Aces Full of Links

MY GOD, they aren't done with that mess yet???? Then again, I don't know why y'all drive cars anyway. The traffic there is horrendous and you have one of the best public transit systems I've ever been on. If I ever lived in Boston, I'd sell the car and teach the kids how to use the T. :D

pippa, the MBTA isn't always an option for people who work at companies located far from train, subway and bus lines. If a commuter has to make several connections the trip may not be worth it. The expensive real estate market also prohibits most families from moving close enough to work to get rid of their cars. So let's not pick on the poor commuters who would really rather not be driving hours every day.

I know tunnels aren't the easiest things to build and maintain but I can't determine if this collapse is another example of negligence and shoddy construction. Does this kind of thing ever happen in other cities?

We used to always take the T into Boston whenever we had a trip to one of the museums. But the kids (and we) would get so exhausted that driving out in the car was a relief compared to going back to Quincy and then driving back to the SouthCoast.

If it were trains all the way, it would be a slightly different story. The T is a lot better for getting from one place to another IN Boston, not so good for getting in and out in this Bay Stater's humble opinion. My preference, when going to Logan, is to drive or pay for an airport shuttle.

In any case, we'll be visiting the Harvard Museum of Natural History on Friday, and I doubt this will deter us from driving. Of course, we can drive up Mass Ave and avoid the tunnels altogether if we like. I actually hadn't decided which route to take because we don't go to Cambridge all that often.

I like the train, but it's probably only feasible for one person traveling alone. With multiple people it's got to be cheaper to drive and park one car.

As for the route, I don't think you could pay me to use one of those tunnels now (not that you could pay me to drive in Boston anyway). I've never, ever, ever worried about bridges, tunnels, or underpasses (what ever you call them) before, but fallout from the Big Dig is giving me second thoughts.

Ah, that's because you weren't in the Southcoast when the tunnel under the Fall River town hall fell in. (I probably shouldn't tell you that, since it's between your house and ours.) They've ripped it apart intentionally, now.

I have to second the remarks about the T. For some reason it's exhausting, running up and down all those stairs in those dirty tunnels, waiting on the platform, crowding onto the train, standing, jerking back and forth... especially with children. I see plenty of people who've adjusted nicely, but I couldn't believe the difference in exhaustion level when we started driving in. Of course, it didn't help that we were carrying so much gear, once again a consequence of having children.

Yep, I drive under town hall twice a week, had no idea that little tunnel was collapsible. Eek!

But I think it's still less scary than blindly merging onto 79, or 138, or whatever that scary interchange is.

I am actually not that worried about my chances of survival driving under the Boston tunnels a couple of times a week.

We've had one death which is completely unacceptable from a safety standpoint, from the state's standpoint and from an overall standpoint.

But from a personal safety standpoint, you have to consider what the chances are that you as an individual are going to be hurt. Very low risk.

Does this mean the tunnels ought not be shut down? No, I can't conclude that. The safety of the tunnels has to be evaluated by engineering experts and they have to consider the safety of every individual who goes through the tunnels altogether, collectively. That's all the individual risks added up, which obviously is much larger.

That's overly-simplified, but to simplify it even further, there ought to be no concrete smashing down on anyone. But on an individual basis, is your risk much larger than it already is, considering that driving is so dangerous? Without doing the calculations I can't tell you, but I'm going to doubt it. It's surely somewhat larger, but is it significant?

There is a reason to make a distinction between individual risk that the tunnel might kill you and the risk that the tunnel might kill someone (anyone). It should work against panic.

Unfortunately, If you want to get to Logan you pretty much have to drive through a tunnel. your other option is to drive to the North Shore and come down route 1 (not recommended). I have to say that the one major benefit I've seen from the dig is the ease of getting to the airport. It used to be a major hassle and now is a breeze (well not the past couple of days, I'm sure).

unfortunately the T and commuter rail are not good options for the airport unless you don't have much luggage. I've done it and beleive me parking at Alewife with two rolling bags, getting on the T switching to the green line at Park, switching to the blue line at govt center and getting on a bus to get to your terminal sucks in a big way!! Definately not worth the 40-50 bucks saved in taxi fair.

