On Brookline

By Arshag A. Mazmanian

The most challenging segment of Phase 2 of the Urban Ring runs from MIT in Cambridge across the Charles River under the BU Bridge via Commonwealth Avenue (Boston) and/or Mountfort Street (Brookline) to the Fenway and Longwood Medical Area (LMA) to the Ruggles Orange Line (Boston/Roxbury). The major stakeholders along this segment are institutions: MIT, Boston University, and the Fenway/LMA’s extensive medical, academic and cultural facilities. Casting a large shadow over this segment and these institutions is Harvard, not only with respect to its prominent interests in the LMA but more so because of its soon to be developed humongous Allston campus where Boston recently approved a $1 billion lab complex development.

The crossing of the Charles River by means of the Grand Junction Rail Line (GJRL) under the BU Bridge must address potentially conflicting interests of BU and Harvard. BU has long-range plans for expanding its Charles River Campus (divided at the BU Bridge), including on air rights over the MA Turnpike Extension on parcels in both Brookline and Boston. Harvard’s connection of its Allston campus via Commonwealth Avenue to the GJRL would impact traffic in the area of the BU Bridge. Harvard is focusing upon CSX rail lines in the Allston rail yards with connections to the GJRL to access Harvard’s interests in the LMA and to cross the Charles River to obtain the benefits of Phase 2.

Harvard doesn’t have definitive plans, nor does BU, but the Executive Office of Transportation does. But there is yet to be agreement between Harvard, BU and EOT. Harvard and BU have met but have many differences. Even if they could resolve their differences and get EOT to go along, how might that impact Brookline residents and commuters in the area of Commonwealth Avenue and the BU Bridge? Who is looking out for our interests?

That the Fenway/LMA is densely developed is no secret. Its medical and academic communities all have expansion plans. Traffic gets worse and worse, with pedestrians having difficulties crossing busy streets. Will Phase 2 of the Urban Ring solve the Fenway/LMA’s traffic and transportations issues?

I attended an EOT meeting on Thursday morning, October 4th, at MASCO’s offices on Longwood Avenue addressing these and other Phase 2 issues for the Fenway/LMA. All of the major stakeholder institutions were represented, except for BU (which apparently doesn’t have sufficient interests in the Fenway/LMA). These traffic and transportation issues were recognized as serious. The segment of Phase 2 that includes the Fenway/LMA provides much of the growth in development, jobs and the economy that would be needed to provide the ridership required for the Urban Ring concept to succeed.

The EOT’s Ned Codd stated that in the EOT process of arriving at its LPA (Local Preferred Alternative) for this major segment of the Phase 2 a question to be answered is “Is this Bus Rapid Transit?”

There was a presentation focusing on the Fenway/LMA: EOT’s Hybrid 1 with its surface routes similar to current transit routes; Hybrid 2, also all surface routes, providing some limited dedicated busways and/or bus lanes; and Hybrid 2T with extensive tunneling throughout the Fenway/LMA.

In its environmental studies, EOT will be looking at anticipated traffic levels in the year 2030. What seems clear is that with such traffic increases Phase 2 would not necessarily provide better transit time than at present on the surface routes for Hybrids 1 and 2, with EOT pointing out that without Phase 2 traffic would be much worse than at present. Assuming that transit travel times just easterly and westerly of the central Fenway/LMA may be speeded up, trip frequency (and reliability) may be negatively impacted with conditions on the surface routes resulting in the bunching of these 60-foot articulating Bus Rapid Transit vehicles in the Fenway/LMA.

I asked if the answer to Ned Codd’s question were “No” for this major segment of Phase 2, would this undermine the underlying foundation for Phase 2’s Bus Rapid Transit system? The response was not very reassuring. (It is recognized that much of the Phase 2 route in other segments of the Urban Ring could provide dedicated busways and/or bus lanes for a Bus Rapid Transit system.)

Hybrid 2T with its extensive tunnels in the Fenway/LMA might resolve the transit travel time through the central Fenway/LMA. The presentation of Hybrid 2T by EOT’s consultant was a surprise, to me at least. At earlier EOT and Citizens Advisory Committee meetings the tunneling was described as deep bore. But now there are several alternating deep bore and “cut and cover” tunnel construction. Deep bore should not unduly interfere with the important business of the Fenway/LMA. But the alternating “cut and cover” would create significant traffic, transportation and operational problems, especially for the medical community upon which the region relies.

I sensed institutional unhappiness, particularly with Harvard’s Allston campus and LMA connections. The academic institutions in the Fenway/LMA cannot be pleased. One stakeholder representative said “We need help now.” Another suggested that perhaps the EOT’s push to get to an LPA may be too rushed. There will be many more meetings with the Fenway/LMA before reaching a consensus for its unique problems with Phase 2.

I questioned any assumption that the Charles River crossing by means of the GJRL has been resolved for Phase 2. My primary purpose for attending the meeting was to make sure it was understood that problems with the Charles River crossing would become a part of the Fenway/LMA’s problems with Phase 2. Consider the disruptions for over a year (and continuing) on Commonwealth Avenue between the BU Bridge and Kenmore Square, this year on Beacon Street, those to come with Route 9 work as it approaches Brookline Village. These disruptions also impact the Fenway/LMA

The major institutions are well represented to protect their interests. Who protects the interests of impacted residents and commuters in the neighborhoods through which Phase 2 would pass? And who will pay for Phase 2? Federal funding is quite limited. Will the tax exempt institutions pay a fair share for the many benefits that will be provided them by Phase 2? Perhaps it is time for residents’ and commuters’ Phase 2 route rage.

This could be expressed at the CAC meeting scheduled for Monday, October 15th, 4:00 – 6:00 PM at the Transportation Building, second floor. The public is invited.