The project team just emailed out a nice 2016 summary/2017 look-ahead:
YEAR IN REVIEW
Looking Back at 2016 - Looking Ahead to 2017
During the course of 2016, the Casey Arborway project has continued to make progress towards completion. This document is intended to provide abutters, commuters, and other stakeholders with a guide to what has been accomplished and where the project will focus as 2017 gets underway.
Shea Square Achieves Final Form by December, 2016
Beginning in the days immediately surrounding Thanksgiving, the transition from Shea Circle to Shea Square is, at the time of this writing, set for completion during the week of December 19th. Beginning on or about the 15th of December, east (towards Franklin Park) and westbound (towards the Arnold Arboretum) traffic on the mainline Arborway will flow through Shea Square as a signalized intersection for the first time. Eastbound traffic from the frontage road passing in front of Arborway Gardens and the West Roxbury District Court will be introduced into Shea Square on or about December 23rd, ending the need for this traffic to detour via American Legion Highway to access Circuit Drive or the mainline Arborway westbound.
East of Shea Square, the new signal at Cemetery Road is already operational at the time of this writing and by the end of December; both east and westbound traffic will travel along its permanent alignment between the Cemetery Road intersection and Shea Square. Installation of new drainage structures will continue along the Arborway adjacent to the Forest Hills Cemetery driveway into 2017.
The transition to Shea Square also brings with it additional benefits. Once signal control is initiated at the square, signals will be coordinated from this location to the Arborway at South Street for the first time. New, signal protected crosswalks will also be initiated improving connections for cyclists and pedestrians traveling between points west, Franklin Park, and Forest Hills Cemetery.
The Mainline Arborway – Shea Square to Washington Street
Since just before Thanksgiving, eastbound vehicles on the mainline Arborway and the frontage road have been traveling along their permanent alignments from a point roughly adjacent to the West Roxbury District Court. New sidewalk has been placed and opened for use from the same point to Shea Square along the frontage road. Permanent street and pedestrian lighting has been installed from Shea Square to Washington Street. The first of the project’s many new trees were planted earlier this fall in the mainline Arborway median. Watering will be ongoing throughout the winter as needed and appropriate.
Regular visitors to the area will also see project team members in the process of removing the old eastbound temporary roadway. Work will continue in this area over the winter. As the project moves into 2017, westbound mainline traffic will shift onto its permanent alignment. In the area along the edge of the MBTA Arborway Yard vacated by traffic, work will get underway to create new bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and green space.
Forest Hills Station – Upper Busway and Below Grade
At Forest Hills station, work to install the jet fans and their associated components has been progressing thanks in part to the single track arrangement on the Orange Line platform. By January 1st, 2017, the Orange Line will go back to two track operation in the station. Installed jet fans can be seen in the tunnel at either end of the platform. While this element of work will be complete on or about December 23rd, installation of electrical components associated with fan control or the new headhouse will continue through the winter.
The upper busway deck expansion is now complete as is work to coordinate the parallel, but independent MBTA project to build a new canopy to cover this space and protect riders from the weather. Work is underway to form and reinforce the sidewalks and medians for the new bus bays. This will progress into the New Year and be followed by forming and reinforcing the upper busway parapet wall. It is currently anticipated that the Route 39 bus will move in early spring 2017. This will have no impact on the project schedule.
Points West of Forest Hills Station
During the week of December 19th, a pedestrian crossing from the northeast (red house) corner of the intersection of Arborway/South Street to the intersection’s southeast (Forest Hills Station) corner will be reintroduced. At present, it is anticipated that the temporary crosswalk on the intersection’s western side will remain in operation into mid-January after which this crosswalk will go out of service to allow work in this area to shift the westbound Arborway onto its stage 3A alignment.
West of South Street along the Arborway, the westbound lanes of Arborway are partially along their permanent alignment with the permanent curb line installed and visible for much of the way down to South Street. New street lighting has likewise been installed. For those seeking access to the Arboretum via the sidewalk along what used to be the old eastbound off ramp, this path will remain available throughout construction. Progress in this area will run west-to-east with the permanent alignment at South Street achieved during summer 2017.
Along Washington Street west of the station, beginning in January, drivers will be shifted onto a new temporary alignment which pushes Washington Street to the west between Ukraine Way and South Street.
