arborway committee
Home
Why
Restore
Light Rail?
FAQ
Chronology
Community
Support
Documents
and Letters
Speak Out!
News
Photos
Links
Contact
|
3/15/05 Where's ARRPAC? The Arborway Rail Restoration Project Advisory Committee (ARRPAC) was put together by the MBTA at the start of 2002 in order to guide the Arborway restoration process with community input and involvement. An official body made up of citizens, business owners, community leaders, project planners, and city and state officials formed to effectively address community concerns and generate recommendations for an optimally designed streetcar line through Jamaica Plain, the committee met more or less regularly for two years, actively participating in and reviewing the design process.After its meeting in February 2004, ARRPAC members were not notified again of plans to meet. Calls and e-mails by committee members go unreturned. The T has taken a policy of silence on what it did with the body created to represent the community. Want to know why the MBTA decided to exclude the community from its planning? Contact project officials for answers:
Older Meeting Summaries The following are brief summaries of some past meetings of
the Arborway Rail Restoration Project Advisory Committee, View the project schedule here. (32Kb .pdf) Previous Meetings:
8/20/03 State Laboratory Institute Platform Amenities
After Wall’s presentation, ARRPAC members provided Boylan with some guidance as to stop design. Members were generally in agreement that the trolley plazas should be distinguishable as major transit stops as opposed to bus stops, but that the plazas should be to scale considering the surrounding neighborhood. All members seemed to agree that the plazas ought to include a shelter, seating, lighting, maps, attractive pavement, emergency call boxes, clear signage and street markings, and be ADA compliant. Other items mentioned included plantings, artwork, pay telephone, trash bins, and bicycle racks. Over the next several meetings, ARRPAC will continue to discuss issues of trolley plaza design and amenities. Power
Substation Location and Design Traffic
Study 11/20/02 State Laboratory Institute The sixth official ARRPAC meeting took place on November 20, 2002. The meeting began the committee's process of examining the operational issues facing the corridor, including a review of preliminary parking and traffic study data. During the public comment phase of the meeting, several individuals voiced either their approval or disapproval of the project. Minutes from the previous two meetings were reviewed, amended, and approved. Project Manager and MBTA Design Director Barbara Boylan updated the committee on efforts to inform the general community about proposed stop locations. She will provide large-size diagrams of the route to the library, Curtis Hall, and any businesses willing to display them. The committee briefly discussed the possibility of reopening consideration of an additional stop along South Street south of the Monument, but it was agreed to move on and continue with the set of stops already chosen. It was also suggested that diagrams reflect the committee’s interest in seeing Heath Street discontinued as a regular stop due to its redundancy. Traffic
Study The study, Cook explained, compiled eleven hours of traffic data at every signalized intersection along the route, and presented three sets of data – reflecting weekday morning, mid-day, and evening peaks – for each, as counted in September of 2002. Specific subsets of data collected included statistics for heavy vehicles (trucks, buses, etc.). Committee members suggested some additional non-signalized major intersections that should be included, and city engineers asked that Saturday data and nearby off-route intersections be measured as well. Accident data for the route was then reviewed, showing that while some intersections had higher rates than others, all are below the statewide accident rate average of 0.9 accidents per million vehicles. Parking Study
Operational Study
McDonough went on to explain some of the issues around the system affecting operations, including the capacity of the Central Subway, planned future service changes, and adequate available power supply. It was noted that the nearby Orange Line was built with excess power capacity in 1987 in anticipation of Green Line restoration. The study, McDonough said, would produce a simulation to determine where constraints exist. An operational strategy would then be determined and put into place. In response to a concern voiced that the level of Arborway Green Line service be treated equitably by the T vis-à-vis Green Line service to Newton and Brookline, Green Line Operations Director Brian Dwyer assured the meeting that it would. The meeting concluded with a discussion of the desirability of a December 18 community-wide meeting. It was agreed to keep this date, and the MBTA agreed that it would publish diagrams of the proposed stops in the local papers ahead of time. 11/6/02 Agassiz School ARRPAC held its fifth meeting on November 6, 2002, to continue the process of stop siting begun at the previous meeting. In the opening ten-minute public comment period, several area residents spoke to address concerns about potential stop locations. These included:
