Needham Heights Neighborhood Association February Rail Trail Overview

Transcription

1 Needham Heights Neighborhood Association February Rail Trail Overview Stone Dust Path, Devils River WI Needham Rail Trail Greenway: Working with the town to assist, advise and coordinate rail trail greenway planning, design, construction and operation

2 Opportunity overview 4.8 miles connecting Newton to Dover Think Regionally Newton West Roxbury Dedham Transportation Corridor Increase biking and walking to transportation, schools, shopping and for exercise

3 Local Metro-West Rail Trails

4 Newton connecting to Needham Heights

5 Where is the available path in Needham? Community Path, Somerville, MA

6 North Section 1.13 Miles Most dense part of Needham Highest potential users Connects to: Green Line in Newton Commuter Rail New Senior Center Cricket Field Needham Heights Shopping Heights Post Office Newton Shopping

7 Middle Section 1.75 Miles High number of potential users Connects to: North Section - Needham Heights South Section - Needham Junction 3 Commuter Rail stations New Senior Center Needham Center 2 post offices High Rock School Hillside School Pollard School High School 59 bus

8 South Section (1.9 miles)

9 Newton Upper Falls Greenway Will be built Summer of 2013 with Existing and Possible Connecting Trails Slide courtesy of Newton Bicycle & Pedestrian Task Force

10 Newton Upper Falls Greenway Opportunity Visioning Needham Street MIT Study December 2010 The abandoned rail right-of-way to the west of Needham Street should be converted to a recreational corridor, creating a path for wildlife, a connection to the Charles River and existing open spaces to the southwest and northeast, and contributing to a regional recreational network. This plan recommends that any interventions along the corridor retain maximum flexibility for the long-term MBTA addition of a Green Line extension, while in the meantime encouraging the use of the corridor for pedestrian and bicycle use. Slide courtesy of Newton Bicycle & Pedestrian Task Force

11 North Section -- Options for the corridor Green Line Bus Sell to abutters Do Nothing -- Do not develop Rail Trail Connect via bike lanes or route to South section

12 2003 West Roxbury Rail Line sold to abutters

13 Riverside MBTA To Newton Lower Falls / Wellesley Rail Trail

14 2009 Newton Lower Falls Rail Bridge

15 2012 After

16 May 2012 Newton Lower Falls Rail Trail Opening

17 Bridges over 128 and Mass Turnpike Entrance (Recreation Road)

18 What are we asking for Endorse the concept of a North Section Organizational Challenges Better dialog with town Increase staff & committee involvement Parks & Rec Planning DPW Safe Routes to Schools Become certified bike-friendly town Designate a Bicycle Coordinator Plan for bike connections to, downtown, schools, other towns Involvement of DPW in bike efforts

19 Your action now is important 128 crossing Endorse a holistic rail trail plan, not just unconnected segments far from the population

20 Next Steps Groups meeting with (Wingate, Webster Green, Heights Association) Council on aging Senior Center Speakers Visits to other trails Want town employees and committee members to attend Let this be a shared journey of learning and community building Outreach plan Abutters Senior Center Businesses

21 Thank You Kid on bike, opening ceremony for the new Manahan rail trail bridge, Easthampton, MA

22 Questions? Community Path, Somerville, MA

23 Appendix Ghost Trail, Amesbury, MA

24 Could we do this in Needham? Community Path, Somerville, MA

25 Expected user counts Expected usage is related to available connections with other trails, paths, destinations Short, un-connected segments low usage Longer & well-connected high usage Desired destinations include Schools Transit Housing Shopping & restaurants Recreational (ball fields, parks) Civic (library, senior center, healthcare facilities)

26 Bruce Freeman Time of Day Counts Source:

27 Bruce Freeman Saturday User Counts Source:

28 Economic Impact Houses near the trail sell for a higher proportion of the asking price and in about half the time that it took for houses in the general inventory. The only traffic we got before was local people who live in the neighborhood and now there s a whole slew of people who never knew about this shopping center, mostly people from out east, Hays said. They drag their kids along behind them. They hang out and eat and ride back. A lot of my friends who live out east I see now regularly because before they had no reason to come here. Source:

29 What are the major work items? North Section: Evaluate Green Line / Busway / Rail Trail If Rail Trail is chosen, then study: Surface Paved vs. Stone Dust Bridges Charles River near Red Wing Bay / Fisher Street crossing to Dover Charles River near Wexford Street Needham / Oak Street Newton Route 128 Mass Highway plans to widen highway in 2014 or 2015 Parking Red Wing Bay? Cost Surfaces, bridges, parking Fundraising How much money is needed and how to raise it Lease from MBTA Liability from contamination Liability Insurance Maintenance Leaves, Litter, surface, parking, signs

30 Bridges (we have 3) Moms with stroller and dog, Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, Swanton VT

31 Stone Dust Surface? Moms with kids, Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, Swanton VT

32 Paved Asphalt Surface?

33 I have been hearing the rail trail is making progress, so why is a committee needed? South section is being studied Needham Junction to Dover 1.9 miles North section has been omitted Newton to Needham Heights 1.1 miles Need a public process for engagement with stakeholders No meeting agenda, notice, announcements, minutes, documents, meeting materials, budgets, timelines, decisions South Needham residents invited, North Needham residents excluded from private meetings held in town buildings

34 Why now? Lease is available to be signed with the MBTA Construction company will build it now for free Newton is building a rail trail up to the Needham Town Line at Wexford Street Green Line not feasible MBTA has no money Route 128 bridge needs to be replaced Selectmen policy regarding the north section is?

