Thursday, July 31, 2008

Rail Trail

Great news. It sounds like work on the Rail Trail is beginning. Check out the updates here.

I'm all in favor for any project that will shorten my commute to Plum Island Roasters.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of course, I wish they'd put the tracks back in and run the trains right to Merrimac St. Terminating the line down in the marsh was a really stupid idea. Think of how many people live within easy walking distance of that spot. And, how many more there will be when Karp's project is done.

Bean said...

I wish we had ferry service to Salisbury, and the airport was moved to the industrial park.

Anonymous said...

so rises the great spandex tide...

Anonymous said...

Any news on the harborwalk extension from the boardwalk to Cashman Park? Is it still supposed to be completed by next year?

Anonymous said...

I am also wondering if anyone knows when the harborwalk development is supposed to be created. And also: what is being built by the Towle building, in that field on the boat club side?

Anonymous said...

I'm with Mr Monahan, but I'd take it a step further: I'd run the tracks into Salisbury at the very least. Oil prices are coming down but they're bound to rise again merely because nobody making any more of it.

There aren't enough jobs in the area, hence people need to travel into Boston, hence commuter rail is the way to go. It strikes me as somewhat short-sighted to tear up a decent railbed just so some spandex-clad yuppies can ride their bikes. Commuter lines service far more people.

- The Carrot

Anonymous said...

they're new condos

Gillian Swart said...

Condos, anonymous.

Anonymous said...

There are going to be condos built on the Towle site. Its been in the works for years. The plans are available for inspection at the Planning Office.

James Shanley

Tom Salemi said...

Keep this up and I WILL wear spandex. Then you'll all be sorry.

Seriously, extending the commuter rail downtown would serve how many more people? Not enough to justify the cost, I suggest.

I don't know what going into Salisbury requires, but I suspect you'd be cutting through marsh. Again, is the permitting or the environmental damage really worth the price?

It's my understanding the rail trails won't preclude future extension of the rail lines.

In fact, these rail beds are available because they were abandoned by the RR companies.

In that spirit, if you think the MBTA has the means to extend the rail line over the river and into marshes to better serve the people of Salisbury and Seabrook I'd say you're nuts.

Bean said...

If the MBTA line terminated at Merrimac Street, where would the commuters park? How many people within walking distance actually take the train to Boston? It's great to get all nostalgiac, but lets use some common sense here. Most of the T riders drive in from neighboring communities, and the MBTA needs to make it accessible to several communities for it to work. Besides, if you live downtown (and Dick, I'm assuming you do?) do you want to deal with the train whistle and a crossing at Washington St, too? As I prepare to tune up my bike, I say no thank you.

Extending it to Salisbury is also a flawed idea. There really is no town center, so people would still need to get in their cars and drive. I doubt the extra two miles down Route 1 is killing Salisbury commuters. If by terminating the line there, people are expecting condos and houses to go in near the train lines, you should read the papers. We're in the midst of a massive housing and credit crisis, and an extended train line isn't going to solve that problem.

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