• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Wellesley Square
  • Deland, Gibson Insurance Athlete of the Week
  • Camp
  • Private schools, sponsored by Riverbend
  • Business index
  • Contribute
  • Eat
  • Schools
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Kids
  • About us
  • Events
  • Natick Report
  • Seniors
  • Letters to the editor
  • Guidelines for letters to the editor
  • Live government meetings
  • Raiders sports schedules & results
  • Fire & police scanner
  • 2023 Town Election
 
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Why the MBTA has cut down dozens more Wellesley trees

December 20, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

As I waited at the top of Pond Rd. in Wellesley to turn right onto Rt. 135 going toward Wellesley Square, I got quite an eyeful. Directly in front of me across route 135 dozens of trees, mostly pines, had been cut down and piled up like Christmas trees. These trees, however, hadn’t been set aside to be decorated with tinsel and lights for the holiday season. These trees were downed as part of the MBTA’s Bacon Street Bridge Replacement project, which Town of Wellesley Communications & Project Manager Stephanie Hawkinson noted is in its early phases of construction.

Making my way toward Wellesley Square, I saw that additional trees had been removed on either side of the Bacon St. bridge. Further down still, there was yet another pile of downed trees in the Wellesley College area, across from the Field House.

MBTA trees removal, Wellesley tracks
On route 135, from the top of Pond Rd., looking toward Wellesley Square. Felled pines along the MBTA tracks, lined up like Christmas trees. Julie Meyer, Wetland Administrator for the Wellesley Wetlands Protection Committee says that the MBTA has in place a 5-year Vegetation Management Plan good through December 2020 that allows tree cutting/removal within the agency’s Right-of-Way.  The last major tree removal project the MBTA took on in Wellesley was in summer 2018. At that time, hundreds of trees were removed along the Wellesley tracks. Thousands were downed along the entire Worcester line.
MBTA trees removal, Wellesley tracks
On Route 135, Wellesley/Natick line, looking toward Natick.
MBTA trees removal, Wellesley tracks
On Route 135, looking toward Wellesley Square. The MBTA commuter rail train, pictured, is on the outbound track, headed out of Wellesley.

 

MBTA trees removal, Wellesley tracks
View from Route 135 looking toward Natick.
MBTA trees removal, Wellesley tracks
Another view of downed trees, from Pond Rd., Wellesley. A line of trees behind the fallen bear witness to the scene.
MBTA trees removal, Wellesley tracks
These downed trees are located in the Wellesley College area, across the street from the Field House. The tree removal stretches from the Wellesley/Natick line to the area across from the Field House.

 

MBTA trees removal, Wellesley tracks
View of the Bacon Street bridge area, from Rt 135, facing toward Natick. The MBTA is replacing the bridge that carries the Framingham/Worcester Line over Bacon Street in Wellesley between Natick Center and Wellesley Square near Morses Pond. The project is expected to reach completion in Summer 2022.

More on the Bacon Street Bridge project:

The existing steel bridge, which was built in 1911, will be replaced with a new bridge with an expected service life of 75 years. The bridge will have a three-track design that could accommodate future construction of a third track. The project is expected to be completed in Summer 2022.

According to the MBTA, the main reason for removing trees and vegetation on railroad beds is safety. Vegetation can hide train defects from inspectors and lead to equipment breakage, fire potential, and a loss of support when vegetation gets up under tracks and pushes it aside. It can also interfere with engineer visibility,

Wellesley Natural Resources Commission Director Brandon Schmitt understands the need for public transportation safety but says, “I think it’s unfortunate that we seem to keep finding reasons to remove ‘inconvenient’ trees without consideration of the incredible value they provide and a clear plan to replace them.”

