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Press Coverage
Weymouth — The developer that plans to renovate the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station into a residential-commercial complex recently had its bond ratings downgraded, but this is not discouraging LNR Property Corp. from trying to get the Navy to transfer 830 acres of base land to it. “The councilors and I certainly have concerns, but we are optimistic that things are moving forward,” Town Council President Michael Smart said on Nov. 30. Naval officials were scheduled to meet on Dec. 1 in Boston with LNR and South Shore Tri-Town Development Corp. executives to discuss the proposed land transfer. “We are hopeful for a robust and substantive conversation that gets close to closure pretty quickly,” LNR spokesman William Ryan said on Nov. 30. The meeting is occurring because U.S. Rep. William Delahunt recently filed a bill that would permit the federal government to transfer former military properties at no cost to agencies like Tri-Town if a redevelopment plan for the site promotes economic development. A U.S. House-Senate conference committee is reviewing the proposed legislation. “We need the (federal) government to step up,” said District 1 Councilor Victor Pap, who serves as chairman of the council’s economic development committee. He said on Nov. 30 that real estate companies around the United States are experiencing lower bond ratings. “I think there are some legitimate concerns, but at the same time there has been a lack of financing and a lowering of the bond rating throughout the real estate industry across the board,” Pap said. LNR had its debt rating lowered on Nov. 12 from B- to CCC (cash conversion cycle) with a negative outlook by Standard and Poor. “We expect the firm’s longer resolution times and lower liquidation values for its special-servicing assets to continue and interest income cash flows to be volatile,” stated an S & P. report. Days later, a published report stated that Moody’s had downgraded LNR’s rating from B3 to Ca. and default of the debt is highly probable in the future. Both ratings are considered junk bond ratings. Smart said that the reports about the bond ratings with respect to LNR are indicative of what is happening around the country. “When you look at a city like Boston or Quincy, they both had projects that had been bid on and they got pulled back because of banking issues,” he said. Smart also said that it has been difficult for builders to get bonds during the lean economy because lenders have tightened the requirements. LNR chief executive officer Thomas J. Hughes could not be reached for comment about the bond ratings, but said in a published report that LNR is committed to renovating the base. “While LNR has operations throughout the U.S. and Europe, the South Weymouth project specifically is a strategic investment for LNR and represents a major commitment of our stakeholders,” he said in a statement. “LNR has funded $80 million to date since 2002, and we stand prepared to continue to invest in the project.” The project got a boost from the Navy last month when it approved LNR’s request for an easement to construct the two-lane East-West parkway. “The Navy has come through by allowing construction of the connector road,” Pap said. Attempts to construct the East-West parkway received a $15 million federal assist on Oct. 26. Funding for the two-lane roadway is on Gov. Deval Patrick’s list of 33 priority projects under the Massachusetts Recovery Plan. Construction of the parkway could begin in 60 to 90 days, and the road is to be built in phases. “In speaking with Tri-Town, they are optimistic that the work could begin at the end of this year or the start of 2010,” Smart said. Patrick has committed $42.6 million in state aid to construct the road in a 30-year bond bill that lawmakers approved last year. The first phase of the project would involve having the parkway connect to Shea Memorial Boulevard. “The governor has signaled a strong commitment to SouthField along with our federal legislators and our state officials,” Pap said. “The business community is involved.” LNR plans to construct 2,855 homes and two million square feet of commercial enterprises at the base in phases during the next 14 years. The dwellings will include rentals and ownership housing. LNR’s blueprint also includes a hotel, an 18-hole golf course, a conference center, boutique shops, restaurants, hiking baths, walkways, recreational fields, and a two million square foot commercial complex to accommodate a pharmaceutical company or biotechnology firm. LNR has invested $75 million into constructing new infrastructure at the base to accommodate the structures being planned. Pap said that the stakeholders who are involved with renovating the base have invested too much in the project to walk away from it. “We are in so much more of a position to bring this project to fruition,” he sad. “It is a question about how to make this project come to fruition.” Pap said that redeveloping the base is a long-term challenge. “It is not a quick fix where things will change from one quarter to the next,” he said. “A lot of people were skeptical about this project, but after doing due diligence, it will be a huge boon to Weymouth.” Smart said that the council understood that the base renovation would not happen readily after the council approved the Host Community Agreement four years ago because there are a number of state, federal, and military agencies involved with the project. “The economy took a major hit that did not just involve Tri-Town or Weymouth,” he said. “It was a blow to the entire country. Nobody anticipated that would happen two years ago. That put a huge roadblock in front of the project.” The article is available online HERE.
