FEBRUARY 2003 TRANSREPORT TRANSPORTATION NEWS FROM THE BOSTON METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION

Big Dig Milestone: I-90 Connector to Ted Williams Tunnel Opens On January 17 Governor Mitt Romney, Federal Highway Administrator Mary 1,700 freeze pipes inserted into the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority Peters, U.S. Representatives Edward ground. The soil was also injected with Chairman Matthew J. Amorello, and a Markey and Stephen Lynch, Massachu- grouting compound to further firm it up host of other dignitaries marked the com- setts Senate President Robert Travaglini, for jacking; this took five months. pletion of the I-90 Connector to the Ted Mayor Thomas Menino, Robert Beal of The tunnel jacking operation went on for Williams Tunnel and Logan Airport with the Artery Business Committee, and two years without disturbing any of the a ribbon-cutting cere- 256 daily Amtrak and mony. The long-awaited MBTA commuter rail Connector is a major trips on the tracks component of the above. Each tunnel was immense Central pushed about three feet Artery/Tunnel Project. It forward per day. This extends from the Massa- work went on 20 hours a chusetts Turnpike’s for- day, six days a week. mer terminus at I-93 near The jacking operation South Station, traveling pushed about 75,000 under the Fort Point tons of concrete tunnel Channel, through to the through ground dug out Ted Williams Tunnel, by “road header” digging and on to Logan Airport. machines excavating a This direct, 3.5-mile space from three to five route to the airport can feet ahead of the tunnel save drivers as much as 45 box. The road headers minutes over the former Governor Mitt Romney addresses the crowd at the I-90 Connector ceremony dug, then the jacks route, which involved I-93 pushed. The largest jacked tunnel box northbound and the Sumner/Callahan Joseph Nigro, head of Boston Building weighed 32,000 tons. Tunnel. Trades. As they stood in the chilly tun-

“Today we deliver a significant trans- nel, all of the speakers referred to the I-90 Connector cont. on p. 3 portation improvement to the city and dedication of the construction workers who built the Connector. “We salute the region,” Amorello said. “There are INSIDE THIS ISSUE two major pieces of the Central Artery those who envisioned and conceived this Project—the third harbor tunnel to the project, those who designed it, and, most MPO activities update ...... 2 importantly, those who did the work airport and the construction of I-93 New commuter rail contract ...... 2 under the city. By opening the I-90 Con- every day,” Amorello said. I-90 Connector passes test ...... 3 nector from the MassPike Extension to Up to the Fort Point Channel, the Con- the Ted Williams Tunnel, we have com- nector is composed of four concrete tun- Winter road maintenance tool . . . . 4 pleted the third harbor crossing portion nel boxes that were built in a construc- Logan Express breaks record ...... 4 of the project.” tion pit nearby and then jacked into Silver Line ridership increases . . . . . 4 position under the South Station rail The dedication ceremony was held inside Central Corridor design teams . . . . . 5 the Connector tunnel. In addition to tracks. This is the first installation of Meeting calendar ...... 6 Romney and Amorello, speakers included jacked tunnels in the United States. The soil under the tracks was frozen using MBTA short notes ...... 6

The members of the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO): Executive Office of Transportation and Construction • City of Boston • City of Everett • City of Newton • City of Peabody • 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 BOSTON METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION ACTIVITIES MBTA Board Authorizes New Contract for TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE ACTION ITEMS Commuter Rail Services At its January 23 meeting the Boston MPO’s Transportation On December 13 the Planning and Programming Committee released for public Massachusetts Bay review an amendment to the transit element of its fiscal year 2003–2008 Transporta- Transportation Author- tion Improvement Program (TIP). Among other things, the amendment calls for ity (MBTA) announced using Grant Anticipation Notes (GANs) to purchase new emission-control buses and that its board of directors to accelerate the reconstruction of the Maverick