Scott Van Voorhis’s recent comments [“Revisiting A Bad Idea,” Nov. 27] about the North-South Rail Link repeat, sadly, the typical Boston cliché about big ideas – they are risky, cost too much and we Bostonians prefer to live in a broken-down city rather than dream big, or heavens-to-Betsy, spend serious money. Like many of this kind of Boston commentator, Van Voorhis reverts to clichéd insults, i.e. claiming that Michael Dukakis has “drunk the Kool-Aid” and implying that Seth Moulton is crazy. Strangely, he also lauds our current connection between North and South stations, which requires two changes, something seasoned T riders can’t stand to do.
In another cliché he brings up the “fiasco” of the Big Dig.
I’m tired of these false claims being taken as wisdom.
Instead, consider this: the Big Dig transformed our city, our waterfront, our traffic and our lives. It brought billions of dollars of development along its path and opened up the Seaport District. We got a gem of a park and an icon of a bridge. We don’t have to watch those cars spewing their filth into our faces. And it made the North End a part of the city again. It was plagued with cost over-runs, which probably wouldn’t have happened if Dukakis and Fred Salvucci had still been in charge. But it was worth every penny, and I think all of us who love this city would do it again, cost over-runs or not.
In fact, every time Boston has dreamed big, the pay-off has been dramatic. Bostonians filled in the Back Bay, created the first subway in America, cleaned up the harbor, not to mention the part our forebears played in creating the Revolution.
Without the North-South Rail Link, an employee from Framingham would not be able to get to work at Suffolk Downs, should Amazon decide to set up shop there, without making three changes at three stations. Like Van Voorhis’s praise for the current connection, people won’t do that. It takes too long.
I’ll leave it to others to list all the benefits of the link. My point is to Bostonians in general: Boldness is necessary. Dream big. Don’t let fear-laden, small-idea complainers determine what we do to improve our city and our state.
Karen Cord Taylor was the founder of and is currently a columnist for several Boston neighborhood weekly newspapers.
Editor’s note to readers: Have an opinion on Van Voorhis’ column? About the North-South Rail Link as a concept – or as it is currently envisioned? Do you think Boston should dream bigger than another subway tunnel – that there may be a different, more innovative way to connect North and South stations? Email us at editorial@thewarrengroup.com to share your thoughts.
