But I would also like to consider a proposal 'B' based on the issue of getting from the far flung areas to the transit line of your destination (i.e. Orange, Green, Red, or Commuter / North Station). In this case getting from West Campus MIT or Cambrdigeport or University Park to Orange line or North Station involves a long walk a Red line to DTX and a transfer. Or getting from East Camrbidge, Cambridgeside, Twin Cities, Brickbottom to Red or even Orange requires a Green trip to Park or a long walk to Orange and DTX.
Ok. So here's what I wanted to show.
An extended use of the Grand Junction would allow a Orange and Green connection through East Cambridge and Kendall Sq and then to BU or Coolidge or lower Allston or Longwood.
Starting from the North. Green is the main route. Thick purple is a viaduct and thick blue is an underpass (or potential underpass). The other lines are branching routes described further below.
The main difference to the proposed Urban Ring is to connect to Washington St and Sullivan instead of New Lechmere. And to use more of the railroad ROW. And to heavily limit turns, intersections and mixed running.
A close up of the Brickbottom section is here.
The main trunk would go from Sullivan Square (orange) to Washington St (green) to Kendall Sq (red) to BU (green B) to Coolidge (green C) or Longwood.
A viaduct at Sullivan Station leaves west over the Orange and CR lines and under I-93. It curves and drops down to grade to go below Washington St. basically next to the CR tracks. (I am not sure of the status of the scruffy farthest tracks to the west, I am assuming this ROW is available).
It follows the tracks along New Washington St. It drops below grade before meeting the south side of the new GLX station. After which it goes under the tracks and turns south on Joy St. I am not sure of the GLX viaduct here. It could use that right of way under it, but I think they have a center pylon. Or it could take all the property between Joy St and the GLX. Or it could take over Joy St either in total or mixed traffic with severe limitations on the traffic.
It turns and goes down Poplar St. There is tons of width here for good running with dedicated lanes. It then crosses a newly designed grounded McGrath to Medford St, but in its own dedicated lanes. (you could underpass McGrath, but hopefully with a new design it will be clean.
Then East of Medford St two full lanes are reserved.
This is where there is an easement and an outright property taking. Then a right turn is completed and you cross Medford St with complete signal priority.
Then a straight shot down Grand Junction. Full signal priority at Binney. But more even handed at Cambridge, Broadway, Main and Mass. I am going to say it's possible to underpass at Landmark Theatres to Binney, Broad, Main and Mass. But I know F-line disagrees. I do not wish to rehash this argument, just to say it may be possible or at least studied.
I would also say there should be a definite connection to Kendall. Whether its a covered walk, an underground passage, a western exit at Kendall. Whatever. Again, this argument has been had before.
Where to end this alternate line? Cheapest - Cambridgeport, next BU, next Coolidge Corner, next Longwood centre, next Longwood (green), next Ruggles.
I have started to show some alternatives to the DEIR tunnel. But I do not really have answers, just some thought provoking.
First idea, GJ to BU. Connect to Green line. Expedite Green B line from Kenmore to here. Rebuild
this building on the SW corner. Underpass of Pike and tracks, or at Comm Ave grade with separate road crossing. Create easy transfer to Green.
Second idea - serious alternative to proposed Urban Ring.
Tunnel under Pike and tracks and onto Armory St (magenta). Possibly take on of the buildings on the south side to create a new station. Run buses in mixed or as pseudo dedicated on Armory until Beacon. There are only two street crossings and they can be made complete priority to bus. Do a deal with Armory St residents, in exchange for buses limit car traffic to only private resident uses. Maybe an electronic control. Agree to somewhat restrictive speed limits or similar. At the moment there is tons of traffic trying to take a cutoff from Brookline to the BU bridge that speeds through here. Bottom line do I think the residents or Brookline will ever agree to this? Probably not, it's just a suggestion in the CTP thread. Ok so after Armory you take a right (new intersection required) on Beacon and end at Coolidge Corner. Maybe use the C-line tracks as well, but probably not. This could create a great relief valve for commuters from Brookline to Kendall Sq, and maybe even 66 from Coolidge to Harvard, if the red line transfer can be made easily. There is only the Beacon St turn and no other road crossings until Mcgrath (if GJ underpass is used).
I have also started to lay out a path to Longwood (red). Obviously this would be continued to Ruggles etc. Similar or different to the presently proposed Urban Ring. For now, I leave this as incomplete.
I now turn back to other alternates on the northern half. The light blue, brown and grey show viable but more mixed traffic running routes to North Station (and maybe Community), New Lechmere, and Assembly Station. It tries to cover some broader swaths of East Cambridge, but also brings you across the Charles to the southern terminus (wherever that is). The thin black line is an alternate path along the railways through Brickbottom.