Blue Line station. The Committee had authorized General Manager Michael also considered a TIP amendment for an emergency request for the replacement of H. Mulhern to execute a $1 billion, 5- the High Street Bridge in Canton. Due to the safety concerns motivating the request, year contract for commuter rail services the Committee waived its requirement for a 35-day public review period and sched- with the Massachusetts Bay Commuter uled a January 30 MPO meeting for acting on the amendment. The MPO meeting Railroad Company (MBCR). will not be needed, however, because MassHighway, in consultation with FHWA, MBCR is a Boston-based consortium of advertised the project under a statewide infrastructure funding category. three experienced rail service providers: A technical memorandum prepared by the Central Transportation Planning Staff Alternate Concepts, Inc., Connex North which examines transit opportunities in the North Suburban Planning Council America, and Bombardier. The three (NSPC) subregion was approved by the Committee for public distribution. The companies have extensive experience in NSPC subregion comprises the towns of Burlington, Lynnfield, North Reading, Read- operating and maintaining passenger rail ing, Stoneham, Wakefield, Wilmington, Winchester, and Woburn. For more infor- systems in North America and abroad. mation or to request a copy of the report, contact CTPS project manager Clinton “I am grateful for the MBTA Board of Bench at (617) 973-8853 or [email protected]. Directors’ support that is reflected by this REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COUNCIL historic vote,” said Mulhern. “This con- January was “Transit Month” at the Council. Two timely transit issues, the Program tract provides us with the opportunity to for Mass Transportation (PMT) and the Fairmount Line project, were the major top- contain costs while improving the deliv- ics of conversation at the Council’s January 8 meeting. Dennis DiZoglio, MBTA ery of public transportation throughout Assistant General Manager, gave Council members an in-depth look at the PMT, the the state.” Mulhern added, “This truly MBTA’s long-range-vision document. Members reviewed the PMT’s vision and goals, demonstrates how a healthy and effective the descriptions of prescreened expansion and enhancement projects, performance competitive bidding process can serve the measures, and the preliminary results of the detailed evaluations of projects. Bill commonwealth’s best interests.” Deignan has been representing the Advisory Council on the PMT Working Commit- “The MBCR wishes to thank the MBTA tee. for its careful consideration and vote of Members also heard a briefing on the Fairmount Line presented by Joe Cosgrove, confidence,” said Jack Leary, MBCR MBTA Director of Planning. He gave an overview of the project’s purpose, elements, Managing Director. “We look forward to and benefits and prepared members for the Council’s January 15 field trip to the Fair- beginning what we hope will be a long mount Line. The trip provided members with first-hand observations of the opportu- and successful partnership with the nities this project will offer for opening up the line to additional access by under- MBTA as we work together on the served communities through station infrastructure improvements and construction of details of the contract.” new stations. The contract is expected to take effect ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE MBTA July 1. For more information on the At the January meeting of AACT, as at the Advisory Council meeting, members MBTA’s commuter rail system, visit were encouraged to comment on draft PMT materials following a presentation on the www.mbta.com. PMT by Dennis DiZoglio. Kathy Cox, Manager of Fixed-Route Services at the MBTA, presented the monthly Office for Transportation Access report on fixed- route services and facilities, and Michael Festa of the MBTA’s Design and Construc- tion Department reported on the scope of improvements for Shawmut Station on the Red Line. It was announced that Lt. Herman Wheeler has been appointed the MBTA Police Department’s liaison to AACT. Lt. Wheeler, who serves on the Com- munity Service Unit, will give a report at each meeting. The Committee will hold an election on May 28 to select new officers for two-year terms. Any current AACT member may run. Nomination papers may be requested by calling (617) 973-7507.

