May 1, 2002
Governor Jane Swift
House Speaker Thomas Finneran
Senate President Thomas Birmingham
Mayor Thomas Menino
Re: Surface Artery legislation
The Alliance of Boston Neighborhoods is a confederation of civic associations organized to promote meaningful public process on issues of city-wide importance. We are writing to express our serious concerns regarding legislation that is being written to decide the future of the Surface Artery.
A number of prominent citizens have been writing in the Globe about the future of the area over the Central Artery, many referring to legislation creating an administrative structure to oversee the construction and maintenance of the space. A State legislative committee met openly for months to address the question of future maintenance and control of the Surface Artery spaces, without producing a definitive report. Recently, however, the Boston Globe reported on an "agreement" between the Mayor and the Speaker to create this structure. Rumors are circulating of a 23-page "concept outline" establishing the powers to control the artery corridor and all the public resources to be devoted to it. It is time for this draft to see the light of day and be open for public comment.
The Alliance is concerned that the open space over the artery remain open and within the public realm. What is done on this stretch of land has implications for open space all over the city. We understand that the legislation does not call for the use of a Business Improvement District, but may create something similar in effect. We read in the Globe that Commissioners will be political appointments, but there are no details.
There are legal commitments in place to protect the open spaces and involve the public in creating them. Yet, the public does not know what you plan to do with this public resource. The dialogue going on in the Globe is not meaningful without a clear idea of how the space is going to be created and governed. The protracted silence on the subject is raising skepticism in the public about the ultimate governance of the open space. Already there is talk of the legislation being slipped into outside sections of funding bills without the benefit of public comment.
We express the views of many in the city and the state who have long waited for the Artery to fulfill its urban design promise, and who demand an open, responsive, and responsible public process for the design, construction, and on-going support of these dearly bought parklands. We respectfully request that the draft legislation, however preliminary, be provided to the Mayor's Completion Task Force and to any members of the public that request a copy. We insist there be a hearing, with a public comment period, through which the voice of the people who live in the city and beyond can be heard.
We look forward to your response to this request.
Daniel Cushing, President
Shirley Kressel, Vice President
Alliance of Boston Neighborhoods
Cc: State Representatives and Senators
Mark Maloney, Director, BRA; Co-chair, Mayor's Completion
Task Force
Rebecca Barnes, Chief Planner, BRA
Robert Tuchmann, Co-chair, Mayor's Completion Task Force,
for distribution
Robert Turner, Tom Palmer, The Boston Globe