Urban Ring Project (MBTA)
Encyclopedia
The Urban Ring is a project of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, to develop new public transportation line that would provide improved circumferential connections among many existing transit lines that project radially from downtown Boston. The Urban Ring Corridor is located roughly one to two miles from downtown Boston, and the project is expected to convert 41,500 car trips to transit trips daily.
The Major Investment Study split the project into three phases, the first of which (enhanced bus service) was partially implemented. As of January 2010, the planning of Phase 2 has been suspended because MBTA and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have insufficient funding to build a substantial portion of that phase (projected to cost $2.4 billion). Some interim bus service improvements may still occur in the absence of major funding.
The Urban Ring Corridor goes through the Massachusetts
cities of Boston
, Chelsea
, Everett
, Medford
, Somerville
, Cambridge
, and Brookline
.
lines forming a complete ring around downtown Boston. Phase 3 includes the implementation of rail service on the most heavily traveled portion of the ring, from Assembly Square in south-eastern Somerville to Dudley Square in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, via East Cambridge.
The MBTA determined that Phase 1 of the Urban Ring project did not meet the threshold requirements for an extensive environmental review, and so can be implemented as a part of its normal service planning process. However, of the eleven CT routes and three EC routes proposed, only CT1, CT2, and CT3 are currently running.
As of June 2008, the EOT is formulating a Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report, to be submitted by the end of November, 2008. It then intends to submit an application for Federal New Starts funding, which has a limit of $800 million, and requires at least a 50% local match. If funds are allocated as needed, the design process should begin in 2011, with construction beginning in 2015.
Phase 2 would convert and expand five of the "crosstown" lines (CT2, CT3, CT4, CT5, and CT8) into bus rapid transit
lines that overlap and form a complete ring around the urban core.
BRT connections with the commuter rail lines would be improved by expanding the following existing stations:
The following new Commuter Rail stations would be created:
The new BRT lines would make additional connections at other commuter rail stops, rapid transit stops, and bus hubs.
Some parts of the BRT system would run in mixed traffic, including through the Ted Williams Tunnel
and to the terminals at Logan International Airport
. Dedicated lanes are provided for certain portions, including:
Ridership was estimated at 106,000 passengers per day in 2010; capital cost was estimated at $500 million.
This routing skips Gilman and Union Squares in Somerville, but these locations would be connected to the new Lechmere Station via the Green Line extension, expected to be operational by the end of 2014.
The Grand Junction Railroad
crossing of the Charles River would be widened to include bus lanes and a multi-use path.
There would be two major spurs. Three different routings are being considered for the first spur, which leaves from Commonwealth Avenue and goes to:
The second major spur would leave from between Crosstown Center and the BU Medical Center, and go to:
An interim surface routing is proposed, with multiple stops in the Longwood Medical Area, while the tunnel is under construction.
The capital cost for this version of the plan is estimated at $2.2 billion, with a projected daily ridership of 170,000. 53% of the route is either in a bus-only lane, dedicated busway, or tunnel. This was increased from the previous plan for Phase 2, to improve travel times. As a result of the implementation of Phase 2, ridership growth on the Red, Orange, Blue, and Green lines would be slowed, but Commuter Rail ridership boosted. The Urban Ring would have a higher collective ridership than the Orange Line, Blue Line, or the entire Commuter Rail system.
.
There are now three alternatives being considered for Phase 3, which differ from the alternatives described in the Major Investment Study (MIS) and Draft Environmental Impact Review (DEIR). Employment growth projections have also changed since those documents were written.
The three proposed options for what type of rail service to build are:
Estimated ridership is 282,000-293,000 passengers per day in 2025; about 47,000 would be diverted from cars, and most of the rest would be diverted from trips on congested radial lines, reducing the need to travel through downtown Boston.
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, to develop new public transportation line that would provide improved circumferential connections among many existing transit lines that project radially from downtown Boston. The Urban Ring Corridor is located roughly one to two miles from downtown Boston, and the project is expected to convert 41,500 car trips to transit trips daily.
