Green Line Extension to Medford & Union Sq

RandomWalk said:
Annoying that the state won’t allow them to raise the bike path crosswalk. The one on Central St was also vetoed as interfering with the approach slab.
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What is an approach slab? I'm still a bit sore that it looks like no traffic calming will be present at the Central St. crossing (which is already a dangerous venture for all crosswalks at the bottom of the hill), and looking at these photos of Medford St, that one looks sketchy as hell too.

Do the structural needs of these bridges preclude future installation of Lowell St.-style speed humps?
 
An approach slab is a concrete slab underneath the pavement extending about 15 feet back from the bridge deck. It helps prevent settlement behind the abutment from exposing the joint and making it a hazard. Raised crossings involve curbing that extends down into the slab. Speed humps are permissible since they are just built-up asphalt.

Tangentially, Somerville is planning to install a bunch of humps this year. If you notice green markings on the street with an SH notation, that will have one installed. Central is getting one right next to the bike path crossing.
 
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I know I need to just let this go…but this substation just drives me nuts. Blocking so many great views.

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Not all is lost though. With the Medford St bridge finally open you can see the other end of the community path and the other head house.
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bigpicture7 said:
This is what murals are for. Shame on them/us if one doesn't land on there eventually!
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they surveyed the folks in the neighborhood in, like, 2019 (i think) asking us what type of art we'd like to see on the substation exterior walls. i never saw anything about what option/type got the most votes, nor do i have any clue if that type of community feedback would truly drive the actual, final design. anyway, they at least *were* planning a mural of some type a few years ago.
 
stick n move said:
Id love to see a dummy building facade built around it like they do with ventilation buildings. Theres only a couple in Boston, but theyre one of those cool easter eggs hiding in plain sight if done right.
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One of the most incredible (or ridiculous, depending on your perspective) in Boston, IMO, is this one:
https://goo.gl/maps/ppiXhKxXr1HTF5pXA

Built into the end of a brownstone. This is on the Southwest Corridor park, not far outside of Copley Sq.
 
stick n move said:
Id love to see a dummy building facade built around it like they do with ventilation buildings. Theres only a couple in Boston, but theyre one of those cool easter eggs hiding in plain sight if done right.
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Could be cool to rebuild an enlarged version of the Homan building entry facade (what was previously in this site). Some unique detailing and the lion head ornament could be tastefully reimagined.

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Dr. Rosen Rosen said:
I know I need to just let this go…but this substation just drives me nuts. Blocking so many great views.

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Not all is lost though. With the Medford St bridge finally open you can see the other end of the community path and the other head house.
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The new stairs remind me of the old ones that once lead to this old El station, Rowes Warf. Hah!!
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the lion head is coming to the station, or nearby. they even made a plaster cast of it before they demo'd the north side of the building in case they weren't able to preserve the original/actual thing from the homan building.
 
I always thought the rest of the Homans doorway (the pyramids and pendants) were the more distinctive part worth preservation/echoing. Versus the lion’s head which seemed like something you could buy at any garden center.
 
Arlington said:
I always thought the rest of the Homans doorway (the pyramids and pendants) were the more distinctive part worth preservation/echoing. Versus the lion’s head which seemed like something you could buy at any garden center.
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if they saved all that it would make an interesting gateway.
 
Speaking of station art, I just noticed that the archway piece that's meant to mark the entrance to the Union station is laying in pieces between the bridge and the little building. Anybody know whats going on with that?
 
Ruairi said:
I'm confused, did they update this on Tuesday to say that testing started on May 14th?
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I haven’t seen any trains running on the line, and they have been fouling the tracks at multiple stations with ladders for various construction tasks.
 
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