Tom Costin, the former mayor of Lynn who still plays an active part in civic affairs here on the North Shore, says he was 21 years old and a freshman city councilor when he received an invitation to join the governor in announcing the extension of the Blue Line to his city.
He's 84 now, and the idea of extending the light rail the few miles from the Wonderland station in Revere to Central Square in Lynn seems as much a pipe dream as it turned out to be 63 years ago.
Many commuters living along the coast would love to have the option of driving to Lynn and taking the Blue Line to the airport or downtown Boston. (Though the number of people supporting the project would decline significantly if they were told it would replace the existing commuter rail and thus require numerous stops before they reached Boston.)
Despite the long and continued advocacy of people like Costin, Congressman John Tierney, members of the region's legislative delegation, the Lynn business community and others, however, the state seems no closer to putting a shovel in the ground today than ever. In fact, Transportation Secretary Jeffrey Mullan told members of the North Shore Alliance for Economic Development Thursday, the project has been dropped from the state's 30-year plan for transportation improvements as federal planners — who hold the purse strings — feel "the cost-effectiveness ... is not going to be that high."
Mullan wasn't saying that Lynn should give up on the Blue Line. But perhaps he should have.
There are very significant cost, environmental and legal hurdles that must be overcome in order to extend the light rail north from its present location through the Point of Pines neighborhood in Revere, across the Saugus River and into downtown Lynn. On the other hand, as state Rep. Steven Walsh, D-Lynn, pointed out, the project could help his city in the same way the extension of the Red Line has helped Quincy and Somerville.
One can't help but wonder, however, whether the focus on the Blue Line has hampered the city in its effort to gain other very worthwhile transportation improvements such as ferry service from the waterfront to Boston, more frequent commuter rail service, and improvements to key highways such as the relatively short stretch of Route 1A running between Lynn and the Ted Williams Tunnel. And if the extension simply isn't doable, as is becoming increasingly obvious, why not consider building a link between the commuter rail line and the Blue Line as part of the redevelopment of the now-closed Wonderland dog park? (The commuter rail runs just behind the facility, while the Blue Line station is just across the street.)
It's not easy giving up on a dream that has held some in its thrall for well over a half-century now. But if it's not to be, bureaucrats and politicians should stop spending money on studies and paying the idea lip service, so Lynn can focus on those improvements that are in the realm of the possible.
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