SENATE No. 686 Cfre Commontocalti) of egasgacbusettg % REPORT OF THE METROPOLITAN BOSTON TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION Created by Chapter 121 of the Resolves op 1957 January 1958 * BOSTON WRIGHT A POTTER PRINTING CO., LEGISLATIVE PRINTERS 32 DERNE STREET 1968 Cl')t CommoniuealtJ) ot spassacimsetts * RESOLVE OF AUTHORIZATION. [Chapter 121] Resolve providing for an investigati )N AND STUDY BY A SPECIAL COMMISSION RELATIVE TO THE CREATION OF A METE DPOLITAN RAPID TRANSIT COMMISSION TO STUDY THE EXTENSION OF RAPID TBANSI' ERVICE THROUGHOUT THE AREA SERVED BY THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHO TY AND RELATIVE TO TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES IN THE BOSTON METROPOLI AN AREA Resolved, That an unpaid special comr ion to consist of two members of the senate to be designated by the president thereof, three members of the house of representatives to be designated by the ipeaker thereof, and two persons to be appointed by the governor, is hereby es stablished for the purpose of making an investigation and study of the subject mai tter of current house document numbered 862, relative to providing for the creationn of a metropolitan rapid transit commis- sion to study the extension of rapid transi?it service throughout the area now served by the metropolitan transit authority: and of the investigation proposed by em- rent house document numbered 1736. ulative to transportation facilities in the Boston metropolitan area. Said commission shallbe provided with quarters in the state house or elsewhere, and may expend for clerical and other services and expenses such sums as may be appropriated therefor. Said commission shall report to the general court the re- sults of its investigation and study, and its recommendations, if any, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry said recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the clerk of the senate on or before the fourth Wednesday of January in the year nineteen hundred and fifty-eight. Approved July 16, 1967 4 SENATE No. 585. [Jan. HOUSE No. 862 By Mr. O’Farrell of Malden, petition of Thomas J. Buckley, George H. O’Farrell and other members of the General Court for the appointment of a metropolitan rapid transit commission to study the extension of rapid transit service in the area served by the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Metropolitan Affairs. C!je CommontueaUf) of spasgac[)U9etfo In the Year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty-Seven. An Act to provide for the cbbation of a metropolitan bap/d transit com- THROTJOH TRANSIT AUTHOP.I 1 Be it enacted by the Senate anda: House of Representatives in General Court a. and by the authority of the same, a. Section 1. There is hereby established a commission to be known as the Metro- politan Rapid Transit Extension Commission, hereinafter referred to as the com- mission, to be composed of the trustee! of the Metropolitan Transit Authority; seven members of the house of representatives, to be designated by the speaker of the house; and five members of the state senate, to be designated by the presi- dent of the senate. Section 2. The Commission is hereby authorized and directed to make studies, preliminary plans and estimates of costs of extensions of rapid transit facilities (a) from the Wonderland station in Revere to a point at or near the Point of Pines section of Revere; ( h) over the Saugus branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad to Everett, Malden, Maplewood and the Linden section of Malden; (c) to Medford, over the Medfordbranch of the Boston and Maine Railroad; (d) to West Everett, Chelsea and Revere, over the existing Boston and Maine Railroad right of way; (e) to Somerville, North Cambridge, Belmont, Arlington, Watertown, over existing rights of way of the Boston and Maine Railroad, or by any other routes deemed economical and feasible by the commission. For the purpose of making surveys and borings in connection with such studies, preliminary plans and estimates of cost, the commission, or its authorized agents, may enterupon private ways Any person injured in his property and use and lands. t by such entry or use of his land by the commission may recover his damage under chapter seventy-nine of the General Laws For the further purposes of this study, the commission shall determine by dis- cussion with the Boston and Maine Railroad whether or not the rights of way involved in this study shallbe taken over exclusively for the use of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, or whether plans shall provide for the joint use of these rights of wav by the Metropolitan Transit Authority and theBoston and Maine Railroad. 1958.] SENATE No. 585. 