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Not so fast on Natick Center commuter rail station entrance relocation

January 22, 2023 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Citing “unforeseen construction issues,” the MBTA has postponed until further notice the temporary Natick Center station entrance relocation to Washington Street that had been scheduled for this Monday, Jan. 23. Once the entrances are relocated, they’re expected to stay that way until at least year-end.

mbta entrance

The station is being revamped for improved accessibility and more under a $36.2M project started in 2019 and slated to finish next year.

If you have any concerns or questions, contact the MBTA project team at: natickcenter@mbta.com.


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Filed Under: Transportation



First look: Lucid Motors’ luxury electric vehicle showroom at Natick Mall

January 3, 2023 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

Natick Mall’s new Lucid Motors luxury electric car showroom and service center, which opened in mid-December, felt somehow familiar to me on my first visit, yet part of an alternative world.

I used to buy tires and get our cars serviced from time to time at the Sears Auto Center that once occupied part of the space—plus my TV repairman-turned-satellite-TV-installer-turned-garage-door-opener-installer Dad sometimes used to operate out of there for Sears. But the busy cut-through Sears shop that closed in 2018 has given way to a spacious and welcoming Lucid studio that brings a California vibe to the mall. Lucid seeks to sell locals on vehicles that earned the prestigious MotorTrend Car of the Year honors for 2022 based in large part on their exceptional 500-plus-mile range when fully charged and their super-fast charging capabilities.

lucid

Like so many businesses these days, Lucid doesn’t let many of its employees speak for the company to the press. So we’re left with what they say in marketing outreach featuring obligatory references to being on an EV “journey,” etc. I won’t attribute any direct comments to specific people. But my escort through the showroom and the row of demo cars outside was a helpful “studio advisor” who was well versed on the Lucid line and the electric vehicle market in general. My guide enjoys the team atmosphere at Lucid’s Natick location (Lucid’s hiring) as well as the available support from the Seaport showroom in Boston that opened this past spring.

Just browsing

I made clear that I was there to write a post about the showroom and take some photos, not purchase a vehicle or test drive one. Lucid lists its Air Touring model starting at $107,400, which is more than I’ve paid for a lifetime of cars to this point. Although my lack of car cred was obvious, I was nevertheless invited to sit in a Lucid Air Grand Touring model on the showroom floor and check out its futuristic features.

I’m no car guy (says the owner of such vehicles over the years as a Dodge Colt, Nissan Versa, and a Saturn). But my powers of observation told me that the Lucid sedan is a roomy, beautiful vehicle that comes with a classy and aromatic leather interior (a vegan version that doesn’t use real leather is also available), a seemingly endless glass canopy with ultraviolet protection, and a multiscreen touch-and-voice-activated dashboard complemented by a few physical buttons so as not to overwhelm the driver with tech. Lucid acknowledges it has some work to do on its software, and car reviewers have in general been patient with this.

Trash talk from a rival

If you’re not familiar with Lucid, the company started in 2007 with a focus on EV components and didn’t deliver its first vehicles until 2021. CEO Peter Rawlinson was chief engineer of Telsa’s Model S, and we were told plenty of ex-Tesla employees have been filling Lucid’s ranks. Lucid has gotten the attention of Tesla’s Elon Musk, who recently warned about the rival’s prospects (“They are not long for this world”).

At Natick Mall, now both Lucid and Tesla have showrooms, and you can schedule a test drive for Lucid online. You can also just pop into the showroom and look around. A steady stream of visitors roamed while I was there on a Wednesday afternoon.

Back to the Lucid Air Grand Touring model on the showroom floor: the studio advisor showed some of the car’s fancy features, including a variety of relaxing and stimulating massage settings for the seats. These might well be needed given the vehicle’s long range per charge.

From there I was given a quick tour of the showroom, including public restrooms, a merchandise store, a refreshments station and lounge, and a configuration room, where mini models of Lucid Airs and samples of their interiors help give you a feel for which color scheme might be for you. The palettes are inspired by California locations like the Mojave Desert—I asked if a Natick-inspired theme might be on the way (snowstorm white?), but was told that was highly unlikely.

lucid

For those who “reserve” (aka, buy) a car, you can arrange to have it delivered to your house, another location, or pick it up at the Natick showroom’s glassed-off delivery bay. No elaborate ceremony awaits you, but you will get a thorough briefing on the car, a customized user interface set-up, plus a gift bag.

Natick, an auto enthusiast’s dream town

We took a quick look at the service area, but I was asked not to take photos to protect the privacy of any Lucid owners whose cars might be there. Because Lucid’s Seaport location doesn’t have a service bay, local owners will be heading to Natick. In fact, the closest service centers are in New York and Canada, so the service center could draw people from afar to the mall.

From there, we went outside and looked at a handful of demos, some hooked up to Lucid charging stations. A sleek home charging station model is also in the showroom.

lucid

Lucid’s local team told me they’re selling cars daily. So expect to see more Lucid Airs on the roads—at least as their owners return to the swanky Seaport area—and maybe at local charging stations.

lucid


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Filed Under: Business, Environment, Transportation



Free parking in Natick ends Jan. 3, 2023

January 2, 2023 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

The last day of free, holiday-time, 2-hour street meter parking in Natick is Tue., Jan. 3, 2023.

natick police meter bags thanksgiving eve

So make sure you feed the beast or you’ll get a parking ticket, and that’s no way to start out the new year.

