Massport Awards Annual Rauseo Memorial Scholarship; EB resident awarded $5,000 for college

 

L-R: Massport CEO Thomas P. Glynn, Stephen Morash (Donna’s brother), Carolyn Searles and Massport’s Director of Government and Community Affairs Jose Masso.

(BOSTON- August 11, 2016)  – The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) today announced the recipient of the annual scholarship honoring the memory of longtime employee Donna Rauseo. The 2016 Donna Rauseo Memorial Scholarship was awarded to East Boston resident Carolyn Searles.
 
“We are very pleased to award Carolyn with the Donna Rauseo Scholarship. She has shown a commitment to following in Donna’s footsteps with her community service and we wish her the best of luck. Her commitment to the community as a volunteer epitomizes what we were looking for when we established the scholarship in memory of our friend and colleague Donna Rauseo,” said Massport CEO Thomas P. Glynn.

The $5,000 Donna Rauseo Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to a female student who resides in East Boston. Ms. Rauseo was a graduate of East Boston High School and for more than 20 years was the executive assistant to Thomas J. Kinton, Jr. when he served as Aviation Director of Logan Airport and later as CEO and Executive Director for Massport.
 
Searles is a graduate of Boston Latin School. In the past, she volunteered with the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center Elder Service Plan and currently volunteers at her church. In her essay, Searles credited her volunteer work because it, “shaped my perspective on being around different groups of people... Through my education I hope to learn about and discover more ways in which to positively influence and impact people’s lives.” Searles will be attending Gordon College and is considering studying social work.
 
“Carolyn was a wonderful asset to the day program. Carolyn had a humble attitude while engaging with this population and was willing to do whatever was asked of her as a volunteer,” said Pat Bellone, Recreation Therapist for the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center.
 
To be considered for the Donna Rauseo Memorial Scholarship, students are required to have a minimum 3.0 grade point average and submit an essay of 1,000 words describing their career interests or how their community service has affected their outlook on life. Scholarship essays are judged by a committee made up of Massport employees and a representative of the Rauseo family. 

Students interested in applying for the 2017 scholarship should visit www.massport.com/scholarships for eligibility requirements.
 
The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, public terminals in the Port of Boston, Hanscom Field and Worcester Regional Airport. Massport is a financially self-sustaining public authority whose premier transportation facilities generate more than $15 billion annually, and enhance and enable economic growth and vitality in New England. For more information please visit massport.com.

Source: Massport Press Office

Massport Approves $15.8 Million for Runway Rehabilitation Project will resurface Runway 4L/22R and recycle old asphalt

BOSTON (May 26, 2016) – The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) Board today voted to approve a $15.8 million budget repave Runway 4L-22R, as well as install centerline lights along the runway for enhanced pilot guidance. The goal of the project is to improve surface condition and drainage characteristics.

When work begins later this year, the 7,864 foot long runway will be repaved with warm mix asphalt. Runway 4L-22R is 150 feet wide.

Logan was the first US airport to use warm mix asphalt on airfield projects. The so-called “green asphalt” is heated to about 75 degrees lower than traditional asphalt and uses about 20 percent less fuel, reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent and uses recycled asphalt in its manufacture. All pavement removed from the runway will be transported and recycled offsite for use on a future project.

The rehabilitation project is estimated to generate approximately 61 direct, 36 indirect, and 79 induced FTE positions over the course of 12 months for a total of 179 FTE employees.

“Safety and security are the top priorities for Massport,” said Massport CEO Thomas P. Glynn. “We want to maintain our facilities to ensure the safety everyone who uses them. This project will help keep Logan Airport in great shape.”

The project is set to begin in September and last for 30 days. During that period, the runway will be closed, so flight delays are possible, depending on wind conditions and the runway configuration in use by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Boston Logan, 30 minutes from the intersection of Route 128 and I-90 and 15 minutes from downtown Boston, serves as the gateway to the New England region and offers nonstop service to 76 domestic and 53 international destinations and in 2015 handled 33.4 million passengers. Boston Logan is served by two public transit lines.  The airport generates $13 billion in total economic impact each year.

You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/bostonlogan and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/bostonlogan.

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The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, public terminals in the Port of Boston, Hanscom Field, and Worcester Regional Airport. Massport is a financially self-sustaining public authority whose premier transportation facilities generate more than $15 billion annually, and enhance and enable economic growth and vitality in New England. No state tax dollars are used to fund operations or capital improvements at Massport facilities. For more information please visit massport.com.