New police chief introduces himself to town council in Weymouth WEYMOUTH — Weymouth’s first permanent police chief in more than a year formally introduced himself to the town council Monday night. Chief Richard Grimes, accompanied by Mayor Sue Kay, said he was no stranger to the town council. The former lieutenant and 27-year department veteran was the special-operations commander for the canine unit, motorcycle division and honor guard. “I always believe in leaving things better than I found them,” Grimes told the councilors. Kay, who chose Grimes from the three highest-scoring candidates on a Civil Service assessment, praised the new chief for his enthusiasm and spirit. One of Grimes’ first tasks: swearing in six new commanding officers, which he said will help the department move forward. A captain, three lieutenants and two sergeants were to be sworn in today. District 1 Councilor Victor Pap asked Grimes to look into the drug and graffiti problems in North Weymouth. The chief said combating drugs and graffiti are ongoing efforts across town. Councilor-at-large Robert Conlon, a retired Boston police lieutenant, stressed the need for additional patrol officers, but he also acknowledged that money is tight. “It’s easy to hide behind budget cuts,” Grimes said. “It’s the challenge ... not to spend more, but spend better.” Click Here to read online Nineteen residents will be on Weymouth ballot in November EXCERPTS: WEYMOUTH — The field of candidates is set for Weymouth’s election this November. Six residents are vying for three seats on the school committee. The district representatives on the town council are unopposed for re-election. Five of the seven residents competing for at-large council seats are incumbents. No preliminary election will be needed. Nomination papers bearing voter signatures were due in the town clerk’s office Tuesday. The unopposed district councilors are: Victor Pap (District 1), Thomas Lacey (District 2), Kenneth DiFazio (District 3), Arthur Mathews (District 4), Ed Harrington (District 5) and Michael Smart (District 6). Click Here to read the Full Article. Election season warms up in Weymouth Weymouth — The lazy days of summer are here, but town officials are busily getting signatures to have their names placed on the Sept. 15 preliminary election ballot. Councilors seeking new two-year terms include Victor Pap (District 1), Thomas J. Lacey (District 2), Kenneth DiFazio (District 3), Art Mathews (District 4), Edmund Harrington (District 5), and Michael Smart (District 6). Pap was the first councilor to seek nomination papers from Town Clerk Franklin Fryer when the forms became available on June 1. Lacey, DiFazio, Mathews, Harrington, and Smart requested the election forms on the same day. Candidates for town offices must return their nomination papers to Fryer’s office for signature verification by 5 p.m. on Aug. 11. Residents who are 18 or older on the day of the election and preliminary election can register to vote at Fryer’s office Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The last day to register to vote in the preliminary is Aug. 26, and the office will be open until 8 p.m. that day. Residents have until Oct. 14 to register to vote in the Nov. 3 election. “I have been campaigning since February,” said Pap, whose district includes North Weymouth. “I’ve been going door-to-door and incorporated new technology on my website for residents to get in contact with me and keep people informed about the issues. As the months go by, I will be posting new information on the website.” He said that his website serves as an online office for his constituents to seek knowledge. “It is a place where people can ask me questions on the neighborhood level,” Pap said. “It has been rewarding to meet people and help them,” Pap said. CLICK HERE to read the full article. Historical design urged for new bridge Some residents want a new Fore River Bridge to blend in with North Weymouth’s neighborhood character and not be just an ordinary span. “There are a number of North Weymouth residents who want a more historical design for the bridge, as opposed to the lift span that is in place right now,” said District 1 Councilor Victor Pap in a recent interview with the News. “They want a new bridge that will enhance the character of North Weymouth and be an aesthetically pleasing center piece for the area.” The temporary bridge over the Fore River has a vertical lift that rises whenever a fuel tanker or large vessel goes under it to access commercial ports in East Braintree. Residents offered Pap and local officials suggestions