Cambridge Commuter Train Plans Railed

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Created on Tuesday, 21 June 2011 16:10

Written by James Robinson

When a wide cross-section of Cambridge gathered for a community meeting last week, many of them shared the same concerns: that MassDOT’s plans to run a commuter rail through parts of city could have negative effects on Cambridge.

The meeting was held at the Morse School Auditorium to update Cambridge residents on MassDOT’s ongoing feasibility study into the proposed Grand Junction Commuter Rail. State representatives, city councilors, local...

...environmentalists, MIT academics, armchair engineers and local residents voiced an array of worries about the project’s potential impact. They shared a spectrum of concerns covering everything from environmental impact, safety, noise pollution, and traffic impact, to a lack of other explored alternatives.

The proposed new rail service, made possible by recent state purchases of private freight rail infrastructure, would deviate some traffic on the Framingham-Worcester commuter rail line at the BU Bridge through Cambridge towards North Station.

“How does this benefit Cambridge? How does this differ to a highway?” resident Steven Nutter said to applause from the crowd of over 70.

Speaking in favor of the currently suspended proposal for an ‘Urban Ring’ transport loop through Cambridge, Nutter said that although that was a more expensive option, it offered “real benefits to local neighborhoods.”

Ned Codd, director of program development, and Matthew Ciborowski, program planner, were on hand from MassDOT to answer questions on the project. After a 40- minute presentation, which included analyst Scott Peterson, the two took questions from the crowd for over an hour and a half.

With the population rising in the Metrowest area, if the Framingham-Worcester line is left as is until 2035, there would be a 34 percent increase in traffic, and a demand for an extra nine trips a day, Peterson said.

Peterson projected that a line to North Station would keep cars off the road, and if a commuter rail station was also added in Cambridge, up to 24 minutes could be cut from commuting times.

“I’m not going to convince you of the benefits of this plan in 30 seconds,” MassDOT’s Ciborowski said. “But if we don’t improve the transport system, people are going to take to the roads.”

With the current fiscal constraints on Massachusetts, and the MBTA, the Grand Junction project was the best and most inexpensive option, Ciborowski said.

John Kyper from the Sierra Club commented on the state of the rail line and the maintenance needed since it was purchased from freight company CSX. Rosalie Anders, environmental planner for the city of Cambridge, expressed concern about MassDOT’s awareness of the level of disruption the project would bring to local communities.

One resident criticized planners for a “complete lack of vision and ambition.”

“I feel like you’re here to talk to us, and not with us. It feels like it is a fait accompli,” Cambridge City Councilor Leland Cheung said.

Analysis into the impact of the plan and consultation with local communities is continuing, and Ciborowski said that MassDOT would present the final results of the feasibility study in the fall. If the project was pursued, the next step would be a more detailed environmental impact analysis.

Source: http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x1425878592/Cambridge-commuter-train-plans-railed#axzz1T88uKGem

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