Massport Celebrates Opening of Greenway Connector in East Boston

Bicyclists and pedestrians invited to experience airport in new way

(BOSTON- AUGUST 21) – Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) officials and area residents celebrated the completion of a project to transform a congested wooded area adjacent to Logan International Airport and the MBTA’s Blue Line into a glistening mixed-use bicycle/pedestrian pathway.  

Known as the Boston Greenway Connector (Greenway) for its abundance of plants, trees, shrubbery, and green space, bicyclists and pedestrians in East Boston now have access to a safe and inviting pathway from Piers Park along the Wood Island Bay Marsh to a lookout area near Constitution Beach. The City of Boston, which owns the next parcel of the property, has plans to continue the thruway to Constitution Beach. 

“The new Greenway extension is another addition of open space that is helping make East Boston one of the most desirable urban communities in our state to live in and raise a family,” said State Senator Anthony Petruccelli.  “Our community activists, led by Chris Marchi, have done a remarkable job with this project and I am excited to continue to work with them on future project.”

 “The Greenway Connector is another great example of the staunch activism of the East Boston community as well as the strong partnership between the neighborhood and Massport,” said State Representative Carlo Basile.  “While not yet fully complete, this extension is one more step in connecting one end of East Boston to the other via a beautiful park system. I’m happy to know that East Bostonians will be able to enjoy this wonderful asset for many years to come.”

“We worked very closely with Massport to get this Greenway connector built,” said City Councilor Sal LaMattina, “I would like to thank Massport for all of their hard work but also for their cooperation with the City and the residents of East Boston. They listened carefully to the concerns of the community and took the steps necessary to make sure that they were addressed. The Greenway is truly a jewel in the neighborhood and I couldn’t be more proud of how it turned out.”

Massport began discussions about the project with community members and the city in 2009 before Massport’s Board voted to approve the Greenway project in 2011.  Construction for the project, which cost approximately $7 million, began in July 2013 and was completed in July 2014.  

“At Massport we often say that our parks are our pride, and the Greenway project is a prime example of how community engagement can have beneficial and long-lasting results for our neighbors,” said Massport’s CEO Thomas P. Glynn. “I am proud that we were able to successfully accomplish this project with our community partners and provide this beautiful pathway for East Boston residents to use and enjoy.”

The Greenway is a well landscaped, multi-use pedestrian and bicycle path that is approximately 2,750 feet (approximately ½ mile) in length, with a paved path that is 12 feet wide.  The project included the removal of a dilapidated pedestrian structure over the MBTA Blue Line and the demolition of an abandoned brick MWRA combined sewer outflow building at Wood Island Marsh.  Due to the proximity to the MBTA tracks and the MBTA Wood Island station, close coordination between Massport and the MBTA was necessary to ensure that the construction did not disrupt normal operations.  The overall area of the project is approximately 5.22 acres.

You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/bostonlogan and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/bostonlogan and twitter.com/Massport.

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About Massport:
The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, public terminals in the Port of Boston, Hanscom Field and Worcester Regional Airport. Massport is a financially self-sustaining public authority whose premier transportation facilities generate more than $8 billion annually, and enhance and enable economic growth and vitality in New England. No state tax dollars are used to fund operations or capital improvements at Massport facilities. For more information please visit www.massport.com.   

Source: Massport: Jennifer Mehigan

Friends of Meridian Street get no satisfaction as taxis avoid by-pass road

This just in from  Friends of Meridian Street:

Empty Logan Airport taxis continue and still a problem on East Boston public streets.

It's 4am and still a steady stream of empty Logan Airport taxis using Meridian Street and East Boston public streets to Chelsea instead of the multi- million dollar Coughlin Bypass Road build with taxpayers money built specifically to keep commercial traffic from Logan Airport off the public streets of East Boston. These words of Massport and Massachusetts Department of Transportation leaders have never been backed up and East Boston residents, families and children are still paying with their health, safety and maintenance.

After warnings from Massport officials:

“The opening of the Martin A. Coughlin Bypass Road marks a significant milestone in Massport’s commitment to minimize Logan Airport’s impact on our East Boston neighbors,” said Massport CEO Thomas Glynn. “Thousands of airport-related commercial vehicles will no longer use East Boston’s streets. Massport is proud to make Mr. Coughlin’s vision a reality for East Boston.”

“The Martin A. Coughlin Bypass Road is a great example of the quality of life improvements that can be made by thinking creatively and collaboratively about abandoned infrastructure,” said Massport Board Chairman and MassDOT Secretary& CEO Richard A. Davey. “The new roadway also complements the new Chelsea Street Bridge by allowing traffic in the area to flow more efficiently.”

Why is nothing being done about this? There is no excuse after years and years of complaints to our elected officials and state leaders.