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Random musings from a Midwesterner in Beantown.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

"Let them eat..." 

The Boston Globe reported today that three downtown Boston neighborhoods will get the supermarket they have wanted for years as the MBTA moves to develop one of the prime tracts opened up by the demolition of the Central Artery and the Green Line viaduct.

Monday, June 27, 2005

Luberoff on airport connections: BRT slower than heavy rail 

The Silver Line is more convenient, but slower, when it comes to airport connections. Apparently Luberoff is not entirely anti-rail.

SCP planning meeting this Wednesday 

[From a recent posting to the Friends of the Community Path newsgroup.]

Somerville's Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development will host a neighborhood meeting about the engineering study to extend the Somerville Community Path at Cedar Street to the Lechmere area of Cambridge, through central and eastern Somerville.

Initial study findings and three potential path routes will be discussed.

The engineering study team seeks feedback to identify one preferred route.


Engineering Study Meeting (re: Community Path)
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
6:30 AM - 8:30 PM
Brickbottom Artists Building (Gallery)
1 Joy Street, Somerville


Map

For additional information:
Stephen Winslow, Somerville Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator
625-6600 x 2519
swinslow@ci.somerville.ma.us

Also, you may know that we have some wonderful Community Path news!
During the Spring of 2005:


  • The City of Somerville reached an agreement (not yet signed) with the MBTA for the Cedar to Central section of the Community Path, affirming the project will not interfere with Green Line extension plans.

  • A donation of $5500 from the Friends of the Community Path to the City of Somerville (through our non-profit fiscal sponsor, Groundwork Somerville) was key in expediting this agreement. The Friends' donation enabled the City to pay Guilford Rail, covering the cost of Guilford's filing fees for abandonment of the rail bed on that section.

  • Congressman Michael Capuano announced the passage of a one-million dollar transportation bill in the U.S. House, to pay for construction for the Cedar to Central section of the Path. While this bill has passed in the House, it awaits action in the Senate.

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Salvucci: Better late than never 

Last night's transportation meeting highlights--besides the eight-year-old girl's testomony that evoked a generous round of applause--were former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation Fred Salvucci's comments. Salvucci, never a fan of the artery and pretty much the man behind the Big Dig, was present and shared his opinions with the group on the recent efforts to put the Green Line Extension, Arborway Restoration and Red-Blue connectors back on the books.

Better Late Than Never
Salvucci admitted to the crowd that their numbers were way off back in 1990 when many of the committments were made, and that they didn't have enough transit on the table. He admonished organizers to not pit program against program for funding. All of the programs on the table are worthy, and the state should honor the original deal and consider all of the other programs in toto.

He was never a fan of the Arborway restoration, but he agreed to it at the time because of both pressure and earnest efforts in support of the project. Regardless of how he felt and feels, Salvucci said, "It's not fair to pit the Arborway against 1,000 suburban parking spaces."

He was also a fan of the Red-Blue line connector, which did not make the cut, much to the disappointment of many Beacon Hill and Lynn residents.

He also encouraged planners to move project plans forward even in the absence of obvious funding sources to avoid delays and government funding cycles.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Somerville Senior Living Community receives grant 

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston awarded the Visiting Nurses Association and Wainwright Bank & Trust Company a $598,861 grant and a $750,000 advance subsidy to fund a senior living complex in Somerville.

New construction on the site of a formerly abandoned school will create 95 units of service-enriched rental housing for the elderly. Of the 95 units in the new Somerville Senior Living Community, 72 units will serve seniors under 60 percent of area median income and 23 units will be without income restrictions above 80 percent of area median income.

All units will be one-bedroom and handicapped accessible. Common facilities will include kitchen, dining room, country store, beauty salon, library, community room, wellness center, regional workforce development and training center, recreational areas, and spaces for attendant health care and housekeeping staff. The VNA will work closely with the Housing Authority to develop activities for residents.

Wainwright Bank & Trust Company is providing a construction advance of $8.7 million and a $750,000 permanent advance, and AHP funds will be used for acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, and other soft costs.

