New Design:BTD to be Back in the Town to Unveil Preferred Concept for Sullivan/Rutherford

By Seth Daniel

The Boston Transportation Department (BTD) announced that it will be back in Charlestown on May 18 for the big unveil of the Sullivan Square/Rutherford Avenue preferred design.

The BTD has been holding re-design meetings since last fall with the community, after having announced it would re-start the process and take a new look at shelved plans for the “surface option,” which calls for the elimination of the underpasses. That plan, however, was decided upon before massive developments, including the Wynn Boston Harbor casino, popped up on the fringes of the Town. Due to those changes in the development landscape, the BTD announced last summer it would be taking a second look at new options and the surface option.

On May 18, they will unveil one of two options that they prefer, and solicit feedback from the community about that decision.

“At this meeting, the Boston Transportation Department will be presenting a preferred concept,” read an announcement from BTD. “Your ongoing participation in the design process will be greatly appreciated as the preferred concept is further developed into 25 percent design plans.”

At a meeting on Feb. 28, the City unveiled a new hybrid plan for the corridor, mixing some aspects of the surface option and decking structures with a small underpass.

Meanwhile, the older surface option, BTD officials said, is still on the table and may be the preferred plan.

A number of folks in the community, however, get the sense that the new hybrid plan is something the City likes, and it did meet with good approval at the Feb. 28 meeting by more than half of the audience.

A good number of residents, however, are still favoring the surface option without underpasses though. BTD Deputy Commissioner Jim Gillooly is shepherding the process, and announced in February that there is funding available and this project is a priority for the region. The May 18 meeting will take place at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Medford Street, at 6:30 p.m.