After reviewing the work of the previous meeting (approval of minutes was deffered until the November 20th meeting), the committee addressed the remaining stop locations tabled on October 16. St. Rose Street Robinwood Ave. Area Central Business District
Finally, plans were discussed to hold a wider community meeting to present the results of the ARRPAC's plan for stop locations. 10/16/02 State Laboratory Institute ARRPAC met on October 16 at the State Lab Building on South Street in Jamaica Plain. The primary goal of this meeting was to determine the general location of light rail stops along the corridor from Forest Hills to Heath Street. Bill Lieberman, who is a nationally recognized transit consultant, along with MBTA Design Director and Arborway Project Manager Barbara Boylan, again facilitated the meeting. The discussion began with general housekeeping issues and several comments from the assembled public. Among these was a comment recommending a stop between Robinwood Avenue and Green Street because of high volume in the area. Another comment recommended the inclusion of more of the Forest Hills area in the traffic study. The discussion quickly moved to the topic of the evening-stop locations. Schematic drawings of the corridor were posted on the wall for reference. As a guide to the discussion the members were asked to consider the balance between streetcar trip speed and stop location. More stations provides better access, but at the cost of greater parking space impact, a slower overall ride and greater expense to construct. Members were reminded that the goal is to balance these issues as best possible. The Monument Inbound: The group reached consensus that one inbound and one outbound stop should be at or near the Monument. Two locations were suggested for the inbound stop, either where it currently is in front of the Loring Greenough House or in front of Curtis Hall. The Curtis Hall stop would assist the flow of traffic, particularly from Centre Street around the Monument and would also allow for parking in front of the Loring Greenough House, which is closer to the business district and currently has limited parking because of the bus stop. A stop in front of the Loring Greenough House would make transfers between bus and streetcar easier, but would require the layovers for the #41 and the #48 buses to move to the front of the Unitarian Church so as not to block traffic. The Monument Outbound stop was recommended to remain at the current location, in front of Little Peach. This stop would be a curbside stop rather than built as a bulbed-out "trolley plaza." This would allow for auto traffic riding behind the streetcar to pass while the streetcar was unloading passengers. Centre and South Huntington stops were proposed as follows: Inbound between Roseway and Kingsboro, thereby removing the stop from the congested intersection at Boylston Street. The outbound stop would remain at Moraine in front of Triple D's. Perkins Street stops would be as close to intersection of Perkins and South Huntington as possible. Both stops would most likely be north of this intersection. Bynner/Evergreen Street area would also be the location of both inbound and outbound stops. VA Hospital would have a stop in both directions at its front door. Child Street: Regarding stop location and number between the Monument and the Arborway (Forest Hills), ARRPAC members received some tentative conclusions, but decided to continue discussing the matter at the November 6 meeting. Nevertheless, it appeared that a consensus was nearly agreed upon to place a stop near Child Street both inbound and outbound. The inbound stop would be in front of Farnsworth House. The outbound location was not specifically determined, but the consultants were asked to return to the next meeting with their recommendations for a location near Child. Whether there will be a second stop along South Street was left to the next meeting. Stops along Centre Street will be on the agenda for the November 6 meeting. At the conclusion of the meeting ARRPAC members requested that a master agenda and schedule be prepared by the MBTA so that the committee could see what additional topics would be discussed in what order and when. The MBTA agreed. Further, the members suggested that monthly meetings were not enough to get the committee's work done. They were happy to note that progress was being made and asked to keep the momentum going. Members agreed to meet every two to three weeks for the near future instead of every month. The MBTA again agreed. The next meeting is scheduled for November 6, with a goal of finalizing stop locations. The location has been changed to the Agassiz School because of the unavailability of the State Lab. The Agassiz School is on Child Street near St. Thomas's Church. Transit is available via the temporary #39 bus.
