Community Begins To Share Vision for Sullivan Square

Charlestown residents were asked their thoughts on the development of parks and other open space in the area once Rutherford Avenue is reconstructed.

Though the completion of the Rutherford Avenue and Sullivan Square roadway project is possibly a decade away, the city is asking Charlestown residents to begin looking at what they want the land around the new corridor to look like. Ted Schwartzberg, a neighborhood planner with the Boston Redevelopment Authority, led a meeting at the Schrafft’s Center cafeteria Thursday night that kicked off the “Sullivan Square Disposition Study” process—an approximately eight-month review of what the community would like to see done with new parcels created by the roadway project as well as an overall vision of the finished corridor. The BRA in March awarded the disposition study to consultant team Crosby Schlessinger Smallridge, and the process will …

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Transportation Bill Earmarks Include Rutherford Redesign

The $1.5 billion bill helps build infrastructure that strengthens the state’s economy over the long term, governor says.

Gov. Deval Patrick called the $1.5 billion transportation bond bill he signed Thursday what the state needs to strengthen its economy and "quality of life for the long term.” “Our transportation infrastructure had suffered from years of neglect, so this administration started rebuilding roads, rails and bridges in every corner of our state and creating thousands of jobs," Patrick said after he enacted the bill, which enjoyed the strong support of the Legislature, passing the House by a vote of 150-2 on July 31, the last day of the session. The bond bill ensures funding for many projects already under way and allots money for the planning of future improvements across the state.  It also continues funding for the final year of 2008's five-…

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Your Take: Rutherford Ave Change to Reduce AM Drivers?

Give us your take in the comments.

Readers reacted strongly to our Tuesday story about potential consequences of the proposed Rutherford Avenue—with opinions ranging from optimism to resignation. The Boston Cyclists Union concluded that adding traffic lights near the intersection of Rutherford Avenue and Austin Street would significantly reduce morning traffic generated by suburban commuters who take Rutherford Avenue to avoid the $3 one-way toll on the Tobin Bridge. Reader (and frequent commenter) Garry Waldeck told us over twitter that he agreed with those conclusions, but the story kicked up more of a dialogue on our Facebook page. Reader Julia Gaynor thumb-nailed the annual cost of crossing the bridge in the morning at around $780 for a five-day work week commute. “My …

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Rutherford Redesign to Reduce AM Commuters?

The Boston Cyclists Union notes an interesting part of last week's presentation.

The redesign of Rutherford Avenue could keep more suburbanites from rolling down Rutherford Avenue in the mornings due to a “well known phenomenon among traffic engineers,” according to the Boston Cyclists Union. The union published their own take Friday on last week’s Rutherford Avenue redesign meeting, and noted the sharp difference between inbound and outbound traffic on Rutherford Avenue. “Michael Hall of the consulting firm Tetra Tech told an audience of over 100… [that] traffic counts also indicated that inbound traffic flow was three times as heavy as outbound traffic,” the union reported. “Hall explained that this was likely due to the one-way toll scheme on the nearby Tobin Bridge.” Hall told the crowd that many suburban commuters…

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Boston Globe: Charlestown Divided Over Rutherford Ave Project

The Boston Globe reports that the debate over Rutherford Avenue has been separated into "Townie" and "Toonie" camps.