(rshsdepot) Westboro & Southboro, MA

[Bernie Wagenblast <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

MBTA firm on opening two stations on June 22 despite incomplete work

TELEGRAM & GAZETTE...06/07/2002

Kevin Keenan; TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

The Westboro and Southboro commuter rail stations along the
Worcester/Framingham line will open as scheduled on June 22, an MBTA
official said yesterday. All of the road and sidewalk repairs in the area,
however, may not be completed on time.
Westboro Selectman George Barrette was insistent yesterday that the
selectmen will require that a dangerous dip in the road on Fisher Street be
fixed before the station can open. Work has not started on the dip as of
yesterday.

Mr. Barrette said drivers making a left turn onto Fisher Street from Mill
Road cannot see cars coming toward them because of the depression in the
road.

Officials from Southboro and Westboro met privately with the Massachusetts
Bay Transportation Authority project manager last week to discuss the
station openings and the ancillary road and sidewalk improvements.
Infrastructure improvements around both stations have progressed, but not
all of it will be done when they open, said John W. Boland, superintendent
of the Southboro Department of Public Works.

''The MBTA plans to open the station on the 22nd of June, regardless of the
work,'' Mr. Boland said. ''They have a considerable amount of work to do,
and time will tell.''

Local officials required the MBTA to make improvements to local roads and
build new sidewalks to handle an expected blitz of car and foot traffic when
the stations open. The road and sidewalk work appears to be progressing
slower than the work at the stations themselves, which are mostly complete.

A third station, in Ashland, is to open Aug. 19.

Under a deal reached with the towns before breaking ground for the stations,
the MBTA agreed to a series of road and sidewalk repairs to mitigate the
expected increase in car and pedestrian traffic. Officials from both towns
expect overflow crowds at both stations.

Southboro Town Planner Wayne Thies said the town required the MBTA to widen
Route 85 and install a traffic light at the intersection with Southville
Road. The work is mostly done and will likely be complete when the station
opens. Sidewalks in the area probably won't be done, however.

''They have always indicated that 100 percent of the work would be done by
the time they opened and they appear close,'' Mr. Thies said. ''We're
getting nervous but admittedly, the end is in sight.''

Westboro Town Coordinator Henry L. Danis Jr. has said the new station on
Smith Valve Parkway cannot open unless the MBTA eliminates a dangerous dip
on Fisher Street near the Mill Road intersection, also for safety reasons.

''The station doesn't open until it is done,'' Mr. Barrette said. ''He (Mr.
Danis) has the board's full support on the dip being repaired. They had a
good meeting with the T last Friday morning and it appears they are making
good progress, though I have no idea what their magic wand is.''

MBTA spokesman Joseph D. Pesaturo said the agency will open the two stations
in Westboro and Southboro as scheduled. ''The T has talked to the contractor
and we are confident that the mitigation matters will be addressed by the
time it opens on the 22nd,'' Mr. Pesaturo said.

Asked whether that means the road and sidewalk work will be completed, he
reiterated that the issues ''will be addressed before the station opens.''


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railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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