Connecting the Commonwealth Key Public Transportation Projects and Their Benefits for Massachusetts

MASSPIRG Education Fund Connecting the Commonwealth Key Public Transportation Projects and Their Benefits for Massachusetts

MASSPIRG Education Fund Tony Dutzik Frontier Group Eric Bourassa MASSPIRG Education Fund

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Fred Salvucci of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Shanna Vale of the Conservation Law Foundation, and Phineas Baxandall of U.S. PIRG for their insightful review of this report. Thanks also to the Center for Neighborhood Tech- nology for the use of their map of household transportation expenditures. Finally, thanks to Susan Rakov and Elizabeth Ridlington of Frontier Group for their editorial support.

The authors bear responsibility for any factual errors. The recommendations are those of MASSPIRG Education Fund. The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of those who provided editorial review.

With public debate around important issues often dominated by special interests pursuing their own narrow agendas, MASSPIRG Education Fund offers an independent voice that works on behalf of the public interest. MASSPIRG Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, works to protect consumers and promote good government. We investigate problems, craft solutions, educate the public, and offer Bay Staters meaningful opportunities for civic participation.

Frontier Group conducts research and policy analysis to support a cleaner, healthier and more democratic society. Our mission is to inject accurate information and compelling ideas into public policy debates at the local, state and federal levels.

For more information about MASSPIRG Education Fund, or for additional copies of this report, please visit www.masspirg.org.

Cover photo: Anna Yu / istockphoto.com Design and layout: Harriet Eckstein Graphic Design Table of Contents

Executive Summary 1 Introduction 8 The Case for More and Better Public Transportation in Massachusetts 10 Travel Trends: More Driving, Rising Transit Ridership 10 The Benefits of Transit in Massachusetts 13 A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 16 Goals of Transit Investments in Massachusetts 16 Greater Boston 17 Regional Rail 28 High-Speed Intercity Rail 37 Regional Transit Authorities 38 From Vision to Reality: A 21st Century Transit System for Massachusetts 41 Federal Government 41 Regional Coordination 42 State Policy 42 Conclusion 43

Executive Summary

assachusetts’ transportation sys- more global warming pollution from tem is in trouble. High gasoline transportation than they did two de- Mprices are draining consumers’ cades ago. pocketbooks, traffic congestion wastes valuable time and energy, and our cars and • Vehicle travel on the Commonwealth’s trucks produce pollution that harms Bay highways increased by approximately Staters’ health and contributes to global 57 percent between 1980 and 2007. warming. The number of vehicle miles traveled Public transportation makes a vital con- per person has increased by 39 percent tribution to Massachusetts’ transportation over that same period of time. system, relieving congestion, reducing our dependence on oil, curbing pollution, • Massachusetts residents spent about stimulating the economy, and helping $4.3 billion more on gasoline in 2007 to sustain healthy, vibrant communities. than they did in 1998, a product of While Massachusetts has made many im- more miles being driven in less ef- portant transit investments over the last ficient vehicles, coupled with higher several decades, many important projects gasoline prices. have been left on the drawing board. Massachusetts needs a transportation • Congestion on Bay State roads has system that meets the needs of the 21st cen- continued to get worse. In 2005, tury—one in which public transportation Boston area residents spent about 93 plays an even bigger role than it does today. million hours in traffic delays, while To get there, we need to start investing now congestion cost the area’s economy in critical public transportation projects. about $1.8 billion.

Massachusetts residents drive more • Transportation is a leading source of miles, spend more on gasoline, experi- global warming pollution in Massa- ence more congestion, and produce chusetts. Massachusetts’ transportation

Executive Summary 1 system produced 19 percent more car- o Public transportation is helping to bon dioxide in 2005 than it did in 1990. reduce global warming pollution in the Commonwealth, averting about Public transportation helps address 1.2 million metric tons of carbon Massachusetts’ energy, transportation dioxide pollution in 2006. and environmental challenges. • Travel via public transportation in • Public transportation pays dividends Massachusetts has increased at a faster for Massachusetts residents and our rate than automobile travel since the economy. early 1990s—with the number of passenger miles traveled on transit o In 2006, public transportation in jumping 34 percent between 1993 and Massachusetts saved approximately 2006. 153 million gallons of oil, saving consumers more than $400 million • Transit ridership continues to in- at the pump. crease. In the first five months of 2008, ridership on the Bay State’s o Public transportation prevented transit lines jumped 6 percent versus more than 21 million hours of traf- the year before, compared with a 1.7 fic delay—equivalent to about 2,400 percent drop in vehicle travel. person-years—in the Boston metropolitan area in 2005, saving the • However, nearly 74 percent of Massa- economy more than $400 million chusetts residents drive to work alone in wasted time and lost productivity. while only 8.6 percent take public

