“It’s a transportation and highway project, but it also needs to be about a community project that will make this neighborhood a better place to live, work, and visit,” Mattison said.

Numerous commenters mentioned improved bike lanes and paths, safer street crossings, and better managed vehicular traffic as neighborhood improvements that could be produced by the Mass. Pike realignment project.

There was also discussion of the fate of the land, much of which will be owned by Harvard, that will be freed up after the construction is complete.

Massachusetts State Senator William N. Brownsberger called Harvard “the elephant in the room,” asking what role the University would play in future development of the vacant land around the construction site. The development team and MassDOT officials said it was too early to know any details about land beyond the turnpike realignment itself.

Commenters from the community expressed gratitude for the willingness of the MassDOT officials to welcome input from the community.

Allston resident Galen M. Mook called the meeting a “good show of good faith, considering some of the projects that have happened in the neighborhood.”

Community members said they hope this transparency will continue throughout the development process.

“Thank you to MassDOT for having a good, open, back-and-forth process from the very beginning,” commenter Jessica Roberts said.

—Staff writer Marco J. Barber Grossi can be reached at mbarbergrossi@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @marco_jbg.