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Recent News (updated 1/27/03)
Recent News BACKGROUND (for those unfamiliar with the 93/95 new committee): In its letter inviting PRESERVE to this meeting, Mass Highway stated that it will be looking at short-term and long-term solutions to improve safety and traffic flow and also examine transportation issues and strategies beyond the immediate interchange area. This letter also indicated that the purpose of the first meeting will be to outline Mass Highway's revised study process and to discuss the role of the Task Force. The Reading Task Force membership includes Selectmen George Hines and Rick Schubert, citizen member Jim McDonald, and an unnamed CPDC member. At this time, PRESERVE has been allotted one spot on the committee, plus one alternate. Currently, PRESERVE Steering Commmittee member Susan Abate will fill the allotted slot, and Marianne Downing will fill the alternate slot. As a further point of interest, in October PRESERVE received a letter from Mass Highway Commissioner John Cogliano stating: Thank you for your letter dated September 27, 2002, regarding your request to include PRESERVE on the Task Force for the Interstate 93/95 interchange in Reading, Stoneham, and Woburn. We have contacted area legislators and local elected officials regarding their thoughts on the appropriate composition of the Task Force. I have instructed MassHighway’s Planning Division, as the lead staff in this effort, to ensure that PRESERVE and other important community groups are included on the Task Force. As stated in the recent press release, the Task Force will look at near-term solutions to improve safety and traffic flow within the existing right-of-way, and also examine long-term regional transportation issues in the interchange area. An inclusive, involved Task Force is critical to building support and consensus, among all parties, for solutions that improve our transportation system, while minimizing community and environmental impacts. Thank you for your continued interest in these important transportation issues. I look forward to working with PRESERVE to address the needs of the interchange. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact Ken Miller, Acting Director of Planning, at (617) 973-8064. Sincerely, /s John Cogliano Commissioner PRESERVE will report the results of this second Task Force meeting on this web page, so please check back soon. Woburn has hired engineering firm for interchange followup On October 10, 2002, The NorthWest Weekly Section of the Boston Globe reported the following about Woburn's role in the ongoing interchange discussions: "City officials are gearing up to participate in a state task force to review traffic issues at the Interstate 93-Route 128 interchange, and the mayor has hired an engineering firm to help the city through the process. Last month, because of pressure from elected officials and residents from the three affected communities, Stoneham, Reading, and Woburn, the Massachusetts Highway Department suspended a feasibility study on a $100 million plan to improve the interchange. Mayor John Curran hired the firm VHB after meeting with MassHighway and reviewing the various plans, which he said would have dramatically affected traffic patterns in the city. The task force is expected to be formed and to start meeting later this fall." VHB is Vanasse, Hangen & Brustlin (VHB), Inc. In 1994, VHB co-authored a study for Mass Highway relating to Intelligent Transportations Systems (ITS) that could be deployed in the greater Boston area. LATEST PRESERVE STEERING COMMITTEE NEWS (October 8, 2002) PRESERVE was founded with a single mission: to stop the feasibility study Mass Highway was conducting regarding a redesign of the Route 93/128 interchange. In June 2002 the PRESERVE Steering Committee was elected by 130 Reading residents to guide PRESERVE until December 31, 2002, or until that mission was accomplished. And, we’re happy to say that last month it was accomplished! Now that the feasibility study has been suspended, PRESERVE wants you to know about some changes. After over four months of very hard work, Carla Abate, Jim O'Rourke, Jeannette O'Rourke, and Michelle Hopkinson have decided to step down from the Steering Committee. Another dedicated PRESERVE Steering Committee member, Sharon Petersen, stepped down in early September. The remaining members of the Steering Committee hope that everyone in the community will join us in a big THANK YOU to all of these people. Without their research, diligence, and dedication, our success would not have been possible. The PRESERVE Steering Committee plans to meet soon to decide on our next course of action—specifically, whether a new mission is appropriate for PRESERVE, and if so, who has the time, ability, and energy to carry it out. Of course, much of what happens with PRESERVE depends on Mass Highway’s next steps regarding the interchange. We do know that Commissioner Cogliano plans to form a Task Force to evaluate new solutions to the issues regarding the interchange. However, as of early October details of this Task Force had not been made public. Once we receive news of this Task Force we will post the information on the website. In the meantime we also will post additional developments regarding the interchange, and we will respond to your emails. If the remaining Steering Committee members decide to engage in Round 2 with Mass Highway, we will notify you and together we can determine the Group’s next course of action. Thank you, The PRESERVE Steering Committee —Susan Abate —Bernie Carey —Marianne Downing —Audrey Doyle —Jeffrey Everson —Brian Mahoney —Bob Soli As reported by the Reading Daily Times Chronicle (October 3, 2002), MHD has scheduled the Main Street Public Hearings for this month. Michael Rubin, a Reading resident, has made some compelling written and verbal arguments regarding this study. Don't Be Fooled is another document. MHD Press Release: Commissioner Cogliano announced that the meetings in Woburn and Stoneham have been cancelled because the feasibility study will be "suspended" and that they are forming a task force (with major stakeholders) to start this again at the beginning.