Figure ES-1. Year-Over-Year Change in Transit Ridership vs. Vehicle Miles Traveled, January-May 2008 versus January-May 2007

7% Transit Ridership +6.0% 6%

3% hange C 2% Car and Truck Vehicle Miles 1% Traveled -1.7% Percentage 0%

-1%

-2%

-3%

Connecting the Commonwealth Figure ES-2. Means of Travel to Work in Massachusetts, 2006

Work at Home Other 1% 4% Walk Public 4% Transportation 9%

Carpool 8%

Drive Alone 74%

transportation, meaning that there are • Connecting the MBTA Blue Line plenty of opportunities to entice new and Red Line at Charles/MGH sta- riders to transit. tion and extending the Blue Line to Lynn—easing connections in down- There are dozens of worthy public tran- town Boston, providing more travel sit improvements that would give Bay options, and improving links between Staters alternatives to the rising cost of Lynn and Boston. driving, reduce congestion by removing cars from the road, save oil and reduce • Improving the quality of service along pollution. Many of these projects have the MBTA’s Fairmount commuter rail been stuck on the drawing board for line—which runs through some of decades but their importance is greater Boston’s most transit-dependent and than ever. economically challenged neighborhoods—and adding several new stations. A comprehensive transit system for Massachusetts would include the fol- • Completing the final phase of the lowing (not in order of priority): Silver Line, improving transit connections in downtown Boston. Greater Boston • Building high-capacity transit from • Extending the MBTA Green Line, Mattapan to a connection with the improving transportation service to Silver Line at Dudley Square, and the state’s most densely populated city, potentially converting the entire Sil- Somerville, as well as neighboring ver Line Washington Street corridor Medford. to light rail service.

Executive Summary 3 • Building a high-quality, rail-based High Speed Rail: Construction of high- Urban Ring that would connect the speed rail along Massachusetts’ federally “spokes” of the MBTA transit system, designated high-speed rail corridors— speeding travel around the Boston eventually linking Boston with Montreal, area and drawing thousands of new Albany, and Auburn, Maine; and Spring- transit riders each day. field with New Haven and New York City—via trains traveling 125 miles per Regional Rail hour or more.

• Restoring commuter rail service to Bus Service: Improvements in bus service Fall River and New Bedford and across the Commonwealth, particularly eventually Cape Cod, linking the service provided by Massachusetts’ re- South Coast to the Greater Boston gional transit authorities (RTAs). With ad- rail network. equate and predictable funding, RTAs can provide Bay State residents with efficient • Connecting fast-growing southern and affordable alternatives to driving. New Hampshire to the MBTA commuter rail network. Massachusetts faces a transportation funding crisis, which could prevent • Introducing commuter rail service the Commonwealth from making the between Springfield, Hartford and investments required to build a 21st New Haven, reducing congestion century transit system. The Com- on I-91 and providing better monwealth should do the following to transportation options to residents of address both and future current trans- the Pioneer Valley. portation needs:

• Improving passenger rail service • Develop a statewide public transporta- in the Worcester area, including tion plan that sets out an ambitious, improved service on the Worcester- long-term agenda for transit system Boston commuter rail line and improvement and expansion. The plan possible extensions of the commuter should identify needed projects, esti- rail network to Springfield, New mate a price tag, and propose both a London, Providence and Ayer that project schedule and sources of fund- would provide new regional travel ing. A comprehensive plan is needed options and allow rail to be used both to highlight the scale of invest- by commuters working in ment needed and to minimize com- Worcester. petition for scarce resources among various projects. • Connecting the north and south halves of the MBTA commuter rail • Develop and implement a solution to network, allowing commuter rail the Commonwealth’s transportation riders to reach a greater variety of funding crisis, including measures destinations, improving the efficiency to increase revenue, such as the state of the MBTA commuter rail system, fuel tax and/or open-road tolling, and and paving the way for continuous dedicate a portion of that revenue to intercity rail service along the entire sustainable funding for transit East Coast. providers.

