Go Hubs! Boston's Neighborhood Mobility Hubs Guidebook

2022·29.4 MB·English

by  Boston Transportation Department

GoHubs!
Neighborhood MOBILITY HUBS

GUIDEBOOK
GoHubs! City of Boston's Mobility Hubs Guidebook
Boston's Transportation Future ......................................................................................................................................................3
Boston's shared mile ................................................................................................................................................................................4
multimodal accessibility walkshed ...............................................................................................................................................5
GoHubs! fiill gaps in the transportation network ...............................................................................................................6
GoHubs! gateways, squares, and points ........................................................................................................................................8
gohubs! Kit of parts ..................................................................................................................................................................................9
Bikeshare ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................10
Pick-up & Drop-off.........................................................................................................................................................................................................11
Parklets & placemaking ..........................................................................................................................................................................................12
Car share ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................13
Electric Vehicle Charging .....................................................................................................................................................................................14
Bike Parking .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................15
Transit ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................16
Branding .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17
Information ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................18
Designing and Creating successful gohubs! ............................................................................................................................19
Identifying the right locations .........................................................................................................................................................20
East Boston gohubs! Pilot Locations .............................................................................................................................................21
Maverick Station .............................................................................................................................................................................................................22
Central Square ................................................................................................................................................................................................................23
Gove Street @ the greenway ...............................................................................................................................................................................24
Airport Station .................................................................................................................................................................................................................25
Day Square .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................26
Eagle Hill: Marion & White Street ..................................................................................................................................................................27
Jeffries Point: Maverick Street ........................................................................................................................................................................28
Jeffries Point: Porzio Park ....................................................................................................................................................................................29
Community Engagement and Outreach .........................................................................................................................................30
Pilot Evaluation............................................................................................................................................................................................32
Acknowledgments .....................................................................................................................................................................................33
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GoHubs! City of Boston's Mobility Hubs Guidebook
boston's transportation future
Go Boston 2030, the City of Boston's comprehensive transportation plan, identifies a vision for the future
of transportation where all of Boston's residents have better and more equitable travel choices, where
efficient transportation networks foster economic opportunity, and where the City has taken steps to
mitigate transportation's contributions towards climate change. The projects outlined in Go Boston 2030
