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Just want to point out that the Lechmere, Maverick models were not initially bustitution. They were both originally streetcar to streetcar transfer points when longer distance surface lines stopped entering the tunnels at those points in the early 1920's. Bustitution came much later (1950's ish).

Probably cheaper to implement than getting a navigable waterway taken out of service under US law.

Rather interesting that the City/Commonwealth went to great effort to ensure the Charlestown Bridge replacement played nice with the Zakim. Then these lift bridges just sort of middle finger the design aesthetic.

That must be a relatively recent change. Shuttle 88 did not used to serve the MBTA Blue Line station, it only hit Economy Parking and the Terminals. It was created as a car oriented shuttle.

Meh, the Old France building was minimally useful in the context of this block, having very little street present, and limited space for any use by the theater next door (the big issue). Much too low rise for a city core today. At least the Symphony Towers have design context relative to the...

Heavy Rail -- transfers were mandatory; versus Light Rail Streetcars that were compatible with the Street Car Tunnels.

One could argue that the Kenmore and Lechmere (and Maverick) models are really the same network structure -- it simply depends on whether some of the surface street cars survived, or got converted to buses. Even Kenmore is a partial bus conversion fan out. Historically all supported some...

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/12/06/arts/mit-edward-and-joyce-linde-music-building/ MIT Puts Finishing Touches on new Music Hub. Full opening Feb 15, 2025

Yes, and Cambridge and Gore Streets. You might be able to close Binney (It has been closed or restricted a lot in recent years due to construction, and people seem to adapt). Main, Broadway, Cambridge and Gore are going to be issues. Light Rail does give you a grade advantage potentially...

Good point.

Well, given this owner's aesthetic sense, maybe we are lucky this isn't a hotel. No one would stay there anyway.

Not roasting, but the general opposition to this approach is all the grade crossings in Cambridge. Cambridge is going to go nuts over all the streets being blocked at S-Bahn frequency train service. Light rail might be able to go over or under some of those crossings.

And there is a (probably) already dead tree planted in the sidewalk in front of the vents. "Classy" design.

Electrification and crossing elimination are more urgent than NSRL -- but at some point Boston really should have thru-running train service as well. (Electrification is a necessary prerequisite for NSRL anyway.) Thru-running Regional Rail is essential to unclogging the central transfer...

The NSRL stop deep under State is more about connectivity to the Blue line than shuffling workers into that area. (Although admittedly that vertical connection may be poor and not worth the cost.) Remember, Regional Rail is about much different usage patterns than conventional Commuter Rail 9-5...

Queue the office to housing conversion discussion in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.....

My understanding is repair costs really depends on the type of underground installation. The large scale conduit installation common on large campuses and in some urban cores have walkable utility tunnels -- with multiple utilities clustered for relatively easy access. These are actually...

That window pattern looks like they were punch outs above a previous abutter -- right on the lot line -- but ignored by the City in that stagnation period.

In the 1970's and 80's we (transit consumers) bought Red Line transit extensions, parts of which had 50 mph capabilities. That was the spec of what we purchased. Today, those line extensions can only operate at 40 mph -- only 80 % of what we purchased as a transit line. 40 mph is slower than...

I think they are talking about much more than 2 tph for express at regional rail frequencies. It will not just be Amtrak, it will also be express Reginal Rail. That corridor is going to get very busy, and there will be times there is a train in the station and another that needs to...