TransReport January 2005

1.8 MB·English

by  Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

JANUARY 2005
T R A N S
R E P O R T
TRANSPORTATION NEWS FROM THE BOSTON REGION METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
The Silver Line Waterfront Line Opens for Service New Tunnel under
Leverett Circle Opens
Silver Line Waterfront, the second phase
of the MBTA’s Silver Line bus rapid The Central Artery/Tunnel Project
transit service, was officially opened on opened a new, direct connection from
December 17. Storrow Drive to I-93 North and the
“Today, the barrier between downtown Tobin Bridge in December. This connec-
tion, via a new two-lane tunnel, allows
and the South Boston waterfront has
drivers headed north to bypass Leverett
been removed,” said MBTA General
Circle, one of Boston’s worst traffic
Manager Michael H. Mulhern. “Frequent
choke points. The left lane of Storrow
and reliable rapid transit service is now
Drive eastbound separates from the other
available to thousands of people who
two travel lanes, takes cars down into a
seek quick and easy access to jobs, hotels,
tunnel, and then takes them up onto the
restaurants, and other destinations like
the city’s new convention center.” I-93 North Connector.
The $601 million project has created Prior to the opening of the new tunnel,
rapid transit service running from South approximately 25,000 vehicles per day
Station, under Fort Point Channel to the Silver Line Waterfront’s Courthouse Station passed through Leverett Circle on their
World Trade Center, and then to the way to I-93 northbound and the Tobin
From Silver Line Way the service pro- Bridge. About 1,300 of those are
Boston Marine Industrial Park and City
ceeds in—currently—two branches: expected to use the new 600-foot Stor-
Point. Later in 2005, service to Logan
Route SL2, Boston Marine Industrial row tunnel each hour during the morning
Airport and to Andrew Station will be
Park, and Route SL3, City Point via commute, and another 1,500 vehicles per
added.
Boston Marine Industrial Park. During hour during the evening commute.
Silver Line Waterfront service connects 2005, two additional surface branches
By allowing so many vehicles to bypass
to the Red Line at South Station. In the will be implemented: Route SL4, Andrew
Leverett Circle, the tunnel will also
Waterfront area, the Silver Line serves Station via Boston Convention and
two new underground stations, Court- Exhibition Center and D Street, and prove to be a boon to motorists headed
to Msgr. O’Brien Highway or Nashua
Route SL1, Airport
Street via the circle. In addition,
Terminals.
Silver Line Waterfront < Leverett Tunnel cont. on p. 2

operates during the
same hours as the Red
Line, meeting the first
and last Red Line INSIDE THIS ISSUE
trains of the day. Ser-
vice from South Sta- MPO activities update . . . . . . . . . . . 2
house Station and World Trade Center
tion to Silver Line Way operates as fre-
(WTC) Station. Beyond WTC Station, TIP adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
quently as every 2 minutes during peak
Silver Line Waterfront crosses D Street Longfellow Bridge bike counts . . . . . 2
commuting hours. It runs every 5 min-
at grade, passes under the new Manulife/
utes during off-peak hours, including on Chinatown development . . . . . . . . . 3
John Hancock building, and makes a stop
Lovejoy ferry service ends . . . . . . . . 3
on Silver Line Way. < Silver Line Waterfront cont. on p. 3
Meeting calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The members of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO): Executive Office of Transportation • City of Boston • City of Everett • City of Newton • City
of Salem • Federal Highway Administration • Federal Transit Administration • Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority • Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Advisory Board • Massachusetts Highway Department • Massachusetts Port Authority • Massachusetts Turnpike Authority • Metropolitan Area Planning Council •
Regional Transportation Advisory Council • Town of Bedford • Town of Framingham • Town of Hopkinton
< Leverett Tunnel cont. from p. 1
BOSTON REGION MPO ACTIVITIES
it will benefit drivers on Storrow Drive
BOSTON REGION MPO ACTION ITEMS who are headed to I-93 South, North
Station, or the FleetCenter.