Congressman Michael Capuano added, "This funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston and Wainwright Bank will help the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) complete work on its Senior Living Community in Somerville. This is a worthwhile project, not just because it will increase the city's affordable housing stock, but because it will offer important services for elderly residents, including handicapped accessibility in all units, a wellness center, a library, a workforce development center, and space for attendant health care. Affordable housing for seniors is becoming increasingly scarce in Somerville, and the VNA project will allow more longtime residents to remain in the city."

The funding is part of large award to several projects in Massachusetts. In all, 12 initiatives in New England received more than $14.5 million in grants, loans, and rate subsidies as part of the Bank's Affordable Housing Program (AHP) to create or preserve 361 rental and ownership units for very low-, low-, and moderate-income individuals and families.

For more information, visit http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050621/netu031.html?.v=15.

Daylighting rivers 

An interesting article in the Boston Globe on "daylighting rivers" and the NorthPoint development.

Friday, June 17, 2005

Crucial Boston MPO "transit commitments" meeting 6PM Wednesday 

From: "Wig Zamore"
Subject: Crucial Boston MPO "Transit Commitments" Meeting 6PM Wednesday

Dear STEP Participants,

At 6 PM next Wednesday, June 22nd, the Boston MPO will hold a single Public Input Meeting on the Ozone SIP "transit commitments" - in Conference Room 1, 2nd floor, 10 Park Plaza, Boston.

This meeting is crucial for the Somerville Green Line extensions because Federal regulations direct responsibility to the Boston MPO to submit all regionally significant transportation projects within plans that certify air quality conformance.

Massachusetts' state agencies have recommended a momentous $559 million investment in Green Line extensions through Somerville to Medford and Union Square. As Secretary Doug Foy of the Office of Commonwealth Development mentioned at the announcement, this will take Somerville from being one of the worst served cities in Massachusetts to possibly the best served by transit. There will be a large handful of new stations, for about the cost of the single North Station Green and Orange Line rehabilitation, or the cost of a single commuter rail extension. This is probably the single most significant investment ever made in Somerville's health, quality of life and economic vitality. It is most important to those without cars. We have now completed the riskiest stage of the process - getting the state's executive agency commitments - but we have some crucial remaining work.

We have arrived at this point as a result of four factors:

  1. The sheer quantity of our participation - we have been a Somerville Stampede.
  2. The unanimity of our message - from elected officials, interest groups and citizens.
  3. Transportation air quality and public health impacts that governments must now face head-on.
  4. Our willingness to seriously promote new transit oriented development in Somerville.


There are four important steps remaining before the Green Line extensions will really be on track:

  1. The Boston MPO is required to certify regional transportation plans and air quality conformance.
  2. Mass EOT must formally recommend, and Mass DEP and US EPA must approve a new Ozone SIP.
  3. Project funding must be made available by the Massachusetts Legislature through bond bills.
  4. We must move ahead quickly with high quality land use and station planning in Somerville.


The most important part of the first of these steps happens next week at the Boston MPO Public Input Meeting.

Somerville advocates must attend this meeting and remain on message. By now you all understand the main points - transportation benefits and burdens, our deserving population, air quality and public health, the need for better service, opportunities for both economic revitalization and diverse new housing. As we continue in the public policy discussion, we must express our thanks for the attention and progress to date. We can also state our dedication to making sure that future stations, and pedestrian connections, serve both our existing neighborhoods and future citizens and land uses - just as well as is possible. We need to continue to respect the similar aspirations of other neighborhoods and refrain, as we have all along, from any tendencies to criticize other deserving transit projects.

Congratulations to every single one of you who has helped us get this far and welcome to each of you who will join in on the remaining tasks. Breadth of participation is important. It is time to take our next step forward.

Regards, Wig Zamore

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

More rail->soon to be trail photos 

Some more rail->soon to be trail images from Vanshnookenraggen.com, these focusing on the Watertown Branch Line.

P.S.: The maps I did for his original tour are now online! I realize now that I missed the new Union Square Green Line spur on one of the maps, but you get the idea (I might send a fixed image).

P.P.S.: When I have some time, I may try to make some maps for this second tour--it's not Somerville-focused, so I'm not quite as motivated, but this line is the focus of another rail-to-trail project, and I'm a big fan of those!

