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West Station Area Transit Study November 14 Public Meeting Boards

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West Station Area Transit Study November 14 Public Meeting Boards West Station Area Transit Study Public Meeting The West Station Area Transit Study is a scenario planning analysis to assess the land use and transit future of West Station in Allston. Key Study Questions The study will evaluate various transportation improvements and land use policies to examine which options might maximize the • Which new/improved transit number of walking, bicycling, and transit trips under possible connections and service might attract development scenarios around West Station. Key transportation routes connecting West Station to and from major population and employment the most riders? nodes in Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline will be studied as well. • What is the optimal sequencing of development and transit The study will provide municipal and state governments, as well as the improvements? development community, with an objective evaluation of the strategies that could best improve access to jobs, labor, housing, healthcare, and • How might pedestrian and bicycle other major destinations under different potential development futures infrastructure, as well as on-demand both around West Station and the surrounding community. The results of mobility services, impact travel this study will help municipal and state governments to proactively plan for and implement regional mobility improvements as the realigned behavior? Allston I-90 interchange area is developed. • What are the best measures for determining if a scenario is effective? Finally, a direct outcome of this study will be transit services concepts that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) can use to • What partnerships, parking, land inform the design of the new West Station. development, and other policies and regulations might be most effective to advance the most promising options? This study is sponsored by a generous grant from the Barr Foundation. About This Study West Station Area Transit Study FORMULATE DEVELOP EVALUATE RECOMMEND desired land use and scenarios to transit services, outcomes and transportation determine which infrastructure, metrics for scenarios. combinations policies, West Station. best meet & partnerships desired for implementation. outcomes. Study Process West Station Area Transit Study What is West Station? What will happen with the results and recommendations from this study? West Station is a future rail station and bus hub to be constructed by MassDOT on the Worcester/Framingham line within the reconstructed A direct outcome of this study will be transit services concepts that Allston I-90 interchange area. MassDOT can use to inform the design of the new West Station. The station will support the development of Allston Landing (the area of Secondly, the results of this study will help municipal and state the current Allston I-90 interchange), provide a critical transit link for governments to proactively plan for and implement regional mobility Allston residents and workers, and provide bus, pedestrian, and bicycle improvements, such as transit services, new street connections, and connections to population and employment centers in Boston, Brookline, bicycle and pedestrian networks in the area. Because the land around and Cambridge. the redesigned Allston I-90 interchange will develop over many decades, the study will provide a framework on development Why this West Station Area Transit Study, and how does this scenarios and the infrastructure needed to ensure this new study relate to the Allston I-90 project? development meets the transportation, housing, and employment goals for the region. In his February 16, 2018 certificate for the I-90 Allston Interchange Project, former Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Beaton noted the need Finally, the study will identify the partnerships, parking, land for additional analysis for the design, timing and sequencing of West development, and other policies and regulations that might be most Station. MAPC offered to manage an independent study to determine the effective to advance the most promising options. types of transit services that should be provided at West Station. When will the study be completed? This study will evaluate various land development and transportation scenarios in the area, to understand not only what transit amenities should The study will be completed in 2020. MAPC anticipates holding public serve West Station, but also the phasing of the services. MAPC is workshops in Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 to help develop project coordinating with MassDOT throughout this West Station study. outcomes, metrics, and transportation scenarios to test, as well as a workshop in the Fall 2020 to review the findings and recommendations. Frequently Asked Questions West Station Area Transit Study What do we mean when we say this study will evaluate What is scenario planning? mobility and access? One way to determine the potential impacts of both land use and Mobility is defined as the condition of moving freely, irrespective transportation on mobility and access is through scenario planning. Scenario of travel mode (automobile, transit, walking, cycling). planning is an analytical approach that considers not only what is likely to Transportation planning studies usually assess mobility by happen, but also what could happen, as well as what the community wants evaluating the number of transit trips, passenger miles, vehicular to happen in the future. For example, a scenario to be evaluated may traffic counts, or vehicle miles. include a mix of land development different from that adopted in a master plan, or include new bus and rail services, or even consider varied levels of Mobility is important to measure, since it provides the ability to adoption of autonomous vehicles by service industries and residents. appraise activity in an area and helps determine the design and capacity of our transportation infrastructure. However, measuring By evaluating and comparing distinct transportation and land use options in mobility does not adequately assess whether people can connect to different scenarios, the West Station Area Transit Study can help inform the goods, services, and activities. community and decision-makers on emerging trends and future uncertainties, prompt discussions on tradeoffs under various “what if” Access refers to the ability to reach desired goods, services, futures, encourage innovative strategies to meet desired outcomes, and help activities, and destinations. Since access is the ultimate goal of most build consensus on decisions. travel, measuring access is a more useful method for determining the utility of infrastructure and land use options. Evaluating access assumes there may be many ways of improving connectivity, including more frequent transit service, a new station or greenway, or with mobility substitutes such as telecommuting. Measuring access also considers land uses and development density. (For example, a new grocery store does not improve mobility for residents, but it does improve their access to fresh food.) Most accessibility is measured in travel time, monetary costs, and may include measures of risk and comfort – for example, the crossing distance for pedestrians along a busy street. Frequently Asked Questions West Station Area Transit Study . t t S S West Station Area Transit Study Map 93 d w r e o f N l PORTER SQUARE M A Oti y s S st t. ic S A u l . l t v i M A v Y S T v S e o . a n t n St t F R E S H P O N D . o c S . t s q y e S r u w M e P k a d P c r g e a l d n r T S a o u P th n H n u H ro sh e n i l A e g ve r F h . L Harvard University Harvard University w a S J t L k a . D . o a e y e y I r v O n v S 99 c i t A h e t e Charlestown x . Charlestown l w r l R f s o o t a A a a r t H v d I d n e 16 e n S 28 e 9 . r t d 3 . B e a lt o L E a S R in rle e t S . N . t 93 e t . w 3 S R a L ut HALECYON n t. ev he a S e rf LAKE D re or im tt d r C A t o v n No e. rth nn A Poin e t B c . lv to St d r Mount Auburn MMaassssaacchhuusseettttss IInnssttiittuuttee . S t. o G S of Technology ut r So e of Technology h o ld e v ie L e rs . Field Ro . S R t ad d E S v 3 t. IV l . e R B v S rd y A E d w NORTH ge L a B n k 3A Spr lid R rv inne P uce St. o y S a Co A a t. L . STATION H H e t C h g S t id s E r o r e l SAWINS POND b l m N WWeesstt EEnndd No m r rth a B S ve. a eac stern A B r h on t We oad C C S . an C t. P Arsen M al a al A St. M t. a d u a Downtown S m in St. Downtown a o l 2 r s R a t e S s. ss n t A a s . v V e e S First St. t. m d. e S t v . k Greenough Bl AAllllssttoonn ridg r. b n m l D a a VER a ori RI C b CHARLES . em t M m . S m Pkw y BOSTON LANDING t y E Birmingha S n No t a nantum Road T t lb e A r BBeeaaccoonn HHiillll Newto Gues e FROG n t St. v 90 S E t. 90 2A POND ER t.
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