James as for driving in Cambrige. It's generally much easier than Boston itself. I haven't come up from teh south into Cambridge in a while and it probably depends on the time of day. Getting off 93 onto Storrow drive, then crossing the river at the Harvard square bridge is one option. The way I used to go was to get on 128 and come down route 2. Of course I was parking at Alewife so this might make less sense if you plan on driving into the square.

I'm perfectly capable of making the distinction, but personal injury or damage to my car is only a small part of why I wouldn't want to be anywhere near a tunnel next time a piece of it collapses.

I didn't realize the airport was off the blue line. That would be a big pain in the neck from south station too. I'm in a position where $50 saved would be serious money, though. If I ever need to do it, I'll remember to pack light.

You can get an airport shuttle for cheaper than $50. I think the Logan Express bus from Braintree is $11. But, of course, you're still going through the tunnel.

I have until Friday to decide how the heck we're gettign to the museum. I'm assuming that the other tunnels are not closed. Google suggests going all the way around Boston to the east and then hooking back to the west. It's almost like a tour of Boston.

Um. How do you go around boston to the east? Isn't there a harbor there? I assume that means taking 93 through the city which I agree with as long as you're not planning on doing it during rush hour.

The shuttle may be $11 but the parking is something like $8-12 per day. It doesn't take long to get to $50 that way (not saying it's not serious money but the alternatives blow). The T works fine if I can keep my luggage to a carry on or small rolling bag. I happen to work at a company next to Alewife so parking is free. I don't think they actually allow overnight parking at the T station lots though at 4.50 a day it would be a bargain. Best alternative is combining vacation with travel and getting the company to pick up the tab!

93 turns to the northeast, and it isn't going all the way around Boston, per se, but it is counterintuitive, when I really want to go west. It may actually be quicker that way, though, than going up Mass Ave. I don't have the experience to know.

I actually don't mind driving in Boston so much. It can be very hectic if you're trying to be somewhere at a partucular time. But if you're not pressed for time I don't have too many problems in Boston. But I've never gotten too lost, even without a GPS. With the GPS it's even easier.

It helps to, at the very least, have a decent map.

The commuter rail station in Lakeville allows overnight parking, AFAIK, but you have to pay in advance. It's only $2/weekday but you have to be able to poke all that money through the little slot. :)

James, your original idea of taking the expressway to Mass Ave. (south of the city) and following it over the river to Harvard Square may be the simplest way to get there. Google's suggested map isn't a bad option once you get through the city. At least there's a good ice cream shop in Inman just before you turn onto Broadway. Jeez, that looks like a tour of all the bars I visit regularly...

I'm sure you could improve a hundred different ways to do it without a problem.

Er, make that *improvise*, not improve.

Cool!

If it's the right time of day, and nice out, I don't mind a little driving around Boston. As long as there isn't too much traffic.

You know I just thought of a way to get to Logan a little cheaper and I wonder if it would work. Enterprise will pick you up at your house if you rent a car from them. Could you rent a car from Enterprise in say Maynard and return it that day at Logan? One day rentals for economy cars are like 20-30 bucks. they do tend to charge you a little more for one way rentals but I think it's only like 5-10 bucks.

Hmm, interesting idea. You'd need a lot of time to do that, though. It takes a while to get the paperwork done when you rent the car, and some more time when you return it. Last time I rented a car, it was about an hour from when they picked me up to when I got to drive away, and they weren't even very busy at the time. And that was with an advance reservation. :-P

I feel just awful for those people and their family. What a horrible thing. They were saying on the news today that there are 60 other sections of ceiling that are "questionable", thank heavens there wasn't a chain reaction of sorts.

Those poor people. :"(

I haven't had the long wait problem in quite a while with a rental company. Used to be bad all the time. Recently 10-15 minutes tops. the last time I had a long wait was over in Scotland. The guy with the key to the garage didn't show up for work that day (or some other ridiculous excuse). We waited something like 2 1/2 hours for a car. They did at least upgrade us from an Escort to a Volvo though.

I did do something like this last time I went to SF. The first part of my trip was on business and I was staying at a downtown hotel so I took a cab from the airport on the company. When the conference was over and Patti came out we rented a car at the hotel and moved to another hotel that had parking out by Golden Gate Park. We then returned the car to the airport a couple of days later. Worked out great. It was cheaper than a cab and we were able to get out of the city and go up north.