State legislators and city officials are determined to move forward on the re-design of Morrissey Boulevard following the release of a final report by a state-appointed board last month.
The Morrissey Boulevard Commission approved a draft of their findings last June with the understanding that the state’s transportation agency —MassDOT —would modify its recommendations before beginning a more robust design process.
A spokesman for MassDOT notified The Reporter that the final report was filed with the Legislature on Oct. 28.
Jonathan Gulliver, the state’s Highway Administrator, called the completion of the study “a major step in setting the direction for future improvements based on the latest thinking on safety, mobility, and climate resiliency.”
Mayor Wu, who gave a statement included in a press release announcing the report’s delivery to the Legislature, said: “Redesigning and rebuilding Morrissey Boulevard is critical to improving transportation, protecting against coastal flooding, and connecting Dorchester communities to waterfront recreation and enjoyment.”
She added: “We’re grateful to the Commonwealth in moving this long-discussed project one step closer to construction, and we look forward to collaborating with our state partners and local residents to begin implementing this important work and aligning it with improvements to Kosciuszko Circle.”
The commission, established by the Legislature in 2023 was tasked with improving “mobility, connectivity, safety, and climate” along the corridor.
The report outlines several mitigation measures that “could be implemented along the coastline and Dorchester Bay Basin to protect critical infrastructure and inland neighborhoods, including raised beaches, dunes, and berms,” according to the MassDOT announcement, which also declared that the agency “will continue to formally convene with DCR, the City of Boston, and other stakeholders to advance a coordinated approach to future corridor investments and ongoing projects.”
State Rep. Daniel Hunt of Dorchester said in an interview that he favors moving the project forward to ensure that the commission can secure funds for development.
“I would say that right now it’s a critical time in the next two months,” he said, “as the governor is developing her five-year capital plan, that the planning money is included for this year, and potential capital dollars for years two, three, four, and five.”
While Hunt doesn’t agree with every recommendation in the final report, he believes that it is important to keep the project active.
“I’m encouraged that MassDOT has appointed a dedicated project manager,” he said, “and is actively looking for resources for the continued project design to get us to 25 percent design and continue to engage with the general public.”
State Sen. Nick Collins, who was instrumental in creating the commission, has at times been a critic of the planning process. He voted against adopting the draft plan presented and approved by the larger group last June.
In particular, Collins objected to the removal of vehicular traffic lanes and the addition of bike lanes that he thinks should be located elsewhere along the route. He said last week that he wants city and state officials to work together with MassDOT engineers to refine the plans and ensure the project’s success.
“My hope is that this ongoing effort will also help us come up with a comprehensive funding plan to build the infrastructure with local, state, and federal support,” he said.
“Our foremost concern with the future of Morrissey Boulevard is its infrastructure resiliency to mitigate the climate impacts we currently face,” Collins said. “It is a vital part of the region’s transportation network.”
The senator said he supports a Boston Water and Sewer Commission’s storm water discharge project planned with the US Army Corps of Engineers to manage the flow of storm water surges and improve the quality of the waters of Dorchester Bay.
City Councillor John FitzGerald, a commission member whose district includes most of the Morrissey corridor, noted of the final report that “while the study phase of the commission is done, the plan is not. “I look forward to the ongoing conversations that need to be had to make sure this plan addresses all the environmental, physical, aesthetic, and multi-modal needs for the community.”
Elizabeth Plese of the Boston University Statehouse Program and Reporter editor Bill Forry contributed to this report.
