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Maxpowr9 t1_itzkec4 wrote

Reply to comment by giritrobbins in Why Is There Such Little Resistance to New Office Buildings, Life Science Labs, Etc.? by OperationSpringAwake

I think West Roxbury would be transformed if the Needham Line was merged into the Orange Line.

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giritrobbins t1_itzl8nl wrote

I would love such a change. If it were to pass, it would need to come with a tax for the increase in the value of the land and zoning changes.

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Maxpowr9 t1_itzlmu0 wrote

The big issue with the Needham Line is that it's mostly one-track so the entire Line, track and stations, would need to be redone to be added to the OL.

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Victor_Korchnoi t1_iu08t29 wrote

That’s the best thing about allowing more dense development, they come with tax revenue. The 200 unit apartment building is paying a lot more property tax than the funeral home it replaced.

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Victor_Korchnoi t1_iu09c1g wrote

I think a better solution is to run the commuter rail more like a subway. Have 15 minute headways instead of 1 hour. Charge $2.40 instead of $6.50. Through-run the trains to North Station and beyond.

It would be a faster trip to Back Bay and downtown, and you could still connect with the Orange Line. Building the North South Rail Link and improving service would be easier than extending the subway to Roslindale, West Roxbury, Hyde Park, Lynn, Chelsea, and Waltham. We’ve already got the most expensive part, the right of way & the rails—we just need to use them more efficiently.

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Maxpowr9 t1_iu09sga wrote

Said this before but the only way the N-S raillink happens is if Amtrak wants it to. It will be built for its benefit, not the MBTA's.

The Needham Line especially should run like a subway though.

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