Boston to build 35-acre island facility to address homelessness and addiction.
Boston Mayor Announces Plans to Rebuild Long Island Bridge and Combat Homelessness, Addiction, and Mental Health
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has unveiled an ambitious plan to rebuild the city’s Long Island Bridge and establish a comprehensive facility to address the pressing issues of homelessness, addiction, and mental health. The bridge, which was demolished in 2014 due to safety concerns, severed access to an addiction recovery center that was once operational on the island.
“We are now taking this as a sign that the city will move ahead with the reconstruction of the Long Island Bridge,” said Mayor Wu during a press briefing. “We can’t waste any more time on this project. This is about creating an island of opportunity that will connect people to the lives and community they deserve.”
While Boston’s homelessness rate is lower compared to many other major cities in the United States, it remains a significant issue. According to the city’s annual homelessness census, there was a 24.7% increase in homelessness from 2020. However, there has been a 2.4% decrease from 2021 to 2022, with a total of 1,545 people experiencing homelessness.
Opioid overdose is also a major concern in Boston, overwhelming the city’s healthcare system. Since 2019, the overdose death rate has spiked by 36%, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive solutions.
The proposed plans for the facility on Long Island go beyond the previous operation that existed before 2014. Mayor Wu envisions a 35-acre “regional public health campus” that will have the capacity to serve hundreds of individuals. The facility will offer long-term care, mental health treatment, housing assistance, job training, and addiction recovery services.
To support these initiatives, Boston has allocated $38 million to renovate existing buildings and an additional $81 million for the reconstruction of the bridge.
“The new Long Island campus will be a hub for innovation and will provide an integrated continuum of care that I believe, and I think we all believe, will strengthen our system to promote the health and well-being of the people who inhabit the campus,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, the Public Health Commissioner. She emphasized that the current system only offers short-term care and lacks coordination in the recovery process.
However, the plans have faced opposition from officials in the Quincy suburb of Boston. They are concerned about the increased traffic and potential environmental impact that bridge access through their Squantum neighborhood may bring.
Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch, who left the Democratic Party in 2018, expressed his opposition to the plan and stated that his office is preparing an appeal to the permits. He intends to raise concerns about traffic congestion and environmental issues.
“I’m gonna do everything in my power to put roadblocks and obstacles in the way of Boston building that bridge,” Mayor Koch declared. “I’m okay with what they want to do with the island, but I find it offensive that the only route they choose is by car.”
Despite Quincy’s past attempts to challenge similar projects, Wu’s infrastructure adviser, Chris Osgood, expressed confidence in the city’s success in overcoming any appeals. He cited previous instances where Boston prevailed in such challenges.
“In every single case, the city has been successful in those appeals,” Osgood stated. “We have similar confidence that if there is an appeal in this case, we would, in the end, still be successful in receiving a Chapter 91 license for the bridge project.”
The Massachusetts government recently granted approval for a license to build the bridge, bringing the project one step closer to full approval. The final two steps involve a review from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management and a permit from the U.S. Coast Guard.
Boston anticipates securing the necessary permits by the end of the year, marking the beginning of a projected four-year process to reopen the 3,300-foot bridge.
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