Casey Overpass

[pixelsand8]

Construction from last week strengthening the spans, guess the overpass is good for another few days or so...

 

[pixelsand8]

And some views to take in before they are gone;

 

[Scalziand]

If I didn't know better (and I don't at the moment) I'd say that they weren't strengthening the deck so much as stripping off a layer of pavement to make the deck light enough to be safe.

 

[palindrome]

haha its comical how bad shape this thing is in.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

It's unbelievable! Even in Somalia or Blownthefuckupastan they'd just tear this thing down. It's even been reduced to one lane in each direction through the addition of guardrails to constrain traffic flow. And that's been how long now? Seriously. This will probably just stay up, no replacement or tearing down, until a bridge deck collapses and kills someone. Actually, it might even have to happen twice before they take it down.

 

[davem]

Blownthefuckupastan

I almost just died laughing from this.

 

[Randomgear]

MassDOT is finishing up the new design for the at-grade replacement. They are still trying to resolve their differences with Mass Historic about Shea Circle. They are also redesigning the upper busway at Forest Hills Station. According to the JP Gazette, they are over budget and since ABP funds have already been allocated, they are making it (the upper busway - never fully designed) smaller and looking for more money from other sources. Construction is still slated to begin spring 2014.
http://jamaicaplaingazette.com/2013/10/11/casey-arborway-changes-funding-busway-parking/

 

[George_Apley]

or Blownthefuckupastan

Presumably, Blowthefuckupistan would have a very simple solution to a blighted overpass.

 

[whighlander]

MassDOT is ... redesigning the upper busway at Forest Hills Station. According to the JP Gazette, they are over budget and since ABP funds have already been allocated, they are making it (the upper busway - never fully designed) smaller and looking for more money from other sources.

Why can't these Mass DOT folks ever do a good design which can be built on-time or even early and under budget

I doubt that original T's ancestry which was all privately financed would ever have been built if every project was late and over budget

 

[George_Apley]

Why can't these Mass DOT folks ever do a good design which can be built on-time or even early and under budget

I doubt that original T's ancestry which was all privately financed would ever have been built if every project was late and over budget

Science Park did I think.

 

[Matthew]

http://jamaicaplaingazette.com/2013/10/25/connolly-walsh-talk-casey-jpnc-issues/

An ever-flowing source of controversy in JP is the decaying Casey Overpass and the decision to replace it with an at-grade surface street network. The Casey Overpass carries Route 203/Arborway over Washington and New Washington Streets.

In an Oct. 18 interview at the Gazette office, Connolly said that he does “not think the state is serious about a bridge option” and said he wants to make sure that the community’s voice is put first. But he voiced general support for the existing plan.

“I think Representative Walsh has sounded out clearly for a bridge,” said Connolly. “I like the at-grade solution overall. I think we have to make the at-grade work.”

But Walsh did not specify his preference during an Oct. 20 phone interview, saying instead that “it doesn’t matter what I favor.” He said he is a “process type of person” and that the state transportation department, which is overseeing the project, has ensured him that it has been “a very strong and long process.”

Walsh said he understands there are “very strong passions on both sides of the aisle.” He also said he would “not be afraid to get involved” as mayor if the process was not thorough, as critics—including Walsh supporter state Rep. Liz Malia—have complained.

A spokesperson later clarified that Walsh does not want to stop the project or restart its process, but that “community questions need to be answers” on such issues as funding.

 

[George_Apley]

JPGazette needs better editors.

 

[Randomgear]

Why can't these Mass DOT folks ever do a good design which can be built on-time or even early and under budget

Whigh,

As far as the length of time it has taken to design the replacement, I think that the main fault, was the public process. When the project began, late winter 2011, Rep Liz Malia was very annoyed that it didn't allow for everyone in JP to have their say about the replacement design. For better, or for worse, MassDOT decided to open the process to the community and essentially doubled the size of the Working Advisory Group (WAG) to 30some people. After the At-Grade design was chosen by the design team, Rep Malia challenged the process, the traffic studies, and the At-Grade plan. After a delay of about four months, Gov. Patrick and Sec Davey finally confirmed the design teams choice. Up until Rep Malia beat up MassDOT over the public process, the construction was scheduled to be complete by 2016. The public process (and Malia's hold up) has caused it to drift to late 2016.

After the choice was made, the WAG transitioned to a smaller Design Advisory Group that has had about 10 meetings, with one still to be scheduled before the project goes to bid.

All told, there has been about 30 meetings, WAG, DAG, and Public ,including the MEPA hearing.

As far as the budget goes, up until this month MassDOT has said that the estimates have held steady since the At-Grade design was selected - $54 million if I recall the figure correctly. I'll wait and see what MassDOT says at the next DAG meeting.

 

[rinserepeat]

A spokesperson later clarified that Walsh does not want to stop the project or restart its process

Thank goodness.

