General Infrastructure

[Java King]

I didnt know where to put this. Someone on reddit recreated the entire intercity passenger rail network of new england in 1920 in google maps. Its… insane.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1ekyt8Egjf4X9wewe5HcZZ6jWaeu9uLY&ll=42.2399990748702,-71.1432872387781&z=10

https://www.reddit.com/r/massachusetts/s/h2EGR3uApv

Wow, that is awesome...........and also SAD at the same time. I love how you can click on the stations for a photo and information. Thanks for posting.

 

[stick n move]

I knew it was “extensive” but it really is next level. I guess it makes sense because thats how people got around before the car, but its crazy seeing it all put together like that.

 

[Johnnyrocket891]

Massachusetts Infrastructure--

Is the Tobin Bridge Safe?

 

[Longfellow]

And imagine asking for even one of these intercity routes to be restored... they'd charge us 2 billion? 5 billion? The crying and gnashing of teeth from the consultants as they try to get their bite of the pie. The ten thousand page environmental studies that would be conducted. We can't do it anymore, we won't let ourselves.

 

[JeffDowntown]

Massachusetts Infrastructure--

Is the Tobin Bridge Safe?

From the Boston Globe a few days ago:

âNothing of the size of the ship that hit the bridge in Baltimoreâ: How the Tobin is different from the Francis Scott Key - The Boston Globe

A boat tour under the span that connects Charlestown and Chelsea suggests it isn’t too vulnerable to a big collision.

www.bostonglobe.com

Tobin is much much much less likely to get damaged in a ship strike than the Key Bridge in Baltimore.

Much less shipping traffic under it;
Much smaller ships under it;
Piers are outside the channel, in shallow water (ships run aground before hitting the piers);
Each pier supports a cantilevered bridge section independently (fundamentally different design than the Key Bridge) -- even in a catastrophic pier collapse the entire bridge would not come down.

 

[Teban54]

And imagine asking for even one of these intercity routes to be restored... they'd charge us 2 billion? 5 billion? The crying and gnashing of teeth from the consultants as they try to get their bite of the pie. The ten thousand page environmental studies that would be conducted. We can't do it anymore, we won't let ourselves.

To be fair, the standards for building new infrastructure now are much higher than they were 100 years ago. Consider our recent discussion here about Eastern Route through the wetlands: the general consensus was that if the railroad was built today, the whole ROW would have been a viaduct. But on a much higher level, I agree with you that the whole process today is often unnecessarily complicated in the majority of cases (with those like Eastern Route being exceptions).

 

[Charlie_mta]

To be fair, the standards for building new infrastructure now are much higher than they were 100 years ago. Consider our recent discussion here about Eastern Route through the wetlands: the general consensus was that if the railroad was built today, the whole ROW would have been a viaduct. But on a much higher level, I agree with you that the whole process today is often unnecessarily complicated in the majority of cases (with those like Eastern Route being exceptions).

Then, of course, today there are NIMBYs, worrying about the "crime train" coming to town if passenger rail or transit is built.

 

[Delvin4519]

From the Boston Globe a few days ago:

âNothing of the size of the ship that hit the bridge in Baltimoreâ: How the Tobin is different from the Francis Scott Key - The Boston Globe

A boat tour under the span that connects Charlestown and Chelsea suggests it isn’t too vulnerable to a big collision.

www.bostonglobe.com

Tobin is much much much less likely to get damaged in a ship strike than the Key Bridge in Baltimore.

Much less shipping traffic under it;
Much smaller ships under it;
Piers are outside the channel, in shallow water (ships run aground before hitting the piers);
Each pier supports a cantilevered bridge section independently (fundamentally different design than the Key Bridge) -- even in a catastrophic pier collapse the entire bridge would not come down.

For the areas surrounding the Tobin Bridge, devasating sea level and storm surge flooding, is probably the more pressing thing to be concerned about and planning for.

 

[Longfellow]

To be fair, the standards for building new infrastructure now are much higher than they were 100 years ago. Consider our recent discussion here about Eastern Route through the wetlands: the general consensus was that if the railroad was built today, the whole ROW would have been a viaduct. But on a much higher level, I agree with you that the whole process today is often unnecessarily complicated in the majority of cases (with those like Eastern Route being exceptions).

