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Concerns for East Cambridge: with the T station moving to the other side of Monsignor O'Brien Highway, the widening of O'Brien Highway and the widened lane being put where the future public market would be according to a plan proposed by East Cambridge residents. |
April 28, 2011Committee Report #4
TRANSPORTATION, TRAFFIC AND PARKING COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The Transportation, Traffic and Parking Committee held a public meeting on Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 5:35 PM in the Sullivan Chamber. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss traffic concerns about the East Cambridge roadways and the Lechmere Station. Present at the meeting were Councilor Craig Kelley, Chair of the Committee, Brian Murphy, Assistant City Manager for Community Development Department (CDD), Susan Glazer, Deputy Director of CDD, Susanne Rasmussen, Director of Environment and Transportation Planning CDD, Sue Clippinger, Director, Traffic, Parking and Transportation, and Deputy City Clerk Donna P. Lopez. Also present were John Paul, 90 Spring Street, Heather Hoffman, 213 Hurley Street, Rhonda Massie, 211 Charles Street, Paul Kaplan, 211 Charles Street and Donna M. Keefe, 263 Hurley Street. Councilor Kelley convened the meeting and explained the purpose. This meeting was scheduled because of concerns for East Cambridge. Specifically with the T station getting moved to the other side of Monsignor O'Brien Highway, the widening of O'Brien Highway and the lane widened being put where the future public market would be according to a plan proposed by East Cambridge residents. He asked at what point the city could not stop the T station being moved. Mr. Murphy, Assistant City Manager for Community Development, stated that he is precluded from working on the Green Line Extension, but things are not locked in. The data from the PTDM ordinance will be used to make sure the state's models makes sense and that the state is using reality regarding things like the time it takes to cross the street and the frequency of crossings. Ms. Clippinger stated that the current North Point developer is onboard to relocate the T Station and once the Green Line is relocated the parcel on which the current Lechmere T station is located goes to the North Point developer. Heather Hoffman added that the Boston and Maine owns the property. Councilor Kelley stated that he hopes for an action plan but does not know what the city wants. Ms. Rasmussen added that the number of lanes in the proposed plan was based on assumptions about current and projected traffic generated. The City is going to review this seven or eight year old data regarding driving, walking, riding and biking. The highway is wider because the median is wider but the overall lane number drops from seven to six. The plan is to prevent traffic travelling down Third Street by widening the road with an extra lane where part of the Lechmere Station currently exists and having cars travel down First Street. Ms. Hoffman stated that the numbers are old, the city has changed plans and the road will be reconfigured. The assumptions are old. All current issues are new now. Councilor Kelley asked how much stock the city has on what happens here. Ms. Clippinger responded that O'Brien Highway was a DCR parkway turned over to DOT during the reorganization. The City is a strong and responsible party to the decision but does not have veto power. Mr. Murphy noted that DCR's shift to MassDOT confused the state's view of the roads. John Paul commented that the traffic shift is from First Street to Third Street makes little sense. The traffic goes to different locations. The traffic is not relieved with the shift. It is perceived to be commuter traffic. McGrath Highway, he said, is becoming a suburban highway and to widen the street at Lechmere goes against advocating for public transit and would isolate North Point. If North Point is not to be seen as an isolated place it needs to be walk able from the rest of East Cambridge. This needs to be considered. Councilor Kelley asked where the City is in all of this. Ms. Clippinger stated that the City is not far apart on the goal; it is however far apart on the implementation of the plan. The City needs to revisit the assumptions. The goal is a good multi pedestrian connection and not to push connector traffic in the western section. The discussions are dormant because the project is dormant. Ms. Clippinger noted that the City and the ECPT were probably not very far apart on goals, but perhaps were further apart on how to get there. Issues were:
Ms. Rasmussen stated that this needs to be done in detail. Use First Street rather than Third Street. Look at the intersection crossings, property, time (waiting time for pedestrian crossings and crossing time) and space (how far across the road). If the right turn lane (which would go through part of the current station) is eliminated, the overall number of lanes drops from eight to six. Maps are reviewed, but this is space. Time is not considered in details. The revisiting of all these issues should be done in an open process. Ms. Hoffman stated that an important consideration is that Somerville does not want to be split in two by a surface highway. The perception is that Cambridge is pushing for the wider highway. At any rate, it all ends in a pinch point at the dam. Ms. Rasmussen stated that she has had discussions with Somerville about "boulevarding" of McGrath Highway. The state is doing the analytical work. The results are due out in the Spring of 2012. Cambridge is involved with the Study on the Interbelt. Somerville has thoughts about connecting roadways into North Point and Cambridge and Somerville do not always agree on everything. Councilor Kelley commented that once the State and North Point get plans Cambridge will be unable to impact the project and expressed his concern about the City's losing the ability to impact the area. Assistant City Manager for Community Development Murphy responded that the plans are not there