 

[Randomgear]

Clay Harper has graciously annotated and posted the final plans as presented at the final Design Advisory Group meeting on Tuesday evening.
http://arborwaymatters.blogspot.com/2013/11/casey-arborway-annotated.html
http://arborwaymatters.blogspot.com/2013/11/casey-arborway-annotated-western-end.html
http://arborwaymatters.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-casey-arborway-annotated-eastern-end.html

One fantastic thing for cyclists that he missed noting is that both the South St/Washington and the Washington St/Hyde Park Ave intersections with the Casey Arborway will have both pedestrian crosswalk and cyclist crossing lights at those crossings.

Other big improvements are the bike accommodations on Washington St/South St from Ukraine Way to the Arborway. Southbound, on the west side of the street, a one-way cycle track runs from the Arborway south past South St and Asticou Rd before transitioning to an on-street buffered bike lane where the buses exit the new upper busway. The buffered bike lane continues past the bus entrance to the upper busway and becomes a standard bike lane before meeting up with the existing bike lane at Ukraine Way.

Ukraine way will also get bike lanes in each direction; similar to the BU Bridge treatment, I'm told.

Northbound from Ukraine way, on the east side of the street, a bike lane continues past Ukraine way for less than 50 yards before turning off the road onto a one-way cycle track that continues to the exit from the new upper busway. From there it joins the two-way cycle track the heads up to the intersection of South St and the Casey Arborway.

School buses will use the lower parking lot for both pick-up and drop off, this gets the buses off the street, shortens the distance they have to walk, and makes it easier for the transit police to keep an eye on them.

There will be a space for private shuttle vans on the Casey Arborway for pick-up/drop-off. This was done for Shattuck Hospital but with any luck the partners shuttle bus will be using it too.

The Massachusetts Historical Commission is reviewing new more comprehensive information from MassDOT about turning Shea Circle into Shea Square.

 

[The EGE]

Where will the 39 loop?

 

[Randomgear]

The 39 will use the expanded upper busway on South St/Washington St.

I was told that the new upper busway design was requested by the MBTA and that they have a similar layout in Revere. The new upper busway has slightly more boarding capacity than the existing upper busway plus the existing 39 and that space for layovers has greatly increased.

 

[Randomgear]

MassDOTs Schedule:

• 
  Advertisement for bids: Jan 25, 2014

• 
  MassDOT expects to issue a notice to proceed in May

• 
  1st Public meeting with contractor summer of 2014 – people pushing for meeting with the contractor every two weeks until the contractor gains community trust, and then at longer intervals.

• 
  Bridge closes to traffic in the fall of 2014

• 
  Substantial completion expected in July or August of 2016

• 
  Fully complete by Sept 30, 2016 at 5pm.

 

[clayville]

Thanks for the shout-out to my annotation on the 'final design' drawings above.

As of this writing, the MHC consulation process continues. On 1/31 MassDOT showed five alternate plans for the Shea Circle rotary at a heareing in response to MHC's finding of "adverse effect" for DOT's plan to turn Shea into a signalized intersection - with extensive explanation about about why each was deficient in meeting their safety and multi-modal access goals.

One member of the opposition community at the meeting lobbed a charge that DOT was ignoring the 2007 DCR Historic Parkways Preservation and Treatment Guidelines (quoting Section 3.4.3) in their desire to destroy the rotary (conveniently leaving off the portion about the 'safety exception').

Another (the aforementioned Mr. Ferris), handed out selections from Oregon DOT's 2011 "Modern Roundabouts: A Safer Choice", and MHC asked MassDOT to respond to him in writing by yesterday 3/5/14. Last word I have is that they intended to do so, but I'm not sure whether they did.

What all this ultimately means to MHC's consultation remains to be seen, but the January advertising date for the project has clearly passed. The design is, I believe ready to go with the exception of the Shea Circle issue. Accelerated Bridge funding expires 9/30/16, but DOT has assured the DAG that the project is "fully funded' regardless of the funding source.

As an abutting neighbor to the Casey Arborway Project and an amateur observer who has attended many of the meetings and become fairly well-versed in the local history and the evolution of these issues, I have a keen interest in All Things Casey and quite enjoyed the discussion above. What I've learned of the history of southern JP and Forest Hills as a mere 15-year resident of the area is availabe here:
http://arborwaymatters.blogspot.com/2013/10/a-history-of-casey-overpass.html

The visuals-only version is here:
http://arborwaymatters.blogspot.com/2013/09/under-overpass.html

Both were researched to try and help me understand why others felt differently about the project than I do, but ended up making me a more firm "At-Grade" supporter. I wrote them up as fairly and accurately as I knew how mostly for my neighbors, to help them wade through some of the local controversy and counter-factual charges.

--Clay

 

[Matthew]

Clay, your posts on the 500 Monkeys blog were wonderful.

If anyone hasn't seen the article, enjoy!