Transparency in zoning 

Fort Point-area activists say Boston is holding private talks with developers, breaking vows on consistency and transparency in zoning.

Monday, June 13, 2005

STEP fundraiser to be held this Tuesday 

Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2005 21:56:46 -0400
From: Karen Molloy
Subject: [pathfriends-active] STEP fundraiser to be held this Tuesday

Please join us at the first fundraiser for the Somerville
Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP) on Tuesday, June 14th from
6:30 to 9:30 PM at The Independent at 75 Union Square.

It is time to celebrate our Green Line progress!

The state's decision to extend the Green Line through Somerville will
be the biggest investment in our city in years. If you have supported
the Green Line coming to Somerville you probably already know that
STEP has had a major role in persuading the state to keep its
commitment to us.


*****
There will be live music by the American roots band "Los Diablos" and
there will be plenty of good conversation and refreshments to go
around including celebrating the Green Line coming to Somerville
(including Union Square).

The fundraiser will help STEP to continue its work to ensure that the
money for the Green Line is appropriated so that design and
construction can begin. Much work remains to be done before we can
board a trolley in Somerville.

The suggested donation is $25 per person. You can contribute by
sending a check to STEP at 19 Alston St, Somerville, MA 02143, through
PayPal by going to the STEP website www.SomervilleSTEP.org or you can
pay at the door.


---------------------
Karen Molloy

STEP
http://www.somervillestep.org

Friday, June 03, 2005

Green Line noise woes or more attempts at "Trollocaust" 

As the Green Line extension through Somerville begins the planning phase, residents all along the line are complaining about the noise its creating. Is this a real problem, or another attempt by pro-pollution, anti-urban development Luberoffites (or is it Althshulerites) to discredit our aging but still highly-used mass transit system?

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Boston Police training will incorporate bike law instruction 

"BOSTON - The Municipal Police Training Committee has officially voted to incorporate training on bicycle laws into their 'In-Service Legal Update' program for Fiscal Year 2006, which provides professional development training for veteran officers. The Municipal Police Training Committee has
also pledged to incorporate this training for new recruits in the near future."

*Real* Silver Line airport service begins 

"T officials expect to attract more riders with the new Logan connection, which is scheduled to depart South Station every 10 minutes on weekdays until 8 p.m. and every 15 minutes after 8 p.m. and on weekends."

First Mate 

firstmate
Is this a surprise to anyone?

Transcript of last week's public transit forum 

David Luberoff had another venue for his anti-transit stance at last week's CommonWealth Forum.

FYI, Ellin Reisner, one of the participants from STEP, had this comment on the write-up:

In looking it over it is definitely a summary and I think that some of the points I tried to make about Somerville were not fully and accurately conveyed. Just one example was my comment about kids playing in Foss Park and the Mystic Housing Development next to I93 and routes 28 and 38 was truncated so that it did not convey that Somerville children are playing within 500 feet of major highways. My point was that the California Air Resource Board discourages housing, schools and recreational areas located this close to highways due to the negative impact of fine particulates within this range, yet this is the case for Somerville children living and playing in Foss Park and the Mystic Housing Development.

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

SHS Students: Free UMass transportation education program 


From: SomervilleYouthWorkers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 10:16 AM
Subject: [SomervilleYouthWorkers] Free summer program for High School Students

Here is a chance for a bright high school students to participate in a month long,
FREE study program hosted by the University of Massachusetts in Boston. Students will continue to live with their families but the program runs from 9-5 every day, and involves many road trips to airports, harbors, and other exciting travel facilities such as highway management offices.

Lunch and a snack are provided to every student M-F.

Students must be able to get to UMASS Boston campus every day but the means of transportation will be paid by UMASS - more details about this later in the email. (Obviously there will be some geographic limits given that UMASS is paying for the student's transportation.)

This month long course is free of charge to all qualified applicants and includes a lunch meal and snack. No student will have to pay for travel to UMASS. (The students who can travel on public transportation will get a T pass for the month. Students who are disabled will receive travel vouchers to cover their transportation. No one will have to pay for traveling to the University.)

Please get this to families with children you think might benefit.

*********************************
ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Free Summer Transportation Institute
University of Massachusetts Boston
July 1- July 29, 2005

This great summer program is funded by U.S. Department of Transportation and run by the University of Massachusetts.

