I attended the Green Line extension meeting sponsored by ECPT and STEP last night. The meeting was quite informative. Let me be quite clear in stating that I am a strong supporter of the extension project. What really irks me however is the "evolution" of plans for moving Lechmere Station across Route 28.

When this idea was first presented to residents of East Cambridge around the year 2000, there was an agreement between MBTA and Northpoint that in exchange for being given the land where Lechmere Station now stands, Northpoint would build a new state of the art station where the MBTA parking lot is on the far side of the highway. One of the requirements was that a covered, lit, heated, indoor pedestrian concourse would be built to get passengers across the seven lanes of frustrated commuters safely. This amenity is what quieted most local opposition to the move. read more...

Cambridge is full of change. Some of the biggest changes have come from management firms that are buying and redeveloping whole sections of our neighborhoods. Some of these changes have been positive and some negative. It is important that change comes to us in an open, honest, and respectable manner. It is the city who is in charge of overseeing that process. It is the residents who must oversee our city officials. Does anyone want to share a story of the change process? Were you aware it was coming? Did you take part in the process? What was the result? I for one am happy to see some of the gorgeous buildings dotting the landscape of Kendall Square. One of the downsides has been a serious increase in noise, traffic, and pollution. What can the city do to make the process more transparent? How about larger, more descriptive signs that tip us off for zoning/variance hearings? What can the city do to redirect the new traffic from residential streets? What can residents do to ensure we are protected from continued overdevelopment? How can residents work more directly with management firms that respect the needs of our community? read more...

You'll need a big bottle of eyedrops to make it through all of Karen Klinger's Cambridge eyesores featured on the latest monthly installment of NeighborMedia.

Plus, learn all about plans for the extension of the Green Line at Lechmere, as Ilan Levy explores some of the possibilities in depth.

Check out the show here on blip.tv