yet. Councilor Kelley asked if Cambridge could rezone and give development rights for the market. Mr. Murphy stated that North Point will come in this summer. On the Green Line side new terms need to be met. Ms. Clippinger stated that the intersection of First Street and O'Brien Highway needs to be discussed about Lechmere Square and the busses. With the new North Point developer becoming more active the discussions about the connections is big and immediate. Ms. Rasmussen stated that the station lay out in North Point is part of MEPA. The station can proceed per that and changing things is unlikely, so the station's plans can proceed at pace. Councilor Kelley commented that rezoning, traffic conditions and development rights takes time and advertising. His would like for, at the end of this process, the current Lechmere Station to stay where it is and make this the cornerstone of discussion, street layout and rezoning. Widening O'Brien kills the use of this structure as a market. Mr. Murphy stated that the viability of the market is questionable but if the Council wanted the City staff to work on this issue, the staff would do it. There is a push to do a market on Boston's parcel 7 and 8 (current Haymarket area). This has more momentum. Can two public markets exist together he asked? Ms. Rasmussen added that a manager has been hired for the Boston public market. Councilor Kelley asked what it takes to get city staff to set policy, emphasizing the need for City staff to be clear to the Council about what requests may not warrant staff time. Mr. Murphy responded it is up to the City Council. Ms. Rasmussen stated that the staff had questions about a viable market and density. It is a great idea, but can it be accomplished? Mr. Murphy stated that the staff needs to review the assumptions and the data to determine what makes sense. The data is a stale 25%. The current design affects the Lechmere site. The City wants to review the layout. Councilor Kelley asked when the data review would be completed. Ms. Rasmussen responded weeks and then the developer for North Point must pay the consultant. Ms. Clippinger informed the committee that North Point has obligations to do roadway work. Councilor Kelley stated that North Point is doing the traffic study, construction and design and worried that the design would be for a project that precluded the public market idea. Ms. Clippinger commented that the old North Point did the old design and it was approved by the Planning Board. There was no funding and no developer, but now there is a new developer in place. Ms. Hoffman added that the agreement is on line. Ms. Clippinger stated that the City will not design the road and the parcel is not in the City's control. Ms. Clippinger stated that North Point has to come back to the Planning Board for roadway changes. Ms. Hoffman stated that the designs of the road matter to the city and officials. She does not want the bus stops changed. Can this be influenced. She spoke about strollers crossing O'Brien Highway twice and how that would be a huge mistake. Mr. Murphy stated that the T makes decisions because of funding, though the City can put pressure on the T. Councilor Kelley wondered if the design of the highway/market could impact bus lanes in the City's favor. He dislikes widened roads. Mr. Murphy stated that the City does not do road widening. Ms. Clippinger stated that when the new intersection is added new turn lights will be added. Councilor Kelley commented that when curb is moved over the market is lost. Who will decided that First Street to O'Brien Highway is not beneficial to the City. The roadway design was developed on the assumption that First Street would be gone. Mr. Paul stated that he does not see how First Street could relieve traffic from Third Street. He favored just leaving the traffic on Land Boulevard. Third Street is reluctant to more to First Street. Ms. Clippinger stated that Third Street and Land Boulevard traffic is congested, but First Street is not. If the First Street/O'Brien connection is something the City does not want, we should figure that out now. Things are not absolute right now. Ms. Rasmussen stated that Linsky Way was made one-way from Second to Third Street to alleviate traffic and that the City is doing various things to make 1st Street more attractive to drivers and some people will start taking that road. Mr. Paul asked the mechanism to encourage the developer to develop the site as Lechmere Market. Councilor Kelley stated that he sees the options as giving the developer transferable development rights, rezoning the parcel for low density or purchasing the property, assuming that the roadways would accommodate relevant changes. Mr. Murphy stated that the biggest challenge is the special permit which includes this parcel. This does not preclude discussions with the developer, but as the developer has a valid permit, the City is not really in a position to dictate anything. Ms. Hoffman stated that her recollection is that the developer got square footage and then had to build the station. Ms. Rasmussen stated that Parcels S & T were beginning and the housing changed. Ms. Hoffman stated that the developer had to build the station because they got the old station and perhaps the Special Permit needed to be amended to allow relevant changes. At this time Councilor Kelley submitted the following motion: ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the appropriate staff to review the special permit issued to North Point, in particular the requirement that North Point build the T station or any other special requirements that have been altered to property changes or deals and report back to the City Council. The motion - Carried. Ms. Hoffman stated that the market plan utilized every inch of the development rights. Councilor Kelley stated that more information is needed to see if all have the same voice and then go to the developer. Councilor Kelley thanked all attendees for their participation. The meeting adjourned at 6:40 PM.
For the Committee,
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