TRANSREPORT 2FEBRUARY 2003 I-90 Connector cont. from p. 1 I-90 Connector Passes Crossing the Fort Point Channel Operations Control Center (OCC) in Rush Hour Test; New Exit involved the most extensive use of con- South Boston for monitoring 24 hours a Opens from I-93 crete immersed-tube tunnels in the day, seven days a week. United States. Prebuilt tubes could not The lighting system in the tunnels is On January 21 the I-90 Connector got its be floated from off-site into the Fort designed to transition from bright sun to first real test during rush hour conditions Point Channel because of several low tunnel lighting without a blind spot at and passed with flying colors. Commuters bridges, and there were no steel mills for the portal; concrete pavements used at heading to Logan Airport and South constructing tunnel Boston had dramatically improved trips them in South entrances via the Connector. In addition, traffic Boston. Tubes and exits flow along the Central Artery improved were con- are with the Connector’s opening. structed on-site designed to “We are seeing results where, for exam- in a casting reflect ple, the Logan Express out of Framing- basin next to light. Air is ham took 45 minutes to an hour on a the Gillette pushed good day [via I-93] to get from Framing- plant. The cast- through the ham to Logan Airport,” Massachusetts ing basin was in tunnels by Turnpike Chairman Matthew Amorello effect a dry dock giant fans said. “It took 22 minutes today in rush 1,000 feet long, in above- hour. That’s not bad.” The only problem 300 feet wide, ground officials noticed was confusion over the and 60 feet ventilation buildings. These are con- new traffic pattern for motorists used to deep—large enough to hold three foot- nected to an extensive underground duct bearing right for Kneeland Street and ball fields, an aircraft carrier, or three system. Fresh air is fed through tailpipe- downtown. “We’d like people heading to Titanics side by side. More than 450,000 height openings in the tunnel walls, and Logan to stay to the right and people cubic yards of dirt was excavated to form air is removed through adjustable vents heading for 93 North or South or South the basin, which was kept dry by a coffer- in the tunnel’s ceiling panels. The air- Station or Kneeland Street to stay to the dam. The use of this technique was flow for both exhaust and intake is con- left,” Amorello said. another construction first in the United trolled electronically at the OCC, based In heavy rush hour traffic, the trip from States. on readings from air quality monitors in the tunnel under the Prudential Center Six tunnel sections were built on the the tunnel and on observation via cam- to the airport used to take as long as 45 gravel-covered floor of the casting basin. eras surveying tunnel traffic. A perma- minutes. In a test drive during the Janu- The longest of the tubes is 414 feet long, nent drainage system collects runoff ary 21 rush hour, the trip took six min- the widest 174 feet across. All are about water as it enters catch basins at tunnel utes, 38 seconds. 27 feet high. The heaviest weighs more entrances and exits. The water goes to than 50,000 tons—more than the low-point pump stations that will send it In addition, the new Exit 20 ramp from Titanic, and about the weight of a battle- to outfalls around the city. I-93 northbound to the I-90 Connector and Ted Williams Tunnel opened on ship. Each was sealed watertight at either The dedication ceremony was concluded January 25. The old I-93 northbound end. They were then floated into posi- with a ribbon-cutting and all those in Exit 24 (Logan Airport, Callahan Tun- tion and sunk onto 110 concrete shafts attendance boarding buses for a ride to nel, Government Center) closed perma- poured into bedrock beneath the Chan- Logan Airport through the Connector. nently on January 29. Drivers leaving nel. The bottom of the tubes and tops of With the Connector’s opening, all Logan Airport who are destined for I-93 the shafts match up in a fit like giant restrictions relative to use of the Ted southbound must still use the Sumner/ Lego blocks. Williams Tunnel were lifted. All vehi- Callahan Tunnel. The reason for this is The I-90 Connector is equipped with air cles, with the exception of trucks that are that the ramp system that will take traffic quality monitors, surveillance cameras, carrying hazardous cargoes or are over from I-90 westbound to I-93 southbound and loops laid into the roadway to detect height, are permitted to use the tunnel at will not be completed until the new speeds. In addition, two types of elec- all times. This will result in about 25,000 underground portion of I-93 southbound tronic, variable-message “smart signs” are fewer vehicles per day driving on the ele- is finished early in 2004. in use: lane-use markers (arrows and X’s) vated artery through the city. For more indicate which lanes are in use, and vari- on the I-90 Connector and information For more information on the Central able-message boards offer road condition on upcoming project milestones, visit Artery/Tunnel Project, visit www.bigdig. information. All of these intelligent www.bigdig.com. com. highway systems are wired directly to the

