Solutions for the Watertown Branch Rail with Trail. (A) The railroad tracks are rebuilt and, in doing so, shifted to the southeast edge of the right-of-way (instead of down the center, where it is now), thus providing enough room within the right-of-way for both a multi-use trail and the tracks. The narrowest portion of the right-of-way is 24 feet, underneath the Mt. Auburn Bridge. Under normal circumstances, it would be too dangerous to place a trail so close to an active rail line, but because the trains are so slow and so few in number, we believe this solution would indeed be feasible. (B) The railroad tracks are condemned, allowing the state or towns (Watertown and Cambridge) to purchase the right of way and convert it to open space use. We are uncertain under what conditions the track would/could be condemned, nor is it clear who the governing authority would be who could make such a judgment. Furthermore, not only would Newlyweds Bakery be unhappy with cessation of train service, but the alternative-- increase in delivery by truck-- would result in an increase in truck traffic, which is never popular. Therefore, we believe that plan A is more promising.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 22:08:03 +0000
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