5 It shall be an essential part of these plans that the Elevated structure through Charlestown to Sullivan square and to Everett station shall be removed, and in order to accomplish these purposes the commission is specifically instructed to study and make recommendation upon either of the following two plans: 1. Construct a Metropolitan Transit Authority station under the North Station; continue the present rapid transit tunnel and the trolley car tunnel beyond Friend and Union street stations of the rapid transit system and the Haymarket square station of the trolley car subway into this new station, and provide beyond the station facilities for the trolley cars to turn and return to the Haymarket station, while the proposed rapid transit tunnel would continue under the Boston and Maine Railroad yard to a point beyond the Charles river, surfacing in the railroad yards and continuing on the railroad right of way to a point at or near the present East Somerville station of the railroad, at which point a Metropolitan Transit Authority station would be erected. Rapid transit trains would then continue over the various Boston and Maine rights of way, thereby providing rapid transit service to Everett, Malden, Maplewood, the Linden section of Malden and Medford, Somerville, North Cambridge, Arlington, Watertown, Belmont, West Everett, Chelsea and Revere. Under this proposal plans shall include the razing of the Elevated structures in Charlestown and the Elevated structures and viaduct to Lechmere square and the elimination of the present Lechmere station. 2. Combine the Metropolitan Transit Authority stations at Friend, Union and Haymarket square, w Tith trolley car service stopping at this new combined station. Rapid transit trains now proceeding by Elevated structure to Sullivan square and Everett would then proceed over the viaduct now being used by trolley cars to reach Lechmere square. Eliminate the present overpass and station at Lechmere Square, and allow the rapid transit trains at that point to come to ground level in the Boston and Maine Railroad yards and continue through the same yards to a Metropolitan Transit Authority station to be erected at or near the location of the present East Somerville station of the Boston and Maine Railroad, and then con- tinuing over railroad right of way, including the Saugus branch of the railroad, to provide rapid transit service to Everett, Malden, Maplewood, the Linden section of Malden and Medford, Somerville, Belmont, Arlington, Watertown, North Cambridge, West Everett, Chelsea and Revere. Under this proposal plans shall include the razing of the Elevated structure from North station to Everett station and the elimination of the Sullivan square and Everett terminals. Under either of these plans, the plans shall provide a large terminal at or near 9Malden square with adequate parking facilities, and arrangements shall include terminal facilities for other street railway buses which now use the Everett station terminal of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, and in estimating the cost of this particular extension, the commission shall include in its plans the cost of depressing the present Saugus branch right of way to below ground level, in order that all gate crossings now existing along that right of way shall be eliminated by overpasses, and the entire right of way shall be enclosed in a continuous chain link fence on both sides of the right of way. 6 SENATE No. 585. [Jan. Section 3. For the purpose of providing funds for, or of restoring to the treasury of the Authority funds expended for, the purpose of this act, the Authority shall from time to time issue, and the Boston metropolitan district, hereinafter referred to as the district, shall purchase, bonds of the Authority to a totalprincipal amount of not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars under and in accordance with sec- tion six of chapter six hundred and forty-nine of the acts of nineteen hundred and forty-nine, as amended. All of the provisions of said section six and of section seven of said chapter six hundred and forty-nine, as now or hereafter amended, shall apply to the issue, refunding and payment of the bonds which the Authority and the district are authorized to issue by this act in the same manner and to the same extent as though the issue of such bonds was specifically authorized by said section six. Section 4. The commission shall file with the clerk of the house of representa- tives, on or before April fifteenth, nineteen hundred and fifty-seven, a report as to the progress made with reference to said studies, preliminary plans and estimates of cost, together with drafts of any necessary legislation. Section 5. This act shall take effect upon its passage. * 7 SENATE No. 585. i HOUSE No. 1736 By Messrs. Moakley of Boston and Hickey of Boston, petition of Edmond J. Donlan and other members of the House for an investigation by a special com- mission (including members of the General Court) of the transportation facilities in the Boston metropolitan area. Transportation. * Cfte CommontoealtJ) of e^assadjusetts In the Year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty-Seven. Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission RELATIVE TO TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES IN THE BOSTON METROPOLITAN AREA.