Encore Boston Harbor Casino | 1 Broadway | Everett

Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

tangent said:
Physically, construction wise... just bolt on some new walkways onto the dam over and past the locks and be done with it. Should be a low hanging fruit type of deal.
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Are there boats that traverse this section? I really don't know, but if so, any bridge would need to be high enough from the water to accommodate them.
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

This has been brought up before, but I haven't seen a thorough response:

Why can't a walkway on the Amelia Earhart Dam emulate the one on the Charles River dam? Is it just a question of access?
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

The walk on the Charles River Dam is twisty, narrow, exposed & scary. Walking a bike would be tricky and I can't imagine a wheelchair being practical. I crossed it once and see no reason to ever do it again, unless on some kind of scavenger hunt.

I'd suspect the ADA is the reason they can't/won't consider such a crossing of the Earhart dam.
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

DZH22 said:
Are there boats that traverse this section? I really don't know, but if so, any bridge would need to be high enough from the water to accommodate them.
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I am pretty sure that that stretch of the Mystic would require maintaining Corp of Engineers Navigable Waters standards, so yes a high bridge would be needed.

The Earhart Dam has a commercial vessel lock that is 325 x 45 ft. So the waters are designed to accommodate commercial traffic (even if there isn't any now).
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

It looks like the walkway on the Charles River dam is for operational use only. Either way, you still need to build a pedestrian bridge with stairs high enough to traverse the damn and waterway, so not to impact maritime traffic. Unfortunately, it is a lot more complicated than bolting on a walkway. Funny enough, it looks like there is one little dinky marina outside of Wellington that benefits from the dam.

I would use the current Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail Line bridge and attach a walkway to it somehow. Though any time you use an agency it drives up cost and schedule. In the near-term, ferries and buses to Assembly Square looks the most likely IMO. But agree that some sort of bridge connecting to the two developments is a great idea that hopefully happens someday.
 
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Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

Riverworks said:
It looks like the walkway on the Charles River dam is for operational use only. Either way, you still need to build a pedestrian bridge with stairs high enough to traverse the damn and waterway, so not to impact maritime traffic. Unfortunately, it is a lot more complicated than bolting on a walkway. Funny enough, it looks like there is one little dinky marina outside of Wellington that benefits from the dam.

I would use the current Orange Line bridge and attach a walkway to it somehow. Though any time you use an agency it drives up cost and schedule. In the near-term, ferries and buses to Assembly Square looks the most likely IMO. But agree that some sort of bridge connecting to the two developments is a great idea that hopefully happens someday.
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The rail bridge that goes over to Wynn's is a commuter rail line, not the Orange Line.
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

Isn't Curtatone still hostile to the idea of any connection between Assembly and the Casino?
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

JeffDowntown said:
I am pretty sure that that stretch of the Mystic would require maintaining Corp of Engineers Navigable Waters standards, so yes a high bridge would be needed.
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Low draw bridge just bridging the locks would work fine also. Probably less expensive than trying to span the entire width of the river and providing the ADA accessible ramp up to the necessary height. Otherwise you need an elevator. If we are talking about a series of three draw bridges, then they just need to span the width of the locks. 14' wide or so, nothing novel about the engineering required.
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

Riverworks said:
Ah, correction made. Thanks. I had Orange Line connection in my head for some reason.
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Before 1975 the Orange Line did go to Everett. Probably a different bridge but i'm pretty sure it was in a similar location.
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

There are three marinas and a public boat launch on the Mystic, which leads to lines on both sides of the locks all summer long. The dam is well patronized, trust me.
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

tysmith95 said:
Before 1975 the Orange Line did go to Everett. Probably a different bridge but i'm pretty sure it was in a similar location.
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The footings for the Orange Line bridge are still in place, and cross the river pretty close to Alford St. The pedestrian bridge would more likely be attached to the Commuter Rail bridge. In fact, I'm pretty sure that that is the current plan.
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

Riverworks said:
It looks like the walkway on the Charles River dam is for operational use only. Either way, you still need to build a pedestrian bridge with stairs high enough to traverse the damn and waterway, so not to impact maritime traffic.
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The walkway on the Charles River dam is open to the public; I've crossed it many times. Not the elevated one (which is for operational use only), the one that crosses the locks themselves. Put Google in map view and you can see the pedestrian way drawn across the dam.

Crossing the Mystic at the dam you'd need two spans of roughly 30 feet and one of roughly 50 feet. Crossing the river anywhere else you'd need a span of at least 600 feet.

I find it very hard to believe that a 600 foot fixed span would be cheaper than three drawbridges or swing spans of <50 feet. This implies that the problem with using the dam is access, not engineering.
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

JumboBuc said:
This implies that the problem with using the dam is access, not engineering.
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I have to believe this is the issue with crossing the dam.