At its meeting on December 16, the Transportation Plan-
ning and Programming Committee approved an administra-
tive adjustment to remove references to transit carryovers in
TIP Adjustment
the fiscal years 2005–2009 TIP (see article on right side of page). The Committee
also took the following actions: On December 16 the Transportation
Planning and Programming Committee
• Approved the Bus Deployment Needs Study and the Proposed North Andover
of the Boston Region Metropolitan Plan-
(Lucent Technologies) Commuter Rail Station Feasibility Study work scopes
ning Organization voted unanimously to
• Approved public circulation of the memorandum, “Improvements to Signalized
adjust the fiscal years 2005– 2009 Trans-
Intersections in the Inner Core”
portation Improvement Program. This
• Approved the 2004 Congestion Management System report, Mobility in the Boston
adjustment removes MBTA carryover
Region: Existing Conditions and Next Steps, for public release
funds for items that were awarded by the
• Tabled action on the schedule for certification document activities, pending
Federal Transit Administration before
revisions
the end of federal fiscal year 2004. The
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COUNCIL UPDATE adjustment reduces the total carryover
At the December Advisory Council meeting, MBTA Federal Program Manager funds from $307.9 million to $137.2 mil-
Charles Passanisi gave a briefing on the MBTA’s draft FYs 2005–2010 Capital lion. The Committee suspended its stan-
Investment Program (CIP). The presentation included information on the process dard public review period of 15 days to
for CIP development and on funding constraints and a listing of the projects pro- make the adjustment effective immedi-
posed for inclusion. The majority of funds in the draft CIP are dedicated to state-of- ately.
good-repair projects, in keeping with MBTA policy. At this meeting, members also
discussed an amendment to the draft FYs 2005–2009 Transportation Improvement
Program and voted to recommend its approval to the MPO. Longfellow Bridge Bike
The January Advisory Council meeting will feature a briefing by Deputy Secretary Count Observations
of Transportation Astrid Glynn on the transportation reform legislation passed last
A bicycle count was conducted at
summer.
Boston’s Longfellow Bridge on November
ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE MBTA (AACT) UPDATE
30. Bicyclists were counted crossing over
In December,
the river as well as riding along the path
AACT, in addition
on the Esplanade under the bridge. The
to holding its
peak-hour count of 121 bicyclists was
monthly meeting,
almost 50 percent higher than the 82
held an Executive
peak-hour bicyclist count recorded in a
Board meeting and
November 28, 1984, count at the same
had its annual holi- location.
day party. The party
What was very striking was the increased
was attended by AACT members, staff of the MBTA and the Central Transporta-
volume of vehicular traffic since then. In
tion Planning Staff, and vendors for THE RIDE. A good time was had by all. The
1984, backups on the bridge were
regular monthly meeting included reports and updates from RIDE vendors, the
extremely rare. When that happened,
MBTA Police, and
many motorists impatiently changed the
the MBTA Office of
breakdown lane into a third travel lane,
Transportation
making bicycle travel much more diffi-
Access.
cult. However, when traffic on the bridge
The January AACT
this past November was backed up in the
meeting will feature
inbound direction for over an hour,
a discussion of THE
motorists seemed to take it in stride as
RIDE’s new dis- part of their regular commute. And bicy-
patching system. clists did not seem to mind as they passed
the stalled traffic in the breakdown lane.
< Bike Count cont. on p. 3

TRANSREPORT 2 JANUARY2005
Development on Former Artery Land in Chinatown
< Silver Line Waterfront cont. from p. 1
Saturdays and Sundays. Beyond Silver The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority Extension was built in 1962. Previously
Line Way, Routes SL2 and SL3 provide issued a request for proposals in Decem- the Hudson and Albany street area south
peak-period service to stops every 6 to 12 ber for the development of one of the of Kneeland Street was a residential sec-
minutes. plots of land made tion of the Chi-
available by the Cen- natown neigh-
“This is a historic day. The Silver Line is
tral Artery/Tunnel borhood. The
changing the dynamic of the city of
Project, Parcel 24 in guidelines for
Boston by opening up a whole new area
Chinatown. The the parcel were
to efficient and reliable transit service
Boston Redevelop- developed
and economic development,” said Trans-
ment Authority through a com-
portation Secretary Daniel A.