for a new bridge design during a recent forum in Quincy. “We had a decent amount of people from North Weymouth who turned out,” Pap said. He said most residents preferred a drawbridge style lift for ships to pass under. “The main issue for the new bridge design will be if the Coast Guard says that a wider river channel is needed,” Pap said. “Any request for a bridge design has to be approved by the Coast Guard, which has the final say.” Pap said that if the Coast Guard requests a wider channel, it would necessitate having a vertical lift bridge built. “Hopefully, the Coast Guard will come back this summer with a recommendation so people can offer input into a design,” he said. “There are a lot of pretty complex parts that come into the (bridge) picture.” Construction of a new bridge was not supposed to begin until 2017, but a $3 billion bill approved by lawmakers last year is giving the project a jumpstart. MassHighway hired STV Incorporated to conduct a bridge study and complete a design that is 25 percent complete. “Once they get to a 25 percent design phase, it will have to be narrowed down as to what type of bridge the public wants,” Pap said. STV will additionally be conducting environmental reviews of the area with respect to protecting the natural habitat, reducing noise, and preserving air quality near the Fore River. The firm plans to hold public hearings with commuters, local property owners who live near the channel, and Weymouth officials. “Right now, they are showing people different bridge designs and collecting data from the public,” Pap said. Replacement of the temporary bridge is expected to cost $255 million. “The original lifespan of that bridge was expected to be 10 years, but it is now 15 years,” Pap said. “It is good that MassHighway has put a new span on its accelerated bridge construction plan. We need to move forward with this project.” The temporary structure allows an average of 30,000 drivers to travel to Quincy or Weymouth each day. STV is expected to complete a 25 percent design phase for a new bridge by August, 2010, and MassHighway plans to start accepting bids to build a new span between September, 2010 and April, 2011. Construction of the bridge should be done in 2015. Direct Link Here. Advice for improving Bicknell sought Weymouth - Bicknell Square’s tired appearance might be improved if local officials approve a tax credit for business owners who give a facelift to their property. The town could apply for a public works grant that would permit local officials to beautify the commercial district by installing turn-of-the-century street lighting and new sidewalks. District 1 Councilor Victor Pap said that these ideas are among a number of recommendations he is receiving from residents about how Bicknell can have greater eye appeal that encourages more shopkeepers to open a store on Bridge Street. “Some of the suggestions include having a university open a satellite extension program,” he said. “We have received a number of comments from the community. People are coming forward with excellent input.” The drab looking stores are generally located near the Fore River Bridge. This section once had many thriving small businesses, but many of the storefronts are vacant and some of the existing shops need a facelift. Weeds sprout from sidewalks and cracks in the pavement present an obstacle in some spots for walkers or children riding bicycles. “We need to have a mini-master plan for North Weymouth that includes specific benchmarks and associated costs,” Pap said. He said that citizens would do their part to improve the square if there is a definitive plan in place. Some of the ideas suggested for improving Bickenll during past meetings of the town council’s economic development committee have included zoning changes, adjusting tax codes to help businesses thrive, and planting trees on the side of Bridge Street. “What we want to avoid is having some giant company come in, take over half of the business strip, and build a big store,” Pap said. He said it is possible to have a square that thrives with small shops. “In Minneapolis, they revitalized one section of the town,” Pap said. “They insisted on not having a Wal-Mart come in, and they attracted small businesses like an art shop and café.” He said that Bicknell has some small shops that would attract similar businesses if a workable improvement plan were to be in place. “We have some antique shops and a tailor business down there,” Pap said. Efforts to revitalize Bicknell got a boost from state lawmakers who approved a $3 billion bond borrowing authorization bill last summer to construct a new Fore River Bridge. A new span has been viewed as a key component for improving traffic flow into Bicknell and making the location more attractive to would be business owners. The bond bill includes authorization for STV Inc., of Boston to prepare a preliminary bridge design, conduct environmental assessments of the area, coordinate plans with property owners and begin the lengthy permitting process, and designs that are needed to construct a new span. “As for the bridge, we will work with the state to be sure everything comes together,” Pap said. Some of the