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Newsletter #43, December 5, 2024

    Newsletter #43
December 5, 2024    
https://alewife.org

The ASG Newsletter includes the following updates:

  • Danehy Park Improvements Plan Community Meeting #2 TODAY, Thursday, December 5
  • Save the date: Next Conservation Commission meeting about the MBTA’s proposed Hi-Rail Access Tunnel at Alewife, Monday, December 16, 7pm on Zoom
  • RAM Plan Comment Period Extended to December 8
  • Linear Park 100% Design Plans now available – Open House early next year
Danehy Improvements Plan Community Meeting #2 TODAY, Thursday, December 5

The Alewife Study Group (ASG)  just found out yesterday that there is going to be an update on the Danehy Park improvements plan over Zoom today from 6-7:30pm. There has been very little advanced notice about this meeting, but it is an opportunity to learn about the feedback the city has gathered, goals for the project, and draft ideas. There will also be opportunities to give more feedback as part of public comment. More details and a link to register can be found here.

Save the date: Next Conservation Commission (ConCom) meeting about MBTA’s proposed  Hi-Rail Access Tunnel at Alewife, Monday, December 16, at 7pm on Zoom

Please attend on December 16 to help protect trees and a conservation area planned for the area where the project is proposed, and to tell the ConCom whether the MBTA’s revised plans are acceptable or not.

The meeting agenda and registration link are not yet posted.  This information will be posted sometime soon on the City of Cambridge calendar for December 16.

This is the third ConCom meeting about this project.  The biggest outcome of the last meeting, on November 18, was the following request from the ConCom to the MBTA, which ASG and other community members had proposed before and during the meeting: 

Work with IQHQ, ConCom, ASG, and other community groups to significantly improve the MBTA’s plans to meet the goals of the Cambridge Tree Ordinance and IQHQ’s Special Permit commitment for the 4-acre conservation area (as described in ConCom’s Order of Conditions for IQHQ’s development area Notice of Intent.

ASG is coordinating with the MBTA, IQHQ, ConCom, Mass Audubon, Green Cambridge, and Cambridge4Trees to carry out the above request.  We hope that the MBTA will present a much-improved plan at the December 16 meeting.

ASG will send updates and recommendations a few days before the December 16 meeting. 

For more information about the MBTA’s proposed Alewife Hi-Rail access tunnel project, including issues and impacts, see ASG Newsletters 39, 41, and 42.

RAM* Plan Comment Period Extended to December 8

At ASG’s request, the MBTA extended their deadline for comments on their draft RAM Plan for their proposed Hi-Rail Access Tunnel at Alewife to Sunday, December 8 2024. 

If you would like to send comments or questions to the MBTA about their Draft RAM plan, email them no later than December 8, 2024 to:

Brian Miller, LSP, CDW Inc., at: bmiller@cdwconsultants.com 

Please also consider CC’ing or forwarding your comments to ASG at contact@alewife.org. 

Wondering what to include? You might consider any or all of these:

  • Mentioning if you are a T rider. And that you are eager for improved reliability and service. not follow the Asbestos Protection Ordinance (APO), which requires tenting and venting. Ask that they follow the APO.
  • A flawed public process. The T did not include any public input when choosing their proposed site for the Hi-Rail access tunnel.  And, the T introduced the project, started the RAM Plan comment period, and started the Conservation Commission permitting processes, all within 5 weeks.
  • A poorly considered location for this tunnel. Yes, this location is relatively far from houses, but it goes through one of the most contaminated areas of the old W. R. Grace site.  And, it goes through the  4-acre restored ecosystem that IQHQ’s was required to provide as a community benefit in order to receive a Special Permit from the City of Cambridge Planning Board for their development.
  • The T’s draft RAM Plan does not follow the Asbestos Protection Ordinance (APO), which requires tenting and venting. Ask that they follow the APO.

Thank you!

*RAM Plan stands for Release Abatement Measure Plan

In this case the potential release of asbestos is the main concern. The abatement the T proposes is wetting the soil. ASG wants the better solution of “tenting and venting” to eliminate or reduce inhalation of asbestos fibers.

For more about the MBTA’s Hi-Rail Access Tunnel proposal, including a link to their RAM Plan, see ASG Newsletters #39. #41 and #42.

Linear Park 100% Design Plans now available – Open House early next year

The City of Cambridge has recently revealed the 100% design plans for the reconstruction of the path from the Russell Fieldhouse Building to the Somerville line, including the Linear Park from Harvey Street to Massachusetts Avenue. The following are available under the November 2024 update on the City’s project page: Construction Plans, Landscape Materials Plans, Landscape Planting Plans, Landscape Soils Plans, and Cost Estimate. There will be a community open house meeting run by the city staff in January or February for the public to view the final designs and ask questions. More details about that meeting will be shared when they are available.

For questions or comments about issues in our community, contact ASG contact@alewife.org