06/15/2012

MassDOT, New Balance Announce Brighton Station

MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey and New Balance Chairman James S. Davis announced an agreement in a co-signed Letter of Intent to build a new Worcester Line commuter rail station at Everett Street in Brighton.

The station, called New Brighton Landing, will serve the general public in the Allston-Brighton area of Boston and New Balance’s New Brighton Landing development including a New Balance world headquarters, additional office building, hotel, sports complex, and retail space.

As part of the agreement, New Balance will fund all permitting, design, and construction costs for the station and fund annual maintenance costs. The New Brighton Landing development and new commuter rail station will create approximately 3,000 permanent jobs in addition to 400 full-time construction jobs.

The new commuter rail station at Everett Street will serve the public in the Allston-Brighton area, including 550 New Balance Athletic Shoe employees, 550 employees of nearby WGBH, and additional Brighton Landing tenant employees.

The New Brighton Landing station will be designed according to all MassDOT and MBTA station requirements and constructed using a management plan approved by MassDOT and all federal, state, and local agencies.

MassDOT and New Balance will now proceed with a Memorandum of Agreement that specifies in detail the commitments of each party in designing and building the commuter rail station. A date for beginning of station construction has yet to be identified.

Bridge Projects Win Innovation, Ahead of Schedule Awards

The 2011 MassDOT 93Fast14 and Wellesley "heavy lift" Bridge Replacement projects this week received regional awards as part of the 2012 America's Transportation Awards competition.

MassDOT's Wellesley Heavy Lift Rapid Bridge Replacement project, (left) received honors in the "Ahead of Schedule" category.

The 2011 Medford "93Fast14" project (right) replaced 14 I-93 bridges in 10 weekends and received honors in the Best Use of Innovation category. Both projects moved forward as part of the Patrick-Murray Administration's Accelerated Bridge Program to repair structurally-deficient bridges across the Commonwealth.

The America’s Transportation Awards were created to celebrate transportation improvements delivered by state departments of transportation “Ahead of Schedule", “Under Budget”, and with “Best Use of Innovation.”

The awards are sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), AAA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As regional winners, the projects will be considered for inclusion in the “Top Ten” projects competition. The “Top Ten” will be announced in September, and these projects will then compete for the Grand Prize and the People’s Choice Awards. The Grand Prize winner is selected by a panel of transportation experts, and the People’s Choice Award is chosen online by the voting public.

Tobin Bridge Maintenance, Lane Restrictions

The necessary structural maintenance, painting, and cleaning project is now underway by MassDOT's contractor on the Tobin Memorial Bridge connecting Charlestown with Chelsea.

During the painting project beginning this month through approximately November and resuming in spring 2013, the Tobin Bridge will be reduced from three lanes in each direction to two in the area where work is occurring. One-half of the two outside travel lanes will be restricted using barriers. The remaining area is being striped and marked to provide two full lanes in both directions.

During work, crews are installing shielding throughout the duration of the project to reduce or prevent inconveniences or safety issues for drivers or nearby businesses and residents.

The project is expected to be complete in the spring of 2014. To learn more, please visit the MassDOT Tobin Bridge project website.

MassDOT Board July Public Meeting

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board of Directors will hold its next regular public business meeting on Wednesday, July 11, 1:00pm, MBTA Board Room, Suite 3910, State Transportation Building, Boston.

The MBTA Board will meet first at 1pm, followed by the MassDOT Board. All meetings are open to the public.

The meeting schedule is available on the MassDOT website.
http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/BoardsCommittees/BoardofDirectors/BoardMeetings.aspx