Entries tagged with pedestrian bridge

Entry tags:

Trail Advocates Plot New Routes to Link East Somerville to Charles River

There's a nice piece here about the potential pedestrian and bike trails that would include parts of Somerville and beyond.

https://mass.streetsblog.org/2020/06/10/trail-advocates-plot-new-routes-to-link-e-somerville-to-charles-river/

snippet:

The trail feasibility study analyzes two critical links that would connect to the under-construction Community Path Extension, which will eventually run from Davis Square to Lechmere: one connection would run northward, linking the new Community Path to the Mystic River Greenways network near Assembly Square; the second connection would zig-zag southwest into Cambridge, and connect to the proposed Grand Junction path (which is funded and is currently being designed for construction).

Trail feasability study [PDF]: http://pathfriends.org/scp/FinalStudy/CPX_Connection_Study_200601_Report-small.pdf

Entry tags:

Gondola? Who asked for a gondola?

Via the SomPedTransit mailing list, I was alerted to the floating [ahem] of a proposal to replace the pedestrian/cyclist bridge across the Mystic with a gondola. No, seriously, stop laughing. It was in the Globe.

Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/02/07/business/everett-officials-envision-aerial-gondolas-city-hall-casino-assembly-station/

Reply: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/02/07/metro/walkers-cyclists-worry-that-an-everett-gondola-would-cost-them-crucial-connection/

Non-Globe piece that doesn't require subscription: https://patch.com/massachusetts/somerville/environmental-advocates-push-back-against-encore-gondola-proposal

This is, of course, insane. Low volume, subject to breaking, in a windy area... I rarely state my own opinion on these things here, trying to be a bit neutral. But this is a hard NO from me if it replaces the bridge.

That said, we joked about how this might actually work up Winter Hill if we can't get a north-south bus route. But no, this is just kidding.

Examples:

I was about to have kittens about the gondola, and then I was remembering a trip to Pittsburgh where they have this fun tram up a nearby hill that takes you to this kind of sweet view and there's an ice cream place up there...it doesn't suck.

https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/directory/duquesne-incline/

I definitely don't want a gondola system to come at the cost of a bike/ped bridge. That said I had seen a City Beautiful YouTube video about gondola systems recently and I've been day dreaming about a line running from the casino through Assembly to Ten Hills, the tops of Winter and Spring Hills and onward to Harvard via Conway Park.

Maybe I just hate climbing hills.

I prefer the TransitTrebuchet.

Plus a footbridge, of course.

Pushback from Mystic River Watershed folks: https://mysticriver.org/news/2020/2/10/mystic-river-watershed-association-calls-on-state-and-encore-to-partner-on-mystic-river-pedestrian-and-bicycle-bridge

Anyway: I draw your attention to the Draw Seven park upcoming meeting where influencing the decision on the bridge might be worthwhile.
https://whna.dreamwidth.org/53669.html

Edit to add: the last meeting I recall on the Pedestrian bridge is here: https://whna.dreamwidth.org/16420.html You can download the slides that make the state's own case for the bridge form.

Entry tags:

Proposed Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge Over the Mystic River

pedestrian bridge by Carlos Dias from the Noun Project

Via the DCR upcoming meetings page, hat tip to davis-square.dreamwidth.org

Proposed Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge Over the Mystic River Connecting Everett, Somerville, and Charlestown

Monday, February 12, 2018 – 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Partners Health Care, Assembly Row

Assembly Room - Room B, 1st Floor

(Enter Through West Entrance)399 Revolution Drive, Somerville, MA 02145

Notice [PDF]

EDIT POST-MEETING: I couldn't go, but my housemate just dropped the plans in my lap. I kind of like this bridge, I just wish it didn't benefit Wynn...

See the plans from this page, where you can access the slides. https://www.mass.gov/service-details/pedestrian-and-bicycle-bridge-over-the-mystic-river-connecting-everett-somerville