Taunton Transit Oriented Development - Roger Williams University

Taunton Transit Oriented DevelopmentMBTA Site: Dean/Arlington Streetsearly settlements along the banks of the Taunton River. Tuckedbehind these homes there is also a nursing home. A short walk,along the river, to the west brings you to the Church Green andMain Street. As the land rises to the north we find a granary thatstill makes regular use of the rail and a lumberyard. To the east,on the other side of Longmeadow, are some apartmentcomplexes. A portion of the site on the East side ofLongmeadow was originally included in our site area, but hassince been developed (the construction road is apparent in theaerial photo).Intertwined with these assorted buildings and remnants ofTaunton's industrial past are wetlands and water features thatallude to the presence of the steam that skirts the former rubberfactory, reemerges on the other side of Arlington Street andflows into the river. These water features were adjusted when therail was constructed and were further altered to accommodate theindustrial development that followed. The recreational fields onthe site are currently a valued resource for the city; however theconstrained nature of the site and the value of the land fordevelopment once the rail is reintroduced may allow this use tobe phased out and accommodated elsewhere.MBTA Site: Key IssuesFig. 10 Proposed TOD site and MBTA Station AreaSource: SRPEDDWhere Arlington Street meets Dean Street (Rt. 44), there are aVictorian rail station that has been converted to office space, thedilapidated remains of a New Jersey Rubber Company factoryand two prized ball fields. Along the southern edge of the site, onDean Street are many older homes that relate to some of theThis site is considered an important opportunity to develop aneighborhood based TOD solution for this primarily residentialarea. Retail and mixed-use development would serve local needs,while regional commuters would be accommodated at theproposed Taunton East Station with its ample parking and accessfrom Rt. 24. The Dean Street site's proximity to the ChurchGreen, as well as the potential for a shuttle connection to the busterminal, would allow this site to link Main Street to theproposed commuter rail service. Due to the constraints on thesite, several schemes propose using the platform to link the area24