The Major Investment Study split the project into three phases, the first of which (enhanced bus service) was partially implemented. As of January 2010, the planning of Phase 2 has been suspended because MBTA and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have insufficient funding to build a substantial portion of that phase (projected to cost $2.4 billion). Some interim bus service improvements may still occur in the absence of major funding.
The Urban Ring Corridor goes through the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
cities of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Chelsea
Chelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:...
, Everett
Everett, Massachusetts
Everett is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, near Boston. The population was 41,667 at the 2010 census.Everett is the last city in the United States with a bicameral legislature, which is composed of a seven-member Board of Aldermen and an 18-member Common Council...
, Medford
Medford, Massachusetts
Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States, on the Mystic River, five miles northwest of downtown Boston. In the 2010 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 56,173...
, Somerville
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
, Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, and Brookline
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
.
The Project
The proposed project has three phases. The first phase has been partially implemented. Phase 1, as it is commonly called, involves expanding "crosstown" bus lines serving the entire corridor and "express commuter" lines connecting to suburban locations. Phase 2 will create six overlapping Bus Rapid TransitBus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
lines forming a complete ring around downtown Boston. Phase 3 includes the implementation of rail service on the most heavily traveled portion of the ring, from Assembly Square in south-eastern Somerville to Dudley Square in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, via East Cambridge.
Phase 1
Phase 1 as recommended in the Major Investment Study, would expand the "crosstown" (CT) bus system by extending and increasing frequency on the three existing lines, and by adding eight new lines. It also adds "express commuter" (EC) lines for connections to locations outside the corridor. Estimated ridership according to the Phase 2 DEIR would have been 40,000 for 2003, at a capital cost of $100 million, for low-floor, low-emissions buses.The MBTA determined that Phase 1 of the Urban Ring project did not meet the threshold requirements for an extensive environmental review, and so can be implemented as a part of its normal service planning process. However, of the eleven CT routes and three EC routes proposed, only CT1, CT2, and CT3 are currently running.
Draft EIR
The MBTA filed the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for Phase 2 with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office on November 30, 2004. In its FY2005-10 and draft FY2006-11 Capital Improvement Plans, the MBTA has not budgeted any money for the Urban Ring project, beyond supporting the EIR process.As of June 2008, the EOT is formulating a Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report, to be submitted by the end of November, 2008. It then intends to submit an application for Federal New Starts funding, which has a limit of $800 million, and requires at least a 50% local match. If funds are allocated as needed, the design process should begin in 2011, with construction beginning in 2015.
Phase 2 would convert and expand five of the "crosstown" lines (CT2, CT3, CT4, CT5, and CT8) into bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
lines that overlap and form a complete ring around the urban core.
- BRT 1: Airport Station to Kendall Square via Wellington, Assembly Square, Sullivan Square, and Lechmere
- BRT 2: Logan Airport Terminals to Wellington with local service to Chelsea and Everett
- BRT 3: Wellington to Kendall via Gilman Square, Union Square Somerville, and Lechmere
- BRT 5: Lechmere to Ruggles via Kendall, Grand Junction/MIT, BU Bridge, Kenmore/Yawkey/Fenway, and Huntington Avenue
- BRT 6: Commonwealth Ave at Boston University Central to UMass Boston via Ruggles, Melnea Cass Blvd, Uphams Corner
- BRT 7: Longwood Medical Area to Mystic Mall via South Boston, World Trade CenterWorld Trade Center (MBTA station)The World Trade Center station is a transportation station in Boston, Massachusetts, on the MBTA's bus rapid transit Silver Line. The station is located on Congress Street at C Street/World Trade Center Avenue on the South Boston Waterfront...
, Ted Williams TunnelTed Williams TunnelThe Ted Williams Tunnel, also known as the Williams Tunnel, is the name of the third highway tunnel under Boston Harbor in Boston, Massachusetts, the Sumner and Callahan Tunnels being the other two...