key environmental issues STV must address to get a design for a new span approved include safeguarding the herring that move upstream through the Fore River while swimming to the Back River in addition to traffic management, noise, and air quality concerns. The designs will include a drawbridge span and an overpass that can have its midsection raised vertically. Pap said that Mayor Susan Kay realizes the importance of improving Bicknell Square. “She knows that Bridge Street is in tough shape and it will naturally increase the crime rate and decrease property values,” he said. Pap said that residents could make recommendations about improving Bicknell to the economic development committee by e-mailing him at councilor.pap@gmail.com. “We will be receiving comments through mid-April,” he said. “At some point, we will then have a public hearing, but right now this is in informal comment period for people to offer suggestions.” The momentum to improve Bicknell is occurring while the former Hingham shipyard is being converted by Lennar Urban Roseland Property Company into “The Launch,” a residential/commercial development, The complex will eventually have luxury townhouses, restaurants, offices, parks, approximately 40 shops, and 94 condos, complete with a boardwalk, in a $1.2 million-square-foot site on Route 3A. Direct Link Here Extended Weymouth bus routes to start Monday WEYMOUTH —The MBTA will extend bus routes into South Weymouth beginning Monday, a service local officials have sought for years. The extension of routes 222 and 225 will provide bus service to heavily trafficked destinations such as South Shore Hospital and Columbian Square, and connect them to the Quincy Center Red Line subway station. “It’s certainly a commodity and a valuable tool,” said Town Council President Michael Smart. Smart said it’s important residents use the new service so the MBTA can preserve them as cost-effective. “Use it so it stays,” he said. The extension was precipitated by the discontinuation of a private bus route through South Weymouth last year. Managers at JBL Bus Lines said the opening of two Greenbush commuter rail stations in Weymouth lured away too many of their riders to keep the route going. The new routes will take Route 222 riders down to Washington Street (Route 53) and Route 225 riders onto Main Street (Route 18) and through Columbian Square by South Shore Hospital. Buses will stop at several apartment complexes along the way, including Queen Anne’s Gate, Mediterranean Woods and Weymouth Commons. Town Councilor Arthur Mathews said more expansion is possible. He said he hopes to see the Route 222 bus, which serves North Weymouth, also connect to South Shore Hospital. Mathews said he’d also like a stop at Weymouth High School in South Weymouth. “It’s a good start,” Mathews said. “Let’s hope the residents of Weymouth will utilize it.” The cancellation of JBL service left South Weymouth without any bus service for the first time in 60 years. The town ran its own bus service, WeyBus, through the area in the 1980s. Mayor Sue Kay said the new extensions will “enable more residents of Weymouth to access employment throughout the metropolitan Boston region.” For more information on the routes, call Bob Luongo of Weymouth’s planning department at 781-682-3637. Weymouth Town Council last night: Discussed the long-awaited expansion of MBTA bus service into South Weymouth, which starts Monday. Referred to the budget/management committee a request to transfer $30,000 to cover veterans benefits requests for the rest of the fiscal year. Discussed Councilor Victor Pap’s effort to collect suggestions on ways to revitalize North Weymouth. Pap will collect the suggestions until April 15 and then schedule a public hearing. Issued a citation to Emily Cunningham, a student at Cardinal Spellman High School, for leading efforts to raise $5,000 through events like benefit concerts to assist with humanitarian efforts in Darfur. Did not have their meeting televised because of a server issue with the local cable access network. The meeting was recorded and will air this week. Direct Link Here Extended T bus service ready to roll Weymouth - Under a new schedule that takes effect on March 23, MBTA buses will be accepting fares in South Weymouth and at new stops in East Weymouth. “The T responded to 90 percent of the feedback of Weymouth residents,” District 1 Councilor Victor Pap told the town council on March 16. Passengers will have 10 daily roundtrips available to Quincy Center on the Route 225 bus that will stop in Columbian Square and South Shore Hospital to board or discharge riders on weekdays. The Route 222 bus will include additional stops on Pleasant Street and Washington Street in East Weymouth near several multi-family apartment complexes. “The extension of these bus routes will enable more residents of Weymouth to access employment throughout the metropolitan Boston region, and specifically Route 225 will also serve South Shore Hospital and other major employment and shopping centers in Weymouth,” said Mayor Susan Kay in a written statement on March 16. She said the extended bus routes in East Weymouth would give passengers easier access to the commuter