POSTPONED! Bowker Overpass Meeting – October 8th

MassDOT is hosting a public meeting for the I-90 Ramps/Bowker Overpass Study:

Wednesday, October 8th from 6PM-8PM at the
Boston Public Library, Commonwealth Salon
700 Boylston St, Boston, MA
(617) 247-8980

A team has been assembled where each member, or two, will run one of the five different Stations listed below. Each station will present different parts of the Alternatives Analysis and provide the attendees an opportunity to speak to the team directly.

The stations are as follows (lead):

Station 1 – Study Area Map (MassDOT’s Public Affairs)
Station 2 – Boston Ramp Alternatives and Bowker Alternatives (Project Manager, Highway Design Group)
Station 3 – Level of Service (Consultants)
Station 4 – Bike and Pedestrian Facilities (Office of Transportation Planning)
Station 5 – Environmental Justice and Low Income, Development Projects, Environmental, Historic District, Parks and Open Space (Environmental Group)

Andrew Bettinelli
Legislative Aide
Office of State Senator William N. Brownsberger

MassDot has postponed tomorrow’s Bowker Overpass meeting:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: (857) 368-8500
October 7, 2014

MEDIA ADVISORY
MassDOT postpones Public Informational Meeting for the
Back Bay Ramps Transportation Study

BOSTON – Tuesday, October 7, 2014 – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has postponed a Public Meeting for the Back Bay Ramps Transportation Study, initially scheduled for Wednesday, October 8th at the Boston Public Library. MassDOT has determined that additional time is needed to provide the public with the latest information, including a full and complete presentation of the alternatives analyses.

Several unforeseen circumstances led to the decision, including scheduling for completing the study, additional review and consideration of all reasonable options within the alternatives, and illnesses of key personnel. A new meeting date will be announced within the next several weeks.

The goal of the study is to identify potential new or altered access to and from the regional express highway network in downtown Boston, with a primary focus on the Back Bay and the Bowker Overpass. This rescheduled meeting will be an open forum to share the results of the Alternatives Analysis.

Background
MassDOT is conducting the Massachusetts Turnpike – Boston Ramps Study. The Back Bay, Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Fenway, and Seaport District neighborhoods are important economic engines within the city of Boston. Growth in these neighborhoods has added to the traffic generated by the existing residential, educational, medical, commercial, and cultural land uses. Neighborhood stakeholders have raised concerns about growth in congestion on the city’s surface roadway system, such as Massachusetts Avenue and Huntington Avenue, and area parkways such as Storrow Drive and Memorial Drive. The Massachusetts Turnpike travels through or very near these neighborhoods, but only provides limited access ramps in Back Bay (eastbound-off and westbound-on) and full access ramps in the Seaport District (all directions).

The study was initiated to investigate the potential for new or revised access to/ from the regional express highway network using the Massachusetts Turnpike along the segment between Commonwealth Avenue in Allston and Interstate 93 in Chinatown. New connections to the Massachusetts Turnpike would also allow for potential new transit bus routes between these neighborhoods, as well as better access to Logan Airport. A full range of Turnpike ramp alternatives was developed and analyzed.

As the study progressed, there was a call from neighborhood stakeholders to investigate removal of the Bowker Overpass and replacement with surface connections in order to improve neighborhood character. Because of the interaction between Turnpike ramp concepts in the Back Bay, Storrow Drive traffic, and Bowker Overpass connections, the Back Bay Ramps Study was expanded to encompass the Bowker Overpass analysis. A recommended plan of future transportation improvements (short-term and long-term), based on the alternatives analysis, will be the end product of this study.

Study Status
The study foundations (goals, objectives, evaluation criteria, and study area), existing conditions analysis, and alternative screening have all been completed. The study is evaluating eight potential build alternatives in addition to the no-build alternative. Four of the alternatives will involve construction of new ramps along the Turnpike in the Back Bay and four of the alternatives will involve reconfiguration of the Bowker Overpass through the Charlesgate.

