What is your reaction to DNC road and rail closures?
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?
Read the story: North Station, I-93 to be shut down during convention
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We hear all about how the democrats are fulfililng the american dream. Let's have them demonstrate that by closing down the central artery. WHAT A BUNCH OF LOSERS!!!! What is wrong with the convention center???? Proving once again that Boston is not an international city but just a large Bangor, Maine!
So much for Freedom!, North Andover
The DNC is estimated to bring $125-$150 million in extra money which the city will be able to tax. Fair enough. However, Let's suppose it costs 100,000 commuters $50 each over the DNC week in lost productivity and money not spent in Boston (meals, transit) due to the DNC. Now let's assume that at least 250,000 people from Massachusetts who would have gone to Boston that week won't, at $25 a head in lost money spent in Boston. Now let's assume that 10,000 tourists at $300 a head cancel their trip to Boston because of the DNC, and go to New York instead (for example). In all, Boston LOSES nearly $20m by these very conservative estimates. The likely loses in potential revenue are nearly $50m. Take into account the inflated estimated gains, and the city is likely to gain only $50-$75m from the DNC. It's a lot better than nothing. Even if the city makes huge gains on the DNC, I wonder how much of that will go to those in the city who need it, as well as programs that promote economic growth, and how much of it will go to Menino's cronies from Hyde Park (over %25 of his City Hall appointees are from his neighborhood).
Lance , Somerville
As usual mumbles Meninno has bungled a major event in the City of Boston. He wants to exempt his Dem buddies from all the stupid liberal laws he has enacted in the last two years, smoking ban and public drinking. Now showing the complete lack of coordination with anyone outside his inner circle, he wants to shut down Boston for four days. I believe this convention is going to be a huge black eye for the city and the state. It will only serve to renforce all the stereotypes that the rest of the country holds for Boston. Finally, I don't think this convention will give any positive momentum to John Kerry. To most outsiders it will seem like a typical union hall party and not a demonstration of an inclusive vision of the future.
Fred, Beverly
Absolutely absurd! Why would the City of Boston and the State of Massachusetts allow this nightmare to happen? If the need of a few outways the need of many then they should have the convension in a more remote area, like Worcester. What a great way to gain votes by inconvieniencing thousands of commuters!
Greg , Berkley
Yes, I believe the securiy precautions are justified. If at all possible, take vacation time for those days, if you're working, obviously. Let's think about what we're discussing here, folks: Favorite Son John Kerry gets the nomination and goes on to beat Bush, things start to turn around within Kerry's first year in Office, all because Bostonians bit the bullet, took the inconvenience in typical stride, and made the Convention a huge success.
George, Leominstr
this is so wrong! we are shutting down a federal highway for a politcal parties propaganda dog and pony show. what about all the people who aren't democrates? and who is paying for the police and other state service that are going to coast money to shut this down. and the democrates talk about the republicans not carsing about the working person
b cummings, amesbury
Crazy, Terrorists want Kerry for president. After all Kerry wants to make peace with all foreign leaders including those that harbor terrorists. No terrorist would attack the Democrat convention. My thing is why was Boston choosen anyway? The Big Dig is still a mess, the green line is not complete. It is crazy to have the convention at the fleet. In NY Penn Station is staying open, because it is not attached to MSG. Did senator Kennedy, Menino or any other of the Democrats in this state stop to think about the major problems this creates for the People that work in the city. Mayor Menino's response is always well take the week off. Mayor, sorry but there are alot of companies that are very busy the end of July and need there employees to work. This convention should have never been brought to Boston to begin with, it is not worth the headaches the commuter will have to go through.
Darren, Peabody
Hmmmm....Democrats inconveniencing working people by expecting us to afford special privileges to a narrowly defined group of people? Why should we be surprised?! Ill-conceived, unjustified, short-sighted, reactive kowtowing from Menino....this will be a nightmare.
Tim , Belmont
since I travel from weymouth to woburn for work and go through boston each morning and evening I am finding this totally absurd. To just shut down the biggest road in boston for this convention is just unacceptable. Who is going to reimburse me for all my time spend on the road that week and all the gas I am going to go through waiting in traffic jams? I think that giving me some of the 120 million or so that boston will reap with the convention to forgive the roadway shutdown would be a good start.
Bob, Weymouth
Of course the closures are not justified, but since when does Boston need a reason to do anything that will irritate us? City officials never THINK before they do things, they just come up with an idea and do it, worrying about the consequences later. IE - the Big Dig. New York didn't close its roads and subways when they had their Convention, so why should we?
Sean, Boston
