Recently, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation convened a task force of about 50 members to advise the state on the redesign for the “Allston Interchange,” the spaghetti bowl of ramps and tollbooths in the middle of the rail yard adjacent to the Charles River and a neighborhood of houses and businesses.
The interchange was built about 50 years ago to the standards of the day. The viaduct leading to the interchange from the east was constructed in 1965, and is nearing the end of its useful life. Reconstruction of the structure is long overdue. Elements of the viaduct need to be replaced, while maintaining traffic and rail operations.
This project is taking advantage of several challenging circumstances and opportunities, and has the potential to reshape the Allston neighborhood. A few years ago, the commonwealth acquired the rail right-of-way and yard from the CSX Corp., which relocated operations to Worcester. Moreover, MassDOT is moving forward with plans to implement all electronic-tolling across the entire Turnpike. Straightening of this interchange, made possible by elimination of the existing toll plazas, combined with the tolling changes, will dramatically improve the flow of traffic and has the potential to enhance land uses and open space.
The state’s task force group will meet through the summer and into the fall with representatives of MassDOT, the city of Boston and their consultants to devise a preferred alternative. That alternative will then begin its journey through environmental permitting and the start of a design/build process in 2017, resulting in project completion by sometime in 2020 – if all goes according to plan. Following that, Harvard University, which now owns the land, will begin to reshape it in the form of a yet-to-be-determined new development.
State control of the rail line allows MassDOT to consider introducing rail service with what are called diesel multiple units (DMUs), self-propelled rail cars that can make more frequent station stops, including at a future “West Station” to be located somewhere in the rail yard. Transportation improvements made through this project could be a new multi-modal transportation hub, supporting enhanced bicycle and pedestrian connections, connections to West Station, and reconnecting the Allston neighborhood to itself and to the river.
All of these benefits and more will be possible with the productive collaboration of the task force members, the organizations that they represent, city and state agencies, and the businesses, institutions and citizens of Allston, Cambridge and other nearby communities, who will be able to realize a new revitalized corner of the commonwealth – if they all work together effectively.
Rick Dimino is the president and CEO of A Better City.