are making transportation more accessible, safe, and reliable. They also support the way most Bostonians
travel, by prioritizing infrastructure for sustainable modes of transportation, such as walking, biking, public
transportation, and vehicle sharing.
'Neighborhood Mobility microHubs' is identified in Go Boston 2030 as a priority project. Brought to life as
'GoHubs!, these neighborhood mobility hubs combine transportation options, information, and placemaking
elements to make it more convenient to take a multimodal journey. GoHubs! provide transportation choice,
giving access to combinations of bikeshare, car share, bike parking, passenger pick-up & drop-off, electric
vehicle charging, and micromobility services. Combined with transportation information, smart bench
technology, and placemaking elements, GoHubs! are supporting Bostons' transportation future.
Throughout Boston, GoHubs! offer more options to get around, meet
up, and find your way. Whether walking, riding a bike, riding the
bus or train, sharing a ride, or even charging your electric car, these
mobility hubs will help you connect to your destination
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GoHubs! City of Boston's Mobility Hubs Guidebook
Boston's shared mile
Shared Mile is sharing street space efficiently to decrease single occupancy vehicle trips,
reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and improving air quality, ex-
panding access to transportation choices equitably, meeting face-to-face in public spac-
es, shared journeys, and above all, it is about making one of our city’s biggest assets - our
public transportation network - better connected, safer, and more welcoming for all.
Shared mile principles
GoHubs! have the potential to substantially improve transportation connections, increase access, and make
the multimodal journey more enjoyable. GoHubs! are part of advancing these Shared Mile Principles:
1. Encourage safe walking, biking, and transit use
• Prioritize the movement of people by supporting Bostonians on their primary ways of
getting around - on foot, in a wheelchair, on a bike or scooter, on a bus, or by rail
• Invest strategically in new mobility services that complement and connect with the
public transportation backbone
• Enact policies, design decisions, and strategies that make our streets safer for all users
2. Ensure a zero-emission future
• Implement policies and programs that reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMTs)
• Invest in Zero Emission Vehicle infrastructure
• Utilize renewable energy sources
3. Create inclusive and transparent decision-making and data-collection
• Create in-person and online civic forums to inform selection of policies and projects
• Make data accessible to the public, and make information easy to understand
• Follow the best practices for data transparency, collection, and storage
4. Address the social costs of congestion and automation
• Utilize public resources to support walking, biking, and public transit
• Increase multiple occupancy rides and eliminate passengerless trips and deadheading
• Support policies and partnerships that prioritize labor practices such as fair wages,
benefits, and training to participate in the delivery of emerging mobility services
5. Encourage innovation and competition
• Ensure that new technologies serve all residents throughout the City of Boston
• Support quick implementation of pilot projects to test new ideas
• Continue to work with the private sector on new and innovative transportation models
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GoHubs! City of Boston's Mobility Hubs Guidebook
multimodal accessibility
walkshed
In 2019, 60% of residents in
Boston were within a 10 minute
walk of rail or key bus route,
Bikeshare, and Car Share, up
from 42% in 2014
A goal of Go Boston 2030 is for every household to be within a 10
minute walk of frequent transit, bikeshare, and car share. The
installation of GoHubs! moves the City closer to achieving that goal.
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GoHubs! City of Boston's Mobility Hubs Guidebook
Gohubs! fill gaps in the
transportation network
GoHubs! collocate transportation options such as bikeshare, car share, passenger pick-up
and drop-off, and bike parking alongside bus stops and subway stations. Information on
how to access these transportation modes help make it easier to complete a multimodal
journey. This allows the user to make the best transportation choices that work for them.
People often make transportation choices based on convenience, reliability, and perceived ease of use. Trans-
portation options that present uncertainty, such as a public transit trip that requires a mid-trip transfer, may
lead a person to choose a mode they feel they have more control over, such as driving a personal vehicle,
even if the trip is more costly and takes longer to complete. GoHubs! make it easier to access transportation
options, provide information, and create an easily identifiable place to overcome this uncertainty.
GoHubs! Create a Network, Connecting Neighborhoods Together
GoHubs! form a network of transportation options that make it easer to connect to destinations throughout
the City. The purpose of GoHubs! is to improve access, enhance public spaces, and provide information.
Improve Access and Mobility
• Provide more transportation options in areas that have been underserved
• Improve first/last mile connections to public transportation
• Strengthen the links between multimodal transportation services
• Prioritize walking, biking, transit, and shared mobility services in the public way

