With the State’s public hearings coming up at the end of August, today’s Sunday Boston Herald cover story gears up the debate regarding the routing of hazardous material (hazmat) trucks through downtown Boston, including the North End. A recently completed safety study decisively recommends pass-through hazmat trucks (i.e., those not doing business in Boston which is about 80% of the North End’s hazmat traffic) should be routed on the highways I-93/I-95 instead of Cross St., Commercial St., Atlantic Ave. and N. Washington St. in the City of Boston.
Your humble editor is once again quoted:
“These trucks should be on highways,” said Matt Conti, a North End resident who shudders seeing fuel tankers share the road with tourist trolleys and pedestrians. “It gives you a dangerous feeling when you see them. The streets are small and these trucks are massive.” The Route 128 Business Council plans to pack the hearings, which begin Aug. 23 in Boston, where a large North End contingent is also likely.” … Boston wants a total ban on the trucks based on a new, 182-page study that found the Hub route had 50 percent higher risk than Route 128.”
Related posts:
City Receives Positive Reaction from North End / Waterfront at HazMat Route Study Meeting
Who took over the Hazmat committee since Mario passed? Need to organize the North End contingent and get a large group there early to pack the meeting before the 128 people do.
Yes, their are several active members of the NE/W HazMat Task Force that will be communicating and posting vital information to rally folks to get to the meetings and send in public comments. I'm sure the various neighborhood groups and officials will also support the effort. Though, it is times like these that I really miss our friend, Mario.
Thanks for the email address for public comments. I just emailed my comment. Hopefully, the state will do the right thing and protect the residents.