September 25, 2002: Woburn is still planning to hold a meeting at the high school regarding the MHD plans despite MHD non attendance. The meeting time is still 7:00 PM. September 24, 2002: Update on 9.23.02 MHD meeting. PRESERVE wants to call your attention to a paper by Robert B. Noland called Traffic Fatalities and Injuries: The Effect of Changes in Infrustructure and other Trends. This was revised 1.25.2002 and contains many relevant points to this current issue. September 23, 2002: URGENT REMINDER: We enter Fall hearing the clock ticking and understanding that we have an even smaller window to evoke change. We urge everyone to get the facts. Use the PRESERVE Fact Sheet, attend one of the two remaining public information hearings in Woburn and Stoneham. Be involved, let them see you. Not only are our communities of Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield and Woburn at risk, but again according to E&K's website this is the prototype for Massachusetts Cloverleafs. E&K site Please note August News has been moved to Archive page. September 19, 2002: September 15, 2002: MHD Presentation and Plans will not be distributed on 9/23/02. September 12, 2002: New Town Planner/City Planner announcements. September 11, 2002: Representative Brad Jones speaks out in a recent letter to MHD Commissioner Cogliano. In it he speaks to his position on the interchange as it is currently being proposed.This will be added to the PRESERVE site this week. Representative Paul Casey has also sent a letter, which once received, PRESERVE will also publish on this site. PRESERVE is still looking forward to hearing where all of the gubernatorial candidates stand on this issue. Shannon O'Brien's letter to residents has been added to this site. September 9, 2002: PRESERVE Announcement on RCTV. August 29, 2002: Mark Your Calendar - Monday, September 23, 2002 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) has scheduled the next public meetings for the week of September 23rd in Reading, Stoneham and Woburn. The meeting location for Monday, September 23, 2002 will be at Reading Memorial High School (RMHS). MHD is expected to detail new plans and respond to outstanding questions presented from previous meetings. MHD Official Notification PRESERVE has a meeting scheduled with MHD on Tuesday, September 4, 2002. We will update this site and report information at the open Steering Committee meeting scheduled September 9, 2002. Click here for Meetings/Event |
WRITE TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES!
Mass Highway is counting on you (and your elected officials) to be complacent and to forget about your opposition to their proposed redesign . . . even as the November deadline looms closer and closer. One way to keep the fight alive is to WRITE A LETTER TO ONE OR MORE ELECTED OFFICIALS to let the official(s) know how you feel. To make this even easier, PRESERVE has created several "sample" draft letters. You can use all or part of these letters, if you like, and feel free to cut and paste the text into your own document editing program. It is not necessary to use our sample letters, of course, but they may be a helpful starting point for you.
DRAFT LETTER TO LEGISLATORS
DRAFT LETTER TO GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES ADDITIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION
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JULY NEWS Updated 7/26/02
* CONTACTS: PRESERVE has added even more contacts to our Contacts page, including addresses and emails of officials, addresses of local newspapers, phone numbers, etc.
* ACCIDENT STATISTICS: The Foundation for Traffic Safety of the American Automobile Association (AAA) has a recent story on its web page related to accidents and their causes. Specifically, this article concludes that most car-truck accidents are caused by driver error. This article is of interest because it helps to show that some safety issues will exist regardless of an interchange's design.
Click Here to Read the AAA Article
Updated 7/24/02
* PETITIONS: PRESERVE is continuing its petition campaign until at least September 16, 2002, at which point we hope to present copies of the petitions to our local, state, and federal elected officials, as well as to the Mass Highway Department. We want to extend the petition drive through the summer so that individuals who are on vacation and/or traveling will have the opportunity to sign.
* NEWS COVERAGE: Numerous news outlets (Channels 5, 7, and 4, The Boston Globe, The Reading Advocate, and The Daily Times Chronicle) have been covering the 93/128 interchange issue and PRESERVE's role in it.
* NEWSLETTER AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION: We have added to the website a copy of our latest newsletter, as well as the technical presentation Jeff Everson made at the Mass Highway meeting on July 16th.
