Peter, I would call this great, creative thinking—but it almost seems like a no-brainer! Looks like we need a new committee: Lincoln Commuters for the Red Line. I hope this will be looked into regardless of where the HCA takes us. Thanks, Lynne
Lynne Smith 5 Tabor Hill Road Lincoln, MA 01773 cell: 781-258-1175 ly...@smith.net > On Nov 22, 2023, at 8:56 AM, Peter Buchthal <pbucht...@gmail.com> wrote: > > It will take at least 10+ years before optimistically the commuter rail > becomes efficient and reliable. If we push the goal posts out and require a > greener, electric, non diesel commuter rail, I hope to be still alive at that > point. > > For a brief moment, let's think about other ways to get people off the roads > and onto Mass Transit from Lincoln. The red line will get better before the > commuter line. So, let's see if we can move Lincoln commuters efficiently to > the red line. > > https://128bc.org/schedules/alewife-route-a-south/ > <https://128bc.org/schedules/alewife-route-a-south/> > There are at least four buses that in the morning shuttle passengers from the > Alewife red line station to big office parks in Waltham/Lexington, right on > the Lincoln border. They all return to Alewife to pick up their next set of > passengers completely empty. The afternoon is the exact opposite. Lincoln > commuters travel to Boston in the exact opposite to the office park workers. > If we work together with our neighbors, maybe Lincoln commuters could get an > express bus from Lincoln to Alewife in the morning, and an express bus from > Alewife to Lincoln in the afternoon. > > Running optimally (hopefully in a few years), the red should take 15 to 20 > minutes from Alewife to downtown Park Street. Add in an express bus to/from > Alewife and that takes 15 minutes and we have a viable, efficient mass > transit link to the city that would actually reduce our carbon footprint > instead of waiting 10+ years > > Let's open a discussion to improve Mass Transit to all Lincoln townspeople > with creative solutions, instead of putting all our eggs in the commuter rail > basket. > > Peter Buchthal > Weston Rd. > > > > > On Tue, Nov 21, 2023 at 9:11 PM DJCP <djcp0...@gmail.com > <mailto:djcp0...@gmail.com>> wrote: > I understand people have had bad experiences in the past but Governor Healey > has hired a new General Manager, Philip Eng, and he's already doing great > things. Sure, those things are catching up on a backlog of regular > maintenance and fixing the Green Line Extension screw up where the tracks are > too narrow, but I believe Healey is committed to making public transportation > better. That was my point in posting the Radio Boston segment - an actual > statement from a state official looking forward, instead of looking backward > and relying on intuition. > > Diana > Giles Rd > > On Tue, Nov 21, 2023, 8:14 PM slsweet830 via Lincoln <lincoln@lincolntalk.org > <mailto:lincoln@lincolntalk.org>> wrote: > What about the lack of handicapped accessibility? Years ago, as my daughter > struggled to get on the train here in Lincoln, a helpful. conductor said that > the plans to make the Lincoln stop handicapped accessible was years away. She > suggested we drive to Waltham's handicapped accessible station. > > A certain number of housing units must be handicapped accessible, but our > train station is not. This is a problem. > > > > Sent from my Galaxy > > > -------- Original message -------- > From: Kathleen Lomatoski <klomato...@gmail.com <mailto:klomato...@gmail.com>> > Date: 11/21/23 8:00 PM (GMT-05:00) > To: Margo Fisher-Martin <margo.fisher.mar...@gmail.com > <mailto:margo.fisher.mar...@gmail.com>> > Cc: Lincoln Talk <lincoln@lincolntalk.org <mailto:lincoln@lincolntalk.org>> > Subject: Re: [LincolnTalk] Mass. Investment in Communities that Build Around > Commuter Rail Stations > > I was a dedicated MBTA (via Alewife) and then a commuter rail rider for many > years from Lincoln to North Station. I tolerated decidedly not great service > and schedules, losing a lot of my daily time to delays, broken trains, etc. > (You don’t get the time back!) Generally many of us support public transit > yet admittedly the system needs massive resources to improve/maintain the > infrastructure and more. I do not see significant improvements coming anytime > in the near future, which is unfortunate. My work in Boston was public > facing; relying on the commuter rail was a precarious choice, due to the > frequent delays, odd train mishaps, and frequently occurring out of service > trains or staffing issues. Planning some housing near transit makes sense yet > I do not see that choice as one that will compel necessary improvements in > the short term especially. > > Kathleen Lomatoski > > > klomato...@gmail.com <mailto:klomato...@gmail.com> > >> On Nov 21, 2023, at 7:25 PM, Margo Fisher-Martin >> <margo.fisher.mar...@gmail.com <mailto:margo.fisher.mar...