, and Downtown Chelsea
BRT connections with the commuter rail lines would be improved by expanding the following existing stations:
- Downtown Chelsea (Newburyport/Rockport LineNewburyport/Rockport LineThe Newburyport/Rockport Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running northeast from downtown Boston, Massachusetts towards Cape Ann and the Merrimack Valley, serving the North Shore. The first leg serves Chelsea, Lynn, Swampscott, Salem, and Beverly. From there, a northern branch of...
) - Yawkey (Framingham/Worcester LineBoston and Albany RailroadThe Boston and Albany Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts to Albany, New York, later becoming part of the New York Central Railroad system, Conrail and CSX. The line is used by CSX for freight...
) - Ruggles (inbound platform for Northeast corridor)
The following new Commuter Rail stations would be created:
- Sullivan Square (near junction of Newburyport/RockportNewburyport/Rockport LineThe Newburyport/Rockport Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running northeast from downtown Boston, Massachusetts towards Cape Ann and the Merrimack Valley, serving the North Shore. The first leg serves Chelsea, Lynn, Swampscott, Salem, and Beverly. From there, a northern branch of...
and Haverhill/ReadingHaverhill/Reading LineThe Haverhill Line is a branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from downtown Boston, Massachusetts through the cities and towns ofMalden,Melrose,Wakefield,Reading,Wilmington,Andover,...
Lines) - Gilman Square (Lowell LineLowell LineThe Lowell Line is a railroad line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running north from Boston to Lowell, Massachusetts. Originally built as the Boston and Lowell Railroad, and later operated as part of the Boston and Maine Railroad's Southern Division, the line was one of the first railroads in...
) - Union Square (Fitchburg LineFitchburg RailroadThe Fitchburg Railroad is a former railroad company, which built a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, USA, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. The Fitchburg was leased to the Boston and Maine Railroad in 1900...
)
The new BRT lines would make additional connections at other commuter rail stops, rapid transit stops, and bus hubs.
Some parts of the BRT system would run in mixed traffic, including through the Ted Williams Tunnel
Ted Williams Tunnel
The Ted Williams Tunnel, also known as the Williams Tunnel, is the name of the third highway tunnel under Boston Harbor in Boston, Massachusetts, the Sumner and Callahan Tunnels being the other two...
and to the terminals at Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
. Dedicated lanes are provided for certain portions, including:
- The Grand Junction RailroadGrand Junction RailroadThe Grand Junction Railroad is an 8.55-mile long railroad in the Boston, Massachusetts area, connecting the railroads heading west and north from Boston...
right-of-way, which runs through the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyThe Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
and crosses the Charles RiverCharles RiverThe Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
under the Boston University BridgeBoston University BridgeThe Boston University Bridge , and commonly referred to as the BU Bridge, is a steel truss bridge with a suspended deck carrying Route 2 over the Charles River, connecting Boston to Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials route...
. - Railroad right-of-way in Somerville, connecting with Lechmere.
- Portions from East Boston to Chelsea.
- Melnea Cass Boulevard, connecting the Silver, Orange, and Green Lines (E Branch).
- The Haul Road in South Boston.
Ridership was estimated at 106,000 passengers per day in 2010; capital cost was estimated at $500 million.
