MBTA Construction Projects

Re: T construction news

Since I haven't seen any updates about this project...Monday 8/1 the MBTA and contractors started the next phase of demolition and construction as part of the federally, state, and privately funded Waterfront Square developement.

The 1995 entrance and ADA compliant ramp are being demolished to allow the final sections of the parking garage/busway/bus terminal being built adjacent to the station to be put in place. A temporary wooden stairway and ramp are being used to allow access to the station, with half of the train platform being walled off to funnel passengers to the faregates...unfortunately they are simple blueboard walls with large gaps at the top so anyone daring enough could hop over them or bash through to get a free ride.
 
Re: T construction news

I'm confused as to what your talking about? I've not heard of Waterfront Square?
 
Re: T construction news

BostonUrbEx said:
I'm confused as to what your talking about? I've not heard of Waterfront Square?
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It's a $500 million developement going up at Wonderland Station on the T and DCR owned parking lots around the station. It's supposed to include residential, commercial, and public space as well as a new pedestrian bridge and grand entrance on the North Shore Road side of the station.

http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/t_projects/default.asp?id=1074

They are seven months into the project and they are a couple of weeks behind schedule and have already gone overbudget and have to "cut back" some of the designs such as shaving off the size of the parking garage and losing the grand North Shore Road entrance which is to replace the one that is being demolished at this current time.
 
Re: T construction news

Some shots of the construction as of 8/8/11

Old entrance with stairs demolished...
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The aforementioned new garage going up...
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What's left of the old disability ramp and the top of the new elevator shaft that replaced it...
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Re: T construction news

I still dont understand this garage.

Unlike Alewife, Wonderland is sort of a "dead end".

Itll never be full.
 
Re: T construction news

jass said:
I still dont understand this garage.

Unlike Alewife, Wonderland is sort of a "dead end".

Itll never be full.
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The lots are already full every day, they wouldn't build it unless the need to replace and increase the number of spaces was there.
 
Re: T construction news

My beef with the garage is that Wonderland should be moved to Revere Street (no matter which routing to Lynn is chosen). But seeing as projects move in centuries on the T, I suppose it will be crumbling by then.
 
Re: T construction news

BostonUrbEx said:
My beef with the garage is that Wonderland should be moved to Revere Street (no matter which routing to Lynn is chosen). But seeing as projects move in centuries on the T, I suppose it will be crumbling by then.
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DCR owns the land and uses it for storage as well as the fire department using it for training. Unless as part of the extention project you are calling for a brand new Revere Street station to replace Wonderland(which I can agree on) it is a terrible location for a garage since it's just over a third of a mile from the station. It just isn't worth it to put it there.


You will love this one: the mayor had the state put in bridges across the marshy area north of the end of the tracks as a way of killing any future extention...the claim is for "neighborhood access" which works for two bridges, but the third is really a way of ensuring that the T would be in a huge legal battle with the developers and the DCR over a possible extention. He was, after all, a huge opponent of any extention and touted a commuter rail station at Wonderland.
 
Re: T construction news

Yes, what I mean is Wonderland as we know it should be closed and moved up so it is abutting Revere Street. From what I can tell, the best is that it should be abutting the south side of Revere St. If a garage is necessary (which I'm kind of doubting, if we are talking in terms of full extension) then perhaps it could be plopped on that park between Ocean Ave and RB Blvd, which from what I've ever seen, is rarely used. Busway could go between the station and Ocean Ave. Connect Bay, Beachland, Calumet, and Agawam with a pedestrian way (a street might just encourage car traffic to avoid the traffic light) to allow more fluid pedestrian access for the neighborhood.
 
Re: T construction news

EdFindlay said:
You will love this one: the mayor had the state put in bridges across the marshy area north of the end of the tracks as a way of killing any future extention...the claim is for "neighborhood access" which works for two bridges, but the third is really a way of ensuring that the T would be in a huge legal battle with the developers and the DCR over a possible extention. He was, after all, a huge opponent of any extention and touted a commuter rail station at Wonderland.
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Is this mayor for real? And is that what the bridge from Agawam St and Sears St are for? I don't see a third.

I surely hope that some little ped bridges recently built don't trump over something the North Shore as a whole needs.
 
Re: T construction news

BostonUrbEx said:
Is this mayor for real? And is that what the bridge from Agawam St and Sears St are for? I don't see a third.

I surely hope that some little ped bridges recently built don't trump over something the North Shore as a whole needs.
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Yes, he was against the project and favored the commuter rail station.

I believe there is to be one off of Agawam, one off of Calumet, and one off of Beachland...Calumet is the big one, that is the dagger bridge as it is just beyond the end of the line and building it would be the slap in the face of the potential project.

Agawam's bridge is the only one built as of now(I believe), the one(s) that are there now I believe aren't authorized and probably put there by homeowners looking for a quicker walk to the station as I doubt the T or DCR would have built it/them.

