The MBTA is looking at ways to develop the land around the Riverside terminus of the D Line to allow for housing, shops and/or offices on the site. The station’s neighbors are less than pleased with the idea as they are quite fed-up with the traffic the station currently brings to the area, with the situation on Grove St. being of particular concern.
Despite their worries, the residents interviewed for the article do not seem to be the kind of reactionary NIMBYs often encountered when transit construction projects are floated. They seem receptive to the basic idea of what the MBTA is suggesting, but simply desire some accommodation, as the influx of tourists and Red Sox fans is already a great burden on the community.
By creating an alternate entrance to the station and leasing land to private developers, the T could create new economic opportunities that do not rely on a greater number of cars driving a greater number of miles on our already severely congested roads, and help pay down their horrendous debt load. They’ve already landed a much larger project at South Station and have received a commitment from IKEA to pay $15 million towards the construction of a new Orange Line station at Assembly Square. Other projects are sure to follow, and they present a trend in the city that is a welcome departure from the car-oriented developments currently in the works.
One question remains unanswered with regard to the Riverside project, that is exactly how many new riders can the line support? As it is, the D Line is more or less rendered unusable at times thanks to tourists and Red Sox fans. The MBTA undoubtedly has a set of figures stating the ridership and capacity of the line, but there is already a disconnect between managers and commuters when it comes to how such things play out in reality. Many commuters already feel as though they become second class citizens between opening day and the World Series, and simply do not trust the T to take their concerns into consideration. After the promise of three car trains evaporated, and with calls for service bypassing Kenmore and Fenway continually ignored, there really isn’t much faith left that plans put forth to benefit private corporations will be conceived with any thought as to the impact on those who rely on the T on a daily basis.
The question of what reality will be faced by regular riders (if) when such projects come to fruition, is left open. With people in charge of the MBTA sticking to their SUVs, there is little doubt about who will be forced to deal with it, and who won’t.