Bids were opened yesterday (October 14) for the bikepath that will run from Brighton Street in Belmont through Alewife station to Somerville.
The bids came in below engineering estimates which means that the project will continue to move forward. There is a process of bid validation which needs to happen, but the project seems to be moving forward well. Construction may start this winter, perhaps at the bridge crossing the little stream segment from the CSO outlet near the station. The contractor will have discretion as to how much work to attempt during the winter.
Update: Construction is expected to start in March 2010.
I was just over there, and there’s nothing going on. Is there an update?
thanks
They are working on the segment through the T Station area. You can see some progress there.
I’m not sure why they haven’t been working on the main segment. I’m getting curious too and will check
This from the engineer in charge on 6/7:
“We have been working inside the Alewife MBTA Station,we paved it on Fri 6/4,after we put down the pavement markings, that section of the Bike Path will be complete.
The Belmont end of the Bike Path is being delayed. We are waiting for the MBCR to relocate some power lines that are in the way of the path.I will keep you up dated.
Next we will be installing signs and pavement markings from Alewife MBTA STA. to Mass. Ave., also we will start working on the Pedestrian Bridge over Alewife Brook.”
Sorry to digress…has anyone taken notice of the terrible condition the Alewife MBTA Station is in? Missing/broken expansion joints, exposed rusted rebar etc. Go to the station on a rainy day and take a look…it’s like WaterWorld.
Will, do you know if there is any $ for repairs? I’m all for bike paths but seems like a misallocation of tax payer funds given the dire condition of this 30 year old structure.
The bikepath money is not easily transferred to other purposes. Basically, my idea with the bike path is to make it easier for people to get from Belmont to Alewife and then more people will take the T, which will make it easier for the T to afford improvements.
But, I recently did get the T to spend some money to clean up the upper reaches of the station. Hope that gets noticed too.
Is there any further update on when the path will be open again? I thought it was supposed to be finished by now, but it seems that it’s still closed… thank you.
It’s actually not supposed to fully finished until 2012. There are many pieces to the project and some parts will be done much sooner. Lots of people are sneaking on and enjoying the new segment of 500 yards or so of paved surface at the Belmont end.