Revised Draft EIR
As of June, 2008, the revised route of the ring has the following stops:| Station | Existing Connections | City / Neighborhood | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logan International Airport Logan International Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways... |
East Boston | West Garage | |
| Airport Station Airport (MBTA station) Airport Station is a subway station on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Blue Line. It serves as a mass transit connection to the nearby Logan International Airport... |
East Boston | ||
| Griffin Way | Chelsea Chelsea, Massachusetts Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:... |
||
| Chelsea Station Chelsea (MBTA station) Chelsea is a station on the MBTA Commuter Rail. It is located in Chelsea, Massachusetts, between North Station and River Works on the Newburyport/Rockport Line.Chelsea Station opened Nov. 29, 1985, after the city had been without train service since 1958.... |
Chelsea Chelsea, Massachusetts Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:... |
||
| Mystic Mall | |||
| Everett Everett, Massachusetts Everett is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, near Boston. The population was 41,667 at the 2010 census.Everett is the last city in the United States with a bicameral legislature, which is composed of a seven-member Board of Aldermen and an 18-member Common Council... / Massachusetts Route 16 Massachusetts Route 16 Route 16 is an east–west state highway in Massachusetts. It begins in the west at an intersection with Route 12 and Route 193 in Webster, just north of the Connecticut state border... / Gateway Center Gateway Center Gateway Center may refer to the following places in the United States:*Gateway Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania*Gateway Center building complex in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania... |
Everett Everett, Massachusetts Everett is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, near Boston. The population was 41,667 at the 2010 census.Everett is the last city in the United States with a bicameral legislature, which is composed of a seven-member Board of Aldermen and an 18-member Common Council... |
||
| Wellington Station Wellington (MBTA station) Wellington is a MBTA station on the Orange Line, located in Medford, Massachusetts, USA on the Revere Beach Parkway slightly east of its intersection with Route 28.... |
and bus hub | Medford Medford, Massachusetts Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States, on the Mystic River, five miles northwest of downtown Boston. In the 2010 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 56,173... |
|
| Assembly Square Assembly Square Assembly Square is a mixed-use, smart growth development planned for along the Mystic River in Somerville, Massachusetts. The site is two miles from downtown Boston and accessible via I-93 and Route 28/Middlesex Fells Parkway.... |
Somerville Somerville, Massachusetts Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in... |
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| Sullivan Square Sullivan Square (MBTA station) Sullivan Square is a station on the MBTA rapid transit Orange Line, and a major bus transfer point. It was also a major transfer point on the old Charlestown Elevated, with two streetcar loops for free transfers, later converted for trackless trolleys and buses.The first Sullivan Square station... |
and bus hub | Charlestown Charlestown, Massachusetts Charlestown is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and is located on a peninsula north of downtown Boston. Charlestown was originally a separate town and the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; it became a city in 1847 and was annexed by Boston on January 5, 1874... |
Future Commuter Rail Stop |
| Inner Belt Road | Somerville Somerville, Massachusetts Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in... |
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| Lechmere Station Lechmere (MBTA station) Lechmere is the northern terminus of the MBTA Green Line. It is located in Lechmere Square in East Cambridge, Massachusetts, near the intersection of Cambridge Street and Monsignor O'Brien Highway . The tracks make a loop at Lechmere, with a small yard... |
Cambridge Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent... |
Station relocation part of Green Line Extension Project | |
| First Street / Cambridgeside Galleria CambridgeSide Galleria The CambridgeSide Galleria is a mall located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that opened in 1990. The original anchor stores were Sears, Filene's and Lechmere. Lechmere closed in 1997 and it was divided into what is now Best Buy and Borders, with a portion later used by Filene's for their housewares... |
Cambridge Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent... |
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| Binney Street | Cambridge Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent... |
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| Fulkerson Street | Cambridge Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent... |
served only by one of the BRT routes, the others will go direct to Kendall | |
| Kendall Station Kendall/MIT (MBTA station) Kendall/MIT is a station on the rapid transit Red Line in Kendall Square at the intersection of Broadway and Main Street, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Trains emerge from the Red Line tunnel just east of the station to cross the Charles River via the Longfellow Bridge... / Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in... |
Cambridge Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent... |