(BRA) guidelines for munity review
Grabauskas. “This project will be a major
the 58,000-square- process con-
impetus for activity and investment on
foot parcel, situated ducted over the
the South Boston waterfront.”
Parcel 24 in Chinatown
between Hudson, past 18 months
One new development adjacent to Silver
Kneeland, and Albany streets, call for the with BRA’s Chinatown/Leather District
Line Waterfront is Waterside Place,
creation of 275 to 325 residential units, Central Artery Advisory Committee.
which will be built on 10.3 acres of the
with a significant proportion of those set
Of the total land being freed up by
approximately 50 acres of Massport prop-
aside for affordable housing. The devel-
removal of the old elevated Central
erty being made available for mixed-use
opment will also contain ground-floor
Artery and associated roadways, three
development in the Waterfront area.
retail space and ancillary parking. In
quarters will become open space. Parcel
The project is proposed to include resi-
addition it will have 5,000 to 10,000
24 is part of the one quarter of land set
dential and retail space, a cinema, and a
square feet of community space and a
aside for development.
parking garage. Construction is slated to
park at the center. Building heights will
begin in late 2006. Proposals are due March 15, 2005. Poten-
range from the 155–185-foot level at
tial developers will present their propos-
The opening of Silver Line Waterfront Kneeland Street, which is about the same
als to the Chinatown/Leather District
comes two years after Silver Line service height as adjacent buildings, to 55–65
Central Artery Advisory Committee and
began on Washington Street. After one feet at the southern end of the parcel.
the Mayor’s Central Artery Completion
year of service, ridership between Dudley
The ramp being removed from Parcel 24
Task Force. The Turnpike Authority will
Square in Roxbury and Downtown Cross-
by the Central Artery/Tunnel Project
select the developer.
ing doubled. The third phase of the Sil-
was constructed when the Turnpike
ver Line is currently in design—a tunnel
between South Station and the Green
Line’s Boylston Station. Lovejoy Ferry Service Ends
Effective at the close of business on Fri-
day, January 21, the MBTA will be dis-
< Bike Count cont. from p. 2
continuing the two Inner Harbor ferry
services from Lovejoy Wharf:
A major consequence of this increased
traffic is the quality of air. All the fumes • F3 Lovejoy to Charlestown Navy Yard
make breathing noticeably unpleasant. • F5 Lovejoy to Moakley Courthouse Lovejoy Wharf
That’s the case for bicyclists as well as for and the World Trade Center With the opening of the Silver Line
pedestrians, a group not even counted in
Ferry services from Lovejoy Wharf were Waterfront service from South Station,
1984. The peak-hour count of pedestri-
introduced in 1997 to mitigate Central commuters now have the option of tak-
ans was 182 in November.
Artery construction activity occurring in ing rapid transit to the Moakley U.S.
We all know there is more traffic today the area. As various construction projects Courthouse and World Trade Center via
than ever before. We have seen the num- were completed, ridership on the Lovejoy bus rapid transit. Commuters can also
bers. We are stuck in the jams. Yet few of services has declined. Today, the F3 and take the #4 bus from North Station that
us ever go to a location we have not seen F5 services carry about 70 and 63 passen- stops at the Moakley U.S. Courthouse
for twenty years, spend a couple of hours gers on an average weekday, respectively. and World Trade Center. Charlestown
there, and witness the difference so This has resulted in a cost to the MBTA commuters still have the option of taking
clearly. of $12.44 per passenger trip for F3 service F4 ferry service from the Charlestown
and $30.84 per passenger trip for F5 Navy Yard to Long Wharf, as the F4
service. route will continue.
TRANSREPORT 3 JANUARY 2005
MEETING CALENDAR STATE IMPLEMENTATIONPLANREVISION
PROCESS
The deadline for comments on the
The public is welcome to attend the following ATOTHERBOSTONAREALOCATIONS process for revisiting the Central Artery
transportation-related meetings. A photo ID is transit commitments and the associated
Thursday, January 6
usually required for access to meeting sites.
