**Not yet a member of The 016? Please take a second to join today and find out what all the buzz is about. Registration is free and easy.**
Finally some good news about getting to and from downtown
UPDATE: In response to a Facebook post about this news, City Councilor George Russell, Chair of the Public Works Committee, wrote that the meeting scheduled for Wednesday has been postponed until Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Getting to, from and around downtown Worcester is no picnic and it will get worse in the coming year(s). Drivers currently have had to navigate, in no particular order:
In addition, there’s the looming dual nightmares of the Kelley Square reconstruction and concurrent repaving of Grafton Street, along with the forever congestion that will be caused by prohibiting left turns off I-290 at Kelley Square up Vernon Street.
With all this going on it’s hard to find good news about getting in and around downtown.
Until now.
The good news in Green Island Boulevard, and it’s a big deal.
When completed, Green Island Boulevard will connect Madison Street and Quinsigamond Avenue via Lamartine Street.
In announcing it April 29 as part of a larger investment, City Manager Ed Augustus said, ““Nobody’s not going to know where Green Island is or how important Green Island is to the city of Worcester,” according to an article in Worcester Magazine.
Green Island Boulevard will be among a number of Polar Park-related items that will be taken up by the City Council’s Public Works Committee at its meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
So how does a road being built ostensibly to support development of and around Polar Park become such a big deal? Let’s take a look.
Long before the city was negotiating with the Pawtucket Red Sox to relocate to Worcester, it had signaled its intention to deal with the problematic intersection of Southbridge Street and Quinsigamond Ave.
Fixing Southbridge Street and Quinsigamond Ave. was on the city's radar more than a year before the city started negotiating with the Pawtucket Red Sox
The boundaries of the Worcester Redevelopment Authority’s Downtown Urban Revitalization Plan in 2016 included that intersection. In fact, it was such a priority that “Improve traffic patterns and signalization at Quinsigamond Avenue and Southbridge Street” was ranked below just the changes to Federal Square, ahead of even the Midtown Mall (22 Front Street).
From the April 2016 Downtown Urban Revitalization Plan
So how does Green Island Boulevard help that?
If you’re at Southbridge and Madison streets and want to get to Quinsigamond Ave. or Route 146, you have two choices: continue down Southbridge Street with all the other traffic headed to South Worcester or head down Madison through Kelley Square to jump on 290 for the 146 exit. Green Island Boulevard offers a third option that relieves congestion on both of those routes.
Moreover, taking a right on Green Island Boulevard before reaching Kelley Square gives you pretty much a straight shot all the way to Quinsigamond Ave.
(Worth nothing that Gold Street used to serve this very purpose. Alas, the Public Works Committee meeting will include consideration of discontinuing Gold Street.)
It’s also possible Green Island Boulevard could relieve Kelley Square traffic from Harding and Green streets if people heading to 146 continue down Madison to Green Island Boulevard rather than fight the Peanut and 290 traffic.
Now, what works one way works the other.
Looking downtown from Lamartine and Hermon streets, Green Island Boulevard will run parallel to the train tracks and connect with Madison Street
Having a second, and perhaps more desirable, entry to downtown from 146 should reduce the numbers of cars that travel the 146-290-Kelley Square route while at the same time not further congesting Quinsigamond Ave. at Southbridge Street.
And it may not just be the easier access that pulls traffic down Lamartine Street and Green Island Boulevard.
Fronting Green Island Boulevard will be Madison Properties’ promised development. It was be shocking if the buildings fronting the boulevard do no include retail. And, if traffic does indeed flow from Green Island Boulevard to Lamartine to Quinsigamond Ave, it’s easy to imagine property owners on Lamartine Street, all of whom pretty much hold winning lottery tickets at this point, deciding to cash in and further development -- retail or mixed used -- coming to the area.
Green Island Boulevard will connect to Lamartine Street, giving commuters a straight shot to Quinsigamond Ave.
Blogs
Historic apartment would come with eye-popping price (July 21)
Nightmare intersection to be transformed (July 20)
Route 12 in West Boylston closer to adding two new restaurants (June 30)
New bakery part of $1M building project (June 23)
Long vacant downtown building to get nearly $9M overhaul (June 17)
College buys downtown building for $6.9M (June 1)
First food vendor at Worcester Public Market? (May 28)
Door closed on city reopening downtown shortcut (May 26)
Ryan Reynolds' summer blockbuster to film in Worcester next week (May 16)
Another big change on Lake Ave. as former ITAM Club sold (May 15)
Demolition of former Four Seasons can proceed, 4 houses planned (May 14)
Pot shop planned next to popular breakfast spot (May 12)
Complaints against Worcester businesses in 2019 (May 9)
Historic restaurant building targeted for demolition (May 7)
Midtown Mall sold, city wants to hear new owner's plans (May 5)
Thanks a million! (May 2)
The answer to this question could determine the fate of Kelley Square redesign (April 28)
The 016, the social network for Worcester and you
There's always something happening in The 016!
