the wall of cars idling at the left turn onto 99 as I head home.
I hope the traffic is horrible. I hope it is the worst road to drive in the commonwealth. Meanwhile, I will happily bike from my house on new riverfront paths, enjoy the new connections and revived littoral landscape, and walk in Wynn's front door ten minutes later. Throw some dice, see a show, have a bite, and wave at the wall of cars idling at the left turn onto 99 as I head home.
whighlander
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AS was pointed out by several -- these are all coupled -- especially after the failure of the referendum
So real quick here's my Olympic Proposal:
1) Main stadium East Boston on the Blue Line
2) several additional subsidiary facilities on the site of Both Suffolk and Wonderland
3) Olympic Village and several other venues at Mass Pike Alston Interchange
4) Harvard Stadium & Gillete Stadium for Soccer
5) various University Gyms & other event facilities for fencing, rythmic gymnastics, etc.
6) Boston Gahhhhdn for the finals of Gymnastics & Basketball
7) rowing on the Charles
8) sailing on the Harbor
9) Equestiran in Hamilton -- where else
10) Other events diverse locations within Greater Boston and even beyond [modern Petathalon, shooting, archery]
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TheRifleman
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If the casino gets the green light for Everett. Hopefully its done right.
#1 MBTA==Massive Expansion & Upgrade to Orange Lines (at least a billions of dollars upgrade through Everett, Somerville, Malden. BIGGER and MORE EFFICIENT CARS
***Water Taxi-Ferries (might have to replace the draw bridge on 99 to have a bigger overlap bridge which will not cause delays.)
Bike/Pedistrian paths connected through Everett/Somerville/Charlestown
Invest in Trolly services.
With the right planning it might not look that bad.
#2 Clean Land/Water to promote a more clean enviroment in the area.
whighlander
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Perhaps appropriate at this stage of the process
-- I've re-posted on the other thread
I have to agree. A few thoughts,
1) a lot of the traffic going through there are people skipping the inbound toll on the tobin, so traffic will likely remain what it is, more commuters will just opt to pay the toll instead of sitting in casino traffic. Induced demand will change to demand demand.
2) fixing sullivan square to mitigate the demolition of the overpass and closure of the outbound underpass (why is this closed again, they don't want to haul away that tree?) will also alleviate a lot lf traffic that exists for no reason.
3) the benefits of activating the riverfront and getting rid of a brownfield are far greater than the potential traffic, which since it will be off peak won't be that bad anyway.
4) we are talking about traffic in a wasteland of industry and pollution. I can't think of a better place for gridlock then amidst tank farms, an electric plant, and a big box power center. If in revere/eastie it would be in the middle of houses.
5) Alford St is a shortcut for the majority of users, not a vital link. The traffic already has other options before mitigation, which would likely be substantial.
6) upgrading of rt 16 to limited access + frontage roads would do wonders for traffic, and not have many negative effects considering the area. A transit reservation down the center would complete it.
F-Line to Dudley
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Agree. Just about the only truly worthy construction of new interstate-grade mainline highway miles (i.e. not just fixing interchanges) the state would want to consider inside the 495 belt is grade-separating 1A in Eastie and Revere to a new interchange with 16 at roughly Railroad St./Route 145 and doing some reshuffling of 16 between there and Route 1 with frontage roads and whatnot. And retiring most of the spaghetti asphalt at the rotary to clean that beastly thing up. These areas have suffered too long with heavy truck traffic clogging their streets, and too much North Shore traffic goes through the gut of downtown because of the crappy road quality here, leaving that golden Pike/Ted link woefully underutilized. Give the highway and thru truck traffic a real means of bypassing the city streets, and give the city streets back to the neighborhoods. This benefits regardless of where the casino gets plunked.
Not too hard, expensive, or permanently disruptive. It is the dreaded increase in road capacity, but it's one that vastly helps the residents by making streets real streets.