TRANSREPORT 3FEBRUARY 2003 New Tool for Winter Maintenance Launched by FHWA Silver Line Frequency Is The Federal Highway Administration Under the U.S. Department of Trans- Improved as Ridership (FHWA) has announced a new, sophisti- portation’s Intelligent Transportation Increases cated weather information tool, the Systems program, the FHWA built upon In response to growing ridership on its Maintenance Decision Support Sys- the maintenance approaches already Silver Line, which opened last July, the tem (MDSS). It will assist winter used in the winter maintenance MBTA road maintenance managers in community to develop MDSS. has predicting the impact of adverse The system was designed to increased weather conditions and plan- respond to the needs of state service frequency. Formerly, buses ning the appropriate treatment. departments of transportation. Pri- departed every seven to eight minutes; The system, which combines general vate industry has been engaged in the frequency is now five to six minutes. standards of practice with the latest the development process from the begin- This is the second time since the service weather models and forecasting tech- ning and will build new products and began that its frequency has been niques, uses advanced winter prediction services around the core capabilities of increased. Close monitoring of the Silver capabilities to recommend courses of MDSS. Line has shown that ridership, which is action. The system displays various main- Adverse weather conditions dramatically in the vicinity of 10,000 passengers a day, tenance alternatives and their resulting affect the nation’s surface transportation is about 50 percent higher than it was on benefits, which will allow highway system. Each year, 6,600 people die, MBTA bus route 49, the service it departments to deploy snowplows and 470,000 are injured, and 544 million replaced. improve road conditions more effectively hours of time are lost on America’s high- The Central Transportation Planning while also reducing response costs. In ways during episodes of bad weather. addition, the system will lead to more Staff, under contract to the MBTA, con- efficient use of chemicals, thereby reduc- FHWA’s Office of Operations developed tinues to collect Silver Line data, includ- ing negative impacts on the environ- MDSS through its Road Weather Man- ing boardings and alightings by stop, fare- ment. agement Program. The Office of Opera- box readings, trip travel times, depar- tions is committed to improving highway ture/arrival times, and intermediate stop “Having access to proper weather and performance by advancing the manage- arrival times. It also gathers data at spe- road condition information before and ment and operations of the transporta- cific locations along the route indicating during adverse winter weather conditions tion system in real time and in response the number of passengers on board each will help transportation system managers to varying conditions. MDSS and other trip at peak load points and the times at take appropriate measures to keep roads useful materials are available on the which trips pass by these points. open,” FHWA Administrator Mary E. FHWA’s Road Weather Management The MBTA uses this information to Peters said. “MDSS will help make roads Web site at www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/ safer.” make service enhancements that ensure weather/index.htm. that the Silver Line, which is Boston’s Silver Line cont. on p. 5 Logan Express Ridership Breaks Record

Massport officials announced in January Express’s 2001 total of 1.12 million pas- The first Logan Express operation was that 1.18 million travelers used its Logan sengers was only 1 percent lower than its established in Braintree in 1986 as part of Express bus service in 2002. This a mitigation agreement by Mass- figure represents an increase of port to increase high-occupancy- more than 60,000 passengers, or vehicle ridership. The service 5.4 percent, over the previous year. helps to reduce traffic congestion This record-breaking increase in and improves convenience for pas- use of the service, which offers sengers. Framingham service also nonstop trips between secure, 24- began in 1986, and a Woburn hour suburban parking facilities facility opened in 1993. Peabody and Logan Airport, continues a service began in the fall of 2001. trend reported in TRANSREPORT The accompanying table shows last year of air passengers favoring Logan Express ridership statistics Logan Express. At that time, Massport 2000 total. Since that time, air travel has by facility for 2001 and 2002. announced that, despite a 12.7 percent rebounded and high-occupancy travel decline in air travel for 2001 due to the modes in general continue to be a popu- terrorist attacks of September 11, Logan lar choice for travelers to Logan.