Generally yes this is true and I'm being purposefully glib. But I'm starting to favor a Miegs Field approach given how silly everything has gotten. I wonder what Mayor Wu's Miegs Field could be? Bowker overpass? For Mr. Eng he should direct his track workers to just lay some more track out on the E branch, direct the power department to put up some new wires. Etc.

 

[Justbuildit]

Generally yes this is true and I'm being purposefully glib. But I'm starting to favor a Miegs Field approach given how silly everything has gotten. I wonder what Mayor Wu's Miegs Field could be? Bowker overpass? For Mr. Eng he should direct his track workers to just lay some more track out on the E branch, direct the power department to put up some new wires. Etc.

Planting bollards at critical intersections to immediately and permanently pedestrianize relevant streets. Bolt some benches down on the pavement, too, for good measure. Annexing Cambridge, Somerville, and Brookline would also be nice but that might be a bit more consequential.

 

[Charlie_mta]

As they say, it's easier to be forgiven than to get permission.

 

[ritchiew]

I didnt know where to put this. Someone on reddit recreated the entire intercity passenger rail network of new england in 1920 in google maps. Its… insane.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1ekyt8Egjf4X9wewe5HcZZ6jWaeu9uLY&ll=42.2399990748702,-71.1432872387781&z=10

https://www.reddit.com/r/massachusetts/s/h2EGR3uApv

This is awesome! I was looking for exactly this kind of map recently.

Next step, I'd love to see someone build something that includes all the 1920's timetables, too. Have some website that lets you plan out routes and travel times on all those lines.

 

[TheRatmeister]

Generally yes this is true and I'm being purposefully glib. But I'm starting to favor a Miegs Field approach given how silly everything has gotten. I wonder what Mayor Wu's Miegs Field could be? Bowker overpass? For Mr. Eng he should direct his track workers to just lay some more track out on the E branch, direct the power department to put up some new wires. Etc.

All of Storrow. All of it.

 

[Longfellow]

All of Storrow. All of it.

"We have discovered that Storrow Drive is unsafe for travel and have closed it indefinitely to traffic except for emergency vehicles. We have no timeline to reopen the road."

 

[KCasiglio]

"We have discovered that Storrow Drive is unsafe for travel and have closed it indefinitely to traffic except for emergency vehicles. We have no timeline to reopen the road."

It’s funny, but you’re really hitting on something. I just wrapped up the selection process for the MPO’s next corridor study, and while assessing various corridors it’s amazing how much Rt. 16, Somerville through Revere, stands out as far and away the most dangerous strip in Eastern MA.

Yet, there isn’t the slightest chance of anyone closing the corridor temporarily while safety measures are implemented, or vast “slow zones” enforced in critical areas, nor is there anyone even calling for this. Meanwhile it’s by far a more dangerous corridor than any inch of the MBTA.

 

[Longfellow]

It’s funny, but you’re really hitting on something. I just wrapped up the selection process for the MPO’s next corridor study, and while assessing various corridors it’s amazing how much Rt. 16, Somerville through Revere, stands out as far and away the most dangerous strip in Eastern MA.

Yet, there isn’t the slightest chance of anyone closing the corridor temporarily while safety measures are implemented, or vast “slow zones” enforced in critical areas, nor is there anyone even calling for this. Yet it’s a far more dangerous corridor than any inch of the MBTA.

What's the point of having a socialist fiefdom if you can't even stop bourgeois drivers? (/s)

 

[kingofsheeba]

Good olde Alewife. Never change

 

[RandomWalk]

Has there been any detail offered on when they will implement repairs for the skylight and garage wall?

 

[fatnoah]

Then, of course, today there are NIMBYs, worrying about the "crime train" coming to town if passenger rail or transit is built.

As a former resident of Melrose, I can confirm that the 3(!!!!) commuter rail stops there have turned that town into a post-apocalyptic hellhole. I had to move to Winchester, which only has two stops, but I still keep the door locked and rarely leave my house due to the rampant train-related crime. The only positive is that the convenient connection to the city has really kept property values depressed in those towns, which made it more affordable to live there.

 

[TheRatmeister]

Has there been any detail offered on when they will implement repairs for the skylight and garage wall?

Given how terribly the park and rides are doing in terms of car-based ridership, I have to imagine repairs are on the back burner at the moment. Alewife isn't doing too bad on walk up ridership though, so I at least hope the roof does get fixed reasonably soon.