The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 93

i FOC UiiAiii, A-6; WARNING, A-8 WANTED, A-ll A' Sunday Globe July 18, 1971 transit Rap reaches Quincy A ifterfigjit' turns, sweet v-. mmrnrn ft 1'6V i v-. -r mm 1 -Sv1 wilS milli0rtatin 3t teiTOinUS 0f and corkscrewllike "drum" for fast exit by I -k ng U-h towards Bl amtree' shows teinPory automobiles of commuters. (Globe photos by Joseph Dennehy Soulh Shore extension" 5 r-'' Center Station --an MBTA showpiece By A.S. Plotkin Globe Staff Quincy had long fought the subway extension from Boston.

Twice its voted against the idea. They were nostalgic about the lost commuter trains. They feared they would inherit not only an unfair share of the transit system's debt but a lot of Boston's acute social problems as well. And the merchants saw a potential draining away of business. Now, a quarter century after it was urged by the landmark Coolidge commission report, and five years', since the rapid transit is coming to Quincy.

The city and its people at least those who think increased economic viability, more jobs and greater mobility are desirable should be reasonably content. The city is undergoing a spectacular building boom, unquestionably a direct consequence of the new MBTA's high speed line. i- Mayor James Mclntyre says that new buildings, completed, under construction or definitely carry a price tag of about $75 million. For the next 4-5 years he sees a volume of additional construction equalling that amount. 'Quincy was The North Quincy the "one closest to 'Boston, is near the biggest plots of undeveloped land in the city: The filled-in -Montclair.

marsh and the former Squantum Naval air station. Jim Mclntyre has been a vigorous mayor. By good fortune he also hap-; pened to be Senate chairman of the -Legislature's transportation committee, which is in an excellent position to twist the MBTA's arm. It may be more than a coincidence that the South Shore-cars and stations, the parking lots and new bridges, are on a lavish and more expensive scale than the MBTA had originally planned. Perhaps the MBTA, if it is to lure enough commuters and shoppers from their automobiles to justify the investments in the new rail transit lines, must make all of them sufficiently attractive, comfortable and convenient.

But the cost will also be high. At any rate other communities in the MBTA district are jealous. They ask, if Quincy can win such goodies, why not us? Presumably the Haymarket North extension would be similarly en-dowed. Ditto the Harvard-Alewife and the Southwest corridor transit links, coming later in the decade. An MBTA official observed recently that in Quincy "The architects ran wild on some of the stations." Even so the level of expectations now has been raised in the other communities.

They are hardly likely to accept appreciably lesser standards without stiff protest, despite all the hollering about deficits. I Public opinion on urban transportation around Boston seems to be changing significantly, if slowly. And it seems likely that the lawmakers here and in Washington will be shifting more money from highways to public transit even if the latter becomes more expensive. Quincy's population, now has been fairly stable over the past decade. Some citizens had feared too-rapid urbanization, with apart-'; ment houses displacing single-and' two-family homes.

But that had begun to happen anyway, even be- the hew welded rail and the con-i crete lies began crossing the Nepon- set river. New apartment building in Quincy, especially near the stations, stay's at a lively pace. Most recent proposal, near the Quincy. Center stations, is for a 15-story structure containing stores, offices, apartments and "parking. The most dramatic development is the $45.

million. first phase of State Street South, sponsored by the Boston bank. It includes an enormous two-story computer center and connected five-story office facility. Thousands will be employed, since the bank is one of the largest processors of mutual funds in the country. The complex adjoins the North Quincy station, and the MBTA has agreed to attach to the already-completed station building another stairway-escalator costing about $225,000 to accommodate employees and visitors.

The bank has proposed, for a later phase, apartment buildings and retail stores near the complex primarily for its own employees, most of whom will presumably be women. Mayor Mclntyre hopes "for an early start on a government center and 2000-seat. auditorium near Quincy Center station. There are proposals io have it stretch, by using air rights, over the MBTA tracks, and for use of the 900-car garage by auditorium patrons during evening functions. Quincy, shrewdly synchronized the MBTA jobs with a major street-widening parallel to the transit tracks.

An extension of Newport avenue will serve the new State Street South area, linking it to the new MDC bridge over the Neponset. It has long been clear to the Quincy mayor, and to the MBTA, that extending the So. Shore line 3.2 miles to South Braintree would be most important if the enormous investment is to be rationalized. (The question of which way to go after, that to Weymouth or to Holbrook is stlil up in the air.) Planned are two stations one at the terminal point, the other at North Braintree, where a major new interchange built by the state DPW would provide easy access from the Southeast and other expressways. But townspeople balk at the North Braintree station.

Mostly they worry that out-of-town drivers drawn to the big parking lot would clutter local streets and, more importantly, inflate Braintree's share of the deficit assessments. If North Braintree is scratched, the MBTA fears a sizable loss of revenue, and Quincy fears its own MBTA station parking facilities would be overwhelmed. Haymarket North, the next major extension, will not be finished for at least Vk years. But even this far ahead its potential for stimulating economic growth, especially in Maiden and Medford, is evident. Maiden Mayor Walter Kelleher and Medford City Manager James O.

