What is your reaction to DNC road and rail closures?

3/31/2004

In a move that is certain to create major headaches for Boston commuters, security officials have announced that Interstate 93 will be shut down in both directions for all four evenings of the Democratic National Convention in July, and North Station will be closed to all commuter rail and subway service. What is your reaction? Are these security precautions justified, or is the Secret Service going overboard? Do the benefits the convention will bring to the city make the inconveniences worthwhile?

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The convention should be moved to the South Boston CONVENTION center. At least Gov. Romney has enough common sense to realize this will be a nightmare for everyone.

Shawn, North Andover

I find it Ironic that the Bush Secret Service finds it necessary to close North Station and I-93 while that they have no plans to close Penn Station (sitting directly under Madison Square Garden) for the Republican convention in August. And this isn't a political decision?

Ken, Malden

I think that the Democrats should move to the Convention center. The disruption that the convention will cause is not worth the hassel and the owner of the Fleet center and the Mayor better relize that it is going to be more of a headache than a sterling achivment to keep the convention at the Fleet Center,

Stephen , Merrimac

There is a point where you build your own terrorism into situations by making such rash decisions. Anything that shuts down a major highway shouldn;t happen. How many sporting events with 50,000 people in them are next to highways that we don't shut down.

dale , woburn

Personally I will avoid this area. I think that while the Secret Service is only doing their job and it may be difficult to fault them for being security concious one only has to wonder whether this is economically good for the city in the long run. I think city officials will think twice in the future about having political conventions if this is the extreme measures that need to be taken.

Joel , Lynnfield

Isn't it amazing that the people who work and commute in the city are totally disregarded to give the DNC full rights to our city. It is also amazing that our notorious mayor did not think about these issues before he courted the DNC. It seems he cares more about his career then the citizens of Boston. I thnk that the Governor's idea of using the convention center is much better....

Brian S., Boston

This is outrageous! What a ridiculous imposition. Why can't these people move their convention to the new convention center, where they will at least be out of the way? In no way will the city benefit enough from hosting this group to justify the expense that is going on even now, and the inconvenience this summer to commuters and people going about their business and earning their living (admittedly, a concept alien to the core constituencies of the Democrat Party).

John , Boston

The security precautions are unwarranted and will ultimately cost the city money. Although a democrat, I fail to see why the demcratic convention is any more likely the target of a terrorist attack than the republican convention. The Republican convention will go on in Madison Square Garden while Penn Station will remain open delivering thousands of daily commuters into mid-town. In Boston at least 25,000 N. Station commuters and many thousand more drivers will either be greatly inconvenienced or simply stay away from the city. The lost time and revenue from the commuters that stay away during this week will most certainly detract from the $150,000,000 figure being banted about. Once again the people that live, work and commute in Boston get shafted for short-term political gain. Time to move..........

Chris, Swampscott

I would think the shut downs as proposed will conservatively cost the city 200 million dollars in productivity/lost time. Also, I can't help but think that the very people we are trying to impress will leave with a negative image of the city. The world will witness that Boston is not prepared to host any major events. To not use the new convention center is almost crimminal.

Kevin, Revere

This convention is at the wrong place at the wrong time. I seriously wonder if this was thought out enough by Menino and troops before the final okay. I'm definitely for spotlighting Boston as a terrific town to host such an event, but to dismantle such an integral part of the transportation routes at the expense of the taxpayers who rely solely on these means to commute/work in Boston is simply not correct. Now we may understand Romney's motives to move the convention....

Shaun, Wakefield