How to Help

This is a once in a life-time chance for our families and businesses.

An opportunity exists to reclaim underutilized roadway for Charlestown.

Only 13% of existing northbound and 43% of existing southbound capacity is needed to meet current demand during commuting hours.

Chain link fences, concrete barriers, and large open channels currently separate us from neighboring communities.

50 feet of additional green space along the corridor could make a huge difference. Photo: City Square Park

These barriers could be removed and the space returned to Charlestown.

Connection to surrounding areas will be better for Charlestown residents and businesses.

We have an opportunity to connect our town to neighboring communities and satisfy traffic demand at the same time.

What we have today... and what tomorrow could look like.

Can you help? Yes!

1. Let your representatives know you support the surface option:

Mayor Martin J. Walsh, 617-635-4500, One City Hall Square, Boston, MA, 02201
mayor@boston.gov
James Gillooly, Deputy Commissioner, 617-635-4680, BTD, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201
james.gillooly@boston.gov
Congressman Michael Capuano, 617-621-6208, 110 First Street, Cambridge, MA, 02141
Jon Lenicheck, Chief of Staff, jon.lenicheck@mail.house.gov
Salvatore LaMattina, 617-635-3200, Council Chambers, City Hall, Boston, MA 02201
Salvatore.LaMattina@boston.gov
   Representative Dan Ryan, 617-722- 2396, Room 136 State House, Boston, MA, 02133
      Dan.Ryan@mahouse.gov
      Sean Getchell, Charlestown aide, Sean.Getchell@mahouse.gov
Senator Sal DiDomenico, 617-722-1650, Room 218, State House, Boston, MA 02133
SalDiDomenico@masenate.gov

2. Sign the petition!

(FYI - you may not see your name as you type, but it will go through. Please go ahead and use the form as is, while we are trying to fix it. The "comments" box is also working so you can add a note there. Feel free to check back and see if your name has been posted. The petition text is included below.)

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3. Send us an email and find out how to get involved.

Petition Text

May 2017

The Honorable Martin J. Walsh
Mayor of Boston
1 City Hall Square, Suite 500
Boston, MA 02201-2013

Deputy Commissioner James Gillooly
Boston Transportation Department
1 City Hall Square, Room 721
Boston, MA 02201-2026

Dear Mayor Walsh and Commissioner Gillooly:

We are residents of Charlestown and nearby neighborhoods who support the “surface option” for the redesign of Rutherford Avenue and Sullivan Square. It is clear that Rutherford Avenue is not working well for our neighborhood. It is far wider than necessary, noisy, polluting, dangerous to cross, and economically inefficient.

Rutherford should become a vibrant, surface-level city street that is designed for the future and works for everyone, not an intimidating highway that divides.

We have studied the surface and most recent underpass options carefully using resources provided by BTD and additional information shown on the Rutherford Corridor Improvement Coalition (RCIC) website, www.rcic-charlestown.org. While both options will accommodate traffic demand, the surface design will:

Create a continuous linear park with over 40' of width for bike paths, walkways and green space from Chelsea Street to the Mystic River;
Keep cut-through traffic off of our local roads by keeping regional traffic out of Charlestown;
Provide shorter crossings to the T stations, Community College, and pathway to North Point Park;
Allow for better use of land near the Hood Business Park and at the Community College parking lots, and open up space at Sullivan Square for pedestrian-friendly development;
Have lower construction costs and avoid millions of dollars in maintenance costs that would be needed for two underpasses;
Help the neighborhood become more resilient to climate change by eliminating the underpasses that are below the water table today; and,
Meet Boston’s commitment to putting “pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users on equal footing with motor-vehicle drivers” in a way that underpasses never can.

We know that many detailed decisions remain for the next phase of planning and we are eager to move to that next phase. We respectfully urge BTD and partners to move forward with the surface option as the conceptual basis for more detailed designs.

Sincerely,

Residents of Charlestown and nearby neighborhoods

Cc: U.S. Congressman Michael E. Capuano, State Senator Sal DiDomenico, Boston City Councilor Salvatore LaMattina, State Representative Dan Ryan