||
| Massachusetts Avenue Massachusetts Avenue Massachusetts Avenue may refer to:* Massachusetts Avenue , Massachusetts, also:** Massachusetts Avenue , a subway station on the MBTA Orange Line... / Massachusetts Institute of Technology Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in... |
Cambridge Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent... |
via Albany Street | |
| Cambridgeport Cambridgeport Cambridgeport is one of the neighborhoods of Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is bounded by Massachusetts Avenue, the Charles River, the Grand Junction Railroad, and River Street. The neighborhood contains predominantly residential homes, many of the triple decker style common in New England... at George Washington Park |
Cambridgeport Cambridgeport Cambridgeport is one of the neighborhoods of Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is bounded by Massachusetts Avenue, the Charles River, the Grand Junction Railroad, and River Street. The neighborhood contains predominantly residential homes, many of the triple decker style common in New England... |
crossing into Grand Junction Railroad Grand Junction Railroad The Grand Junction Railroad is an 8.55-mile long railroad in the Boston, Massachusetts area, connecting the railroads heading west and north from Boston... right-of-way |
|
| Commonwealth Avenue Commonwealth Avenue, Boston Commonwealth Avenue is a major street in the cities of Boston and Newton, Massachusetts. It begins at the western edge of the Public Garden, and continues west through the neighborhoods of the Back Bay, Kenmore Square, Allston, Brighton and Chestnut Hill... at Boston University Bridge Boston University Bridge The Boston University Bridge , and commonly referred to as the BU Bridge, is a steel truss bridge with a suspended deck carrying Route 2 over the Charles River, connecting Boston to Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials route... |
Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... |
via widened Grand Junction Railroad Grand Junction Railroad The Grand Junction Railroad is an 8.55-mile long railroad in the Boston, Massachusetts area, connecting the railroads heading west and north from Boston... bridge |
|
| Yawkey Station Yawkey (MBTA station) Yawkey is a station on the MBTA Commuter Rail Framingham/Worcester Line. It is situated near Fenway Park, Boston University and the Longwood Medical and Academic Area in the Fenway-Kenmore section of Boston.... |
Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... (Fenway–Kenmore) |
||
| Kenmore Station Kenmore (MBTA station) Kenmore is an MBTA light rail station in the Kenmore Square area of Boston, Massachusetts, and serves the Green Line B, C, and D branches... |
Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... (Fenway–Kenmore) |
minor spur served by only 1 BRT route | |
| Longwood Medical Area at Avenue Louis Pasteur and Longwood Ave | Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... |
underground station | |
| Ruggles (MBTA station) Ruggles (MBTA station) Ruggles Station is a MBTA subway station on the Orange Line; it is also a MBTA commuter rail station serving the Providence/Stoughton, Franklin, and Needham Lines. It is located at the intersection of Ruggles and Tremont Streets, where the Roxbury neighborhood begins and borders with the nearby... |
Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... |
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| Washington Street at Melnea Cass Boulevard | Roxbury Roxbury, Massachusetts Roxbury is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, and became a city in 1846 until annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868... |
possibly at existing station Melnea Cass Boulevard (MBTA station) Melnea Cass Boulevard is a street in Boston, Massachusetts, located between Dudley Square in Roxbury and the South End. It is named after local community and civil rights activist Melnea Cass. There is also an MBTA Silver Line station named Melnea Cass Boulevard on this street.... |
|
| Dudley Square Dudley Square (MBTA station) Dudley Square is a ground-level bus depot in Dudley Square, Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, served by local buses of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and their Silver Line bus rapid transit service... |
and bus hub | Roxbury Roxbury, Massachusetts Roxbury is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, and became a city in 1846 until annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868... |
|
| Crosstown Center | Dorchester Dorchester, Massachusetts Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large... |
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| BU Medical Center | Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... |
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| Broadway Station Broadway (MBTA station) Broadway is a station on the Red Line subway at the intersection of Dorchester Avenue and Broadway in South Boston, Massachusetts. It was opened on December 15, 1917. The station has a single island platform to serve the two tracks.-Bus connections:... |
South Boston | ||
| A Street | South Boston | ||
| World Trade Center Station World Trade Center (MBTA station) The World Trade Center station is a transportation station in Boston, Massachusetts, on the MBTA's bus rapid transit Silver Line. The station is located on Congress Street at C Street/World Trade Center Avenue on the South Boston Waterfront... |
South Boston | ||
This routing skips Gilman and Union Squares in Somerville, but these locations would be connected to the new Lechmere Station via the Green Line extension, expected to be operational by the end of 2014.
