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© 2021 The Somerville Times. All rights reserved.
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers.)
By Joseph A. Curtatone
Although frustrating, it’s understandable that large construction projects often face delays. They’re complex, involve complicated logistics, and sometimes more work needs to be done than originally planned. But that didn’t soften the blow when, earlier this week, we found out that the three bridges currently closed for Green Line Extension construction would be delayed in reopening. GLX officials still expect the project in full to be completed on time, by the end of 2021.
The GLX team has now told us that the Broadway bridge will open in July, four months behind schedule; the Medford Street bridge will now open in October, a five-month delay; and the Washington Street bridge will now open in May; a one-month delay. The School Street bridge (which has not yet closed) will now close in May, once the Washington Street bridge reopens. In the context of the full GLX project, a few months may not seem like much, but for the residents and businesses that have been living with the daily reality of being in a construction zone these delays will be anything but insignificant. That’s why I’m calling on the State/GLX Team, and the community, to help lessen the impacts.
Since the beginning of this project, the entire GLX team, the MBTA, and MassDOT have been committed to being good partners and have provided support in managing traffic and public safety. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be working with the MBTA and MassDOT on ways to mitigate construction impacts. We’ll be asking for assistance with public safety and traffic management, support for local businesses in the construction areas, and other measures to address the ongoing effects of construction on our neighborhoods.
But along with the assistance we’re requesting from the GLX team, I want to ask also for your help to continue to support Somerville’s small business community – especially those near construction zones. Construction has been hard on our local businesses and now they’re facing extended closures that will affect their bottom line..
When the Green Line Extension is complete, it will benefit so many in our region as well as our planet. But the greatest burdens during construction are being born by just some of us – especially our local businesses. So if you support sustainable transportation, clean air, reduced road congestion, environmental justice, or just Somerville in general, please show that support by visiting the businesses most impacted in and near our construction zones: that’s Ball Square, Magoun Square, InnerBelt to Union Square, and Gilman Square, as well as Broadway between Ball and Magoun Squares.
Whether you stop for a meal, get a haircut, buy a gift, pick out house paint, or take a class, you’ll be helping to support a small, locally owned business. If you need a coffee, a cupcake, a book, or a shampoo for your dog, wandering these areas you’ll find plenty of awesome and useful services, eateries, and locales that need your business.
We need them too.
Local small businesses are the beating heart of our business districts – they offer the goods and services that residents need, they add life to our squares and neighborhoods, they’re a part of our tax base, and they create jobs. When you spend money at a local business, more of it stays in the community than if you shopped at a large chain. Small businesses contribute so much to our city, but they’re also more vulnerable to disruption. During construction it might require a little extra effort to shop and dine locally, but that small sacrifice means a lot to those businesses and will help make sure they’re still here to reap the benefits of the GLX.
And speaking of benefits, it’s important to remember that when the GLX is up and running 85% of residents will be within a half mile of a train station and it will take thousands of cars off the roads. It will be good for the environment, the economy, and Somerville overall. That’s why so many of you have fought so hard for so many years to make sure this project happens.
It’s easy to focus on the short-term impacts after this latest announcement, but it’s important to remember everything we’ll get out of the GLX in the long run. And, in the meantime, we’ll do everything we can to ease the burden on residents and businesses. If we work collaboratively, support our local businesses, and have just a little more patience, we’ll make it through together.
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You talk about “helping” small businesses, so why don’t you and your administration start by putting back all the meters and parking that you took away from Broadway? You’re literally choking those businesses to death. Many won’t survive much longer.
I am very confused. I looked up “helping” in the Websters dictionary and it does not pertain to what I see. It was such a disgrace to see those flags after what the city has done to cripple the small business owner. Thank you Bob Ross
Dear mayor/betrayer, I own a small business that allowed me to buy a house in somerville: a multifamily house. You are allowing socialist bernie-bros to dictate the rules by which I make a living.
Rents have tracked inflation. People upset about high rents are really having a problem because their *income* has not kept up with inflation. Why is that a problem I–a working-class guy that couldn’t afford to buy a single-family house in the town I grew up in–have to solve?
Also: you know very well that the reason rents are even as high as they are is:
1. Single family and condo owners vote themselves MASSIVE property tax breaks. This puts the tax burden on multifamily houses, and thus on renters. How moral of them!
2. Single family and condo owners vote to limit development of new housing to preserve the value of their own homes. Thus making rentable units scarce and driving up rents. How moral of them!
3. Single family and condo owners blame high rents on “greedy” landlords when it’s policies they have vote for for decades that cause the problem in the first place.
I’m a working class guy that paid for what I get every step of the way. Now upper middle class folks are telling me I’m some sort of monster for having a certain type of business they don’t approve of. These Bernie-bros have a lot of nerve.
The absurdity of your statement that rents have tracked inflation in somerville got me crunching numbers. Around 1990 I was sharing a crappy 4 BR outside of Davis and I think our rent was $1400/mo (ie $350 for me). I was getting 20K / year as a newbie at my white collar job. For reference, minimum wage was $3.80 / hour or about 7K / year. So that was not quite 25% my pay for rent. 4 BR’s now seem to go for around $4K / month – ie 1K / room. In my profession starting salary is now about $50K, with minimum wage at $12 / hr or about 25k / year. So I’d still be looking at about 25% my pay for rent. Inflation since 1990 is officially about 100%, which obviously is well less than the actual increase in rent (& pay).
This all makes me wonder just how much more screwed young renters in somerville are now than they were 30 years ago. Clearly the cost to actually own a house has gone up a lot more than rents have (percentage-wise) and that would be way our of my reach now. But renting? not so much. This all of course ignores other costs that have skyrocketed, like student debt.
For your numbers old timer. Back in 1967 I was paying $80 a month heated up on Newbury Street Somerville. That’s for the whole apartment for the two of us when I got married.
You’re clearly more old timer than I am…
Even with an extra zero on your rent it’s a deal you wouldn’t find today. According to my handy dandy internet $80 in 67 is $600 today – still quite low. What was typical pay back then?
I got about $100 a week without overtime. Had a decent job. I got by much easier than I do now regardless of the money differences.
Make the GLX pay for lost income and other economic impacts due to their inability to perform. They are in over their head and these delays are just the beginning. Blame Governor Charlie “I will fix the MBTA” and it only gets worse. This is what he gets for hiring his unqualified campaign contributing contractors.
GLX is only part of the problem. The other part is the traffic department which is a clueless operation on ow to do anything which is well proven by what they have screwed up so far here and are clueless on ow to correct it. Plus we have the less caring board of council members this city has ever seen. Granted some of the past ones were not great but we at least got something of it. We have sunk to a new low with this group. They are killing off businesses and at the same time targeting the elderly and people who have mobility issues. And they do not care and do not want to hear about it. Which won’t matter as they are great at ignoring the problems of the taxpayers. It is a new low in Somerville.
The Somervision goal is to have 75% of work commutes to be non-car. If you are elderly or disabled, the mayor is waiting for you to die so you can be replaced by able-bodied cyclists or transit users. If you travel by vehicle to the ‘burbs for work, he is going to make driving as difficult as possible so that you move out. Free T passes and bike lanes for everyone else who remains!