2/21/08

Allston residents voiced their displeasure to both Harvard representatives and city officials in regards to late night construction on Western Avenue at last week's Harvard Task Force meeting.

A few nights earlier a construction crew worked until 10 p.m. on Western Avenue in North Allston, upsetting area residents because it had been the resident's understanding that all construction work was to be completed by 6 p.m.

Though he took full responsibility for the miscommunication, Commissioner Thomas J. Tinlin of the Boston Transportation Department told the Task Force Harvard had applied for the late work permits unbeknownst to him and that the city had signed off on them with out contacting his office.

Harvard employee Ken Johnson, who penned the construction mitigation plan that includes the protocol for applying for extend work permits, also apologized to the local residents. "The plan I prepared, I blew it. I missed a number of steps. I missed the notification of the BRA, the BTD, and Neighborhood Services… so for that I apologize," he said.

As a direct result of the late work incident a construction subcommittee meeting had been called where Harvard, members of the Task Force, and city officials devised a plan to notify Allston residents as soon as possible of any potential late work that may be needed.

The plan allowed for at least four weeks notice on any green-lighted late work orders, and would provided a weekly emailed list of construction jobs and their estimated times of operation to any resident who wished to receive them.

After extended-hour construction concerns had been discussed, Gerald Autler of the BRA presented a proposed agenda for the upcoming year's task force meetings, including a review of Harvard's Master Plan for its expansion into the Allston/Brighton area, the University's Community Benefit Master Plan, and a review of proposed housing and other construction plans for North Allston and Brighton.

Task Force member Bruce Houghton said there may be too much to be addressed in so short a time period, suggesting that maybe there should be the formation of subcommittees within the task force. Members of the Task Force and residents in attendance agreed with Houghton's suggestion.

"My mission is about the people who live here." Houghton said. "They have to represent themselves. They don't have the money, they don't have the staff, and they don't hire the community development people."

"What I would like the BRA and Harvard to do is pretend that this is going on outside their own steps and deal with this not from Harvard down, but from the people up. My mission is to represent this neighborhood first," he said.

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