In The News
>WEATHER: Mark Rosenthal's 7-day forecast (:28). High of 82 today in Worcester
>TOP OF THE NEWS
+4:00: Big Y, Stop & Shop locations stop deli meat orders due to listeria outbreak
+4:00: Parking restrictions announced in Canal District on Sunday
+4:00: Part of Highland Street to close for nearly a month
+Noon: It's Friday! Check Dining Out and Bars & Bands before making plans
+Noon: New shows and movies to watch this weekend
+Noon: New movies on demand— "Bad Boys Ride or Die" and more
+Noon: The road takes Grace Potter to Indian Ranch to "share the love"
+Noon: Clemente Writing Project anthology celebration set for Salisbury House
+Noon: Auschwitz exhibit illuminates Holocaust victims' humanity
-220-unit apartment complex in Worcester breaks ground
-Michael Angelini leading exodus of Bowditch & Dewey attorneys to start Worcester office for Boston-based firm
-Out to Lunch series fills Worcester Common
-New fried chicken restaurant in Worcester gets license to open
-Man arrested for hatchet attack in Worcester
-Worcester man indicted on child pornography charges
-Worcester man stopped on moped arrested on drug charges
-National Grid halting energy savings program for low-income households
-Teacher Spotlight: Worcester's Lillian Momanyi makes a difference
-Local schools receive $579,000 for life sciences education
-Worcester's Jacob Hiatt School receives S.T.E.A.M. lab
-Central Mass. universities are infusing A.I. into curricula
-City of Worcester (:36): Trash Talk | Where can I get a city recycling bin?
-Radio Worcester (15:32): Is Worcester’s 311 system helping to clean up the city?
>DINING OUT: Worcester State employee opens Greek restaurant in Worcester
-ICYMI: Worcester police ask for help finding missing boy who could be in Worcester
-Mosquitoes in Worcester test positive for West Nile virus
-Worcester unveils vending machines for pay-as-you-throw bags
-George’s Bakery, Ed Hyder’s and Tasty Experience Bistro can help you beat the summer heat
-See the rest of the day's Worcester news
>HOLDEN (brought to you by Lamoureux Ford): Openings on town boards and committees
-See Why People Buy 30 Cars and Trucks at Lamoureux Ford (3:32)
-Holden rower to compete in Paris Olympics
>THE BURBS (brought to you by North End Motor Sales): Sutton superintendent resigns
-Gathering of the tribe at Hassanamisco Nipmuc Nation powwow in Grafton
-Shrewsbury residents can drop off old recycling bins Saturday
-Shrewsbury Marble & Granite builds on experience, customer service
-Man arrested in Clinton after noise and assault complaints from heated arguments with 2 women
-5-duplex Millbury property sold for $1.23 million
-Rutland police to participate in Lilac Hedge Farm’s Touch-a-Truck event Friday and Saturday
-Leicester Public Safety Day August 27th
>BARS & BANDS: The Mayor's Live Music List for Friday
>SHOWTIME: Five Things to Do: African Festival, TAKE3 and more ...
-100FM The Pike (16:39): Yachtley Crew's Philly Ocean and Tommy Buoy help Mike Hsu decide if it's Yacht or not
-"Marvelous Wonderettes" line up for Square One Players of Shrewsbury
-Local dance classes offer a world of personal and cultural discovery
-Bill Shaner: Inside the project to archive runaway slave ads at the American Antiquarian Society
-Giselle Rivera-Flores: Kamala Harris?
-Cassinda Scharff: Avoiding mom burnout
-WCCA-TV's Intern Interviews No. 56 (18:57): Joyce Tavon, CEO, Mass. Housing and Shelter Alliance
-Manny Jae Media Innerviews (39:48): Sebastian Knight of Laurel Clayton
>OBITUARIES: Tribute to Vietnam War veteran who worked for the city of Worcester for 37 years
>SPORTS: Calvin Anderson explains how Jerod Mayo is helping Patriots’ culture
-Daryl Morey fuels Celtics-76ers rivalry with latest comments
-Bravehearts fall to Nashua. Next home game: 6:30 p.m. Friday, August 2nd. Los Bravos Night No. 2
-Holy Cross women's basketball weight room (:17)
-WooSox fall to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
>CARS: Bertera Nissan has your next car, truck or S.U.V.! (:42)
>NATIONAL: French train lines hit by malicious acts on day of Olympics Opening Ceremonies
-U.S. arrests 2 leaders of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel
-Tragic: Hero dad dies after saving 2 kids from drowning in river
>NEW ENGLAND: Maine mass shooter had a "hit list," report says
-Family identifies man shot, killed in late-night shooting in Brockton
>COLLEGES: From the Clarkives, exams in the gym, 1969–70
>TRAVEL (brought to you by Fuller RV & Rental): 7 amazing places to encounter wildlife up close
>BUSINESS: Shoplifting skyrockets by 24% across U.S. in 2024
-LPL Research: Key themes for bonds in the second half of 2024
-Modernizing the electric grid
>HOMES: “Zombie” mortgages coming back to haunt homeowners (2:49)
>SHOPPING: Lowe’s Halloween line goes underwater with Kraken, undead diver
>HEALTH: How to talk to your doctor about reviewing which pills are needed
-New Ozempic data reveals who's on it, prompts shortage fears
>FOOD: Energy drinks pulled from shelves after dire warning issued
>TV/STREAMING: 1990s hit "Homicide: Life On The Street" finally heading to streaming
>MOVIES: "Inside Out 2" becomes Pixar's biggest movie ever at box office
>CELEBRITY: Vanessa Williams is "embracing her age" and ditching Botox at 61
>HISTORY: 10 weird facts about the Great Depression
>ANIMALS: Wild porcupine demands fresh fruit until his paw heals (3:26)
>GOOD NEWS (brought to you by Bertera Nissan): Scituate man finds wedding band in Eastham
-Meanwhile, mom praised for "revenge" on scamming ice cream man
Latest obituaries | | Thursday's highlights | | Today's horoscope | | Local Sports
Quick Links: Personalize your news | | Browse members | | Advertise | | Blogs | | Invite friends | | Videos
Animals | | Boston Sports | | Business | | Cars | | Celebrity | | Colleges | | Commute & Travel | | Crime | | Faith | | Food | | Good News | | Health | | History | | Homes | | Local Sports | | Lottery | | Movies | | National | | New England | | Politics | | Shopping & Deals | | SHOWTIME! | | TV & Streaming | | Weather
Comments