<p>To current students, how do you feel about this? Do you think it will bring any significant changes to pedestrian safety? Aesthetic appeal to the University?</p>
<p>[Commonwealth</a> Avenue Improvement Project](<a href=“http://www.bu.edu/cap/]Commonwealth”>http://www.bu.edu/cap/)</p>
<p>Have you seen the work? It's almost done and there are many more benches and planters and they've added brickwork to make the sidewalks better looking. It doesn't address the issue of the BU Bridge and the turnpike cutting under Comm Ave but that will only be solved by a much longer-term plan; the idea being floated is a giant rotary that would deck much of the pike, with a large green space in the middle, and all connected to a new train station to turn BU into a transit hub.</p>
<p>I think its really great what they are doing. Comm Ave already looks so much nicer. They made the sidewalk much wider so there is more space to walk, and they added benches and trees. Once the contruction equipment is gone, we will get a real feel for how nice it is.</p>
<p>Here's a link that discusses BU's longer term plans for the area near the BU Bridge - [url=<a href="http://www.wickedlocal.com/brookline/news/x836874981%5Dhere%5B/url">http://www.wickedlocal.com/brookline/news/x836874981]here[/url</a>]. It includes a draft drawing that shows a deck over the turnpike, partly covered by greenspace and partly by new buildings, with a new rail station along the river.</p>
<p>This will take many years to do.</p>
<p>Oh man, that would be AMAZING! Too bad I won't be here to see this one. Hell, I won't even be here when they start this one.</p>
<p>It's a long, long way from happening. The real subtext is that BU wants that rail station and there's competition because Harvard supposedly wants a station near their Allston campus. BU has the better argument for transit purposes and supposedly has the Mayor on their side but it could be a big battle. </p>
<p>BU has, however, clearly identified tackling the highway scar as defining the future of the campus. That will happen in some form, with decks and buildings. Brookline seems supportive of the general idea because the amount of traffic that currently goes through a wealthy, historic area (where the BU President's house is, etc.) is already too much and the job growth in the medical area and around Kenmore will cause huge strains unless changes are made around this part of BU and the bridge. The plan shuts off 3 local streets, which reduces local traffic and turns Mountfort - which runs from the turnpike bridge along the pike to the BU Bridge - into the main traffic carrier. That's a real plus.</p>
<p>Lergnom,</p>
<p>Do you know if someone was not offered any scholarships, that much grant money, or financial aid, is it possible to get money from BU for maintaining a high GPA during the years at BU?</p>
<p>I didn't get any money my first time around partly because I did not even intend to come to BU and as a result my FAFSA papers were late. My EFC was 0.00 so needless to say I could really, really use the money. I appealed the offer at the end of the first semester and I was told to have above a 2.5 and they would reconsider. I had the 2.5 and now I'm getting 12k a year. I plan on appealing again and again until my family's need is met and I'll have whatever GPA they want cause I have to keep a pretty high one for my major anyway.</p>
<p>DJglover16 - Is it possible to request/appeal for some type of merit aid after you matriculate though? I am in a situation where I am positive I would not get any need-based aid, but I would still like to help out though and lower the very high cost for my parents.</p>
<p>Please don't hijack the thread. If you have something to ask on a different topic, create a thread of your own.</p>
<p>Anyway, I am glad to hear the project is close to finished. I wonder how different it looks.</p>
<p>how far down does this project go? Does it go all the way from Kenmore to West Campus?</p>
<p>Now to the BU Bridge.</p>