* MORE WAYS YOU CAN HELP: Many of you have contacted us to ask how you can help stop this interchange redesign from going forward. One important way is to contact your local, state, and federal officials to let them know how you feel. We have added to our Contacts section some information to help you get in touch with these officials.
* SAFETY STATISTICS: Because Mass Highway is emphasizing that their goal is to "improve public safety," PRESERVE is very interested in reviewing any and all safety information (e.g., Registry of Motor Vehicles accident statistics, insurance data re: accidents, etc.) associated with the interchange. Much of this data is public, and we are in the process of obtaining all the public data that we can get. PRESERVE welcomes any safety or related information/data that may be helpful or relevant to stopping the interchange redesign. Accordingly, if you have or can access such information, please contact us at :Send an Email to PRESERVE
***THANK YOU***
The PRESERVE steering committee wants to thank everyone who attended the meeting with Mass Highway on Tuesday, July 16, 2002. We especially want to thank our state elected officials for hosting the event, and our Selectmen for showing their support and speaking out to Mass Highway. We also appreciate that our Congressmen sent representatives to attend the meeting, and that Shannon O'Brien, candidate for governor, sent a representative to attend. In addition, we appreciate the attendance of representatives of ROAR, who came to show their support and provide us with advice and encouragement. To those of you who helped us hand out information and gather signatures--a huge thank you! Finally, PRESERVE's steering committee wants to thank YOU, the citizens of Reading, Woburn, Stoneham, Winchester, and Wakefield, who attended, spoke your mind, showed your support of our efforts, and signed our petition.
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AUGUST NEWS August 29, 2002: Mark Your Calendar - Monday, September 23, 2002 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) has scheduled the next public meetings for the week of September 23rd in Reading, Stoneham and Woburn. The meeting location for Monday, September 23, 2002 will be at Reading Memorial High School (RMHS). MHD is expected to detail new plans and respond to outstanding questions presented from previous meetings. MHD Official Notification PRESERVE has a meeting scheduled with MHD on Tuesday, September 4, 2002. We will update this site and report information at the open Steering Committee meeting scheduled September 9, 2002. Click here for Meetings/Event August 28, 2002: MHD Property Ownership Map is available for viewing at the Reading Public Library. August 27, 2002: This is the Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) Property Ownership Map referenced in Anne Krieg's April 24, 2002 memorandum to the Town of Reading. This information was obtained from MHD through the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA). This map shows color coded properties in Reading, Wakefield, Stoneham and Woburn effected by the Rte 28, 95/93 proposed interchange study. Property Ownership Map Ann Krieg's 4/25/02 memorandum ATTENTION WAKEFIELD Residents Updated 8/19/02 *Gubernatorial candidate Shannon O'Brien speaks out against the interchange as it is currently proposed in an August 9, 2002 letter sent to residents of Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield and Woburn. PRESERVE looks forward to hearing where all of the candidates stand on this important issue. O'Brien Letter *Monday, August 19, 2002 at 9:00 AM Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Transportation Planning and Programming Committee Work Session will be meeting. The first agenda item is: Route 128 Add-A-Lane Project Presentation. #
* The I-93/I-95 (Rt.-128) Interchange Study is not listed as an agenda discussion/action item for the Reading Board of Selectmen meeting scheduled Wednesday, August 21, 2002, however the following correspondence (taken from the agenda) may be of interest: copy b. Memo from Chair Clayton Jones, Historical Commission to Chair John Jarema, Zoning Board of Appeals and Town Planner Anne Krieg re: Peer review of Archstone’s Design for Buildings copy d. Design by David Tuttle for I-93/I-95 Interchange copy f. Notes of Peter Hechenbleikner’s Meeting with Mass Highway Department on August 9, 2002 copy i. Correspondence from Bob Soli to Peter Hechenbleikner re:Shannon O’Brien and Chris Gabrieli’s letter sent to 13,000 Reading residents concerning I-93/I-95 Interchange copy j. E-mail from Dr. Ann Elsner (38 Lisa Lane) to BOS re:Opposing the I-93/I-95 (Route 128) Interchange * CONTACTS: PRESERVE has added contact information for the Secretary of Transportation, and The Boston Herald. * MEETINGS: PRESERVE has updated this section to include Town of Reading 93/95 Interchange Study Ad Hoc Committee meeting date. * PETITIONS: We are approaching 4500 signatures. PRESERVE extended the petition drive until at least September 16, 2002. We extended the petition drive through the summer so that individuals who are on vacation and/or traveling will have the opportunity to sign.
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