railway station in Jackson Square. The Route 225 bus will pick up passengers in Columbian Square on weekdays at 6:42 a.m., 7:22 a.m., 8:26 a.m., 1:08 p.m., 2:53 p.m., 3:25 p.m., 6:23 p.m., 7:11 p.m., 7:36 p.m., and 11:06 p.m. There will be no transit service to South Weymouth on weekends by the Route 225 bus. The Route 222 bus will accept riders or discharge passengers at Pleasant and Washington Street in East Weymouth on weekdays at 6:07 a.m., 6:49 a.m., 7:15 a.m., 7:38 a.m., 8:04 a.m., 8:57 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:02 a.m., and 12:05 p.m. before proceeding to Hingham Square. The Route 222 bus will additionally make stops at Pleasant Street and Washington without proceeding to Hingham Square at 1:10 p.m., 2:13 p.m., 3:20 p.m., 4:22 p.m., 4:57 p.m., 5:27 p.m., 5:59 p.m., 6:31 p.m., 7:07 p.m., 8:29 p.m., and 10:29 p.m. The Route 222 bus will provide service on Saturday with stops at Pleasant and Washington at 7:39 a.m. 9:30 a.m., 11:39 a.m., 1:39 p.m., 2:39 p.m., 3:39 p.m., 4:39 p.m., 5:39 p.m. 6:39 p.m. 7:58 p.m., 9:53 p.m., and 11:53 p.m. There is no service to Hingham Center by the Route 222 bus on Saturday. The Sunday schedule for the Route 222 bus will include stops at Pleasant and Washington at 8:54 a.m., 10:54 a.m., 12:54 p.m., 4:54 p.m., 6:54 p.m., 8:51 p.m., and 10:51 p.m. before returning to Quincy Center. There is no service to Hingham Center by the Route 222 bus on Sunday. The T’s bus service for South Weymouth will fill a public transportation gap that occurred when JBL Bus Lines, a Braintree firm, stopped boarding in Weymouth in June. Company officials cited a decline in riders that occurred when the T began operating the Greenbush rail on the South Shore on Oct. 31, 2007. Shortly after JBL stopped accepting local fares, Kay and the town council urged the T to consider the feasibility of extending bus service in South Weymouth and adding routes in East Weymouth. Kay said that the extended bus service would not be possible without the support of residents, state Sen. Robert Hedlund, R-Weymouth, state Rep. James Murphy, D-Weymouth, state Rep. Ronald Mariano, D-Quincy, and the town council, who urged state transportation officials to extend the existing routes. Direct Link Here Ideas to revitalize Bicknell sought Weymouth - Efforts to tidy up portions of North Weymouth’s business district are on town council’s radar during the new year. Councilors agreed to extend discussion about improving Bicknell Square in 2009 during a meeting last month. “The North Weymouth revitalization process has already started,” said District 1 Councilor Victor Pap, who serves on the economic development committee. “This is the first time a committee has looked at revitalizing North Weymouth.” The drab looking shops are generally located on Bridge Street near the Fore River Bridge. This section once had many thriving small businesses, but many of the storefronts are vacant and some of the existing shops need a facelift. Weeds sprout from sidewalk cracks along Route 3A in Bicknell Square and present an obstacle in some spots for walkers or children riding bicycles. Pap said ideas for improving the business district are being solicited by the economic development committee. “We are still in the stage of gathering information,” he said. “We are getting weekly feedback from residents about how to improve the area.” Some of the ideas suggested for improving Bickenll during past committee meetings have included zoning changes, adjusting tax codes to help businesses thrive, and planting trees on the side of Bridge Street. . “Once we have completed the information gathering, we will sit down with the mayor’s administration and discuss some of the feasible ways in which we can go forward,” Pap said. “My hope is that the mayor will submit a measure to the council. That will be the next step in this process.” The momentum to improve Bicknell is occurring while the former Hingham shipyard is being converted into “The Launch,” a residential/commercial development by Lennar Urban Roseland Property Company. The complex will eventually have luxury townhouses, restaurants, offices, parks, approximately 40 shops, 94 condos, complete with a boardwalk in a $1.2 million square-foot site on Route 3A. Efforts to revitalize Bicknell got a boost from state lawmakers who approved a $3 billion bond borrowing authorization bill last summer to construct a new Fore River Bridge. A new span has been viewed as a key component for improving traffic flow into Bicknell and making the location more attractive to would be business owners. The bond bill includes authorization for STV Inc., of Boston to prepare a preliminary bridge design, conduct environmental assessments of the area, coordinate plans with property owners and begin the lengthy permitting process, and designs that are needed to construct a new span. Some of the key environmental issues STV must address to get a design for a new span approved include safeguarding the herring that move upstream through the Fore River while swimming to the Back River in addition to traffic management, noise and air quality concerns. The designs will include a drawbridge span and an overpass that can