It was stop and go on the parkways of JP this evening, but more stop than go
Something went wrong this evening and all the parkways in Jamaica Plain ground to a complete halt, as Fred discovered.
I biked down Centre in the afternoon. At around 3:45pm, at least, there was construction at Forest Hills that reduced Centre St heading south to one very slow lane at the intersection
— Jamie Hill (@_jameshill) April 12, 2018
25 mins from Glen down to Morton -wtf
— Lisa Conner (@lconner001) April 12, 2018
Forest Hills clustercuss of traffic for hours. #jamaicaplain gridlocked all over & people are cutting corners (looking at you, beamer). What's the deal? I hope folks make it home safe. @universalhub pic.twitter.com/EdIDqoEDwr
— rebecca connors (@aprilist) April 12, 2018
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Comments
Cutting corners?
I've heard the term, but how would it apply in this context? I believe the Tweeter when she suggests that the BMW driver is an (expletive).
Beamers
it is my personal opinion that BMW drivers are the most 'privileged' drivers on the road, followed closely by Audi drivers.
BMW's
How do you tell the difference between a pineapple and a BMW?
Well, with a pineapple the pricks are on the outside...
Beemers are a mixed bag of nuts
Infiniti drivers ... (shudder)
Clearly the only solution for this
is getting rid of all the parking spaces inside 128.
yep, I was there, too.
Didn't move more than an inch on Centre St.
Only one lane of traffic on South Street total
Right at the Arborway, there were two separate construction jobs going on. They completely closed down the inbound side of South Street and let the different directions alternate going, which of course screwed up both sides. That was for some utility work. The other construction seemed to be concerning the park going in next to the Arborway. They were moving machinery, which meant that the entire intersection was stopped while the machines were moved.
Not that I care about such things, but it was fascinating that there were two distinct police details, with two staties at the Arborway and two BPD cops starting about 20 feet up the road from them.
The top photo looks like typical "rush" hour traffic on Centre Street, which is why I try to avoid that stretch in the afternoon. Of course, I also try to avoid driving at all between 3 and 6 PM, but that's another story.
I saw this mess when I
I saw this mess when I strolled by after getting off the orange line. Bumper to bumper on my residential street. It's almost like stuffing thousands of large vehicles with only one person in them in a crowded city is a bad idea or something!
It must be exhausting being you
Yes, the parkways are usually slow at rush hour. No, not like tonight.
Uh, leave out a detail, Kinopio?
The Orange Line was nearly at the point of requiring Japanese-style packers this evening - at least headed north.
I've gotten to Orange Line stations in that situation
I consider it a sign from god to go have a drink at the closest bar and try again in 45 minutes
Totally fine going south
though yes, I do often think of the Richard Scarry book I had as a kid of all the animal travelers squished on a Tokyo subway. We need more trains.
Traffic backed up to Hyde Square
I was on the 39 bus around 5:00pm when we hit this traffic at Moraine St. After three traffic light cycles and no movement I hopped off and started walking. I overheard a driver near Centre and Burroughs say it had taken him 30 minutes to make it there from Hyde Square.
I felt bad for passengers trying to head the other way, too, as there were very few buses heading north. I'm guessing I passed 7 or 8 39 buses (and several 38s and 41s) stuck in traffic by the time I made it to St. Rose Street.
Inadequate road capacity
This is what happens when there isn't even enough road capacity to survive even one road with any diminished capacity from construction, crash, motorcade, or whatever.
This is also what happens
This is also what happens when the Boston Police don't appear to consider the impact of allowing more than one construction activity in a certain locale.
If every agency/utility needs to contact the BPD about construction projects, shouldn't the BPD say "wait a second - 2 traffic blockages near Forest Hills/Arborway will create a traffic nightmare". Project B should be postponed until Project A is finished. That's what a good police department would do.
Lack of cummunication
You're totally right. The problem is tied in with the general disconnect between BPD and the State Police. They don't like each other and don't like coordinating with each other.
BPD does not issue street
BPD does not issue street opening permits to utilities. That would be the Public Works Dept. Cast your blame elsewhere.
True - but they are
True - but they are responsible for traffic on most of the city's roadways and they send out a police detail to usually stand and do not much of anything around these roadway worksites.
However
What happens when work is being done on a DCR roadway?
BPD were actively directing traffic on South Street when I went by (not driving, thank God.) But there's only so much traffic that can get by when there is only one lane total for two directions of travel.
Naw
Too many damn solo commuters taking up way too much personal space on public rights of way.
Who do these people think
Who do these people think they are, Americans or something? They shouldn't be allowed to choose anything, they should be forced to ride the ever so dependable MBTA.
Inadequate Rapid Transit Capacity
Expanding high quality rapid transit along these corridors, coupled with increasing densities/mixed use to create walkability is probably the answer here long term, as the region continues to grow. Car-dependent neighborhoods just don't scale.
yada yada yada World Class
yada yada yada World Class City yada yada