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Boston's Morning Newsletter
What's so super about the Green Line's future 'supercars'? Here's a look
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Not to be a bummer, but the sun will set before 6 p.m. for the first time this season tonight. So, today you might want to brush up on these tips from a Tufts psychiatrist to shore up your mental health as we begin our descent into the cold, dark New England winter.
To brighten the mood, let’s start today with… the MBTA?
The people have chosen: We have a winner in the MBTA’s public vote on the paint design of the future Type 10 Green Line “supercars” that will eventually replace the current fleet of trolleys. With a commanding 59% of the 16,300 votes cast, T officials say the top pick was “Option 3.” You can see the design here. (Hopefully, there were no “dubious” votes this time.)
- Beneath the paint: What makes these Green Line cars so “super”? For one, they’ll be 40 feet longer than the Type 7, 8 and 9 trolleys currently in service. T officials say the Type 10’s will also have wider doors, state-of-the-art communication systems and “the latest generation of crash-safety technology.” (The latter of which was certainly needed.)
- When do we get to see them? The supercars won’t be phased into service until 2027 through 2032. And according to the T, there’s still several years of design work before the first test cars hit the tracks. However, officials are hoping to put a mock-up supercar on display as soon as next year for people to check out (like they did with the new Red Line cars in 2018).
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets last night in Boston’s Copley Square. WBUR’s Simón Rios reports the group — which marched from Boston Public Library to the Israeli consulate in Back Bay — called on the U.S. to end its military support for Israel, as the country responds to last weekend’s Hamas attacks. You can see photos of the rally here and here.
- Meanwhile, a family from Medway is still trapped in Gaza by the Egyptian border. WBUR’s Deborah Becker reports that Wafaa Abuzayda, Abood Okal and their 1-year-old son waited for hours yesterday at the border, which never reopened. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office says they’ve been in touch with the White House and State Department to push for assistance for the family.
- In related news: Rep. Ayanna Pressley joined nearly a dozen other Democratic colleagues calling for a ceasefire amid concern about the growing number of Gaza civilian casualties. “Let me make it plain: The murder of innocent Israeli civilians by Hamas is horrific and unacceptable,” Pressley said in a speech yesterday. “And the murder of innocent Palestinian civilians is a horrific and unacceptable response from Israel.”
- What’s next: The resolution also comes as President Joe Biden gets ready to visit Tel Aviv this week to signal support for Israel and push for humanitarian aid to Gaza.
It’s official: As expected, Cambridge’s City Council approved divisive new rules last night to allow taller affordable housing projects in the city’s major square. Cambridge Day reports that affordable housing developers say the rules will make it more likely for them to compete with market-rate projects. You can read more about the plan here.
PSA: MassDOT is doing one of their occasional overnight closures of the I-93 tunnel through Boston — on the southbound side — from 11 p.m. tonight until 5 a.m. The closure starts at Exit 20 in Somerville.
- Remember, that also means no access to the Callahan Tunnel during those wee hours. So plan accordingly, especially if you have an early Wednesday morning flight to catch.
Watch out for the slide: Boston’s long-running New Year’s Eve celebration, First Night, is relocating its main hub to City Hall Plaza this winter, due to renovation work at Copley Square. Organizers say the schedule of events will be published in the coming weeks, but expect music, dance, improv, magic and figure skating.
P.S.— We’re hosting an education-focused community listening session this upcoming Monday (Oct. 23) in Mattapan. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, student, school administrator or just a resident invested in the state of the local pre-K-12 public school system, we’d love for you to come. Register here.