The Summer Transportation Institute (STI) is a four-week non-residential program (Monday to Friday) that runs 9-5 every day, that introduces promising high school students to the idea of a transportation-related career. This program is open to students who are going into 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. Women, minorities, and students with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply, as are students who may be homeless, at risk of homelessness, or in shelter or transitional programs.


**********************
REASON FOR PROGRAM:

The Department of Transportations wants to expose high school students to all these fields of work. Participants will be exposed to the following modes of transportation:

  • Planes and airports.
  • Trucks and busses, railways, busses, and highways systems.
  • Water travel.


Participants will learn about air/land/water modes and safety issues via hands-on projects, field trips to research facilities, and interactive seminars. Academic enhancement activities are integrated into the program that develops skills such as leadership, problem solving, oral and written communication, project management, and use of computers. A Certificate of Completion will be awarded upon successful
completion of the program.

The Institute is free of charge to all qualified students.


**********************
APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS


  • Be going into 10th, 11th or 12th grader at the end of the 2004-2005 academic school year.
  • Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
  • Have successfully completed at least one course of high school algebra
  • Have a strong interest in math, science or computer technology
  • Be committed to complete a four-week non-residential (you will live with your family but go to classes or road trips every day) program on the Campus of the
    University of Massachusetts Boston



**********************
HOW TO APPLY

Type the answers to the questions below then print out this email and submit it to the University of Massachusetts address shown below. Be sure to include the following supporting documents:

    current official school transcript
  • two letters of recommendation from teachers who are familiar with your character, academic abilities, and accomplishments.
  • a typed, double-spaced 250-word essay entitled, "How the Summer Transportation Institute Can Assist Me in Reaching My Career Goals." Double spaced means the text should look like this:


Every line of text should have

an extra row of white space between so that

it is easy for evaluators to write comments

in the white space between the sentences.


YOU WILL NEED TO PRINT OUT THIS EMAIL AFTER FILLING IT OUT. IT requires a student's signature, an parent or guardian's signature, and an essay in addition to completing this email.


*********************
WHAT IS THE DEADLINE?

THE APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS BEEN pushed back to early June, 2005.

For more information: http://www.sti.umb.edu


**********************
STUDENT INFORMATION

Last Name:

First Name:

M.I.:

Date of Birth:

Age:

Home Address

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Email Address:

Social Security Number:



Name of High School:
Address:
City/State:
Zip Code:

Name of Guidance Counselor:
Telephone Number of Guidance Counselor:
E-Mail address of Guidance Counselor:

Gender: Male Female

Current Classification: Freshman Sophomore Junior

What grade are you in during the 2004-2005 School
Year? 10th 11th 12th

Awards/Achievements/Organizations (Attach additional sheet if
necessary)

Required Essay: A typed, double-spaced 250-word essay
entitled, "How the Summer Transportation Institute Can Assist Me
in Reaching My Career Goals."


**********************
STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES

English Date: Score:

Math Date: Score:

Science Date: Score:

Highest Math Completed:

Grade Received:

Overall GPA:

I heard about the STI Program through:

Internet News Media School Parent STI
Other


**********************
PARENTAL/GUARDIAN INFORMATION

Last Name of Mother, Father or Legal Guardian:


First:

Middle Initial:

Home Address (if different from above):


City/State:

Zip Code:


Telephone Number:

Occupation:

Employer:


E-Mail Address:

Work Telephone Number:




Parent/Guardian's Signature
Date signed:


Applicant's (the student's) Signature
Date signed:




**********************
ACCOMMODATIONS DESIRED

Applications from students with disabilities are highly encouraged. Please describe any accommodations you may need:

Additional Information: Enclose two letters of recommendation, and official academic transcript. Incomplete applications will not be processed.

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS EARLY JUNE, 2005

Submit to:

Dr. Tomas Materdey
Summer Transportation Institute
University of Massachusetts Boston-Engineering Program Boston,
MA 02125-3393


For more information or assistance with this form, contact:
Ms. Valerie Claire Haven
Phone: 617-287-4382
Fax: 617-287-7727
E-Mail: valerie.haven@umb.edu

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