New Transportation Center for Hingham Shipyard

[Mayor Menino's Crohn's]

http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/...YourTown_links

The MBTA has begun the process of building an 8,400-square-foot transportation center at the Hingham Shipyard that would be used to connect the commuter boat services, the commuter train line, and the bus line.

Although the project is still in its beginning stages, many aspects of the proposal have been laid out.

According to a form submitted by the MBTA to the state Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the $4.5 million multilevel building would include a public waiting area, a terminal for the MBTA commuter boat and MBTA Bus, a ticket office, and rest rooms.

The building would also include office space for Department of Conservation and Recreation staff and the Massachusetts Environmental Police, currently located in another building at the shipyard property.

It is a project that has been in the works for a few months, said Hingham Selectman Bruce Rabuffo.

?They?re trying to develop a comprehensive plan for bus, boat and train?and connect those so that if you live in Hull and take the 7:14 bus, there is a quick way to get to the shipyard and hop on a boat, or a train. That?s kind of where they?re headed,? he said.

According to Rabuffo, the center has been a part of the plan to reconfigure the shipyard, and the final proposal looks promising.

The MBTA is hoping to use Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) features as a part of the new building, the document said. An energy-saving roof and ?closed-loop geothermal heat exchange system? will help supplement heating and cooling costs.

The 99-year lease from the DCR would encompass just three acres of the property, but even then, the MBTA feels it is vital to the development of the shipyard.

?The lntermodal Center is a component of an overall initiative to revitalize the Hingham Shipyard into a well planned mixed-used development that is currently under construction,? reads a description of the project. ?The development consists of a variety of retail, service, residential, marina, and office uses. The lntermodal Center is an important feature of the redevelopment project.?

The plan would require no new parking, as the MBTA currently has more than 1,800 parking spaces across the street. Moreover, the entire project would be funded without the town?s help.

According to the form, the Federal Transit Administration would fund 80 percent of the project. The MBTA would fund 20 percent.

The MBTA hopes to have bids for the project completed within the next six months, with construction taking place the 13 months following. The project is to be completed by 2012.

[vanshnookenraggen]

Brilliant idea.

[Mayor Menino's Crohn's]

Originally Posted by vanshnookenraggen

Brilliant idea.

It's a slam dunk

[Suffolk 83]

^ This is sarcasm right? Because this plan is bullshit

[vanshnookenraggen]

Originally Posted by Suffolk 83

^ This is sarcasm right? Because this plan is bullshit

I was serious. Is there something I'm missing?

[Mayor Menino's Crohn's]

Originally Posted by vanshnookenraggen

I was serious. Is there something I'm missing?

I was serious as well. This is going to be an economic boost. Hingham Shipyard has been on the comeback for a few years now.

[Suffolk 83]

To me this is the best example of crooked deals and the good 'ole boys network at work. In almost any other town this never gets built. 4.5 mill on a waiting room? Really? Multi-story? really? for what?

Maybe it's the article's wording that puts me over the cliff but

1. the commuter boat goes to Hull so why would you take a bus out of Hull to go to Hingham's?

2. The commuter rail is nowhere near The Shipyard, Hingham Center is nowhere near The Shipyard. Connecting these with the 220 is going to be sloppy and confuse/annoy people who already ride the bus.

3. The 220 goes right by The Shipyard and can easily go into The Shipyard and drop off and pick up from commuter boat. Already "quick" according to Mr. Selectman.

I agree it would be nice for the bus to connect the commuter rail and the boat in theory, but why?

a.People who ride the train won't jump off the train and take a bus over to a boat

b. People who take the boat are going to drive there (they ain't taking the boat cuz it's cheap when you have a bus w/ free transfer to Red line that goes literally right by)

This is a waste of money, a case of the rich getting richer. It's not going to create any new ridership. I agree there should be some sort of shelter there, and I don't think there is any now. So spend 800k-1m at MOST on a shelter. The 'terminal' at Logan for the boat looks fairly new but is pretty shitty, unheated, has no bathroom, is tiny and has no counter/people/etc. The one at Quincy is shitty, they spent about 100k on that sucker.

The Shipyard is already built up quite nicely, spend the govt's and the MBTA's money wisely and not on this shady embellished bullshit.

[Suffolk 83]

Come to think of it, Rowes Wharf doesn't have anything either. There's no ticket stand, no intermodal connection. It's bullshit I say!!!

You wanna connect something to the buses? How about some benches/shelters connected to the bus signs? 4.5 mill? that should take care of about 1/3 of the routes, maybe.

[Ron Newman]

Rowes Wharf has a ticket desk and a small indoor waiting area. True, it doesn't have any intermodal connections, but the assumption is that most people walk off the boat to their destination.

[czsz]

They're investing a lot of money into the assumption that people will transfer to another transportation mode when they're probably opting for boat over driving to the Red Line or rail or busing to either one of those for a reason.