35 Could the rail line be used now for a rail trail and later converted to add a Bus Roadway or Green Line Extension? Yes This is why the MBTA only leases the right-ofway to the town, so later they can build transportation projects Another option preferred by the selectmen is to offer the rail right-of-way to adjacent future potential developers This would likely be rejected by the neighbors and MassDOT

36 Is the rail line a recommended place to build a bus roadway? Probably not Neighbors would likely object to a roadway adjacent to their house Transit typically is built near density, road networks, merchants, multi-unit housing (called Transit-Oriented-Development, TOD) The existing rail right-of-way is quarter to half mile away from existing density Ideally, use signal prioritization on existing # 59 bus to reduce delays from traffic signals. Signal prioritization is used by emergency vehicles to turn lights green to clear intersections. Needham emergency vehicles are already equipped for this MBTA can inexpensively add signal prioritization to improve bus fleet service, making it more attractive and desirable for middle class riders This is called BRT Bus Rapid Transit, an affordable transit option

37 Newton Needham Green Line Extension New Green Line riders would be cannibalized from commuter rail Fast commuter rail would be traded for slow Green Line Few net-new riders High operating subsidy per rider High capital cost per rider Image from 2003 State Study

38 Millis Commuter Rail Image from 2003 State Study

39 A Better City: Fixing Transit Finance, a Framework for Discussion, April 2011

40 MBTA Debt Load bad and getting worse A Better City: Transportation Finance

41 A Better City: Fixing Transit Finance, a Framework for Discussion, April 2011

42 A Better City: Fixing Transit Finance, a Framework for Discussion, April 2011

43 A Better City: Fixing Transit Finance, a Framework for Discussion, April 2011

44 A Better City: Fixing Transit Finance, a Framework for Discussion, April 2011

45 Would adjacent private developers build the Green Line? Source: 2009 Dukakis Center / Conservation Law Foundation: Blue Ribbon summit on Financing the MBTA

46 2009 Former John Hancock CEO David D Alessandro MBTA Finance Funding Recommendations David F. D'Alessandro MBTA Review, November

47 A Better City: Fixing Transit Finance, a Framework for Discussion, April 2011

48 Plenty of available commuter rail seats

49 Community Path, Somerville, MA

50 Construction Timeline Newton Aldermen Vote October 2012 Lease with MBTA December 2012 Contract with Iron Horse company Q Construction Completed Q Needham?

51 Construction Cost Iron Horse company removes steel rail Sells for scrap or re-use Properly disposes of hazardous wooden ties Builds a basic surface All for no cost Make enough money to break even by selling the steel If more work is desired, such as parking, fencing, fancy surfaces, there may be extra cost But basically we can have a free rail trail in 2013

52 State Funding House 4373 July $250,000 shall be expended for a rail trail in the towns of Needham, Dover and Medfield no less than $50,000 shall be expended for the city of Newton's conversion of the abandoned, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority controlled rail line parallel to Needham street in the city of Newton to a linear park, with potential future conversion to a green-line extension House 2376 & Senate 2376 Authorizes funding Governor would need to Appropriate funding Thanks to our state house delegation, particularly Rep Denise Garlick!

53 We could use a bridge like this when route 128 adds more lanes in 2014 / 2015

54 Maine Turnpike Bridge

55

56 Many other towns have rail trails

57 Long range state-wide plan

58 Stone Dust Path, Devils River WI Needham Planning Board February Rail Trail Overview Needham Rail Trail Greenway: Working with the town to assist, advise and coordinate rail trail greenway planning, design, construction and operation

59 Street Webster and Gould

60 Organizational Challenges Who votes? Multi-town meetings are secret Town employees only talk with Tad Only Tad can talk with town employees No info on town website No meeting notice via town website

61 West Roxbury Connection Along Rail Line Under Power Lines Connections to Millennium Park Ideal for downtown bike commuting

62 Senior Center Senior center details Walkway along train line Rail with Trail examples Hersey

63 Charles River Bridge design

64 Summary of solution Surface Crossings Fences Parking

65 Project Management Individual citizens are carrying the project Without them it would stall, there is little town ownership & initiative Health Issues

66 Legal MBTA lease Town Contract Insurance

67 Schedule Tie to Newton s efforts Iron Horse (has anyone met with them?) Prepare for Paving

68 Issues / Concerns Has Iron Horse gone over a highway Would this project slow down add-a-lane project? What protections during bridge work over 128

69 Iron Horse Towns Miles Bridges Street Crossings Budgets Feasibility studies Town involvement Friends group involvements Schedule Contract Mitigation during construction

70 2009 Newton Lower Falls Rail Trail Bridge

71 2009 Newton Lower Falls Rail Trail Bridge

72 2009 Newton Lower Falls Rail Trail Bridge