@gmail.com>> wrote: >> >> >> It’s not getting better even if we do comply. >> I hate to say it, but it’s true. >> And then if we do comply, we have a congested center with lousy service. >> The system is corrupt. Just like the RMV. >> Why should it get better just because there are new units there? The state >> cannot manage funds. Hence the nickname Taxachusetts. >> Sorry to be so negative, but the system is just going down the tubes. They >> will have to address safety issues before they even look at service issues. >> >> >> >> On Tue, Nov 21, 2023 at 7:13 PM Lis Herbert <lisherb...@gmail.com >> <mailto:lisherb...@gmail.com>> wrote: >> I grew up riding Metro-North, and I understand that by comparison the >> Fitchburg line is not great. The frequency is a problem, and that in large >> part dictates the degree to which people depend on it, and their attitude >> towards it. >> >> But it’s not getting any better if we don’t comply. I think we can be sure >> of that, both because the demand won’t be sufficient, and we’ll have thumbed >> our noses at the idea of being a mass transit-oriented community. >> >> It’s not clear to me how somebody can wish for improvements to the commuter >> rail in Lincoln and not see that concentrating density around the train is >> the answer. (I’m not saying you’re a somebody, by the way, just pointing out >> that I’ve heard plenty of people trying to play both sides of the coin.) >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >>> On Nov 21, 2023, at 6:25 PM, V Saleme <bmwkbi...@gmail.com >>> <mailto:bmwkbi...@gmail.com>> wrote: >>> >>> >> >>> Those of us who commuted into the city for work from here, have been >>> waiting for decades for improvements, frequency of service and reliability >>> to occur. >>> >>> The waiting continues. >>> >>> Vic >>> >>> On Tue, Nov 21, 2023 at 6:09 PM Lis Herbert <lisherb...@gmail.com >>> <mailto:lisherb...@gmail.com>> wrote: >>> Nowhere does it say that the train has to stop in Lincoln. We might not >>> have a sense for how the state plans to approach the MBTA shortfalls, but I >>> think it's a certainty that unless Lincoln demonstrates a commitment to >>> meaningful density around the station, we can bet against improvements in >>> service and frequency for Lincoln commuters. I hope we can all at least >>> agree that improvements aren't happening if we vote to avoid rezoning much >>> of that area in favor of car-centric development (that will, let's be >>> honest, not happen) located (according to Google maps) an 8 mile, 15 minute >>> drive away. >>> >>> On Tue, Nov 21, 2023 at 5:33 PM Peter Buchthal <pbucht...@gmail.com >>> <mailto:pbucht...@gmail.com>> wrote: >>> While I am happy to see some recognition that our MBTA needs investment, I >>> would like to point out the magnitude and likelihood of the dollars we are >>> talking about. Regrettably, we are many, many years away from a properly >>> functioning and reliable MBTA and commuter rail in Lincoln. >>> >>> >>> According to the Boston Globe: >>> >>> "The MBTA needs a gobsmacking $24.5 billion to repair and replace its >>> decrepit track, stations, trains, signals, and other assets, an agency >>> analysis released Thursday shows, providing the long-awaited tally of how >>> broken the transit system is." >>> >>> "The next most expensive is the commuter rail system, at about $8 billion, >>> with the bulk of investment needed for stations, followed by the Green and >>> Mattapan lines — which need $4.7 billion." >>> >>> <image.png> >>> >>> >>> List to the article: >>> https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/11/16/metro/cost-to-fix-mbta/ >>> <https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/11/16/metro/cost-to-fix-mbta/> >>> >>> >>> On Tue, Nov 21, 2023 at 10:55 AM DJCP <djcp0...@gmail.com >>> <mailto:djcp0...@gmail.com>> wrote: >>> After she was appointed permanent Transportation Secretary last week, >>> Monica Tibbits-Nutt directly stated on Radio Boston that the Commonwealth >>> would invest in communities that build around Commuter Rail stations. >>> >>> At about 7:10 in the segment linked here, Tiziana specifically asks about >>> HCA, and at 8:50 the Secretary says Mass. will put the money where "the >>> cities and towns do what needs to be done": >>> https://www.wbur.org/radioboston/2023/11/13/monica-tibbits-nutt-massdot-sagamore-bourne-tobin-mbta-sumner >>> >>> <https://www.wbur.org/radioboston/2023/11/13/monica-tibbits-nutt-massdot-sagamore-bourne-tobin-mbta-sumner> >>> >>> At 5:20, the Secretary also talks about how the "inner core" needs to >>> invest in housing so we can invest more in connecting places like >>> Worcester. >>> >>> I think the whole segment is worth listening to, as she directly links >>> housing to transportation. >>> >>> Diana >>> Giles Rd >>> -- >>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>> To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org >>> 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