Ashmont T Station

Red Line Shutdown - this weekend

The MBTA will shut down the Red Line between Ashmont and JFK/UMass this weekend from end of service Friday to the start of service Monday morning.  Bus shuttles will be available from Ashmont to JFK/UMass.

A hassle for everyone concerned.  This also runs counter to the MBTA's assertion back in July that no more shutdowns would be expected to occur. So, I have two questions about the shutdown.

1.) How long has the MBTA known that this shutdown would be necessary?

2.) How many workers will be on site during the shutdown?  One can be sure that very sensitive and invisible signal work will be occurring this weekend.

Ashmont Body Count = 12

The busway was paved yesterday! A great day to lay asphalt, though not for the guys doing the work. The asphalt looks ok, though the edges at the street area little rough. I hope they fix that. Since the paving is complete, today's body count only applies to the site guys working at the North Plaza. I included the worker in white chinos and the golf shirt out of incredulity more than anything else. I'll try to take pictures of our new aircraft carier size busway tomorrow. 

Next up: finish package

MBTA Update on Busway Work

I got the following message from the MBTA on progress at the busway. It almost reads like poetry.

Just a quick up date on Busway Schedule

Water line out to dot ave complete.

Curbing out to dot ave on the busway both north and south complete.

Final Paving will be complete today.

Work to complete

Handicap ramps at the north and south entrances

Stripe all crossings

Set center island light poles

As of now we are on or ahead of schedule

September 1st is still good

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

(apologies to Robert Frost)

Ashmont Body Count

I had about 28 guys on site on Wednesday morning, only two guys visible on the busway.  Overall, a HUGE turnout It might have been coincidental but there were several elected officials coming to the site yesterday. 

MBTA Reaction to Herald Article

[This is not the kind of answer a public agency should submit after a newspaper article.   The response needs to be one of action rather than repudiation. - Chris]

Ladies and Gentlemen, 
 
Thank you for making the time to attend the update meeting last week on the finishes contract.  I appreciate our continued productive dialog and working relationship. 
 
With regard to Mr. Stanley's request to hold a public meeting to discuss the elements of the finishes contract I will repeat what was discussed at the recent SMAMs meeting and at our meeting last week.  The finishes are the same as were included on the original design negotiated by the MBTA Design dept. and the Ashmont Advisory Committee and Barbara Boylan in 2003-4.  The one significant change is that the platforms were replaced (rather than restored) and the new design is not tiled as the T has found platform tiles to be a maintenance and safety hazard (slipping when wet, and they pop out).  The fact that the finishes are unchanged was pointed out eloquently at the SMAMs meeting by Chris S. and Jim (? I've only met him that one night).  The finishes contract will be bid shortly and when a contractor is selected this fall and we will have a public meeting to review its scope and duration then.
 
I was discouraged to see the negative Herald article, especially the quotes by Chris Stanley.  As co Chair of the Ashmont Advisory Committee nobody has been closer to the development, design, and construction of this project, attending countless coordination meetings over the last decade and dozens with the project directly over the last four years.  I am truly sorry he is so disenchanted with the project.  This is and remains a great investment in the community which will last for generations and forever change the face of Peabody Square.  The fact that a 5+ year timeline goes to 6 (6 months behind) when the scope expands so significantly, and you need to maintain transportation to over 16,000 daily commuters through the site, could not have been completely unexpected.  Particularly when stakeholders were updated as regularly as they have been.  Add that a 7 story mixed use development (the Carruth BLG) was constructed on the same site at the same time ,and I think its fair to expect some bumps along the way.
 
Anyway,  My thanks to you all.  I am on vacation for the next few weeks (excepting an evening meeting on Radford Lane on the 27th),  and we will get the finishes meeting scheduled when I return.  If you have any project problems in the interim call the hotline 617 222 6757, or email Kay at CConnolly@MBTA.com
 
Thanks and I hope you all continue to have a great summer, Joe

Amenities 2

The MBTA is planning on installing the concrete base for the moon statue and there will be water and electrical hook-ups out there, somewhere.

Some Finishes

Pumps for Chumps

Concrete placement for the North Plaza. Plaza and busway may be open between August and November (2009)

Station Repairs

The MBTA deserves credit for working to get all the turnstiles up and running in time for Tuesday morning's commute.  Regular riders were probably aware that at least one of the suckers was out of order every day last week.  let's keep our fingers crossed that the machines survive the "running of the high school students" next week.

I do not like to use this venue to bash the T for a number of reasons, especially since there are plenty of better read venues for T-based invective.  I would like to get more feedback from readers about getting the morning train to pull into the station, rather than idle just south of the station.  A number of readers have recalled that this problem was discussed during the design review and we were assured that the train would pull into the station to allow passengers to get out of the cold.....
I hope that the extra fare would at least merit that level of service....I'm just saying that it is cold out there. If you feel the same way or recall the same promise, write a comment here or let the MBTA know.  ( I would direct you to a link but honestly the MBTA comment policy seems to be in flux these days)

Website Updates

You may notice the right column of the website has some new features.  The ability of the web to do almost all our organization is fairly amazing. 

About a year ago I wanted some kind of web-based calender that did not cost $8000 and was easily updated by the public...voila, Google hands it our over their website.  The Google Calender option is a very easy tool to add your important neighborhood events. 

The other feature is a social networking map..centered in this case on Peabody Square, the emerging hotbed of the ...well...next BIG thing.  Again you are invited to add your own sites to the map.
I hope it helps.