Longfellow Bridge update

JeffDowntown said:
The capital budgeting process for infrastructure expenditures won't let you take the worst case scenario for a project like this. The budgeting process is all about spreading a fixed sum of monies around to as many pork (and real) projects as possible. Therefore each project needs to be under-scoped to make the money appear to go as far as possible.

Then, when the budget is proven to be seriously underestimated (with work well underway) you can cry poverty and request the extra funds, time, etc., because it has to be completed... The system simply does not reward you for being honest about this up front. We (the people) never want to hear that information. (You can't be serious, how many years?, how many millions? -- no way!...)
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Ya, I was thinking about that even as I was typing it up. It would be political suicide to do it the way I described. It's just...depressing.
 
JeffDowntown said:
The capital budgeting process for infrastructure expenditures won't let you take the worst case scenario for a project like this. The budgeting process is all about spreading a fixed sum of monies around to as many pork (and real) projects as possible. Therefore each project needs to be under-scoped to make the money appear to go as far as possible.

Then, when the budget is proven to be seriously underestimated (with work well underway) you can cry poverty and request the extra funds, time, etc., because it has to be completed... The system simply does not reward you for being honest about this up front. We (the people) never want to hear that information. (You can't be serious, how many years?, how many millions? -- no way!...)
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One would think that having news stories of project after project always end up finishing late and over-budget hurts things too. I must wonder the long-term toll in keeping to a policy we reduce one outrage of an initially high estimate for the outrage where every project finishes late and overbudget.
 
ant8904 said:
One would think that having news stories of project after project always end up finishing late and over-budget hurts things too. I must wonder the long-term toll in keeping to a policy we reduce one outrage of an initially high estimate for the outrage where every project finishes late and overbudget.
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They probably figure they're safe against the worst of the criticism as long as the MTA and Port Authority are always worse.

And, unfortunately, they always are.
 
Better to ask forgiveness than permission, etc..
 
statler said:
Better to ask forgiveness than permission, etc..
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This is not just a public sector capital budgeting issue, this is a generalized human nature capital budgeting issue.

That saying is almost a mantra in Corporate America.
 
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I'm fairly certain they've begun reassembling the upstream towers/"salt and pepper shakers". It'll be good to have them back.
 
Does anyone know when they will start on the new pedestrian bridge to the Esplanade?
 
Another construction update email went out, they're starting work on the new red line track next week. We're seeing the consequences of delays already: the plan was to shift all bike travel to the newly rehabbed upstream side of the bridge but because that isn't ready they're eliminating one of the bike lanes. Cyclists will still be able to ride inbound to Boston, but will need to take another bridge outbound to Camberville (or walk their bikes across on the sidewalk). Nightly closures to inbound cars are coming as well. Maybe some red line shuttling too?

Link to the configuration until February:http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/Portals/26/docs/Longfellow/ShooflyGraphic.pdf

Here's the configuration after February, with the upstream bridge side open to cyclists and MBTA shuttle buses: http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/Portals/26/docs/Longfellow/Stage3LaneWidths.pdf
 
"Bidirectional MBTA bus lane"?? How do the plan to make that work? Close to everyone at night except red line shuttle buses?
 
Well, this doesn't make any sense. The PDF in your link clearly shows that cyclists will have to walk their bikes going outbound.

Yet, MassDOT tweeted me back multiple times when I asked about it, telling me:

"@JohnAKeith From the Longfellow website: Bike and pedestrian access will be maintained at all times. https://www.massdot.state.ma.us/charlesriverbridges/LongfellowBridge.aspx"

"Bike access maintained according to project website. Further questions please contact project contacts available on web, thanks"

I don't think the Twitter person knows about it, even though I linked to the PDF ... from the MassDOT website.
 
I'm assuming that by "bike access will be maintained at all times" they mean "yeah brah, just walk it across", including when the bridge is shut down to cars.

As for that bidirectional bus lane, I'm guessing bus supervisors with walkie talkies acting like signals?
 
I want to see the day when MassDOT says "car access will be maintained" and "walk your cars on the sidewalk." Clearly, bikes are at the bottom of the totem pole.
 
New temporary RL track was being placed tonight.
 
Does anyone know how the contractor plans to rehabilitate the Red Line reservation on span 1? The platforms of Charles/MGH extend across almost the entire span.
 
More Longfellow Bridge weekend closures in the new year

Add one more New Year’s resolution to your list: Find an alternate route when the Longfellow Bridge closes on January weekends.

The state transportation department started upgrading the century-old bridge in 2013. Anyone who regularly uses — or used — the iconic salt-and-pepper shaker bridge over the Charles River knows all too well about headaches stemming from the closures.

Now, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority want people to be aware of a raft of new closures and Red Line interruptions every weekend this month.

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Based on my past few trips over the bridge, it looks like the concrete for the new inbound trackbed is substantially complete, and per railroad.net it is currently being painted yellow. I would guess that this is some kind of sealing coat before they dump ballast.
 
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