TRANSREPORT 4FEBRUARY 2003 Turnpike Authority Selects Design Teams for Central Corridor Parks Over the past three months, the Massa- Boston were chosen to design open space McDonough Architects, Judith Nitsch chusetts Turnpike Authority has selected and parks in the Wharf District (between Engineering, Selbert Perkins, WET three teams to design new parks in the the Boston Harbor Hotel and Long Design, Fay Spofford and Thorndyke, Central Corridor, the portion of the Wharf) at Parcels 14, 15, 16, 17a, and Lim Consultants Inc., GPI Models, Central Artery/Tunnel Project between Schweppe Lighting, and Sherry Kafka Kneeland and Causeway Streets where Wagner. the elevated Central Artery currently On January 15 Carol R. Johnson Asso- exists. The Central Corridor has 23 sur- ciates of Boston was selected to design a face parcels, of which 15 have been park for the residents of Chinatown at fully designed. A five-member commit- the approximately one-acre Parcel 23d. tee of state and city officials employed a Among this firm’s projects are Hi Hwa competitive process to select design Park in Chung-Li City, Taiwan, the teams for the eight remaining parcels. Riverfront Plaza in Hartford, Conn., The teams that were chosen bring to and the Old Harbor Park in Boston. their projects a wealth of park-building Working with Carol R. Johnson will be experience both in Boston and around Turenscape (arguably China’s foremost the world. landscape architecture firm), Commu- On November 19 Wallace Floyd Design nication Arts Inc., Judith Nitsch Engi- Group of Boston and Gustafson Part- neering, Lim Consultants Inc., Shekar ners of Seattle were selected to design and Associates, Chia-Ming Sze Archi- the two North End parks at Parcels 8 tects Inc., Stull and Lee, Ripman Light- and 10 (see map). Parcel 8 is about 1.5 ing and the International (a Chinese acres in size; Parcel 10 is almost 1.4 cultural institute). acres. The two parks will frame “Our goal now is to produce world-class Hanover Street and will reconnect the public parks and spaces along the Cen- North End to downtown. Wallace tral Corridor,” said Turnpike Authority Floyd, a well-known firm specializing in Chairman Matthew J. Amorello. “The planning and designing the urban envi- building blocks leading to where we are ronment, has designed several parks in today have been carefully and gradually the North End. Gustafson Partners has laid, and we will continue to proceed designed many parks in Europe, as well carefully and thoughtfully.” as signature public spaces in Chicago The total cost for the design and con- and Seattle. In Boston, the Museum of 17b, all of which total 4 acres. The struction of the remaining eight parcels is Fine Arts has hired Gustafson to do the selected team was one of 12 to submit approximately $26.2 million. Construc- landscape design and master plan for the proposals, and one of five finalists. tion is expected to be complete in mid- museum’s renovation. EDAW is the largest designer of parks in the world, and among its projects is the 2005. For more information on the Cen- On December 27 EDAW of Alexandria, Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta. tral Corridor, visit www.bigdig.com. Va., and Copley Wolff Design Group of Working with the team will be William

Silver Line cont. from p. 4 first bus rapid transit service, continues old Route 49. tion, the MBTA received the go-ahead to operate in the way it was designed. Other service improvements include pri- from the South End Landmark Historical The Silver Line is more reliable than the ority traffic signalization for buses at key District Commission to add a station at old Route 49 and about 8 minutes faster intersections along the route and elec- Washington Manor, a residential facility on average for a one-way trip in the tronic message boards at stations that dis- for seniors and people with disabilities, morning rush hour. One reason for the play a countdown to the time when the which lost a bus stop when Route 49 was time savings is the creation of a bus-only next bus arrives. These features are made discontinued. lane that runs the opposite way on a one- possible by satellite tracking technology way portion of Washington Street. This that also provides dispatchers with the “contraflow” lane allows the Silver Line location of all vehicles on the route, to avoid the congested Surface Artery allowing effective intervention to restore and to travel further downtown than the service quickly after a disruption. In addi-

