Agrees with editorial on climate change
To the editor:
Thank you for your timely editorial (“Another Side of Climate Change”) pointing out the rapidly advancing effects of climate change across the nation.
Gov. Baker and our Legislature have taken a moderate, incremental approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Usually, this style is a good political strategy, and often a useful one in attempting change. But nature plays by different rules. We now need a bold drive towards greenhouse gas reduction, not just a slow down-ratcheting. It may be expensive, but not as expensive as climate change.
Massachusetts is well situated to lead the nation on this issue, with our strong economy, our technology resources, and our relatively enlightened population. Now we just need leaders who will make it happen.
Susan Donaldson MD
Trapped in Charlestown
To the editor:
When one is sitting in traffic for half an hour at a complete standstill, one has plenty of time to ponder the current situation.
As I found myself heading to Sullivan Square around 4 p.m. last Friday on Bunker Hill Street squeezed between to 92 buses, and not moving, I began to think about the “state of the art” Traffic Control System located in City Hall somewhere.
The only reason I was aware of this traffic control center is because at many community meetings, the traffic gridlock would be brought up by residents time and time again. The Assistant Superintendent of Transportation would always assure the audience that there is constant traffic monitoring in place to synchronize the lights, etc. when needed to ease congestion and get traffic flowing more smoothly.
I began to think well, why isn’t the system doing something to alleviate this traffic nightmare? Bunker Hill, Medford and Main streets were all at a standstill due it to the latest construction which had these three streets converging to one lane and unable to access the rotary.
It’s highly unlikely the traffic control center was not aware of this. A simple solution would be to have a detail officer monitoring the traffic at this exit to Sullivan Square, which could have helped this painful gridlock. This is not rocket science but common sense.
One positive note I took from this, with a chill in the air, no windows appeared to be open in the surrounding homes thus preventing the toxic fumes from vehicle exhaust to infiltrate the home interior.
But another negative thought came to mind as I realized that the seven buildable lots located at Sullivan Square could sprout more high buildings adding to increased density, gridlock and more pollution.
Please read about the efforts and support to bring a Master Plan to Charlestown for more orderly development and a better quality of life.
Returning to Charlestown around 6:30 p.m. I found traffic backed up beyond the St. Francis de Sales Church trying to enter Sullivan Square, trapped in Charlestown still.
Ann Kelleher