have its midsection raised vertically. Direct Link Here Bus route extensions is on T’s table Weymouth - Passengers might be boarding MBTA buses in South Weymouth by early March or June if the T deems there are enough riders who would use the service. “We are waiting to get a report back from the T,” said District 1 Councilor Victor Pap, a member of the council’s economic development committee. “The T general manager (Daniel Grabauskas) sent a letter to the mayor that included his review and he said he would get back to us with a new spring schedule once it is finalized.” The T board of directors could decide whether to extend bus routes into South and East Weymouth on Jan. 14. “We have a proposal to extend bus route 225 into South Weymouth down to Columbian Square and South Shore Hospital,” said Melissa Dullea, manager of service planning for the T. “Our service plan is slated to go before the board of directors in mid-January.” The T will consider comments made by residents and town councilors that spoke in favor of having additional public transportation in Weymouth during a town council public hearing several months ago. Many of the attendees said additional bus routes are needed because there are seniors and apartment dwellers who do not own cars and need a ride to work or to medical appointments. T officials are proposing to extend the Route 225 bus line by offering 10 weekday roundtrips to Quincy Center from Columbian Square. Passengers could board the Route 225 bus in Columbian or at South Shore Hospital. This bus would continue down Route 18 with stops along the way before it turns onto Middle Street to accept riders at select stops and Wal-Mart Plaza. The bus would then continue onto Route 53 to accept fares and include a stop at the East Braintree/Weymouth Landing commuter train station before it proceeds to Quincy. JBL Bus Lines, a Braintree firm, once serviced some of these stops until it stopped accepting passengers in Weymouth in June, 2008. Company officials cited a decline in riders that occurred when the T began operating the Greenbush rail on the South Shore on Oct. 31, 2007. The T is additionally reviewing requests to accept more passengers in East Weymouth by having its Route 222 bus proceed further into East Weymouth to transport passengers to Quincy Center. The Route 222 bus would stop at Lovells Corner near Washington Street and pick up riders on Pleasant Street. This proposed change would result in a discontinuation of service on High Street and Ward/ French Streets in Hingham because this section is considered to be in close proximity to the commuter rail station in Jackson Square for riders. Dullea said if the board approves the additional routes, some planning would have to be done to develop a bus schedule for riders. “Assuming the proposal does go forward, it takes some time to develop a schedule,” she said. “If all goes according to plan, the soonest bus service could start might be March. But changes don’t always occur at the same time so it could be March or June before the buses are up and running along those routes.” Councilor-at-large Michael Molisse said the need for bus service is acute. “It is definitely a need we need to keep pursuing,” he said. Molisse said there is a significant number of students, seniors and people who live in housing complexes that would utilize public transportation if it is available. “There are a lot of people who work at South Shore Hospital and who live near Columbian Square that would use the bus,” he said. “It would be a great asset to the community. I’m behind the busing proposal 100 percent.” Direct Link HERE State gives green light to Fore River Bridge reconstruction Weymouth - The raising of the Fore River Bridge to allow a ship to pass underneath causes aggravating traffic delays for motorists, but construction of a new span could get underway by 2011 and eventually lessen these frustrations a few years later. State Sen. Robert Hedlund, R-Weymouth, said that a $3 billion bond borrowing authorization approved by lawmakers last summer could pave the way for work to start on a new bridge in three years. “Yesterday we got word that the project has been greenlighted,” said Hedlund as he stood on the banks of the Fore River on Nov. 21. “The design contract has been awarded to STV Inc.” STV is a national engineering firm that has a Boston branch on Summer Street. “They are moving ahead with the environmental permitting work and doing the necessary design work that will lead up to actual construction,” Hedlund said. “That is usually a more lengthy process than the actual construction itself. That is good news in terms of a time standpoint.” The temporary span that straddles the Fore River has 11 years remaining on its life expectancy. “We estimate that we are advancing this project by five years sooner than we would have,” Hedlund said. “We will see two preferred designs.” The designs will include a span that can have the mid section raised vertically and a drawbridge. “It would be like the old bridge, but it would be a much larger span and one that requires less bridge openings,” he said. Bridge openings to let large ships such as LNG tankers pass underneath have to be