9/19/02 State Laboratory Institute ARRPAC's fourth meeting was held on Thursday, September 19 at the State Labs. The meeting began with the review and approval of official minutes from the August meeting, a standard part of meetings from here on. VHB Project Manager Mike McArdle explained the surveying process that has been ongoing in the corridor, passing out detailed maps of the route noting all major physical features, parking and no-parking zones, driveways, businesses, and street and sidewalk layouts. MBTA Design Director and Arborway Project Manager Barbara Boylan said that an interagency meeting had taken place with the City of Boston to further cooperation between all involved. Vineet Gupta of BTD reiterated the city's commitment to the project. McArdle explained that the design team needs guidelines from ARRPAC in its preliminary design phase - while it isn't yet necessary to finalize stop locations, a general idea of the locations would help move the design process along. Other parts of the process, including traffic studies, were moving along at a pace on track to meet the project's final schedule, he said. Station Design McArdle discussed the unique character of the line, saying that while other cities average one-mile stop intervals, spacing as close as ¼ mile is considered acceptable for this route, a plan consistent with stop spacing on other outer Green Line branches in urban areas. Two examples of typical stations were offered - one featuring a "curbside" stop in which light rail tracks approach the existing sidewalk to conduct boardings and alightings, and a second "bulb-out" design, in which a raised curb platform extends out to the travel lane in the street, avoiding any deviation from the streetcar's normal course. The bulb-out design has often been referred to as a "trolley plaza." Concerns over the "curbside" option included the fact that automobiles would be encouraged to speed past the stopped streetcar, and that the streetcar's merge back into traffic would be slowed. This option also included an extensive portion of contoured sidewalk designed to prevent parked cars from encroaching on the right side of the streetcar's path, an area unusable for either platform use or parking. The general consensus was that this design would only be suitable for a few select areas along the corridor, including perhaps the Monument area or locations along South Huntington Ave. The VHB team also pointed out the preferability of near-side stops at intersections, a departure from standard practice. Far-side stops, they said, could potentially create bottlenecks at intersections. Stop Placement The VHB team proposed six stops between the Heath Street and Arborway/Forest Hills termini of the route. Options offered from which those stops might be chosen included:
Some of the issues of discussion at this point included:
Further discussion of stop locations was planned for the October 16 meeting. A broader community meeting on stop locations was discussed for some later date.
8/7/02 State Laboratory Institute The third ARRPAC meeting was held on Wednesday, August 7, 2002 at the State Labs for an informal "meet and greet" with the Arborway project's newly approved design team, led by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB). Watertown-based VHB specializes in environmental, land development, and transportation work, providing integrated services between these areas. The firm has a long history of transportation work in Metro Boston. Mike McArdle, Project Manager for the VHB team, spelled out the team's design goals:
McArdle reviewed key elements of the project infrastructure which will need to be approached, including traffic management, the streetcar system itself, aesthetics, and construction staging. Components interrelating to influence the schedule include community, interagency, and environmental aspects. The project timetable runs from July 2002 to June 2006, roughly two years for design and two years for construction. Review of Scope of Work McArdle and Arborway Restoration Project Manager Barbara Boylan answered the attendees' questions regarding the Scope of Work approved as part of VHB's contract with the MBTA. Boylan gave an overview of the design process, citing milestones at 30% complete (preliminary design), 60%, 90% (final design), and 100% (project ready for bid). Committee members asked for clarification of terms within the Scope of Work, including environmental standards to be met, extent of streetscape design, steps in process, and data to be collected along the way. Some discussion began relating to operational considerations affecting placement of stops and design of accessible platforms. Stop location, said McArdle, will be first major input needed by VHB from ARRPAC. Further discussion was tabled until VHB is more thoroughly prepared to integrate the discussion into its design study work. (VHB received a Notice To Proceed in late July, 2002). Committee members agreed to accelerate the upcoming meeting schedule, holding meetings at least monthly through December in order to sufficiently address the process leading up to the 15% design review. The next meeting stands for Thurs., Sept. 19, 7pm, at the State Labs. Further meetings are scheduled for October 16, November 20, and December 18.
7/10/02 MBTA offices, 500 Arborway
Following
the tour, the committee returned to MBTA offices at 500 Arborway for
the second part of the meeting, a slide presentation by moderator Bill
Lieberman of street-running light rail in four North American cities:
Philadelphia, San Francisco, Portland, and Toronto.
5/22/02 Agassiz
School |
