These are my
informal notes. Formal minutes were also taken
by Rep. Wolf's staff and will be distributed at
a future date.
John Howard
October 5, 2006
_________________________________________
Present: State Representative Alice Wolf, Deputy
City Manager Rich Rossi, Sue Clippinger (Traffic
and Parking Department), Sam Corda (Water Department),
Charles Sullivan (Historical Commission), Owen
O'Riordan (City Engineer), Susanne Rasmussen (Environmental
and Transportation Planning), Richard Desantis
(MHD), Brian Zilinsky (MHD), Ernie Monroe (MHD),
Joseph Cormier (S.E.A Consultants, designer),
Robert Collari (J.F.White), City Councillors Craig
Kelley, Michael Sullivan, Anthony Galluccio, Margorie
Decker, Mayor Ken Reeves, many neighbors.
Updates and Responses to concerns previously
raised:
* A redesign at this point would require starting
entirely over, with a possible loss of federal
funding. The present poor condition of the bridge
might require it to be closed at any time, resulting
in many years with no bridge. Thus delay is not
an option.
* The Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD)
has agreed to change bridge aesthetics, replacing
the chain-link "missile barrier" with
a more attractive fence. A conceptual rendering
was distributed.
* There will be no divider on the bridge due
to safety concerns.
* Cambridge Department of Public Works (DPW)
will set up a web page at http://www.cambridgema.gov/TheWorks/contents/constInfo.html
containing updates and current information.
* The city has worked with J.F.White (the construction
company) in past projects, and Mr. Rossi believes
they will handle noise, trash, etc well.
* J.F.White has agreed to do a pre-inspection
of immediate abutters' property in order to establish
a baseline in case of any damage claims. The definition
of immediate abutter is flexible. Concerned
individuals were invited to contact J.F.White
at the end of the meeting, or at a possible meeting
next Wednesday.
* The city will work with the neighborhood on
how well the traffic detours are working. The
traffic department will monitor signals, especially
at Upland and Mass Ave. Mr. Rossi proposed establishing
a small committee and performing a review after
several weeks.
* MHD and the city have agreed to change lane
striping on the bridge itself. They will narrow
vehicle lanes from 11 to 10 feet, which should
reduce speeds and provide 3 to 4 foot shoulders
for bicycles.
* The city plans to engage the community over
traffic calming on Walden St, from Concord Avenue
to Massachusetts Avenue. The extension to Huron
Avenue is separate, as it may depend on sewer
separation. Already-planned traffic calming measures
on Upland Road are due for bids this December
with construction next spring.
* The truck ban on Walden St will continue. This
was confirmed by both Alice Wolf and the MHD representatives.
During the meeting it came up that long ago there
was a truck ban on Upland Rd, which is apparently
the alternative route for trucks that might otherwise
use Walden were it not for the condition of the
bridge. (The City of Cambridge decides on truck
bans, but is required to identify an alternate
route for any ban.)
* Noise will be monitored by the state, the city,
and J.F.White.
* There is no 1% for public art on this project.
* The location of the construction office is
still undecided. It won't be at the end of Creighton
St as previously mooted. Rental space, possibly
on Mass Ave or Meade St, seems more likely.
* In response to comments that a 2-year closure
seemed excessively long, it was pointed out that
the schedule includes substantial delays for NSTAR
to move electric lines three times and that they
have to keep the commuter trains running but to
avoid working at night unless absolutely required.
MHD and the contractor feel that there is actually
15-18 months of work; the rest is contingency.
Concerns still unresolved
* There was general concern about traffic detours,
particularly on Upland Rd., and some dissatisfaction
with the city's "wait and see" approach.
The city proposes setting up a small citizens'
committee to deal with this and possibly other
concerns.
* Traffic calming on Walden St was a second major
concern. The city proposes initiating a community
process to obtain appropriate traffic calming
measures, preferably to be constructed while Walden
St is still closed for the bridge. MHD and J.F.White
agreed to coordinate with this.
* Some participants still felt that the project
has been ramrodded through with very short notice
and poor communication, and that one design meeting
five years ago was insufficient. It was agreed
to hold an immediate meeting with the immediate
abutters, and to schedule a follow-up meeting
for abutters next Wednesday.
* Communication is to be addressed by using the
Cambridge DPW web site. A request was placed to
have one individual (or at least a common email
address) to insure that all messages and concerns
get followed up. Mayor Reeves suggested establishing
a single committee charged to address any and
all concerns.
Other issues raised during the meeting
* Concern were raised about economic impact,
especially to the convenience store at Richdale
Ave and Walden St, but also to other businesses
all along Walden St and even on Massachusetts
Avenue. Mr. Rossi said that the city's business
outreach department would contact the business
owners and offer what help they could, such as
sign-age. Access to the convenience store will
be maintained, and a request was made to provide
parking to replace the lost space in front of
the store.
* Since one of the detours involves a left turn
onto Sherman St, it was suggested that temporarily
removing some parking on Walden might help traffic
flow at that corner.
* Concerns were expressed and acknowledged about
preserving trees. The contractor agreed to do
their best.
* As the meeting was beginning to break up, Councillor
Kelley suggested reviewing the need for the left
turn out of the shopping center in view of traffic
problems at the Porter Square intersection.
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