1A
1) Compact 1A at Curtis St. where the full expressway-grade highway ends. Do a better interchange at Curtis/Chelsea St. where the truck traffic turnouts are high-volume. Use the freed-up compacted space to reconnect Pope St. with Chaucer on the south end and Addison on the north end to make that purely neighborhood street grid.
2) Connect Addison to Chelsea St. by the bridge, overpassing 1A. Gives this neighborhood easy integration with the Chelsea side and the nearest UR/Silver Line stop to de-isolate it significantly.
3) Frontage the string of businesses on 1A NB to eliminate the curb cuts, integrate better into that access road off Boardman. Tie in to Addison to complete the street grid here. Probably some protesting from the 1A curb cut businesses like the Planet Fitness and Courtyard Marriott, but it's for everyone's own good.
4) Overpass Boardman to connect to driveways on that pocket of SB curb cuts. Loop Boardman around the other side on another overpass to (realigned) Tomassello Way. Cut Walderar Ave. from 1A and tie into Tomassello for sake of the street grid. Stagger an interchange on this Boardman Loop block. Tie in the Global Petroleum driveways on both sides of the highway and the car rental lot on the SB side to Tomassello/Boardman Loop + interchange to eliminate the jughandle intersection. The tiny rent-a-car company on the corner of Waldemar/1A NB probably has to get uprooted, as does the Hess station unless they dig in for a sweetheart deal for their own exclusive rest stop turnout.
5) New high-speed T-interchange with 16 cutting across the solar farm just south of Railroad St. and across the creek. Integrate it into a combo exit to a 145 ramp/frontage for movements to/from 145 from all directions. And to keep the small string of NB businesses near the 145 exit in business. Hampton Inn probably has to get all blowed up for this.
6a) De-commission 16 from this interchange north to the rotary (more on that later).
6b) Overpass/underpass Hichborn St. across 1A to reconnect the residential grid. Eliminate the last curb cuts here with driveways to 145 (sorry, diner...you're gonna lose your business). Send 1A solo into the cleaned-up rotary with the 16 leg demolished. Maybe cut Everett St. from the rotary too so it becomes a sane 4-way instead of the ungodly 6-way octopus it is now.
16
1a) Interchange with 1A as above, funneling all 145-bound traffic as well.
1b) De-commission 16 as a state highway between this interchange, 145, and the rotary since all thru traffic now peels off onto the high-speed interchange. Make the interchange to 145 leg a standard unnumbered city street; terminate the street at the 145 intersection; and terminate the numbered highway at the new 1A/145 interchange. Outright demolish the portion from 145 to the rotary (no buildings or curb cuts on this portion, so nothing of value lost), and make it into a city park.
2) On the de-commissioned city street, direct-connect Vinal and Railroad St. at a signaled intersection. Bridge Railroad St. over 1A to the frontage road on the 1A NB exit to 145 so those businesses get their traffic, and complete the street grid to the other side with a single "Vinal St. Ext." that de-isolates the trailer park.
3) Shift 16 a little closer to the water west of the interchange with appropriate retaining wall. Maybe not much they can do here, so I'm assuming 16 still has to be parkway-speed between 1 and 1A. That little shack thing overhanging the water must go to buy space for the road. Try to shiv a city-street frontage between Vinal, Mill, and Wilson tying into the existing frontage near 107.
4) Slightly upgrade the 107 ramps for better safety and to preserve the frontages on both sides.
5) Shift 16 much closer to the water between 107 and 1 to continue that WB-side frontage into a real city street between Olive and Borden.
6) Re-do the 1 exit into a full self-contained interchange that de-gunks all the crazy ramps just west between Washington Ave. and Webster Ave. Do some sort of better-designed EB turnout into Parkway Plaza. Now the canyon here is an ever so slightly less painful gash dividing the town.
7) Grade separation now complete. Let the rest of 16 to Wellington Circle stay as-is with nothing but safety and signal improvements. Consolidate some curb cuts into shared driveways, see if there are any superfluous residential streets to cut. Re-time the signals. Improve the crosswalks. It's not very improvable, so do the best you can with what you have and the grade separation to the east will vastly cut down how long a clusterfuck the road is and make it viable for getting to an Everett casino.
