The Big Dig

[Scott]

After all that union bashing, Romney was smart not to show up anywhere where the trades will be unless he wants to end up on the news for getting heckled.

[Scott]

BOSTON GLOBE EDITORIAL

Under the city

12/20/2003

Link to story...

MOTORISTS WHO get up early today will be traversing the aboveground Central Artery for the last time. With the opening of the southbound lanes of the underground highway at 8 a.m., the basic structure of this enormous project will be complete. It's a good time to look back on the complex vision that has transformed downtown Boston without disturbing the prosperity of the city.

Because the project has become a backdrop to life in downtown Boston, it is easy to forget the boldness of the plan -- to build a superhighway under a major city -- and the tenacity of state leaders who worked through political and technical difficulties.

Frederick Salvucci, Governor Michael Dukakis's transportation secretary, was the key proponent, pushing the project forward for more than 15 years until final approval in 1991. But he would not have succeeded without the state's congressional delegation, which overcame the opposition of President Reagan. Once Dukakis left office, the project would not have been completed without the support of his successors.

Motorists speeding over the Leonard Zakim-Bunker Hill Bridge today to get to the southbound lanes will be too busy navigating the unfamiliar highway to recall the controversy that almost derailed the project just as Dukakis gave way to William Weld. The elegant bridge is part of a compromise that overcame opposition to the original Scheme Z crossing plan.

Motorists from the north heading for Logan Airport will exit into the Callahan Tunnel, as they did on the elevated highway. The Callahan will be uncrowded because traffic from the west and south is now diverted into the Ted Williams Tunnel. That tunnel system posed the greatest technical challenges for the project, but they were overcome thanks to the engineers who figured out a way to burrow under Fort Point Channel.

All the difficulties took time to resolve and contributed to the $14 billion-plus cost. But residents have been surprisingly uncomplaining about the cost or the disruption, perhaps because of the skillful way in which the Artery staff kept traffic moving.

Much work remains to be done -- on exit ramps, on the fourth lane of the southbound tunnel, and on demolition of the elevated structure. The project will not be a success until the land above the Artery is transformed into parkland and other public amenities.

Had the $14 billion figure been mentioned in the 1980s, when Reagan was trying to throttle the project, the Central Artery would never have been depressed. Was it all worth it? That's for succeeding generations to say, but one can only imagine the delays and frustration that motorists would be experiencing if the deteriorating elevated remained in use and there was no prospect that the underground Artery would take its place.

[turlough]

I'm gald it's finally open i wish I had to chance to see such a wonderful project in person. I hope this helps Boston and will be around for MANY years to come

[Allan]

It's finally open! This will have such a great impact on Boston. Now I want to go to Boston to see it for myself. LOL.

[Cotuit]

The million dollar question for my planned artery drive next week...

Can I still take 93N to the Callahan or do I have to take the Ted Williams Tunnel?

[BrandonTO416]

I hope to ride on it oneday.

[tocoto]

Cotuit - take the TW from I-93 north, it's a breeze, almost too easy. I don't think either the sumner or calahan connect to the big dig directly. You just get off at gov ctr and get into the tunnel from the surface. Going south, this is a hassle because you exit on the wrong side of the still standing artery.

[Scott]

I drove in the new tunnel on 93S yesterday. It seems like a slightly shorter route than the "Lower Deck" and just as you hit the tunnel you are looking up on Causeway Street, it is really amazing! Approaching the Zakim bridge from the north is really a nice angle.

I'm "shocked and awed"!

[Cotuit]

Road with a view: a taste of Paris, NYC in Boston

By Anthony Flint, Globe Staff, 1/4/2004

What if they spent $14.6 billion to replace the Central Artery and then left it standing?

An urban design consultant and lecturer at Boston University wants to turn about five blocks of the elevated roadway into a pedestrian and photographer's promenade, roughly between Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Rowes Wharf.

One reason: He likes the view from atop the old abandoned artery.

"You see things it was impossible to see -- the building details by [architect Charles] Bulfinch, the view up State Street, the sheets of water by Long Wharf and the Chart House, and further out, the Harbor Islands," said Romin Koebel, 66, who has climbed up to the structure with a photographer friend to check out the vista. "You could have plaques, like on the top of Mount Washington, pointing out the topographical and architectural features."

To say the least, the officials at Big Dig and City Hall are not impressed with the idea.

"If he's serious about it, he better send it overnight mail because that thing is coming down fast," said Big Dig spokesman Doug Hanchett.

Turning an elevated transportation structure into a promenade and park has precedent.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York supports the conversion of the abandoned High Line freight tracks through Manhattan's West Side into a raised linear park. An abandoned rail viaduct in Paris has also been turned into a pedestrian path and park called the Promenade Plantee.

Koebel, who has studied urban planning at Harvard and MIT, said plans for the surface of the submerged Central Artery are uncoordinated and bland, and risk creating a "broad swath" effect similar to rebuilt German cities after World War II.

Instead, he said the Big Dig should maintain part of the artery. He said the Central Artery would become an instant international tourist attraction, save money otherwise spent on demolition, and provide people great views of downtown Boston and the harbor that could never be appreciated while driving.

He proposes stairs and an elevator at either end of the stretch of preserved elevated roadway, he said, plus access via the High Street and Haymarket exit and entrance ramps, which would also be preserved.

