This "project" will be a fiasco. It seems that, once again, the City is pushing through what it wants with the agreement of the CNC. It is this "business as usual" maneuver that gives way to skepticism, if not actual cynicism, among residents. I hope that this meeting is very well attended by those whose lives will be affected by this idiotic plan. We need the tunnel made safe one way or the other. The City's plan will not relieve congestion - it will increase it and the pollution that goes with it. Let us take a stand and not let City Hall and its allies run roughshod over us. Enough is enough.

Curious why Soverign Bank on Main Street can lease out parking spots for taxi cabs? At least three or four each day and night? These taxis come in from Allston Brighton. Drivers are from Allston Brighton and Somerville. Arent we impacted enough by vehicles coming and going without this? Who can I conatct at City Hall? Transportaion? Thanks Susan.

Can you please clarify why you believe the redesign will be a fiasco? The plans have been thoroughly supported by traffic data provided by a traffic engineering firm that has taken into account current traffic volumes and increase in volume projections based on the impact from Assembly Square and the new IKEA.

You mention that the tunnel needs to be "made safe one way or the other", which I definitely agree with. So what is the alternative you propose?

Current traffic speeds through the tunnel are too high and the Surface Option proposed will offer improved pedestrian access to parks, the T station and at the same time provide a traffic calming effect by decreasing vehicular speeds. I personally don't see how this could be called a "fiasco".

This is a much needed process as Charlestown is a community and family oriented place. Every weekday, I commute via the T with my 18 month old daughter and have done so since she was 3.5 months old. I feel like I am putting her life and mine in danger every time we walk through Sullivan Square due to rude, inconsiderate drivers and the poor design of the rotary. We often decide to go to Bunker Hill instead but that walk it much longer for us and with an infant/toddler that is often not an option. I could drive, but that would be much more expensive and increase traffic congestion and pollution. Wouldn't it be better to have a redesign to make it easier on everyone who would like to continue to take public transportation or walk?

Congressman Capuano Hosts Community Meeting on Rutherford Avenue Reconstruction

On Wednesday May 18th beginning at 6:00 PM, Congressman Mike Capuano will host a community meeting to discuss the proposed reconstruction of Rutherford Avenue. It will take place at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 75 West School Street in Charlestown.

“I am concerned about the traffic issues surrounding the elimination of the underpass, specifically that it will

What frustrates me is that there were many meetings at the Knights of Columbus/Schrafft Center and those who appear to be opposed apparently were not present. Sullivan Square, the gateway to Charlestown is a disgrace. With the temporary closing of the underpass and lane shutdown over the Alford Street Bridge, traffic is flowing and not backed up in the neighborhood. Just think when you have a full access boulevard on Rutherford Avenue, removing the most dangerous rotary and underpass in the state and most importantly being able to walk to and from Sullivan Square at pedestrian lights makes more sense than the eyesore that currently exists.

Just think that when we have a "full access boulevard" only to discover that it is not adequate for our needs. Some , who should, could not define correctly what a boulevard is, and had no specific plans for its maintenance - isn't that a warning light?

The only warning light I am concerned about are the traffic lights when I am trying to get across Sullivan Square from the T. I am not concerend after hearing the engineers discuss city plans at the meetings I attended. With the ongoing construction today, there is minimal impact in our neighborhood. I prefer to see Sullivan Square and Rutherford Ave improved than the current state it is in.

Interesting. We each want to see an more attractive entrance to Charlestown and are less than enamored with that rotary. However, if one does not pay serious attention to the plans, the potential for problems can multiply exponentially. The devil is in the details and we will have a hell of a time if the details are not right.

If traffic problems haven't multiplied exponentially with last years shutdown of the underpass, and most recently construction of the Alford Street Bridge, I think we are in pretty good damn shape! Historically there is always anxiety over any project that is presented to Charlestown when change is involved and your questions would have been answered at one of the many community meetings you failed to attend.

"Pretty good damn shape"? Interesting. If you did not pay attention to the engineering plans how do you know what I might have asked, or what might have been questionable? At any rate, Presidential candidate Capuano (kidding) will be on the scene on 18 May. Whether anything comes of it we will see.

The Congressman may have just realized that Charlestown is part of his district. He didn't attend any meetings over the past few years and I find it a coincidence that he now is very interested with the Sullivan Square redesign while testing the waters for a US Senate run. So what is his motive?

