WBURMenino Pledges To Improve East Boston Waterfront

Updated at 4:00 PM, December 6th, 2011

BOSTON — Boston Mayor Thomas Menino is promising $1 million a year to improve Boston’s harbor transportation. The plan would be paid with a $1 to $2 surcharge on cruise ship traffic in the city.

On Tuesday, Menino unveiled a 90-day plan to meet with developers, unions and East Boston residents. He plans to jumpstart new construction by offering business financing, and building a new marine terminal for water transportation.

“Together, we’ll make sure people standing downtown looking across the harbor no longer see just potential, but progress,” Menino said.

That move would require state approval, but Bruce Berman, with the group Save The Harbor, Save The Bay, said he doesn’t think that will stall the project.

“Everybody agrees that it would be good for the city, good for the economy, and frankly, make us more competitive and more attractive as a destination,” Berman said.

Menino said stalled developments on the East Boston waterfront hold the potential for hundreds of jobs, and half a billion dollars in development. He also supports East Boston as a location for one of the state’s three resort casinos, but said his development plans have nothing to do with a bid for a casino there.

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WBUR Topics · Boston · Economy & Business
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  • Joan

    This East Boston redevelopment is way overdue..I am glad the major is getting things movingÂ
    and has decided to relocate the new casino there , also. It makes imminent sense to have theÂ
    casino to be within reach of Boston and its major entry ports…

    In addition, I think Foxboro is already so congested with the Patriots stadium….It’s utterÂ
    chaotic  and indeed unsafe when the fans get out after a game and are on the streets -coup-
    ing that increase in traffic with the casino’s traffic would be a nighttmare. I know I haveÂ
    come thru foxboro during such times…Joan 

  • john

    Where was Menino when the Silver Bus was being designed? Asleep, as he always is when it comes to transportation that doesn’t involve cars and trucks. The Silver Bus could have been a quick way for east boston residents to get to the burgeoning south boston waterfront, but now someone in east boston has to take the blue line to government center, switch to the orange line, take the orange line to downtown crossing, switch to the red line, take the red line to south station, then switch to the silver sloth to crawl to the waterfront stops.

  • Mjjp97
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