done during high tide because of the Fore River’s depth and narrow width. Weather factors, such as wind, are evaluated before the span is raised. A typical bridge opening to allow a ship to pass takes 30 minutes. “Bridge openings are a major inconvenience, especially for the constituents I represent who live south of here,” Hedlund said. “Sometimes they can’t be avoided because of the tides that we have to deal with here to accommodate the tankers.” The tankers use the Fore River to access Citgo’s oil terminals in East Braintree. “This is a significant oil terminal that is south of Boston,” Hedlund said. “It is a crucial terminal for providing gasoline and home heating oil for the region.” He said that Citgo has tried to schedule fuel deliveries during light travel periods by motorists to avoid lengthy bridge openings. “One of the bridge designs we are looking at will require less openings,” Hedlund said. “You will (then) have a larger span. The channel is so narrow that we can only accommodate tankers during a two-hour window at high tide.” Efforts to make the channel deeper are being done under a federally funded dredging project that has been underway for nearly a year. “With the dredging and a new bridge, we will see a significant decrease in having to open the Fore River Bridge,” Hedlund said. “This is especially good news for people who live south of Boston.” He said there would be public hearings during the months ahead for residents, business owners, and motorists to voice their concerns about having a new bridge. Some of the key environmental issues STV must address to get a design for a new span approved include safeguarding the herring that move upstream through the Fore River while swimming to the Back River and traffic management in addition to noise and air quality concerns. District 1 Councilor Victor Pap said that getting a new bridge is critical for revitalizing the North Weymouth business district on Sea Street. “I think it (new bridge) is a critical safety piece and needed for economic development,” he said. “The fact that the project is being pushed up is good news.” Direct Link HERE New markings urged on Fore River Bridge Weymouth - A drive across the temporary Fore River Bridge at night is like navigating an obstacle course because the yellow paint that marks the opposing lanes of travel has worn away or is barley noticeable. Councilor-at-large Brian McDonald said this hazard is especially dangerous at night because the street lighting is not bright enough. “The yellow paint is non-existent,” he said during a town council meeting on July 14. “We need to put in a letter to our state officials. This is a serious issue.” District 1 Councilor Victor Pap III motioned for the council to draft a letter to State Sen. Robert Hedlund, R- Weymouth, State Rep. James Murphy, D- Weymouth, and State Rep. Ronald Mariano, D- Quincy when discussion ended. “Sen Hedlund is very concerned about Councilor McDonald’s concerns about lighting on the Fore River Bridge and he plans to send an additional letter to Mass Highway and the state Executive Office of Transportation to address Councilor McDonald’s concerns,” said Councilor-at-large Patrick O’Connor, a legislative aide for Hedlund. O’Connor said the quality of the lighting on the bridge is one of many problems the temporary span has and that Hedlund is trying to arrange a date for state officials to hold a public meeting with residents in the fall. The 210-foot long temporary bridge has been in use since 2004, and approximately 50,000 motorists drive across it daily. The Middlesex Companies installed the span and it has a 15-year life expectancy. A design plan for a new bridge is in the works by a Mass Highway consultant. Hedlund urged Mass Highway to make the replacement of the temporary span a priority in a letter he wrote last fall to Commissioner Luisa Paiewonsky and during a meeting with state transportation officials. “I’m pleased to learn that a consultant contract has been awarded to prepare the design, plans, sketch plans, and to secure environmental permits,” Hedlund said in his letter. “With that being said, one of my biggest concerns about this project is regarding timing. I feel that this project is too important to incur any delays and needs to be completed in a more timely manner than is currently scheduled, especially given the fact that the existing bridge is a temporary structure.” A design for a new bridge will have to be recommended for the state’s TIP list by the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization, or MPO. The MPO considers a wide range of factors such as a span’s overall condition, safety, and mobility for drivers, and the economic benefit to a community while reviewing a funding request. Hedlund said the bridge project is important to all people who drive across the span regularly. “This is a project that is very important to tens of thousands of commuters and residents, not only in Weymouth and Quincy but all along the Route 3A corridor,” he said in his letter. “I can relate to their concerns and frustrations because I share those concerns and frustrations.” Direct Link HERE |
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