Connecting the Commonwealth Executive Summary Connecting the Commonwealth • Make sure both project delivery and eral money on strategic goals such as operation of transportation agencies transportation system efficiency and are as cost efficient as possible, includ- safety, energy conservation, environ- ing implementation of recommen- mental improvement, and the creation dations made by the Massachusetts of compact, sustainable communities. Transportation Finance Commission and the Metropolitan Area Planning • Work with New England states to Council’s MetroFuture planning process. develop a long-range rail transportation vision for the region and identify • Urge the U.S. Congress to revamp potential sources of funding. federal transportation policy when the federal transportation funding law • Focus scarce state transportation comes up for reauthorization in 2009. dollars on needed transit system Revisions should include shifting improvements as well as maintenance resources from highway expansion to and repair of existing transportation transit projects and focusing fed- infrastructure.

Executive Summary 7 Introduction

n February 1970, in the midst of the transit improvements—including exten- nation’s Interstate highway building sion of the Red Line, relocation of the Iboom, Massachusetts Gov. Frank Sar- Orange Line and the restoration of com- gent appeared on television to announce muter rail lines—the MBTA increased its a momentous decision: he was calling an daily subway ridership by nearly 50 percent immediate halt to all new highway con- between 1976 and 2003. And Massachu- struction inside Route 128 and ordering a setts’ new approach to transportation has thorough review of Boston’s transportation served as a model followed by cities across needs. the country. The Boston Transportation Planning Today, Massachusetts needs similar Review, completed in 1972, recommended bold leadership. Our transportation system a revolutionary new approach to the remains too dependent on oil, damages the region’s transportation future—one that environment and public health, is increas- abandoned a massive expansion of Boston’s ingly costly for Bay State residents, and expressway network in favor of greater reli- often fails to get people where they need ance on public transportation and strategic to go quickly and efficiently. At the same highway investments. time, Massachusetts faces a transporta- Sargent’s announcement was daring tion funding challenge that affects both and controversial, the first of its kind in the maintenance of our bridges and roads the United States. But history has smiled and our ability to provide reliable and upon his initiative—indeed, no single act efficient transit service across the Com- may be more responsible for creating the monwealth. thriving metropolitan area that Boston The first step Massachusetts must take represents today. Instead of large swaths is to envision the transportation network of Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline the Commonwealth will need to grow and and Jamaica Plain being consigned to the thrive in the 21st century. Public transpor- wrecking ball, those areas have been reborn tation will and must play a central role in as vibrant communities. By investing in that vision. With investments in transit,

Connecting the Commonwealth Massachusetts can fill important gaps in transportation system for the 21st century, our current transit network, knit together Massachusetts needs more commuter rail our cities and towns, sustain economic and more inner-city buses, more light development, and position Massachusetts rail and more bus rapid transit, more well for the challenges ahead. investments in Greater Boston and new The transit investments described in transportation options elsewhere in the this report are vital to making the vision Commonwealth. of clean, efficient and reliable public trans- Nearly four decades ago, Massachusetts portation in Massachusetts a reality. Yet no set a bold course toward a new transpor- single project described here is enough to tation future—one that has paid great achieve that vision. Too often, debates over dividends for the Commonwealth and transit system improvements in Massachu- its citizens. Now is the time for citizens setts devolve into pitched battles between and decision-makers to embrace a new backers of various projects, each anxious vision for a public transportation network to secure their piece of the pie. that can address the challenges of the 21st These are precisely the kinds of battles century while sustaining our economy for that can impede progress toward a better the long haul. transportation future. To reinvent our