Bacon Street Bridge, Wellesley as it looks currently, graffiti, exposed tracks, and all. The MBTA plans to preserve the existing stone abutments. Photo credit: MBTA

Bacon Street Bridge, Wellesley
A rendering of the Bacon Street Bridge upon its expected Summer 2022 completion. Looks like along with the stone abutments, the MBTA intends to preserve the graffiti on those abutments. Photo credit: MBTA
print

Filed Under: Construction, Transportation

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Linden Square, Wellesley
Riverbend, Natick

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

 

Advertisements

Wellesley Square, Wellesley Merchants
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Beacon Hill Athletic Club, Wellesley
Fay School, Southborough
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Wellesley Theatre Project
Volvo
Cheesy Street Grill
Mature Caregivers
Admit Fit, Wellesley
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Most Read Posts

  • Sign up now for summer camp in Wellesley (and beyond)
  • Before you dump that box of Pokémon cards at the Wellesley Give & Take...
  • Business buzz: Nantucket wine bar to boast Wasik's cheeses; Needham Bank has new Wellesley branch manager; Thanks to new sponsor Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs
  • Does Wellesley need a new traffic light? Slow down before you drive to any conclusions
  • Live music coming to Wellesley's Lockheart Restaurant

Upcoming Events

Jan 31
9:00 am - 11:00 am Recurring

Coffee and Conversation with the Wetlands Administrator and Staff

Jan 31
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Families Eat Together online presentation

Feb 1
11:59 pm

Deadline for Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club grants application

Feb 3
Featured Featured 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sara Campbell winter warehouse sale

Feb 4
Featured Featured 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sara Campbell winter warehouse sale

View Calendar

Popular pages

  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads

Recent Comments

  • David B on Does Wellesley need a new traffic light? Slow down before you drive to any conclusions
  • LADY WELLESLEY on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Peggy Heffernan on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Beth Dublin on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Erika on Where to buy the Wellesleyest stuff in Wellesley

Links we like

  • Danny's Place
  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (24)
  • 2023 Town Election (3)
  • Animals (428)
  • Antiques (49)
  • Art (592)
  • Beyond Wellesley (52)
  • Books (376)
  • Business (1,559)
  • Camp (11)
  • Careers/jobs (53)
  • Churches (82)
  • Clubs (236)
  • Construction (300)
  • Dump (130)
  • Education (3,190)
    • Babson College (252)
    • Bates Elementary School (18)
    • Dana Hall School (36)
    • Fiske Elementary School (11)
    • Hardy Elementary School (47)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (46)
    • MassBay (57)
    • Schofield Elementary School (26)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (2)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (11)
    • Upham Elementary School (35)
    • Wellesley College (613)
    • Wellesley High School (996)
    • Wellesley Middle School (204)
  • Embracing diversity (84)
  • Entertainment (814)
  • Environment (772)
  • Fashion (144)
  • Finance (15)
  • Fire (173)
  • Food (358)
  • Fundraising (641)
  • Gardens (164)
  • Government (604)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
    • 2022 Town Election (15)
  • Health (866)
    • COVID-19 (203)
  • Hikes (6)
  • History (400)
  • Holidays (440)
  • Houses (162)
  • Humor (47)
  • Kids (867)
  • Law (8)
  • Legal notices (10)
  • Letters to the Editor (73)
  • Media (72)
  • METCO (4)
  • Military (13)
  • Morses Pond (109)
  • Music (580)
  • Natick Report (30)
  • Neighbors (280)
  • Obituaries & remembrances (86)
  • Outdoors (655)
  • Parenting (63)
  • Police (778)
    • Crime (395)
  • Politics (554)
  • POPS Senior Profile (10)
  • RDF (6)
  • Real estate (344)
  • Religion (138)
  • Restaurants (340)
  • Safety (155)
  • Scouts (2)
  • Seniors (127)
  • Shopping (163)
  • Sponsored (6)
  • Sports (1,012)
    • Athlete of the Week (12)
  • STEM (108)
  • Technology (165)
  • Theatre (397)
  • Town Meeting (23)
  • Transportation (240)
  • Travel (17)
  • Uncategorized (1,244)
  • Volunteering (350)
  • Weather (179)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (280)
  • Wellesley Holiday Gift Guide (2)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (20)

© 2023 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login