Enhance Place
• Create welcoming spaces that improve the waiting and transfer experience
• Provide space for community events and neighborhood resources
• Make safe connections for pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable users
• Use branding to establish easily identifiable places

Provide Information
• Real-time arrival information to allow for more informed transportation choices
• Provide a platform for local news, events, and neighborhood activities
• Enhance awareness of transportation options for multimodal trip taking
• Identify safe connections to neighborhood destinations
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GoHubs! City of Boston's Mobility Hubs Guidebook
Neighborhood gohubs!
Boston Transportation Department
Throughout Boston, GoHubs! offer more options to get around, meet up, and find your way.
Whether walking, riding a bike, riding the bus or train, sharing a ride, or even charging
your electric car, these mobility hubs will help you connect to your destination.
car share bike share branding bike parking community ridehail pickup & electric vehicle car pARKLET bus stop
information drop-off zone charging station
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GoHubs! City of Boston's Mobility Hubs Guidebook
gohubs! gateways, squares, &
points
GoHubs! range in size from large to small depending on the location and services provided.
The larger scale GoHubs! feature the most amenities and are located near transit destinations,
while the smallest serve as links to less transit-served areas, and are embedded deep within
neighborhoods. GoHubs! are organized into Gateways, Squares, and Points.

Gateways are well-known, places within the City where commercial, cultural,
Gateways
and civic activity is concentrated around multiple transportation options
• Gateway GoHubs! are located around high-frequency transit stops or high
EXAMPLE
ridership bus stops, where transfers can provide connections to surrounding
Maverick Station
neighborhoods and destinations across the region
page 22
• Gateways encourage users to explore further into a neighborhood, highlighting
nearby GoHubs! within the network
• Gateways feature the most transportation modes and amenities, and provide the
resources needed to complete a multimodal trip

Squares are recognizable places well known to a neighborhood. They are often
Squares
gathering places and can play a role in forming a community's sense of identity
• Square GoHubs! serve as the 'way station' within the GoHub! network. They offer space
EXAMPLE
to sit, use the Internet, charge your device, and pass time with friends and family
Day Square
• Squares are typically placed at or near major bus routes
page 26
• The area around Squares often include traffic calming measures, and bike and
pedestrian infrastructure improvements

Points are located within a neighborhood and can be found around dense residential
Points
areas, important destinations, and community amenities
EXAMPLE • Point GoHubs! fill in transportation gaps and play a key role in providing first and
Eagle Hill last-mile connections
page 27 • Points are often where a trip begins and ends, and they are located the furthest
away from Gateways
• Points contain fewer amenities, oftentimes consisting of only one transportation
mode, and can be anchored by bikeshare, car share, or bike parking
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GoHubs! City of Boston's Mobility Hubs Guidebook
GoHubs! Kit of parts

The different components that make up GoHubs! work as a “Kit of Parts” that can be tailored to the unique
requirements of each location. Some of these components are presented on the following pages, and include
information on their installation requirements, considerations, and additional resources. These are provided
as a tool for residents, community organizations, developers, private service providers, and the City of Boston
to use when collaborating on the design and implementation of GoHubs!.
Transportation options, desired amenities, and available technologies will continue to change along with
community needs, preferences, and habits. This Kit of Parts is not intended to describe every possible com-
ponent that could make up a GoHub!. Rather, this is a baseline of components that were part of the Go-
Hubs! pilot in East Boston. The components that make up GoHubs! should continue to expand, and GoHubs!
should adapt to meet the needs of communities throughout Boston.
These Kit of parts components include:
Bikeshare Ridehail Pick-Up Parklets, Public Art, Car Share
& Drop-Off & Placemaking
Electric Vehicle Bike Parking Transit Branding Information
Charging
Boston's Curb Zone Guidelines details how Boston is re-
thinking curb management to align with its transporta-
tion and climate goals, to respond to changing demands,
and to allocate curb space more equitably. This means
using curb space for shared services, passenger and goods exchanges,
dedicated bus and separated bike lanes, and the expansion of public
space. GoHubs! are one way these changes are being implemented.
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See The City of Boston's Curb Zone Guidelines for further information
GoHubs! City of Boston's Mobility Hubs Guidebook
BIKE SHARE
Bikeshare provides access to a bike without having to
own one. This public transportation program, Bluebikes,
has over 4,000 bikes and more than 400 docking sta-
tions across the region. Bikeshare links GoHubs! togeth-
er, and make it convenient to connect to other transpor-
tation modes.
Installation requirements Installation CONSIDERATIONS
• The design and installation must be • Stations should be within a 5-10 minute walk
coordinated with the Boston Transportation to one another. This provides options for
Department retrieving and returning bikes, and heps form
• A standard station has the capacity for 19 bikes, a connected network
in an area that is 6’ wide by 52’ in length • Stations should be located adjacent to bike
• A minimum 5’ clear pedestrian path lanes and low-stress routes
• The solar powered kiosk needs sufficient • Stations should be placed off-street, or if
sunlight to provide power to the station placed on-street, there needs to be a plan
• The station may not obstruct access to utilities, for relocating the station during the winter
fire hydrants, or other street furniture objects months
CONTACT information ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• E - [email protected]
• Boston Bluebikes
• P - 617-635-4680
• Learn How the Bluebikes Program Works
• W - boston.gov/bikeshare
• View the Map of Bluebike Station Locations
• Request a Location for a Bluebikes Station
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