We all may have differnet opinions which I respect, but for everyone to now have an opinion when they had the opportunity to voice their concerns over the past few years is where my frustration lies.

Here is a link to the project page on the City's website. http://www.cityofboston.gov/transportation/rutherford/
There were 7 public meetings. I and many others attended the meetings, along with Bill Galvin. The project plans and traffic studies (which do factor in the IKEA store) were discussed ad nauseum. The meetings were well adverstised with flyers, postings on the city website, and posts in the Charlestown Bridge. These meetings had excelent attendance with both pro and anti voices for filling in the underpass. A consensus was reached that filling in the underpass was the better option. The underpass is noisy, dirty, dangerous, and ugly.
Traffic back up is not caused due to lack of travel lanes - the pinch points in the rotary with no traffic signals are the cause of back ups. The north bound tunnel has been closed for roughly a year. There have been no major traffic issues, except occasional back up because there is no traffic light to control the cars going into the rotary from the south. Once the new square and signals are installed, the back ups are alleviated. If you disagree with the traffic study, what is your basis - "I don't think it will work?"
I live on Essex Street and use both Rutherford and Main Street at all times. I also walk down the Avenue to access the T, and I have two small children. The proposed fill-in of the underpass will make Charlestown all the more beautiful. To be afraid of change is the type of backward thinking we don't need.

"We have nothing to fear but fear itself..." It is not change I fear. It is the quality of the project itself. It may be that everything will go swimmingly. It may be that the work gets done ahead of schedule. Could be, who knows? I want to know and that is why I shall be attending the meeting on 18 May.
As to my not being present at most of the previous meetings, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa, which is, as you know, Celtic for "my bad". Good night and good luck.

Please support the Surface Option Design by visiting the aforementioned links to understand the rationale and sign the petition:
http://bostoncyclistsunion.org/campaigns/petition-sullivan-square/

Despite the concerns with traffic backups with elimination of the underpass I still believe that this is the best option from a family friendliness and overall improvement in quality of life. I trust the expertise of the traffic engineers who have taken into account the current and projected traffic patterns (yes, including IKEA) -- they know that the current rotary is poorly designed and misunderstood by the majority of drivers that pass through.

The traffic signals proposed will alleviate the backups as from a design point of view, it is easier to understand the traditional grid pattern. There are too many times for me to count when I have gone through the rotary and the the walk cycle for pedestrians gets skipped, cars and trucks run through a yellow or even red light causing me to miss the opportunity to walk and drivers are talking on their cell phone while waiting for a gap to "gun-it" into the rotary and neglect to see that I have the right of way to cross. This is when I am either carrying my toddler or pushing a bright orange stroller. I wear a banana yellow jacket with reflectors. People don't really care because they are usually in a hurry to get from point A to point B. If they are willing to run over a woman with a baby then be careful!

Take care,
-jt

Is anyone aware of a letter that was sent by the city to anyone signing a petition against the surface proposal. Would you share content of the letter and the person or group sigining same? Many thanks.

The designs offered here were not fully vetted by the community nor was the community offered the proof these designs would even work. I did not see any of these plans published in the paper or the meetings (more than one) well publicized when people would be able to attend.

I was at the hearings back in '08 at that time the thoughts of keeping the rotary was strong as it was the best way to move the most traffic in rush hour. The problem was we don't have a real rotary! which causes most of the confusion.

The root issue is the fear of rotaries as they are seen as ineffective. The real problem is making them correctly and not trying to make them so large (too many lanes wide) given the radius and number of spokes. In our case Sullivan is four lanes in some locations way to wide to be safe given the radius of the space. In addition the S turn leading traffic out to Main & Bunker Hill streets is ripe for accidents.

To do it right I fear there might be the need for some land taking which I think is why the city is forcing this design on to us.

In any case the tunnel is still needed to lighten the load of the surface streets. And we still need create a parallel street on the other side of Bunker Hill Community Collage as was first proposed back in '08. So the traffic load on Rutherford Ave to City Square can be better managed.

I simply don't get this last minute attempt to go against the progress made with all the meetings over the past two years. To suggest there weren't meetings, or that such meetings weren't publicized is simply absurd.

http://www.rcic-charlestown.org/