CASEY OVERPASS DEBATE: ARGUMENTS FOR THE BRIDGELESS APPROACH

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Permalink Reply by keith barton on December 6, 2011 at 12:32pm

Keep the Overpass.

Sorting out some thoughts before I contact MassDOT. I understand MassDOT favors removing the bridge. I use the bridge from both sides: from J-way to Dorchester and from Franklin Park to Brookline and beyond. I also use the surface roads through and around Forest Hills Station.

The surface roads are already quite congested. I don't know the figures, but I'm sure thousands of cars use the overpass on each side going to and from Dorchester (and some south shore towns) and JP/Brookline/Fenway/Rt. 9/Storrow Drive etc.

If the bridge is removed, I imagine daily horror shows around Forest Hills. Either that or MassDOT will make the area virtually unpassable. That might please those never use automobiles, but all that traffic would have to be diverted somewhere, likely causing more time wasted on roads and traffic problems elsewhere (likely through Roslindale/West Roxbury to the south or the Columbus Ave./Mass. Ave. area to the north.)

Obviously the overpass needs to be repaired and maybe renovated to make it look more attractive and maybe to include better pedestrian and bicycle access. The Overpass has been a bumpy, slow ride for some time now as MassDOT (or whoever) has closed lanes and slowly makes repairs. I hate to think the slow repairs are a stratagy to create arguments against the overpass.

Maybe the bridgeless solution will create the Garden of Eden we're all looking for. But I don't think so. Nice to be back. Keep the talks alive.

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