Seeking another route for Storrow
THE OPENING SALVO has been launched on a project that has been long in the planning -- the restoration of the badly neglected Storrow Drive underpass. Dramatically and predictably, the first concept that has surfaced for solving this complicated dilemma is the potential rerouting of traffic onto the Esplanade -- an idea that is inappropriate and should be considered only as a last resort after all other options have been fully evaluated and proven unfeasible.
One of Boston's most beloved public parks, the Esplanade is an icon that serves millions of people year round. For the past five years, the Esplanade Association has worked in partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to return the Esplanade to its former glory as the ''central court of honor" of the Metropolitan Park System.
In 2010 the Esplanade will celebrate a significant milestone: the 100th anniversary of the completion of a key phase of the park. Instead of considering it as an expedient traffic detour, our collective energy should be focused on the complete restoration of its magnificent features and a commitment to high quality management and maintenance of this public treasure. To even suggest that park advocates support the use of the Esplanade as a traffic detour is outrageous.
Beyond any measure the park is sacrosanct, and any incursion into its environment could create irreparable damage requiring years to remediate. The passion that park users feel for the Esplanade is very real, and it is fair to say that the Esplanade Association and other park advocacy groups will do everything in their power to keep cars out of the park.
This is not the time to pit park advocates against neighborhood interests. It is critical that before the debate becomes polarized, all of the issues be discussed in a public forum.
The repair of the Storrow Drive underpass is a project that will have a huge impact on many constituencies. It is incumbent on us all to quickly reach an understanding of the issues and opportunities, both in the short and long term. The Esplanade Association has offered to take a leadership role in this process and welcomes the opportunity to work in partnership with the Commonwealth, city, and others in this endeavor.
There is no reason to believe that the city and Commonwealth, which have successfully managed traffic throughout the construction of the Central Artery project using a combination of techniques, including phased construction, night detours, and traffic rerouting, cannot do the same on Storrow Drive. The reconstruction of the Storrow Drive underpass is an opportunity to improve the conditions of the entire roadway as well as to strengthen the gateway to the Esplanade from Beacon Street. The possibility of placing both lanes of traffic underground, enabling a more gracious entryway into the park, should be fully explored.
Years of deferred maintenance by the Commonwealth have created a highly charged situation in which public safety and public benefit are juxtaposed and potentially compromised. However, it is not the public who should bear the burden of this oversight through the desecration of the park or neighborhood viability. Trading access to the Esplanade is not fair exchange for lack of foresight, and it is inherent that a viable solution that preserves both the integrity of the park and the neighborhoods be demanded and obtained.
Patrice Todisco is executive director of the Esplanade Association. 