You are on the wrong side of CR and T tracks at both ends of the dam. And you don't have easy access from the ends of the dam to either Wynn's property or Assembly Station.
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

JeffDowntown said:
I have to believe this is the issue with crossing the dam.

You are on the wrong side of CR and T tracks at both ends of the dam. And you don't have easy access from the ends of the dam to either Wynn's property or Assembly Station.
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In order to connect the "right" sides of the CR and T tracks at Assembly and the Casino the span would have to be >1,000 ft long. That's not going to happen. Any crossing of the Mystic will have to land in "Draw Seven Park" on the Somerville side. As far as Assembly Station, an entrance to the headhouse could be built on the eastern side of the tracks, crossing over the OL outbound and CR, but that would be necessary no matter what route a Mystic crossing takes.

Routing a pedestrian and bike connection through the Gateway Center in Everett, and linking in to that trail network, would be a good thing for connectivity. Retail employees at the Gateway stores could commute on the Orange Line. I'd actually prefer that to a bridge that went straight into the Wynn property. On Google you can see a path connecting Gateway and Wynn that passes under the CR bridge; this could be spruced up / enhanced / secured at minimal cost. An at-grade fixed span across the inlet that points towards Costco could shorten the distance from the dam to Wynn, also at minimal cost.
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

JumboBuc said:
The walkway on the Charles River dam is open to the public; I've crossed it many times. Not the elevated one (which is for operational use only), the one that crosses the locks themselves. Put Google in map view and you can see the pedestrian way drawn across the dam.

Crossing the Mystic at the dam you'd need two spans of roughly 30 feet and one of roughly 50 feet. Crossing the river anywhere else you'd need a span of at least 600 feet.

I find it very hard to believe that a 600 foot fixed span would be cheaper than three drawbridges or swing spans of <50 feet. This implies that the problem with using the dam is access, not engineering.
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Wow, I see it now ... What a strange little crossing. Pedestrians cross over the individual lock gates rather than the larger elevated bridge (which would make more sense lol).

Well, I find it hard to imagine dozens, if not hundreds, of pedestrians crossing to/from Wynn's property to/from Assembly Square via a similar connection. It is somewhat awkward and un-intuitive way to reach both sites.
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

You know what, screw it. Bring the Orange Line back to Everett (over the Mystic), build a new station next to Wynn's complex, and have it terminate at the newly relocated Chelsea Station, where it can link up with the Newburyport/Rockport Line and extended Silver Line. Brilliant. :)
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

Riverworks said:
You know what, screw it. Bring the Orange Line back to Everett (over the Mystic), build a new station next to Wynn's complex, and have it terminate at the newly relocated Chelsea Station, where it can link up with the Newburyport/Rockport Line and extended Silver Line. Brilliant. :)
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The Orange Line to Oak Grove is already overcrowded during rush hour. Cutting the frequencies in half will only make it worse.
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

JumboBuc said:
In order to connect the "right" sides of the CR and T tracks at Assembly and the Casino the span would have to be >1,000 ft long. That's not going to happen. Any crossing of the Mystic will have to land in "Draw Seven Park" on the Somerville side. As far as Assembly Station, an entrance to the headhouse could be built on the eastern side of the tracks, crossing over the OL outbound and CR, but that would be necessary no matter what route a Mystic crossing takes.

Routing a pedestrian and bike connection through the Gateway Center in Everett, and linking in to that trail network, would be a good thing for connectivity. Retail employees at the Gateway stores could commute on the Orange Line. I'd actually prefer that to a bridge that went straight into the Wynn property. On Google you can see a path connecting Gateway and Wynn that passes under the CR bridge; this could be spruced up / enhanced / secured at minimal cost. An at-grade fixed span across the inlet that points towards Costco could shorten the distance from the dam to Wynn, also at minimal cost.
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That all makes good sense from a general public benefit standpoint.

But I don't see it as the kind of "Wynn Gateway" that Wynn would be willing to pay for. Casino magnets deliver grand statements to enhance their property (ONLY), not public benefits. Take a look at Atlantic City for the evidence.

I still think this would be a great location for an Aerial Tram connection. (I know, wind, weather, but aerial trams operate across glaciers in the Alps, and over water all the time -- think Roosevelt Island, New York City.)
 
Re: Wynn Everett Casino | Everett

I don't know, this resort will be pretty high end, anyone going out to dinner or to a show probably will not take the T, people flying in will definitely not take the T with all that luggage, people from the metro area will most likely be driving in or coming in with charter buses. I would say that even those in Boston doing a day trip will either drive or Uber/taxi, this isn't like going to a Sox or Bruins game, or to a concert, for a lot of people it'll be a special day. Granted, many of the employees will be taking the T but I'll bet money that the Casino has shuttle busses from the T station. Maybe that's why any sort of connection to the T will be in the works for a while.
 
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