HalcyonEra
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So here we go again with Nimby's freaking out about expanding mass transit:
http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/27...g-full-time-commuter-rail-service-to-gillette
Walpole residents vow to stop deal to bring full-time commuter rail service to Gillette
Posted: Dec 02, 2014 10:59 PM EST Updated: Dec 02, 2014 10:59 PM EST
WALPOLE, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Some Walpole residents cried of back door deals on Beacon Hill in a meeting on Tuesday night, promising to kill plans to bring full-time commuter rail service through to Gillette Stadium.
The MBTA's hope to build a commuter rail station at Gillette Stadium seemingly got derailed at the Walpole selectman's meeting.
It was standing room only, as Massachusetts Department of Transportation planning director David Mohler explained that talks with the Kraft family to bring daily commuter service through Walpole to Gillette began months ago.
"In probably about mid-January we sat down with the Kraft Group to discuss the potential of extending commuter rail service to Gillette Stadium," Mohler said.
The trouble is, town officials only found out about it a few weeks ago, after the MBTA committed to spending $23 million to buy an old freight line.
"This is sneaky, deceitful and wrong, and completely irresponsible!" selectwoman Nancy MacKenzie exclaimed during the meeting.
The proposed extension would carry passengers directly from Readville on the Franklin line to Gillette. It wouldn't stop in Walpole, but up to five commuter trains a day would pass through on the new line.
Many at the meeting did not believe the proposal would benefit Walpole.
In the end, Walpole's Beacon Hill delegation promised to stop these plans right in their tracks.
"We should have been notified at the very beginning, but we weren't," said State Rep. John Rogers. "And they knew we would fight tooth and nail to kill this project. And we will kill this project."
Tuesday night, Mass. DOT said it would take two more years before the Gillette rail stop could ever be opened. But after the community meeting, there is now doubt that might ever happen.
Sorry if this addressed elsewhere, but I couldn't find it. While I have a general disdain for Nimby's, I especially get pissed when they impact the greater good of the populous. It's not like these rail lines don't exist, they are there, and likely have been there long before anyone in the town was even born let alone living where they currently do. And presumably, the only people who would have standing are those who have the rail easement either on their property or in close proximity to it. Notwithstanding that, the price of their respective properties should have reflected these right of ways. To me it's like people who buy property near a highway and then demand noise barriers.
Are these people upset that there are no additional stops planned in Walpole, or is simply opposition of the resurrection of an old line? I think more frequent service to Gillette would be great, especially on game days. One train in and one train out does not cut it, imo. Is this simply another Higham-esque hissy fit? Or is this being driven by special interests (police details, people who allow their land become a parking lot when there are events, etc)? And the fact that you have an elected official threatening to kill it because "it doesn't benefit Walpole" is ludicrous. Reducing traffic through the town benefits the town much more than 5 train trips per day, imo.
Anyone know the back story on this?
http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/27...g-full-time-commuter-rail-service-to-gillette
Walpole residents vow to stop deal to bring full-time commuter rail service to Gillette
Posted: Dec 02, 2014 10:59 PM EST Updated: Dec 02, 2014 10:59 PM EST
WALPOLE, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Some Walpole residents cried of back door deals on Beacon Hill in a meeting on Tuesday night, promising to kill plans to bring full-time commuter rail service through to Gillette Stadium.
The MBTA's hope to build a commuter rail station at Gillette Stadium seemingly got derailed at the Walpole selectman's meeting.
It was standing room only, as Massachusetts Department of Transportation planning director David Mohler explained that talks with the Kraft family to bring daily commuter service through Walpole to Gillette began months ago.
"In probably about mid-January we sat down with the Kraft Group to discuss the potential of extending commuter rail service to Gillette Stadium," Mohler said.
The trouble is, town officials only found out about it a few weeks ago, after the MBTA committed to spending $23 million to buy an old freight line.
"This is sneaky, deceitful and wrong, and completely irresponsible!" selectwoman Nancy MacKenzie exclaimed during the meeting.
The proposed extension would carry passengers directly from Readville on the Franklin line to Gillette. It wouldn't stop in Walpole, but up to five commuter trains a day would pass through on the new line.
Many at the meeting did not believe the proposal would benefit Walpole.
In the end, Walpole's Beacon Hill delegation promised to stop these plans right in their tracks.
"We should have been notified at the very beginning, but we weren't," said State Rep. John Rogers. "And they knew we would fight tooth and nail to kill this project. And we will kill this project."
Tuesday night, Mass. DOT said it would take two more years before the Gillette rail stop could ever be opened. But after the community meeting, there is now doubt that might ever happen.
Sorry if this addressed elsewhere, but I couldn't find it. While I have a general disdain for Nimby's, I especially get pissed when they impact the greater good of the populous. It's not like these rail lines don't exist, they are there, and likely have been there long before anyone in the town was even born let alone living where they currently do. And presumably, the only people who would have standing are those who have the rail easement either on their property or in close proximity to it. Notwithstanding that, the price of their respective properties should have reflected these right of ways. To me it's like people who buy property near a highway and then demand noise barriers.
Are these people upset that there are no additional stops planned in Walpole, or is simply opposition of the resurrection of an old line? I think more frequent service to Gillette would be great, especially on game days. One train in and one train out does not cut it, imo. Is this simply another Higham-esque hissy fit? Or is this being driven by special interests (police details, people who allow their land become a parking lot when there are events, etc)? And the fact that you have an elected official threatening to kill it because "it doesn't benefit Walpole" is ludicrous. Reducing traffic through the town benefits the town much more than 5 train trips per day, imo.
Anyone know the back story on this?
