ION Phase 2 - Cambridge's Light Rail Transit

[dunkalunk]

North Cambridge is a real puzzle.  I like V/W/X to avoid a large chunk of Eagle St, and M/M1 is an interesting way of feeding into that, but how do you make the turn from King St onto M?  I find myself dreaming of some magical way to put a tunnel under the 401 right, about, here:


It's short, and you wouldn't have to worry about any homes or buildings, so it could be done by cut-and-cover methods or even just as a trench with three portals under the 401 and King/ramp complexes.  But would the MTO let them???

Also, where do you put the Preston stop if they go with M/M1 to V/W/X?  It would be neat in the park, but that torpedoes bus connections.

I don't envy them this game, but can't wait to see how it all works out.

Shantz Hill is definitely constrained, but it is far from the most constrained portion of the route (Eagle between Moore St and CP is). The current plan is to elevate the route above Fountain Street and the Speed River to reduce the impacts to traffic operations at the bottom of the hill, as well as make crossing the Speed River easier.

I really don't think M/M1 (following Highway 401 and through Riverside park) would be a wise use of tax dollars. Yes, there's the possibility of avoiding negative property impacts to Preston with the existing route, but you'd lose most of the be benefits of a station in Preston. You'd still need to pay for a grade separation of the CP line, build a new tunnel under the 401 Eb On-Ramp (provided MTO will allow that), and cross the speed river where it is wider at the reservoir. The nearest a station would be possible in Preston is near Hedley Street, possibly further if the grade separation at Eagle St is still required.

I'm not so much a fan of V-W-X. While there would definitely be the possibility to run the line at higher speeds, the land to the north is almost entirely floodplain and would have very low potential for redevelopment. If a station were to be added at Eagle and Speedsville, it would increase the palatability of using Eagle Street by providing Preston with a second station.