That the City Manager is requested to consult with City staff on the feasibility of initiating a formal transit study and action plan of the Alewife area in response to unanimous concerns of the Envision Alewife Working Group regarding the need for a pedestrian/bicycle/shuttle bridge from the Quadrangle area along Concord Avenue across the railroad tracks to the Triangle area on Cambridgepark Drive and a commuter rail stop which would be critical to create neighborhoods that are safe and healthy for residents and businesses

        November  29,  2017       To  the  Honorable  City  Council:     The  undersigned  are  members  of  the  Envision  Alewife  Working  Group.    We  have   spent  many  hours  hearing  from  urban  planning  experts  of  all  kinds  and  discussing   how  Cambridge  can  realize  the  vision  of  Alewife  as  a  sustainable,  resilient,  mixed-­‐ use  district  with  convenient  and  safe  connections  within  the  neighborhood  and  to   the  rest  of  the  city  and  region,  along  with  amenities  that  support  interaction  and   social  ties  among  its  residents.         Connectivity  is  at  the  core  of  this  vision  and  thus  it  is  the  strong  belief  of  the  entire   Working  Group  that  a  pedestrian/bicycle/shuttle  bridge  from  the  “Quadrangle”   across  the  railroad  tracks  to  the  “Triangle”  is  essential  to  the  creation  of  diverse,   connected  and  healthy  spaces  for  living  and  working  with  a  reduced  need  to  utilize   cars  for  commuting  and  for  daily  routines  within  the  neighborhood.       Further,  it  is  desired  that  this  bridge  also  incorporate  a  commuter  rail-­‐stop.  Such  a   rail-­‐stop  would  provide  commuters  now  arriving  from  the  west  and  working  in  the   Triangle  and  Quadrangle  with  easy  access  to  public-­‐transit  alternatives  and  would   be  an  important  step  toward  addressing  regional  traffic  challenges.    Thus,  we   request  that  the  city  immediately  initiate  an  effort  to  study  and  catalyze  these   projects  while  identifying  potential  benefits  of  combining  a  bridge  and  rail-­‐stop  into   a  single  structure.     It  should  be  noted  that  there  is  recent  precedent  for  a  new  commuter  rail-­‐stop  at   Boston  Landing  which  comprises  far  less  development  than  the  Triangle  and   Quadrangle.     In  addition,  there  are  members  of  our  Working  Group  who  strongly  believe  that  the   dead-­‐end  of  Cambridge  Park  Drive  should  be  solved  by  introducing  a  grade-­‐crossing   (or  underpass  or  bridge)  and  that  a  pedestrian/bike  bridge  be  built  over  the  Little   River,  connecting  Cambridge  Discovery  Park  as  well.  Combined,  these  four  projects   have  the  potential  to  be  transformative,  connecting  three  disconnected  pie  slices  of   Alewife.     Time  is  of  the  essence  in  the  construction  of  these  transit  and  connectivity  upgrades.     As  the  Quadrangle  continues  to  fill  with  residents  and  workers,  the  future   commuting  patterns  are  being  set.  If  no  easy  bicycle,  rail  and  subway  access  is   available,  the  immense  traffic  problems  now  afflicting  Alewife  will  only  further  

deteriorate  and  may  adversely  impact  long-­‐term  economic  viability  and  growth  for   the  area.       We  suggest  that  the  same  level  of  “visioning”  our  Working  Group  is  now  applying  to   the  private  realm  –  for  example  new  buildings  envisioned  in  the  Quadrangle  and  the   Fresh  Pond  Mall  –  ought  to  also  be  applied  to  the  public  realm,  including   transportation  infrastructure  and  open  space.       It  will  be  an  historic  failure  of  vision  and  ambition  if  we  do  not  address  this  issue   while  there  is  still  the  opportunity  to  do  so.    We  might  ask,  when  will  Cambridge   next  embark  on  such  a  comprehensive  citywide  plan?     We  are  therefore  asking  that  the  City  Council  request  the  City  Manager  to  direct  City   staff  to  take  all  necessary  steps  to  make  a  bridge  and  rail-­‐stop  a  reality  as  soon  as   possible  and  consider  an  auto  connection  point  and  Little  River  crossing  as  well.  We   are  also  requesting  that  the  City  analyze,  produce  and  disseminate  detailed     information  regarding  engineering  feasibility  and  projected  costs  for  the  possible   solutions  to  these  connectivity  problems.       We  are  further  recommending  that  the  relevant  State  Senators  and  Representatives,   the  State  Dept.  of  Transportation,  and  other  key  stakeholders  be  brought  into  this   conversation  as  soon  as  practicable.  The  status  quo  is  unacceptable.     Thank  you  for  your  attention  to  this  matter.     Members  of  the  Alewife  Working  Group  –  Unanimously:       Bill  Ahern,  [email removed]   Doug  Brown,  [email removed]   James  Butler,  [email removed]   Catherine  Preston  Connolly,  [email removed]   John  DiGiovanni,  [email removed]   Mark  DiOrio,  [email removed]   Margaret  Drury,  [email removed]   Karen  Dumaine,  [email removed]   Margaret  Gadon,  [email removed]   Jennifer  Gilbert,  [email removed]   Eric  Grunebaum,  [email removed]   Tom  Ragno,  tragno@ks-­‐prop.com   Sam  Stern  Jones,  [email removed]   Geoff  Wood,  [email removed]