Michigander in Mass

I now know more about the Mystic River than I ever thought I'd care to know, and I'm realizing how important it is in terms of development, transportation, power and ecology.

Transportation-wise, the area accomodates tens of thousands of automobiles every day, mostly via I-93, but also via several other major transportation arteries, including Rtes. 28 and 99 and others.

Several Commuter Rail lines and the Orange Line also go through the area.

Development-wise, the importance (and potential impact, positive and negative) of the Assembly Square project cannot be understated.

In terms of power, the LNG terminal, as well as the old Edison plant, also dot the Mystic's landscape.

And ecologically, the river plays a very important role in the lifecycle of several marine species. The Mystic River has long been a dumping ground for industry, leading to at least one Superfund site and several enforcement actions over the years.

A recent discussion thread on the MysticCrossing e-mail list got me to thinking about this topic, and how all of these intersect. There are several important projects underway in the area, including:

• The Mystic Crossing - The Amelia Earhart Dam spans the Mystic, providing flood control for the area upriver--it also could provide a pedestrian/bike connection from Everett to Somerville
  
• Somerville Community Path - Connecting the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway to Boston and the North Shore's Path-to-the-Sea
  
• The Boston Harborwalk - Right now the Charlestown section of the Harborwalk ends at the Navy Yard, but that may change someday...
  
• Assembly Square - Redevelopment has begun on the mall, which sits solidly on the banks of the Mystic, and more is hopefully to follow including a new MBTA bus yard path and T stop
  
• Wellington/Rte. 28 Bridge Underpass - This would allow pedestrian access along the banks of the Mystic upriver of the Rte. 28 crossing to the Assembly Square area
  
• Rte. 99 Bridge Sidewalk - This would allow additional pedestrian access from Everett into Charlestown
  
• Mystic Landing, Telecom City/River's Edge and Station Landing paths - Connecting sections of the Mystic River
  
• Cambridge's North Point development - Connecting the Somerville Community Path to Cambridge and Boston
  
• Sullivan Square transportation improvements
  
• Broadway streetscape improvements and other Somerville projects - For obvious reasons
  

Of course, there are many other projects that tie into this area. The Green Line extension, for example, impacts the Somerville Community Path, and is thus also involved.

I'd like to see a unified vision for bringing these groups together!