The mile-long Central Artery, built from 1950 to 1956 as a "highway in the sky" to energize economically sagging Boston, is being dismantled at a cost of $60 million. Consultants, designers, neighborhood groups, and city and state officials, meanwhile, are making plans for transforming the 30-acre ribbon of open space that will be left when the artery is gone.

But none of them envision leaving the artery standing.

The new artery corridor is being called the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

It is supposed "to re-knit the city with the neighborhoods split apart by the elevated highway, connecting communities back to each and to the waterfront," said Susan Elsbree, spokeswoman for the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

Elsbree said the design concepts under consideration for the area where Koebel wants to keep the roadway, known as the Wharf District parcels, not only provide views but invite people to move across to the water's edge.

[tocoto]

This is a terrible idea. The views are OK at best but the road is too wide and low and is really abysmal underneath. Why not a nice observation building in one of the parks as part of a boston history museum with pictures of the building, use, and demolition of this disasterous road?

[Cotuit]

I've always thought they should leave a piece of it standing, kind of like a few parts of the Berlin Wall are still around, but not such a giant section. It might be neat to leave one section up, and retrofit the part underneath as a visitor's centre, and allow access to the top. But something like that really needed to be planned before workers grabbed jackhammers and started bringing the thing down.

[Allan]

Why leave it standing? I agree with tocoto's idea. Build a nice observation tower/platform complete with a museum showing the entire history, from the building of the Central artery to the big dig planning and construction to the Central Artery's demolition. Besides, the majority of Bostonians are probably looking forward to seeing the Green Monster gone forever from Downtown.

[Scott]

Guys, what are we saying? For crying out loud TEAR IT DOWN!!!!!!

I will gladly wax nostalgic with anyone about the demise of Scollay Square or the Old West End, but the Central Artery does not deserve to be anything but an interesting footnote in Boston history. As far as views go I'm sure with the width of the land created in comparison with the height of the buildings on its edge, that there will be awesome new vistas opened all along its route.... I can't wait!

[M. Brown]

I was wondering when the big dig is completely finnished, parks, skyscrapers, and everything else, if people would start moving back into the city. The last census estimate said that Boston lost population. What are you thoughts on this?

[tocoto]

Last census estimates I saw, the population is up slightly. Empty nesters, singles, and immigrants are moving in, and families are moving out. The new stuff downtown won't change this much. At 12k people/sqmi, I doubt Boston city will ever grow a lot bigger given its small city borders.

[M. Brown]

I believe it peaked at around 800,000 or 850,000 I dont remember.

[tocoto]

Yes, at one time there were that many. But demographics were different with larger families and fewer single person households. People and families lived in smaller, denser quarters. An increase to that level may happen someday, but not through luxury housing. It would have to be a significant amount of family housing, or at least moderately priced condos. None of that is happening now. Maybe in the future.

[Allan]

Boston would have to add a lot more larger buildings if it was ever to reach its peak population again. It seems like most of the new condos and apartments built in all cities today are luxury units. These are larger than the average condo, and thus require more space. Development patterns, as well as household patterns are very different than they were even 20 years ago. People require more space (the average home size continues to get larger and larger). Also, the average family keeps getting smaller and smaller.

Also, any single family homes built in the city today take up much wider lots. For instance Detroit lots used to be 30 feet wide. However, as the vacant houses get torn down, much wider lots are being created to accomodate the larger homes of today. I find it unlikely that Boston or any other northern city will reach its previous peak population anytime soon.

[M. Brown]

I wish. What about Baltimore? or DC? I believe that DC's mayor's goal was to increase DC by 100,000. Baltimore seems to be on the right track, but ive never been there so I really wouldnt know.

[Allan]

D.C. is still loosing people. It is experiencing the same situation that many cities across the US are facing: family move out while immigrants & single people move in. It's rate of decline has probably slowed, however.

I can't really say about Baltimore. I was there for a brief time a few years ago. It seems that they are building more residential units, but I'm sure that families are still moving out of the city. Also, the new uits are mostly luxury units. Maybe someone else can add something about Baltimore....

[M. Brown]

What about NYC. I hasnt even reached its peak yet.

[Scott]

That'a a good point NYC has I higher population than it ever has because they are not afraid to build tall and ugly.

Is this thread about the effects of the Big Dig or population growth?

[tocoto]

NYC has actually gone up and down staying in the 7-8M range for decades. It has much larger city borders than boston, and that could help keep its pop up. Of course philly and balt also have larger city limits than boston and both have lost a lot of residents, and I believe both are still going down, as is detroit for that matter. Boston has been stable in the high 500's for 2 or 3 decades with slight increases at the last to census.

[bigbuilding]

I think Boston will see an increase in population. There are alot of condos that recently went up and many many more being developed. It would be interesting to get an exact number.

More importantly I think once the Big Dig is finished along with the Convention Center, and Logan upgrades Boston may become a one of the top cities in the world. Hopefully a couple large companies will move there HQ to Boston which will atract more people to Boston.

[tocoto]

Boston's prominence has increased in the last 30 years, but not that much. It has been a wealthy city known for research, higher education, and financial services for well over 100 years. It is already a world city and has some elements that are absolutely first class including Harvard, MIT, the MFA, symphony, archticure...

Companies move their HQ to boston with fair frequency. HQ also move away.

The number of condos going up is beyond counting but check out the boston redevelopment authority website to get a feeling. I think there are between 300 abnd 400 projects UC, approved, or under review ranging from a 4 family to a 700' office buildings. You can sort the list by project type.