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Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
Wu administration steps up pressure for Revs stadium mitigation
'While these meetings have been cordial,' Shen wrote, referencing the negotiations, 'the information you have shared remains conceptual with none of the technical detail and analysis needed as a baseline to properly assess the impact of your proposal or negotiate a fair agreement for the City of Boston.' Shen emphasized to Bilello in the letter that addressing 'community mitigation is not optional, nor to be taken lightly.' Advertisement A spokesperson for the Kraft Group issued a statement saying that the company was surprised by the letter and that it is inconsistent with the positive tone and numerous productive discussions both sides have had since they started meeting in February. The Wu-Kraft discussions are happening amid a political backdrop: Wu is running for reelection this year, and her principal challenger is Josh Kraft, a former nonprofit executive whose father, Robert Kraft, is lead executive and owner of the Kraft Group and its two pro sports teams. Two of Josh Kraft's brothers are also top executives there. Josh Kraft had said he would recuse himself from any stadium discussions if elected. Advertisement The As part of The May 1 deadline came and went without an outside mediator participating. But now, judging from Shen's letter, that phase is imminent. In an attachment to the letter, the Wu administration outlines a series of concerns it would like to see addressed, or at least analyzed. They include: MBTA connections and capacity for those attending games and concerts, off-site parking options, the effects on water quality in the Mystic and Boston Harbor, flood resilience, noise impacts, and estimates of the number of construction and permanent jobs. Advertisement City officials also want a forecast of the impact that the nearly 25,000-seat stadium would have on rival concert venues in Boston — TD Garden, Fenway Park, and the Leader Bank Pavilion. (That's one of the issues that came up during the State House negotiations over the legislation.) Shen, in his letter, again draws a parallel between a mitigation agreement valued at $68 million Several of the questions that Shen raises presumably will be tackled by an outside consultant, Watertown-based VHB, that the Kraft Group has asked to address transportation and other related issues around the stadium, its construction, and future impact. 'Throughout this process the Kraft Group has operated in good faith and has supplied Boston with every piece of information the city has requested,' said Kraft Group spokesperson Anisha Chakrabarti. 'During our many meetings and conversations, representatives from Boston have not expressed these concerns with our process or with our efforts.' Chakrabarti added that Kraft Group executives are 'deeply disappointed that politics and grandstanding seem to have taken place over thoughtful analysis and collaboration. This simply impedes progress and economic development for the City of Everett, the City of Boston, and the Commonwealth.' Advertisement Jon Chesto can be reached at
CBS News
2 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Powerful storm knocks down trees and damages homes in Massachusetts
After a strong thunderstorm moved across Massachusetts Sunday afternoon and evening, utility companies and tree crews were out that night surveying all the damage left behind. In Beverly, tree crews were out on Lakeshore Drive clearing streets of branches and leaves and chopping up the large trees brought down by the heavy rains and gusty winds. At least one large tree was ripped out of the ground and toppled over onto a home's driveway, crushing a car. Beverly Police said fallen trees have blocked off multiple roads. Late Sunday night, a little more than 250 customers were without power in the town. Police said they haven't received any reports of injuries from the storm. The Commuter Rail was also experiencing delays on the Newburyport/Rockport line due to downed trees on the tracks. For the latest on the delays, riders are asked to check the MBTA's website. Elsewhere, some communities like Framingham dealt with minor flooding from the heavy downpours. Late Sunday night, there was a little more than 1,000 customers without power across Massachusetts, according to MEMA. Boston and Belchertown have the most customers without power. The storm has since moved out and WBZ-TV meteorologists said the start of the week should be pleasant weather with low humidity and lots of sunshine. But there's potential for another heat wave later in the week, as temperatures climb into the 90s by the end of the week.
CBS News
6 days ago
- CBS News
MBTA working to address aging infrastructure in the wake of Blue Line train evacuation in Boston
The head of the MBTA said more problems were uncovered during an investigation into a Blue Line train evacuation that happened on Tuesday in Boston and he vowed that the agency will work to fix them. Passengers were forced to walk through a dark tunnel in sweltering heat and humidity after the Blue Line train broke down. Dramatic video shows riders navigating the tunnel on foot, with some telling WBZ-TV they saw a cable dangling from the side of the train. At a press conference on Wednesday, MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said that a 50- to 60-year-old cable caused the disruption. "Last night, the teams went in, they made interim repairs to the cable. They re-spliced some, we removed some, but while we were in there, we also saw that there's other areas of cable that we want to proactively address," said Eng. While Eng did not give an exact timeline for all the planned repairs, he advised riders to expect possible overnight maintenance work. Regular MBTA riders say incidents like these are part of the daily commute in Boston. "I leave home an hour before work, usually the commute's only half an hour," said MBTA rider Grogan. "I either get to work way too late or way too early. And that's just sort of the magic of Boston, Massachusetts." She said that each line has its own laundry list of problems. "The Orange Line regularly catches on fire or floods, the Red Line stops because people are causing problems at Red Line stops, a lot of stabbings happen at the Red Line," Grogan said. "The Blue Line is just sort of never there when it's supposed to be, the Green Line gets hit by cars. And I think the Commuter Rail is haunted in some capacity. There's never any consistency." The MBTA has faced criticism in recent years over aging infrastructure, delays and safety concerns. Eng said the MBTA is working to address these issues. "This is not a flip of the switch to just say tomorrow everything's running perfectly. What we need to do is continue to invest in our workforce, continue to invest in our infrastructure," Eng said.
CBS News
16-07-2025
- CBS News
More than 450 MBTA riders forced to evacuate Blue Line train in tunnel
More than 450 MBTA passengers were evacuated from a Blue Line train in the tunnel under the Boston Harbor due to a signal issue Tuesday afternoon. The MBTA says it was caused by a downed communication line that happened between Maverick and Aquarium on the Blue Line at about 2:30 p.m. "As we were passing another train there was a bright flash of light," passenger Jadan Wenceslao said. "Lots of like scraping noises. Then you could see a cable that goes along the top of the train it's just hanging off the side of the window." Passengers on the train were stuck on board for nearly two hours and then had to walk through the tunnel to an emergency exit. "They had us walk out the back, and then we walked down the tracks," passenger Hayden Green said. Boston firefighters, EMS and Transit Police escorted approximately 465 riders off the train. No injuries were reported, according to the MBTA. Shuttle buses replaced service between the airport and Government Center. Regular service resumed at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night. Passengers described a stressful and dark journey through the tunnel. "I was pretty nervous because it all went dark, it was pretty hot," said passenger Sage Soto. "I had to get to work so I was real stressed about that too and it took us almost like two hours for us to leave the train." The MBTA issued a statement apologizing for the delays. The cause of the issue is under investigation.
Boston Globe
15-07-2025
- Boston Globe
Blue Line train stuck under Boston Harbor; 500 passengers evacuated, officials say
In a social media post shortly after 3 p.m., the MBTA said shuttle buses were running in place of Blue Line train service between Government Center and Airport stations due to a signal issue at Aquarium station. The MBTA did not immediately return messages seeking further information. This developing story will be updated. Advertisement Nick Stoico can be reached at