Nicholson talk of this potential in terms of scores of millions of dollars of new apartments, stores, offices and other commercial growth. 1 I 9( -4 -f street level. Recessed lighting is in the "cast in place" cement roof The first station to be completed, Wollaston was designed by Campbell, and Nulty Gil "Bern Construction Co. was the prime contractor. Cost was $1,250,000.

Quincy Center Station is less than 15 minutes from downtown station' over the new extension, according to timetable estimates. Rectangular in shape with drum garage exit ramps at one end, the station is located between Hancock street and Upland road at the edge of the business district. The electronically monitored garage has entrance ramps from both streets. But exit is made only to Upland road where a speed ramp for quick exit is planned for the evening rush hours. An overhang shelter for feeder bus passengers is at the' main entrance which is set back from Hancock street.

A 60 car "kiss and ride" commuter area is nearby. Steps lead up to the entrance and concourse shopping mall where the interior is finished in glazed brick. A passageway from the concourse also leads to Upland road. Escalators lead down to the train platform where the glazed brick motif is carried throughout. The wall at one end of the platform has a red and orange tinge and the opposite wall, green and blue the primary colors of the Recessed lighting in the arched ceiling and multi-colored lights hidden under the platform shine on and accentuate the glazed walls.

Designed by Samuel Glaser Associates, the state-garage complex was constructed by the J. F. White Co. at a cost of $5,877,000. Quincy.

Each has large facilities for park and ride commuters. The five level, 900-car Quincy Center Station garage, built over the depressed train platform was designed for, both commuters and shoppers; It has two. elevators to accommodate those parking at the' upjier levels. The North Quincy station, from a bird's-eye view resembles a 550 ft. long printed with the: two story entrances at the cross bars conhected by the elongated surface level train platform.

A ramp for feeder buses is located at the ground level of the south entrance and i a pedestrian's way is being constructed on the west side of the north entrance to accommodate employees at the State Street South Complex. The station is situated between Hancock street and Neponset avenue Extension and within "home run'" distance to the State Street South Complex. It will also serve the residential Atlantic and Norfolk Downs sections of the city. Tree-lined, floodlighted parking areas for a total 800 cars with future expansion to 1200 vehicles are located on both sides of the station. Access roads are from Hancock street and Newport avenue.

i Wollaston Station is located at Beale street and Newport avenue with steps leading down to the entrance from the 500 car parking lot off Beale street and a pedestrian entrance from Newport avenue. There is no bus way. Walls of the square, three-story entrance are finished in polished granite paneling and the bank of turnstyles led to escalators to the concrete train platform at PARKING aissifililif piiiiiiiil iillliplllt milllBl A I By Robert B. Carr Globe Staff i 1- On a clear day you can see as far as Hingham from the top deck of the MBTA's new five story Quincy Center Station garage. The Center, station is the terminus of the 6.25 mile first segment of, the.

$124 million South extension the showpiece of the system's billion expansion program'. The second segment to South Braintree is expected to take about two years, after the controversy over the number of stations and site locations to serve that community is resolved. Under, construction nearly five years, the Quincy extension is scheduled for operation about Sept. 1. The extension, first rail commuter transportation to the South Shore since 1959, branches out from the Cambridge-Dorchester line at the tunnel portal near Columbia station.

There are three modern stations serving Quincy: North Quincy, Wol- laston and Quincy Center. Each is different in design and appointments. The glass enclosed wind breaks at North Quincy and Wollaston open air platforms have electrically heated benches; the collectors' booths at the encosedl Quincy Center station are air conditioned. Fire alarm boxes are located on the patforms and at the collectors' booths at the staions in the event of an emergency. And enameled, multi-colored panel maps at each of the stations pinpoints the streets and the area served by the facility.

Alfred Pacelli, project manager for the extension said the stations were designed as models for those planned in future extensions of the system. Operating the line is a fleet of high speed (70 mph) box style aluminum trains with tinted windows to cut down glare. The trains have railroad type seats. Pacelli explained that with its sophisticated signal and communication system, the trains have the capability of full automation. But, he said, adjustments were made so that the trains have to be stopped manually by the operator.

Electronic impulses from a device between the running rails and the motorman's cab actually controls the speed of the train, said Pacelli. "And, in the event a moving train were to come upon another operating at a slower speed or even halted on the same track, the speed of the moving train would automatically be slowed down and can fee halted so as to prevent a rear end collision," he said. The three stations are located so as to serve high density commercial residential and industrial sections of WHERE MAMA BUSSES PAPA' before she drives off 'in the family chariot and he boards the aluminum trains at North Quincy station. BUJ TSTONEHAM I SAUGUS LYNN WINCHESTER "NJ JS I I mrvll RAPID TRANSIT PROJECTS rX I BOSTON NEEDHAM (r 11 (A EXIST1N3 i BHQOKLINe '(O Toiridel All) OREUTH -I 1 j' TESTING TESTING Sophisticated automated begins. South bound train is shown at the new North signal and power gear for new speedy aluminum trams Ouincy station.

is being checked out carefully before regular service.