Boston in the 1960's

[JohnAKeith]

1) in the top photo, the area around Gillette (upper left corner of image) is cleared of any buildings - was this something new or was it always like that?

2) They buried the Artery through Dewey Square but why not the rest of it? There'd have to be a significant decline coming off the 93/1 exchange; was that the reason? Or was it b/c the entrance to the East Boston tunnels were built and there was nowhere to put it?

3) For some reason they figured an elevated highway through the city would be less disruptive than having a street-level 8 highway - were they right?

4) Why didn't they originally deck the I-90 Extension in the other spots near the Prudential; specifically, the triangle parcel they're now trying to build on (13, 14, or 15)?

5) Can they just rebuild the Back Bay Orange Line station like it was in that photo while building the mid-rises behind it?

 

[vanshnookenraggen]

2) They buried the Artery through Dewey Square but why not the rest of it? There'd have to be a significant decline coming off the 93/1 exchange; was that the reason? Or was it b/c the entrance to the East Boston tunnels were built and there was nowhere to put it?

They built the northern section first and while they were clearing land through Chinatown there was a huge uproar (once they saw the northern section and what it could do). So they were able to get the state to bury it. Highway revolts started early.

4) Why didn't they originally deck the I-90 Extension in the other spots near the Prudential; specifically, the triangle parcel they're now trying to build on (13, 14, or 15)?

No demand. The South End back then was a slum and without the power and money of a major insurance company like Prudential there was no way the highway was going to be decked.