And that kind of pettiness is the kind that I would expect from this project, it's the worst kind of NIMBYism that makes those of us with a real beef fall by the wayside in frustration and anger at them.
 
Re: T construction news

BostonUrbEx said:
Yes, what I mean is Wonderland as we know it should be closed and moved up so it is abutting Revere Street. From what I can tell, the best is that it should be abutting the south side of Revere St. If a garage is necessary (which I'm kind of doubting, if we are talking in terms of full extension) then perhaps it could be plopped on that park between Ocean Ave and RB Blvd, which from what I've ever seen, is rarely used. Busway could go between the station and Ocean Ave. Connect Bay, Beachland, Calumet, and Agawam with a pedestrian way (a street might just encourage car traffic to avoid the traffic light) to allow more fluid pedestrian access for the neighborhood.
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Bay, Beachland, Calumet, Agawam are already connected by North Shore Road and Revere Street and do not need any pedestrian way to connect to the station. A headhouse on bothsides of the Revere Street would be all they need.

I believe state law actually bans any further developement on that land you are talking about between Ocean Ave. and RB Blvd. It isn't needed anyway, there is a disused little league field right next to the right of way and the Revere Street overpass that would be perfect for the garage.
 
Re: T construction news

All of the above will be reevaluated if the Cassino Bill results in a major rssort hotel/cassino at Wonderland -- just be forwarned -- huge private sector money is involved
 
Re: T construction news

whighlander said:
All of the above will be reevaluated if the Cassino Bill results in a major rssort hotel/cassino at Wonderland -- just be forwarned -- huge private sector money is involved
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The resort is not going to Wonderland, it's going to Suffolk Downs. Wonderland gets the slot parlor.
 
Re: T construction news

Beton Brut said:
Not if I can help it, Ed.
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You can live in your own dream world if you want, but Suffolk gets the casino resort and Wonderland gets the slots and there has been little if any talk nor allusion to it being any other way especially with Suffolk Downs being entirely within the speaker's district.
 
Re: T construction news

I don't have much time to dream, Ed. I'm usually working. I'm a home owner and a taxpayer and I live close enough to Suffolk Downs to hear the track's PA system. It's a shit site for this purpose (how many resorts back up to an oil tank farm?) and the road infrastructure was obsolete when tricky Dick was in office. I'd rather see them build a fucking nuclear power plant at Suffolk Downs.

I take it you're a proponent?
 
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Re: T construction news

I'm not an insider privy to the internal mechinations invo;ved with the still to be drafed final bill -- however, I've heard that there will be aspects related to boosting the purses of the tracks -- this would seem to benefit suffflok

meanwhile Wonderland has stoped racing when we banned dogs in some inconceived ballot intitiative -- so my guess is Wonderland gets the cassino with a BIG Slots parlor for Sufflolk

By the way -- wonderland is much better situated with respect to the beach and such than the swampy suffolk which does back up on the petro tanks
 
Re: T construction news

Beton Brut said:
I don't have much time to dream, Ed. I'm usually working. I'm a home owner and a taxpayer and I live close enough to Suffolk Downs to hear the track's PA system. It's a shit site for this purpose (how many resorts back up to an oil tank farm?) and the road infrastructure was obsolete when tricky Dick was in office. I'd rather see them build a fucking nuclear power plant at Suffolk Downs.
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Like I said, you can live in a fantasy but nothing is going to get between DeLeo and his baby...ever since he got into power he has had nothing but this casino in his sights even if it eventually puts him in the slammer like his predecessors.

I take it you're a proponent?
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No, I'm grounded in reality. It was going to happen no matter what I thought, I am not going to live in denial that my vote or my voice of opposition was going to change it.
 
Re: T construction news

whighlander said:
I'm not an insider privy to the internal mechinations invo;ved with the still to be drafed final bill -- however, I've heard that there will be aspects related to boosting the purses of the tracks -- this would seem to benefit suffflok

meanwhile Wonderland has stoped racing when we banned dogs in some inconceived ballot intitiative -- so my guess is Wonderland gets the cassino with a BIG Slots parlor for Sufflolk

By the way -- wonderland is much better situated with respect to the beach and such than the swampy suffolk which does back up on the petro tanks
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Suffolk gets the resort casino, they already have the plans made for what it will look like. Wonderland is in the running for the slot parlor, it and Taunton/Raynham are both on the inside track to get the liscense for the slot parlor. It has always been a forgone conclusion that Suffolk gets one of the resorts, no matter the location or area scenery claims.

Really, you think people go to a casino taking note of the scenery? No. They go to gamble, stay, and see a show. The scenery claims is a red herring, Wonderland is in the middle of nowhere as well and both have just as good transit connections making that claim moot as well.
 
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