Porter Square reconstruction

[ceo]

The reconstruction of Porter Square has begun, with the ripping up of the plaza in front of the T entrance. The Mass. Ave entrances to the Porter Station headhouse have been closed for the duration.

Details of the project are here. Highights include:

1. Realigning the Somervile Ave/Mass Ave intersection in both directions to be at more of a right angle (opening up a large plaza in front of CVS).
2. Adding a signaled left turn out of the Porter Square Shopping Center lot onto Mass. Ave southbound.
3. An exclusive right-turn lane from Mass. Ave northbound to Somerville Ave.
4. Presumably, redoing the plaza in front of the T entrance, since they're ripping it up. :-)
5. Relocated bus stops, wider sidewalks, more crosswalks, more trees, all that nifty urban-design spluftiness.

Comments

Re: i'm confused?

[dmaze]

There are three stairways heading down from street level. There's the escalators in the headhouse, which go down to the turnstile level. There's also a staircase on each side of Mass. Ave. which goes down to the commuter rail platform; there are stairs down from there to the turnstile level as well. I should go and look, but if the plaza area along Mass. Ave. is getting torn up, that wouldn't actually affect access to the station much, since the main entrances to the headhouse are closer to the intersection with Somerville Ave. (facing between CVS and Anna's, for example).