The latest news from the MBTA is that the trolley viaduct construction is significantly delayed. In all likelihood this means that the viaduct will not be ready for passenger service until the Fall of 2007. What does this mean?
Firstly, it means that the current shuttle bus service will continue until the fall. The exact date of the return of trolley service is not known but I would not expect it before the end of October.
Secondly, the MBTA assures us ( community activists and elected officials) that the overall construction schedule of the station is not delayed. I think that this is probably correct. The MBTA deserves credit for getting this information out to the public as early as possible. The station is a complex construction process with lots of variables including passengers, train cars and construction equipment.
From my point of view, the station construction seems to be going relatively rapidly. Footings and columns have been placed and part of the viaduct looks like it is nearly ready for the installation of the concrete track bed. (I promise pictures of that). It is very heartening to see the number of workers on site. I hope that the workforce will remain well staffed.
The station still requires funding for a new roof and finishes. The MBTA hopefully is working on a plan to deliver these final pieces without a stoppage in the construction process. A new entry has been constructed at the top of Peabody Square, providing the neighborhood of a chance to see how the square will work when all the construction is finished. The Charlie Card system, I love the tap and go aspect, has some reliability issues, as at least one turnstile (what ever they are called) is broken every day for the last week.
....numerous people have mentioned to me that it is cold on the platform...how hard would it be to pull a train into the station while waiting for the proper headway?
In other parts of the station, Trinity Financial's new building The Carruth, seems to grow overnight. From my house I can count 5 floors of steel erected, complete with a port-a-potty on the 4th floor. Already from Peabody Square the building serves as a backdrop to our newly defined public space. Trinity has announced that Wainwright Bank will be opening a branch in the building and that the branch will include a coffee stand in their lobby. Pretty original.
Peabody Square re-design continues to show progress, mainly in the traffic configuration. The essential elements remain in tact, with minor tweaking by the Transportation Department. A public meeting will be announced shortly that will attempt to finalize the design and begin to look at the finishes and other amenities in the spaces around the square.
One of the best amenities is the Joe Wheelwright sculpture for Peabody Square. The competition winning entry needs some additional committee work and funding. The public is encouraged to attend the next meeting at the Codman Square Library on Feb 24th at 10:00 am. The art project is jointly sponsored by the Dorchester Arts Collaborative and St. Mark's Main Street.