The Grand Junction Railroad
Grand Junction Railroad
The Grand Junction Railroad is an 8.55-mile long railroad in the Boston, Massachusetts area, connecting the railroads heading west and north from Boston...
crossing of the Charles River would be widened to include bus lanes and a multi-use path.
There would be two major spurs. Three different routings are being considered for the first spur, which leaves from Commonwealth Avenue and goes to:
- Allston West Station (new Commuter Rail station on the Framingham/Worcester LineFramingham/Worcester LineThe Framingham/Worcester Line is a railroad line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system, running west from Boston, Massachusetts to Worcester, Massachusetts, though some trains terminate at Framingham, Massachusetts...
) - North Harvard Street
- Western Avenue
- HarvardHarvard (MBTA station)Harvard is a station on the Red Line of the MBTA subway system in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The third-busiest MBTA subway station, Harvard saw 21,868 entries each weekday in 2010, with only Downtown Crossing and South Station being busier...
, Red Line
The second major spur would leave from between Crosstown Center and the BU Medical Center, and go to:
- Newmarket Square (new Commuter Rail stop on the Fairmount LineFairmount LineThe Fairmount Line or Dorchester Branch is a line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Except for a short portion in Milton, it lies entirely within Boston, progressing in a southwesterly trajectory, passing through the neighborhoods of Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park...
) - Edward Everett Square, Dorchester
- JFK/UMass (MBTA station)JFK/UMass (MBTA station)JFK/UMass Station is located at the intersection of Columbia Road and Morrissey Boulevard, in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.Its facilities include:*a platform on the Boston subway's Red Line for the Ashmont Branch...
, Red Line
An interim surface routing is proposed, with multiple stops in the Longwood Medical Area, while the tunnel is under construction.
The capital cost for this version of the plan is estimated at $2.2 billion, with a projected daily ridership of 170,000. 53% of the route is either in a bus-only lane, dedicated busway, or tunnel. This was increased from the previous plan for Phase 2, to improve travel times. As a result of the implementation of Phase 2, ridership growth on the Red, Orange, Blue, and Green lines would be slowed, but Commuter Rail ridership boosted. The Urban Ring would have a higher collective ridership than the Orange Line, Blue Line, or the entire Commuter Rail system.
Phase 3
Phase 3 would add a rail line on the most heavily traveled portion of the corridor, from Assembly Square in Somerville to Lechmere, Kendall Station, crossing Massachusetts Avenue near MIT, and connecting at Longwood Medical Area, Ruggles, and Dudley Square. The exact alignment will be determined through further environmental review, and includes possible stops in Union Square Somerville, Cambridgeport and/or Kenmore Square, and a possible new tunnel under the Charles RiverCharles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
.
There are now three alternatives being considered for Phase 3, which differ from the alternatives described in the Major Investment Study (MIS) and Draft Environmental Impact Review (DEIR). Employment growth projections have also changed since those documents were written.
The three proposed options for what type of rail service to build are:
- A light rail branch of the Green LineGreen Line (MBTA)The Green Line is a streetcar system run by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in the Boston, Massachusetts area of the United States. It is the oldest line of Boston's subway, which is known locally as the 'T'. The Green Line runs underground downtown and on the surface in outlying...
, mostly on the surface - A light rail branch of the Green Line, entirely subwayRapid transitA rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
- A heavy rail branch of the Orange LineOrange Line (MBTA)The Orange Line is one of the four subway lines of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. It extends from Forest Hills in Jamaica Plain, Boston in the south to Oak Grove in Malden, Massachusetts in the north. It meets the Red Line at Downtown Crossing, the Blue Line at State, and the Green...
, entirely subway
Estimated ridership is 282,000-293,000 passengers per day in 2025; about 47,000 would be diverted from cars, and most of the rest would be diverted from trips on congested radial lines, reducing the need to travel through downtown Boston.