TRANSREPORT 5FEBRUARY 2003 MBTA Short Notes MEETING CALENDAR • On January 13 Green Line stations at Heath Street, Longwood, and the The public is welcome to attend the following AT OTHER BOSTON-AREA LOCATIONS transportation-related meetings. A photo ID is usu- Museum of Fine Arts reopened after ally required for access to meeting sites. Monday, February 3 Arborway Rail Restoration 7:00 P.M. renovations to make them ADA acces- Advisory Committee sible were completed. Work is continu- AT THE STATE TRANSPORTATION Agassiz Community School BUILDING, 10 PARK PLAZA, 20 Child Street, Jamaica Plain ing at the Brigham Circle and North- BOSTON Thursday, February 6 eastern stations. Thursday, February 6 MBTA North Shore Transit 7:00 P.M. Boston MPO Transportation 10:00 A.M. Improvement Project • On January 27 renovations to Back Bay Planning and Programming Committee Work Session Revere City Hall Station began. The work will include MPO Conference Room, Suite 2150 281 Broadway, Revere Wednesday, February 19 replacement of all station entrance Wednesday, February 12 Regional Transportation 3:00 P.M. Central Artery/Tunnel Project 6:30 P.M. doors and reconstruction of the public Advisory Council Community Meeting Conference Room 1 Harborside Community School restroom facilities. Those facilities will 312 Border Street, East Boston Wednesday, February 19 be closed at all times, and temporary Tuesday, February 25 Boston MPO Environmental 2:00 P.M. restrooms will be available at the Justice Committee MassHighway Design Public 6:30 P.M. MPO Conference Room, Suite 2150 Hearing: Proposed Reconstruction Clarendon Street entrance in the rear of Union Street, Rockland Thursday, February 20 Rockland Town Hall of the station. Construction is pro- Boston MPO Transportation 10:00 A.M. Moynihan Memorial Room jected to take six months. Planning and Programming 242 Union Street, Rockland Committee MPO Conference Room, Suite 2150 Wednesday, February 26 TRANSREPORT Wednesday, February 26 Metropolitan Area Planning 11:30 A.M. Council Winter Meeting RODUCED BY THE ENTRAL RANSPORTATION Access Advisory Committee 1:00 P.M. P C T to the MBTA (AACT) Sheraton Ferncroft Hotel PLANNING STAFF Conference Room 2 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers Contact Tom Hauenstein at Editors Photography Wednesday, March 5 (617) 451-2770 ext. 2072. Jonathan Church CA/T Project Mary Ellen Sullivan MBTA Public Hearing: 6:00 P.M. Thursday, February 27 Comments on Draft Program Graphics for Mass Transportation MassHighway Design Public 6:30 P.M. Hearing: Proposed Reconstruction CA/T Project Conference Room 2/3 of Route 123 (Main Street), Norwell MBTA Thursday, March 6 Norwell Town Hall Osbourne Room PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON METROPOLITAN MBTA Public Hearing: 1:00 P.M. PLANNING ORGANIZATION Comments on Draft Program 345 Main Street, Norwell Daniel A. Grabauskas, Chairman for Mass Transportation Meeting dates and times are subject to change: please Conference Room 1 Dennis A. DiZoglio, Chairman; Barbara G. Lucas, call (617) 973-7119 for confirmation. Additional Vice Chairman; Transportation Planning and Call (617) 222-5179 for date transportation meetings open to the public are listed Programming Committee MBTA Board of Directors 1:00 P.M. on the Boston MPO Web site, at www.bostonmpo. Conference Room 2/3 org.

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