Highway Division Bowker Overpass Repair Project
Separate from the Boston Ramps Study, the MassDOT Highway Division has determined that public safety requires immediate repairs of the Bowker Overpass. This project is currently underway. The project will include replacing the deck and retrofitting the pin and hanger assemblies to the Overpass. These repairs will address the near term safety issues on the Bowker Overpass viaduct.

For further information on the I-90 Boston Ramps Transportation Study, please refer to the project website at http://www.mass.gov/massdot/bostonramps.

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One reply on “POSTPONED! Bowker Overpass Meeting – October 8th”

Andrew Bettinelli says:

October 7, 2014 at 7:07 PM

MassDot has postponed tomorrow’s Bowker Overpass meeting:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: (857) 368-8500
October 7, 2014

MEDIA ADVISORY
MassDOT postpones Public Informational Meeting for the
Back Bay Ramps Transportation Study

BOSTON – Tuesday, October 7, 2014 – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has postponed a Public Meeting for the Back Bay Ramps Transportation Study, initially scheduled for Wednesday, October 8th at the Boston Public Library. MassDOT has determined that additional time is needed to provide the public with the latest information, including a full and complete presentation of the alternatives analyses.

Several unforeseen circumstances led to the decision, including scheduling for completing the study, additional review and consideration of all reasonable options within the alternatives, and illnesses of key personnel. A new meeting date will be announced within the next several weeks.

The goal of the study is to identify potential new or altered access to and from the regional express highway network in downtown Boston, with a primary focus on the Back Bay and the Bowker Overpass. This rescheduled meeting will be an open forum to share the results of the Alternatives Analysis.

Background
MassDOT is conducting the Massachusetts Turnpike – Boston Ramps Study. The Back Bay, Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Fenway, and Seaport District neighborhoods are important economic engines within the city of Boston. Growth in these neighborhoods has added to the traffic generated by the existing residential, educational, medical, commercial, and cultural land uses. Neighborhood stakeholders have raised concerns about growth in congestion on the city’s surface roadway system, such as Massachusetts Avenue and Huntington Avenue, and area parkways such as Storrow Drive and Memorial Drive. The Massachusetts Turnpike travels through or very near these neighborhoods, but only provides limited access ramps in Back Bay (eastbound-off and westbound-on) and full access ramps in the Seaport District (all directions).

The study was initiated to investigate the potential for new or revised access to/ from the regional express highway network using the Massachusetts Turnpike along the segment between Commonwealth Avenue in Allston and Interstate 93 in Chinatown. New connections to the Massachusetts Turnpike would also allow for potential new transit bus routes between these neighborhoods, as well as better access to Logan Airport. A full range of Turnpike ramp alternatives was developed and analyzed.

As the study progressed, there was a call from neighborhood stakeholders to investigate removal of the Bowker Overpass and replacement with surface connections in order to improve neighborhood character. Because of the interaction between Turnpike ramp concepts in the Back Bay, Storrow Drive traffic, and Bowker Overpass connections, the Back Bay Ramps Study was expanded to encompass the Bowker Overpass analysis. A recommended plan of future transportation improvements (short-term and long-term), based on the alternatives analysis, will be the end product of this study.

Study Status
The study foundations (goals, objectives, evaluation criteria, and study area), existing conditions analysis, and alternative screening have all been completed. The study is evaluating eight potential build alternatives in addition to the no-build alternative. Four of the alternatives will involve construction of new ramps along the Turnpike in the Back Bay and four of the alternatives will involve reconfiguration of the Bowker Overpass through the Charlesgate.

Highway Division Bowker Overpass Repair Project
Separate from the Boston Ramps Study, the MassDOT Highway Division has determined that public safety requires immediate repairs of the Bowker Overpass. This project is currently underway. The project will include replacing the deck and retrofitting the pin and hanger assemblies to the Overpass. These repairs will address the near term safety issues on the Bowker Overpass viaduct.

For further information on the I-90 Boston Ramps Transportation Study, please refer to the project website at http://www.mass.gov/massdot/bostonramps.

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