We’ll miss jumping out of our vehicle without a thought to how we would make rent for our prime on-street space. Now it’s back to using the app or hunting around for change to stay on the good side of the parking clerk. Free parking was fun while it lasted.

More information here on metered and kiosk parking in Natick.

Filed Under: Transportation

The Worst Streets To Drive On In Natick, Ranked

December 17, 2022 by Admin 5 Comments

Natick Report has begun working with The Natick Nest, Natick High School’s official student-run school newspaper, to help bring the students’ work to a larger audience. We’ll be republishing some of their articles, and plan to coordinate with their staff on additional pieces.


By Jia Kumar, NHS ’23


10. Oak Street

I have vivid memories of waiting eight minutes at a traffic light in an attempt to turn left from Route 9 East. While the road itself is fine, the turn onto the road puts me in a bad mood, making the rest of the drive unpleasant. This infamous turn is frustrating enough for Oak Street to be on the list.

9. High Street

Connecting Route 135, Pond Street, and Curve Street, High Street does not meet any high standards. Half of it is a normal two-way street, but the other half is only one way. This gets too complicated, so I just avoid it altogether. Not to mention, the road is extremely narrow and there are always cars parked on the sides.

8. Mill Street

Near Brown Elementary School and Kennedy Middle School, Mill Street is filled with an inconveniently high amount of kids walking to and from school to look out for. In addition to the students, there are plenty of bikers around, many of whom act entitled to the road. Not to mention, it can be difficult to turn on considering how many drivers drive very fast on this road.

7. Speen Street

Considering I drive on this road at least three times a week, it is not difficult to navigate. However, the high volumes of traffic make it difficult to change lanes. Many drivers who are unfamiliar with the road make it challenging to drive around them. The traffic lights everywhere regulate the road, but waiting can be frustrating.

6. South Avenue

Did you really take lessons with CS Driving if you have not parallel parked on this road at least once? This is why this road is unpleasant to drive on: there are so many cars parked on both sides of the road. Located behind the Morse Institute Library, there is no way out other than Route 27, one-way streets, or that hectic Washington Street turn (all of which I feel strongly negative about). Not to mention, the sight of fences and garages is unappealing.

5. Route 135 (East/West Central Street)

Passing through the heart of Natick, Route 135 has not won mine. The turns on and off are unnecessarily confusing. The intersection with Marion Street and Union Street (near the town center) is not my favorite. Turning out of Planet Fitness (west Natick) takes forever, considering the high volumes of traffic. W Central Street? More like L Central Street.

4. Natick Mall Road

The title of the road is self explanatory in regards to the location. There are plenty of organized rotaries. Similar to the neighboring Speen Street, many drivers do not know how to use a rotary, making the driving experience unpleasant for both parties. The constant stop and go movement is rather stressful.

3. Proctor Street

Part of one of the common routes to Natick High School, Proctor Street is considerably busy for an inside road. While the neighboring Lakeview Avenue has been newly paved, Proctor Street is filled with patches and potholes.

2. Route 27 (North/South Main Street)

There has been construction going on here for an unusually long time, which causes plenty of traffic jams, especially between Route 135 and Route 9. Considering this road is so significant that it gets a number in the name, it does not live up to any expectations.

1. Woodland Street

I love trees. Unless they are on Woodland Street. The narrowness and high amount of trees on either side make it difficult to see ahead. Turning in from the Union Street side has a hill and some extra potholes. Not to mention, the Woodland Street Extension is an even steeper hill. With that being said, Woodland Street is the worst street to drive on in the town of Natick, Massachusetts.


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Filed Under: Natick Nest, Opinion, Transportation

MassDOT meeting could solve mysteries of Natick’s Boden Lane Bridge

November 4, 2022 by Bob Brown 2 Comments

MassDOT is hosting an online public meeting on Nov. 15 at 6pm about the Boden Lane Bridge over the MBTA Railroad in West Natick.

You can register to attend.

boden lane bridge closed

 

The status of the bridge is a frequent subject of discussion in town, with things often starting off something like: “Will the Boden Lane Bridge ever reopen to cars?”

That usually leads to assorted speculation, and then anecdotes about how the closure has been great for some neighborhoods and a pain for others. The soundness of the structure, erected after the vehicular bridge was damaged in 2019 by a work crew, also inspires comments.

The pedestrian bridge made our whirlwind roundup last year of prominent chain-link fences around town.

MassDOT appears to be promising some real answers. “The purpose of this Public Information Meeting is to provide the public with the opportunity to become fully acquainted with the proposed Boden Lane Bridge Replacement Project. All views and comments made at the hearing will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible.”

According to MassDOT,  “the proposed project will replace the vehicular bridge over the MBTA Railroad which was taken out of service and removed after being struck in October of 2019. The proposed replacement will include replacement of the bridge abutments and superstructure and will provide one lane of southbound vehicular travel along with a new sidewalk on the west side of Boden Lane and bicycle accommodations serving two directions of bicycle travel. Pedestrian access will be maintained across the Railroad throughout construction.”

The MassDOT website currently lists the project as being in the preliminary design phase, with construction slated to start in 2027.  The site lists the estimated total contract cost at $6.8M and estimated total federal participating construction cost at $7.1M.

More info about the meeting, including accessibility accommodations.


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Filed Under: Transportation

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