MBTA Public Meeting: Fate of 7:30 P.M. regulatory framework are due at 5:00
ATTHESTATETRANSPORTATIONBUILDING, Fairlawn Street Footbridge in Malden P.M. on January 14, 2005. The three
10 PARKPLAZA, BOSTON Malden City Hall remaining Central Artery/Tunnel project
City Council Chambers air quality mitigation transit commit-
Thursday, January 6 200 Pleasant Street, Malden
Boston Region MPO 10:00 A.M. ments are the Arborway Green Line
Transportation Planning and Tuesday, January 11 (tentative) Extension, the Blue Line/Red Line Con-
Programming Committee Meeting Charles River Park Basin 4:00 P.M. nector, and the Medford Hills Green
and Work Session Citizens Advisory Committee Line Extension.
CTPS Conference Room, Suite 2150 Contact Charlotte Fleetwood at
Please address comments to:
[email protected] for confirmation
Wednesday, January 12
Regional Transportation 3:00 P.M. and location. Secretary Daniel A. Grabauskas
Advisory Council Wednesday, January 19 Executive Office of Transportation
Conference Room 4
MassHighway Public Hearing: 6:00 P.M. 10 Park Plaza, Suite 3170
Thursday, January 20 Proposed Howley Street Bridge Boston, MA 02116
Boston Region MPO 10:00 A.M. Replacement (over the North River and/or
Transportation Planning and in Peabody)
Programming Committee Meeting: Peabody City Hall Commissioner Robert W. Golledge, Jr.
Amendment to Fiscal Years Wiggin Auditorium Department of Environmental Protection
2005–2009 Transportation 24 Lowell Street, Peabody One Winter Street
Improvement Program (TIP)
Boston, MA 02108
CTPS Conference Room, Suite 2150 Wednesday, January 26
Massport Public Hearing: 6:00 P.M.
Immediately followed by: Proposed Increase in Parking
Boston Region MPO Meeting: Fines at Logan International TRANSREPORT
Endorsement of Fiscal Years Airport, Hanscom Field, and
2005–2009 TIP Amendment Other Massport Properties PRODUCEDBYTHECENTRALTRANSPORTATION
MPO Conference Room, Suite 2150 Black Falcon Cruise Terminal PLANNINGSTAFF
Boston Marine Industrial Park
Editors Photography
Monday, January 24 1 Black Falcon Avenue, South Boston
Sean Daly Carol Gautreau Bent
MCoBmTmAit Rteieder Oversight 4:30 P.M. Thursday, January 27 Mary Ellen Sullivan Sean Daly
Conference Rooms 2 and 3 Boston College Citizens 8:00 A.M. Contributors
Seminar for MetroFuture: Cathy Buckley Lewis
Wednesday, January 26 Making a Greater Boston Region William Moore
Access Advisory Committee 1:00 P.M. Boston Convention and
to the MBTA (AACT) Exhibition Center PUBLISHEDBYTHEBOSTONREGION
Conference Rooms 2 and 3 415 Summer Street, South Boston METROPOLITANPLANNINGORGANIZATION
To register go to www.bc.edu/schools/
Call [phone] for date csom/cga/citizen/invitations, or call Lauren DDeannnieils AA.. GDriaZboagulisok,a Cs,h MaiPr,O a nCdh aBiarrmbaanra G. Lucas,
MBTA Board of Directors 1:00 P.M. at [phone]. Vice Chair, Transportation Planning and
Conference Rooms 2 and 3 Programming Committee
Meeting dates and times are subject to change: please TRANSREPORTis available in accessible formats
call [phone]for confirmation. Additional trans- to people with disabilities. Contact the Central
portation meetings open to the public are listed on the
Transportation Planning Staff Certification
Boston Region MPOWeb site, www.bostonmpo.org.
Activities Group at [phone] (voice),
[phone] (TTY), [phone] (fax), or
[email protected].
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
State Transportation Building First Class Mail
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150 U.S. Postage Paid
Boston, MA
Boston, MA 02116
Permit No. 52233
TRANSREPORTis published monthly by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization to disseminate information on current transportation projects and issues in the
Boston region. Comments and requests to be added to or deleted from the mailing list are welcomed and should be sent either to TRANSREPORTEditor, CTPS, 10 Park Plaza, Suite
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Administration and Federal Transit Administration.