8) Fix the 99 rotary so the turning radius is less dangerous. It's accident central today, it was the site of that horrific tanker explosion a few years ago, and this is where Boston-bound traffic and any Everett casino traffic is going to turn out so it must get safer and more resilient to accidents.
9) Fix Wellington Circle best they can. Downgrading McGrath and Fellsway between Wellington and Assembly/93 from 6+ to 4 lanes helps as lot with the induced demand traffic. Circle itself could use better light timing, but probably isn't improvable on the 16 side. Cutting the 28-fed induced demand will do the most good here.
10) Make the 93 interchange a full interchange. 16W-to-93N ramp on the quasi-highway portion. 93N-to-16E offramp for simple right turn onto 16 instead of slamming 28/Assembly. 16W-to-93S onramp (tie into the existing signal cycle where the 16E frontage meets the 16E mainline). Delete the Mystic Ave. ramps entirely. Mystic Ave. now returns to rightful place as a Somerville city street, the McGrath/93 interchange gets a significant traffic reduction aiding the shrinking of McGrath, and the pain threshold on 16 into Everett from 93 gets significantly reduced.
Ped/Transit
1) Complete the Mystic path system with linkage of all the small disconnects from Alewife to the Bike to the Sea.
2) De-terrify 16 near Wellington with wider sidewalks at the replacement Mystic and Orange Line bridges. Lane-drop Fellsway and footbridge the Mystic paths over Fellsway to Station Landing so the various disconnected Mystic paths, Assembly, Station Landing, Gateway Ctr., and the casino are linked in non-scary fashion. Wellington is the nerve center of all those interconnections.
3) Don't fuck up this Silver Line rollout. That busway better work right, better be compatible with future light rail conversion, and better have learned from the egregious mistakes Connecticut made trying to throw a busway along an active, busy commuter RR.
4) Urban Ring planning goes back on the front-burner. And it better be a Green Line branch off Lechmere and the Innerbelt leads, not busway. Busway is OK for the Silver Line-Chelsea because that's the easiest system tie-in available. Green Line is the easiest tie-in for completing the circuit, so somebody has to realize that trying to busway it all around is going to be some poorly-functioning Rube Goldberg machine.
Now you've got a viable bypass around-the-horn from the Mass Pike and all 3 tunnels through Eastie and Chelsea to 1, a pain-reduced cleanup of the bad portion of 16 to just the 1-to-Wellington stretch, and significant cleanup of the 93-to-Wellington stretch that aids all the parkway de-commissionings and induced demand reductions in Somerville and Boston. This circuit is doable now without any single points of failure.
Now you've got the urban trail system completely linked everywhere-to-everywhere. The Somerville Community Path other efforts do their part. But breaching the parkway brick walls around Wellington is the critical piece for interconnections outside of Boston. Everything from Lynn to Alewife-via-Mystic to all the developments along the Mystic--Assembly, Station Landing, Gateway, casinos--converge here. And there's little to no grade separation to be had, so those parkway crossings have to be made friendlier and those sidewalks on the river crossings much much wider and better-protected. Do that and the path system has interconnections to all the destinations and all the transit anywhere in the urban core. This is mega.
Enough has been said about the Urban Ring. Git 'ur dun, and keep it simple stupid.
Highway, and thru industrial traffic on the asphalt thru industrial traffic belongs on. Fewer failure and congestion points. A transit circuit. A bipedal transit circuit. Giving the long-suffering and long traffic-divided neighborhoods back to the neighborhoods. It's a megaproject with megaproject implications...but not a megaproject price so long as they're diligent about doing all these interdependent little fixes systematically and multi-modally. And so long as they stay on-point while doing it (esp. the asphalt part and MassDOT's institutional temptation to always favor raw capacity over community).