I-90 Allston Interchange Project
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Due to aging infrastructure, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) plans to rebuild and reconfigure the Mass Pike Allston Interchange over the next decade. This project presents a unique opportunity to improve access to the Charles River, increase flood storage and climate resilience, reduce pollution and restore the ecological integrity of this segment of the river. CRWA serves on the project Task Force, which is comprised of local residents, advocates, institutions and businesses and public officials. CRWA has been advocating for river restoration through our participation on the I-90 Task Force since 2014 and have submitted comments on various stages of environmental review.
Although CRWA supports aspects of the project that would improve public transit and better connect the neighborhood to the river, MassDOT has recently revealed that it intends to relocate Soldiers Field Road and the Paul Dudley White path into the Charles River during construction. CRWA strongly opposes this plan because of the harm it would cause to the river.
The federal environmental review process for the project began in November 2019, and CRWA is calling for a full assessment of the environmental impacts of putting a road in the river for a decade or more. These impacts would be significant, and include narrowing the river in the "throat" area near Boston University, disrupting sediment, degrading water quality, and posing aquatic and human health risks. CRWA is also urging MassDOT to fully vet alternative approaches to both construction phasing and final project design that would not harm the river. CRWA will continue advocating for the river and those who use it at every stage of this complex project.
resources
- December 19, 2019: Groups slam temporary Charles River bridge
- December 12, 2019: CRWA I-90 Comment Letter
- October 31, 2019: Charles River advocates not on board with Soldier's Field bypass
- November 30, 2018: IRT Comments
- February 9, 2018: DEIR Comments
- December 15, 2014: ENF Comments
- Blue Greenways Document
Medfield State Hospital Settlement
While it was in operation, the Medfield State Hospital dumped its waste on the banks of the Charles, creating a 3-acre site contaminated with asbestos, lead, and other hazardous materials. When the hospital closed, CRWA, along with the Town of Medfield and local residents, advocated for full riverfront and sediment cleanup. CRWA played an instrumental role in negotiations between Medfield and the state that resulted in the largest environmental restoration project in the watershed. In 2015, after years of cleanup, remediation, and ecological restoration, a new riverfront park called the Charles River Gateway opened to the public, providing recreational trails, a canoe launch, and 4.5 million gallons of floodplain storage.
As part of the settlement, the state is required to continue monitoring for potential pollution issues and perform routine maintenance, like mowing grassy areas and removing invasive species. If not properly maintained, stormwater control measures like rain gardens will not function effectively and the ecological integrity of the restored wetlands will be undermined. Unfortunately, over the past several years, the state has fallen behind on its obligations, putting at risk the long-term protection of the river, as well as the safety of people using the park. At the same time, the Town of Medfield, which owns the upland portion of the site where the former hospital buildings are located, has proposed new zoning that would pave the way for redevelopment.
CRWA is committed to the lasting success of this project, which has been touted as a model for future river cleanups. In the fall of 2019, we sent a letter to the state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance expressing our concerns about the state’s plan to build a permanent access road near the riverbank, which would further endanger the recently-restored river and wetland ecosystem. We will continue working with the state, town, and local residents to ensure the long-term success of this clean-up effort.
As part of the settlement, the state is required to continue monitoring for potential pollution issues and perform routine maintenance, like mowing grassy areas and removing invasive species. If not properly maintained, stormwater control measures like rain gardens will not function effectively and the ecological integrity of the restored wetlands will be undermined. Unfortunately, over the past several years, the state has fallen behind on its obligations, putting at risk the long-term protection of the river, as well as the safety of people using the park. At the same time, the Town of Medfield, which owns the upland portion of the site where the former hospital buildings are located, has proposed new zoning that would pave the way for redevelopment.
CRWA is committed to the lasting success of this project, which has been touted as a model for future river cleanups. In the fall of 2019, we sent a letter to the state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance expressing our concerns about the state’s plan to build a permanent access road near the riverbank, which would further endanger the recently-restored river and wetland ecosystem. We will continue working with the state, town, and local residents to ensure the long-term success of this clean-up effort.