Boston Area Disers - Democratic Convention

[4cruisin]

I just read the final traffic/security plan released today for the week of the convention. It is absurd...talk about gridlock. The worst part is, my dh is a driver for a major concrete company and has to drive around Boston on a daily basis. He requested that week off as his summer vacation but was refused since half of the company had the same idea. After reading the traffic plans, it looks like his company won't be able to deliver concrete that week anyway. Rt. 93 will be closed from Medford and all on ramps from the Braintree split and from Woburn will be closed. I still can't imagine how bad this is going to be.

What was Mayor Menino thinking when he came up with this idea?

 

[debster812]

It's absurd. I have never been so glad to live where we live (SE Suburbs) and work (SE Suburbs and RI).

Sorry your DH's vacation was refused, but maybe he will get a nice quiet week, since he will obviously not be able to get anywhere!!!!

 

[goofy4tink]

You know, everytime I hear more about this on the news, I just cringe. It's enough to make you move to NH!!! I can't imagine what it's going to be like in there. My bil has a beautiful townhouse, just down the street from the Kerry's. I am sure he is planning on spending some quality time with his mother on the Cape that week. They get out of town for the marathon nevermind this crazy convention!!! I sure won't be going any further east than Framingham, that's for sure.

 

[aprincessmom]

Through dumb luck I booked a vacation during that week (and the following week) a year ago. Now everyone is scrambling to get out of here.

I wonder how all the conventioneers who couldn't get rooms in Boston are going to get to the Fleet Center with major roadway closures (a 10 mile radius in closing 93 seems a bit excessive), parking garage closures, city street closures, suspension of some bus and trolley service, and closure of the public transportation stations surrounding the building?!?!?

I understand that there will be approximately half the government/ruling class there but in DC 100% of them are there frequently and you don't see the city closed down!

NYers...are they basically shutting down your city for a week for the Republican convention?

 

[Boo'sMom]

Originally posted by goofy4tink
You know, everytime I hear more about this on the news, I just cringe. It's enough to make you move to NH!!!

Uh..nope....we're full!!!



j/k

 

[4cruisin]

We had been planning to get out of the area...we live about 15 miles north of Boston...by going to Lancaster County PA for a few days. Hey, maybe I could rent out my house for big bucks to the convention attendees...whoops, never mind...they wouldn't be able to get into Boston to the Fleet Center with all the road closures.

 

[gemmie214]

The other part that gets me : Laws are conveniently suspended for that time only. 1 or 2 am liquer license? No problem, we'll change the law, stay open till 4 or 5 but not for ALL of Boston just for the bars in the DC area. Opps that pesky no smoking law for the good of the employees, it's not in effect for that time. For the comfort of our special out of town guests let them smoke and the employees suffer This whole thing is silly

 

[luvwinnie]

I'm in NYC, work 2 blocks from Madison Square Garden, where the GOP COnv will be held, so I can empathize. It's going to be crazy here. We might need to show ID just to get to our building. Many offices are having employees work from home or from other offices. Not sure if our boss has a plan yet.

 

[kasar]

My question is how are the people working the convention (servers, regular workers) supposed to get there? There's no T, the roads are shut down, the parking garages will be closed. Maybe they're going to bus them in from another location? Sounds crazy.

My DH wants to take the week off but someone's gotta come in - regular life does need to continue. It's not going to be fun for him. Does anyone know if Rte. 1 will be open?

 

[castlegazer]

Hi everyone - I am actually supposed to be going to the convention - I haven't figured out how they are getting conventioneers into the Fleet center yet.

I think your husband may have to make deliveries in the area because they are allowing for that but all have to be made prior to 2pm and the roads won't be shut down all day every day throughout the convention. I think they close 93 after 4pm, right?

Mucci said the highway closures are expected to begin around 4 p.m. each day of the convention and continue until delegates and other convention-goers leave the FleetCenter, probably about midnight or 1 a.m.

hey, just checking that everyone here knows about the Boston area DIS meet - if not come over to the DIS Meet forum and check it out - its scheduled for June 13th at 11 am.

 

[4cruisin]

kasar,

the link below is for ch 5 web site. Click on slide show and it will give you more info. It says portions of Rt 1 will be down to 1 lane...this is going to be a logistical nightmare.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/index.html

 

[CamColt]

We are flying home from WDW on 7/25 and praying that the airport hasnt been affected too much with everyone coming in then.
Im not sure what, if anything they have decided yet but I know there was some talk of stopping the Lowell line here in Woburn then bussing all those train commuters into Boston from here. What a nightmare that will be. Im so glad DH isnt working in Boston anymore. Yuk!

 

[debster812]

Originally posted by CamColt
We are flying home from WDW on 7/25 and praying that the airport hasnt been affected too much with everyone coming in then.

I just hope you can get from the airport to home Katie!

If you get stuck, jump on the Harbor Express to Quincy, and you can stay 'down south' with us for a week or so........

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

What are the dates of the convention out of curiosity?
I will make sure to stay on the cape that week.
HAHA imagine that actually preferring cape traffic...i think hell has frozen over

 

[MNT568]

The convention is the week of July 26.

Isn't this just crazy? My company has told us that we should plan vacation or telecommute that week. I am dreading going into Boston but at least I use South Station and only have to go as far as Federal Street. It is going to be a madhouse in town. I don't understand the reasoning behind closing the exits off of 93 and 95. I heard something about closing the exits on 95 in Canton, why so far out? So basically anyone who lives just outside of Boston will be trapped in their town for the week.

I was just talking about not wanting to do the Cape this summer since I don't want to deal with the traffic. Maybe the Cape traffic doesn't look that bad now!

 

[amid chaos]

Norah we will be heading off cape that week...for a concert! shouldnt be a problem though.

 

[Kristi1357]

It is going to be an absolute nightmare! And I am barred from taking off of work since I work in Government Center at "the news station." We have to get the news of all the havoc out to eveyone, right?

At least I go in to work at 3:30am and leave at 11:30. Whew! Hopefully I will still be ok since the road closures are in the afternoon...