Assembly Sq <-> Casino Footbridge

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New Trails We Can Look Forward To In 2025 - Streetsblog Massachusetts

In the past year, Massachusetts trailbuilders cut the ribbon on about 15 miles’ worth of new car-free bike and pedestrian trails. Those projects include several we’ve written about here on StreetsblogMASS, including the 2.5 mile Waltham Wayside Trail, which was mostly finished in 2023 but had...
mass.streetsblog.org mass.streetsblog.org

Mostly covers trails in the suburbs, but MassDOT seems to confirm groundbreaking in 2025 for the bridge.
 

New Mystic Bridge Won’t Be Built ‘Til the 2030s Under MassDOT’s Proposed Budget​

MassDOT's latest 5-year capital plan includes $69.8 million for the project, but work wouldn't begin until fiscal year 2027, more than a year from now.
MysticBridgeRender_CityofEverett.jpg


“The region might need to wait at least five more years for one of its highest-priority infrastructure projects to become a reality.

A new statewide capital budget for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 indicates that construction on the long-awaited Mystic River bike and pedestrian bridge between Somerville and Everett won't begin until late 2026 or 2027, and that MassDOT doesn't expect to complete the project until the early 2030s.”

“Jay Monty, the City of Everett's Director of Transportation and Mobility, expressed some hope that MassDOT could get the project built on a faster timeline.

But he also stressed that the city's plans to help address the regional housing shortage are extremely reliant on ambitious public transit and infrastructure improvements, including the bridge.“

“"If the Kraft Group starts permitting (a new soccer stadium) tomorrow, that's going to be three years out. The tank farm redevelopment is still three to five years out. So I the timelines are not drastically far apart from MassDOT's, but as we know, timelines often slip, and there's a need for some assurance that that won't continue happening," Monty told StreetsblogMASS on Tuesday afternoon.”

mass.streetsblog.org

New Mystic Bridge Won't Be Built 'Til the 2030s Under MassDOT's Proposed Budget - Streetsblog Massachusetts

MassDOT's latest 5-year capital plan includes $69.8 million for the project, but work wouldn't begin until fiscal year 2027, more than a year from now.
mass.streetsblog.org mass.streetsblog.org

Some new renders
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Mystic River Footbridge in Boston MA by Bridge Architect BEAM Architects

BEaM is Bridge Architect for the Mystic River footbridge linking the communities of Everett and Somerville nearBoston MA.
www.beam-architects.com www.beam-architects.com
 
stick n move said:

New Mystic Bridge Won’t Be Built ‘Til the 2030s Under MassDOT’s Proposed Budget​

MassDOT's latest 5-year capital plan includes $69.8 million for the project, but work wouldn't begin until fiscal year 2027, more than a year from now.
MysticBridgeRender_CityofEverett.jpg


“The region might need to wait at least five more years for one of its highest-priority infrastructure projects to become a reality.

A new statewide capital budget for fiscal years 2026 through 2030 indicates that construction on the long-awaited Mystic River bike and pedestrian bridge between Somerville and Everett won't begin until late 2026 or 2027, and that MassDOT doesn't expect to complete the project until the early 2030s.”

“Jay Monty, the City of Everett's Director of Transportation and Mobility, expressed some hope that MassDOT could get the project built on a faster timeline.

But he also stressed that the city's plans to help address the regional housing shortage are extremely reliant on ambitious public transit and infrastructure improvements, including the bridge.“

“"If the Kraft Group starts permitting (a new soccer stadium) tomorrow, that's going to be three years out. The tank farm redevelopment is still three to five years out. So I the timelines are not drastically far apart from MassDOT's, but as we know, timelines often slip, and there's a need for some assurance that that won't continue happening," Monty told StreetsblogMASS on Tuesday afternoon.”

mass.streetsblog.org

New Mystic Bridge Won't Be Built 'Til the 2030s Under MassDOT's Proposed Budget - Streetsblog Massachusetts

MassDOT's latest 5-year capital plan includes $69.8 million for the project, but work wouldn't begin until fiscal year 2027, more than a year from now.
mass.streetsblog.org mass.streetsblog.org

Some new renders
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Mystic River Footbridge in Boston MA by Bridge Architect BEAM Architects

BEaM is Bridge Architect for the Mystic River footbridge linking the communities of Everett and Somerville nearBoston MA.
www.beam-architects.com www.beam-architects.com
Click to expand...
Isn't this where rational politics says that the Kraft Group's stadium becomes contingent on them funding a big chunk of the new bridge to accelerate it's availability?
 
JeffDowntown said:
Isn't this where rational politics says that the Kraft Group's stadium becomes contingent on them funding a big chunk of the new bridge to accelerate it's availability?
Click to expand...
Isn't it governments job to provide infrastructure to allow economic development? You realize 'mitigation' was just started decades ago as a NIMBY tactic right?
We know what's planned and coming. Build the infrastructure to allow it to happen.
 
real_EthanHunt said:
Isn't it governments job to provide infrastructure to allow economic development? You realize 'mitigation' was just started decades ago as a NIMBY tactic right?
We know what's planned and coming. Build the infrastructure to allow it to happen.
Click to expand...
Depends on whether the economic development is asking for a tax break. If they are paying full freight in taxes, sure use the taxes for the infrastructure. If they are getting a long-term tax break for the development, then contribute to the mitigation.

Also MLS stadiums are not know as significant growth engines. They only have 17 home games per season, and usually do not significantly impact the economic activity in the area of the stadium, mostly just shifting around existing activity.
 
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real_EthanHunt said:
Isn't it governments job to provide infrastructure to allow economic development? You realize 'mitigation' was just started decades ago as a NIMBY tactic right?
We know what's planned and coming. Build the infrastructure to allow it to happen.
Click to expand...
Such ideas became impractical after the tax revolts in the 70s,
 
agreed on the tax breaks. but this footbridge isnt being built for the stadium. its already needed and its already funded. there is much more non stadium development coming to the area, whether it be Encore East or the 5MSF from the gas tanks site.
 
real_EthanHunt said:
agreed on the tax breaks. but this footbridge isnt being built for the stadium. its already needed and its already funded. there is much more non stadium development coming to the area, whether it be Encore East or the 5MSF from the gas tanks site.
Click to expand...
This is something of a yes, but.

1) The bridge is clearly needed now, even if the stadium never materializes.
2) But if the stadium does materialize it is then REALLY needed. That is why it is pitched as part of the people surge mitigation for game days at the stadium.
 
real_EthanHunt said:
agreed on the tax breaks. but this footbridge isnt being built for the stadium. its already needed and its already funded. there is much more non stadium development coming to the area, whether it be Encore East or the 5MSF from the gas tanks site.
Click to expand...
The need may exist now, and it might be funded, but that doesn't mean it can happen on the same timeline that developers may want. As @JeffDowntown notes, the potential pedestrian surge around events only happens if the stadium is built, so I'm not sure that the state should accelerate efforts based only on something that might not even happen.
 
Is building a more direct pedestrian connection to the Assembly Square station from the proposed Footbridge an official part of the project? I hope so.
 
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