The funding is set up to take care of the most
frequented bridges in the most need of repair across the Commonwealth
first, like the Longfellow Bridge of the Charles River, the Whittier
Bridge in Amesbury, the Route 9 Bridge of Lake Quinsigamond in
Shrewsbury and others. Then, the rest of the funding will be allocated
through a proposal system. Among the bridges in the running for the
priority list of ones in need of repair and restructuring is the Mystic
Valley Parkway Bridge over the Alewife Brook, which lies between
Somerville and Arlington. Last Wednesday, the DCR threw a proposal
dinner at the VNA conference room in which they gave a presentation
about the bridge.

This particular bridge currently is in need of
repair, and the DCR has decided that its rehabilitation should be
extensive. The bridge currently has two wider driving lanes and two
very narrow sidewalks. One of the ideas for the renovation is to widen
the bridge, enlarging both the driving lanes and the sidewalks with the
possibility of adding a shoulder, as well as making both safer and
easier to navigate.

According to Alan Moore of Somerville, one
of the topics which raised the most attention at this meeting was the
one to "widen the sidewalks for both pedestrian and bicycle usage and
adding shoulders for possible conversion to bike lanes in the future."
This comes in the wake of the Green Line Extension programs decision to
extend to the Mystic Valley Parkway (Route 16). The new Green Line T
stop, along with other factors, have most people believing that this
stretch of road will attract many other bikers and walkers in the
future.

Moore stated, "Many agreed that this Alewife Brook and
Mystic River area could eventually attract as many bicyclists and
pedestrians as the Esplanade in Boston." This proved to be a convincing
argument with listeners present from: "LivableStreets Alliance,
MassBike, Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership, Somerville
Bicycle Committee, WalkBoston, Mystic River Watershed Association,
Friends of the Mystic River and Medford Green Line Neighborhood
Alliance, Senator Pat Jehlen's office, the City of Somerville and
residents from Arlington, Somerville and Cambridge," according to Moore.

This
project will be part of the DCR's $900 million budget and will take
place between 2009 and 2011 if it is accepted as one of the priorities.
Because of the DCR's previous promises to improve the area's biking and
walking paths near the Alewife Brook and the Mystic River, this bridge
should be a shoe-in for a spot on the master list.