Introduction The Case for More and Better Public Transportation in Massachusetts

ver the last few decades, Massachu- delay for key transit projects and increasing setts residents have driven more challenges in keeping the state’s existing Omiles in our cars and trucks, become transit system operating efficiently and more dependent on oil, and spent more safely. Addressing these challenges, and time in traffic. Automobile dependence is improving public transportation in the increasingly a drain on our economy, par- Bay State, must be a top priority for public ticularly given the recent spike in gasoline officials in the years ahead. prices. In some ways, however, Massachusetts is lucky. Thanks to more than 150 years of investment, Massachusetts has a relatively expansive public transportation net- Travel Trends: More Driving, work—particularly in the Boston area. In an era of rising gasoline prices, our public Rising Transit Ridership transportation system gives Massachusetts a “leg up” on other states, insulating Bay Automobile Travel Staters from the impact of higher oil prices Massachusetts residents drive far more and providing an attractive amenity for than they did several decades ago—both businesses and individuals considering in terms of total miles and miles per per- moving here. son, leading to more congestion, greater Still, as anyone who has ridden public dependence on oil, and increased emissions transportation in the Commonwealth—or of global warming pollution. anyone who has lacked access to it—can More than 55 billion miles were traveled tell you, Massachusetts’ transit systems on Massachusetts roads in 2007—up from fall far short of their potential. The costly just 35 billion miles in 1980. While some legacy of the Big Dig, coupled with the of the increase is due to population growth, continued budget pressures facing transit the average Bay Stater is also driving many agencies around the Commonwealth, have more miles each year than three decades resulted in years—sometimes decades—of ago. Vehicle travel per capita on the

10 Connecting the Commonwealth Figure 1. Per Capita Vehicle Miles Traveled, Massachusetts1

10,000

9,000

8,000

7,000

6,000 e Miles Traveled Miles e l l 5,000

4,000

3,000 Per Capita Vehic Capita Per 2,000

1,000

0 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Commonwealth’s highways has increased Increasing vehicle travel has also helped by 39 percent since 1980. (See Figure 1.) lead to a recent increase in the amount The increased travel on Massachusetts of money that Commonwealth residents highways has led to worsening traffic con- must spend on fuel. It may be difficult to gestion. Residents of the Boston metropoli- remember now, but a combination of low tan area (which extends into Rhode Island gasoline prices and improved vehicle fuel and New Hampshire) spent approximately economy actually led to a substantial drop 93 million hours in traffic congestion in in the amount of money that Massachusetts 2005—a five-fold increase since 1982.2 In residents spent on gasoline between the the Springfield metropolitan area (which early 1980s and the late 1990s. By 1998, extends into Connecticut), travelers spent Massachusetts residents were spending 40 about 4 million hours in congestion in percent less each year on gasoline in infla- 2005, a three-fold increase from 1982.3 tion-adjusted terms than they had in 1981, Congestion imposes real costs on Mas- despite a dramatic rise in vehicle travel over sachusetts’ economy. Between the cost of that time.5 (See Figure 2, next page.) wasted time and wasted fuel, congestion The expectation that the era of cheap cost the Boston metropolitan area approxi- gasoline would continue, however, led mately $1.8 billion in 2005 and the Spring- Massachusetts residents (as well as public field area approximately $71 million.4 This officials responsible for energy and devel- does not count lost economic opportunities opment policy) to make choices that in- as businesses and skilled workers decide to creased the Commonwealth’s dependence locate elsewhere rather than contend with on oil, including the proliferation of SUVs Massachusetts’ bad traffic. on Bay State highways. In 1998, passenger

The Case for More and Better Public Transportation 11 Figure 2. Inflation-Adjusted Spending on Gasoline, Massachusetts6

$9,000

$8,000

$7,000

$6,000

$5,000 s s (million 2007$)

e Actual Estimated $4,000

$3,000 GasolineExpenditur

$2,000

$1,000

$0 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

cars (as opposed to SUVs and other trucks) lead to even more pain for Massachusetts made up 73 percent of all motor vehicles families. registered in Massachusetts. By 2006, the Not every Massachusetts community, percentage of passenger cars had declined however, has been equally hard hit by rising to 61 percent. By the end of that eight- gasoline prices. Residents of communities year span, there were 470,000 fewer cars with access to transit tend to drive fewer registered in Massachusetts, but 570,000 miles each year than those living in auto- more SUVs.7 dependent areas, meaning that they spend As a result, when gasoline prices started less on transportation generally, and are to spike in 2004, Massachusetts families less vulnerable to rising fuel prices. (See were hit hard and many were left with few Figure 3.) good alternatives. Massachusetts residents Rising vehicle travel—not just in per- now spend more than twice as much each sonal vehicles but also in the form of in- year on gasoline as they did a decade ago, creased freight traffic—has also increased costing Massachusetts families an esti- Massachusetts’ emissions of global warm- mated $4.3 billion in additional annual ing pollution. In 2005, Massachusetts’ costs in 2007 compared with 1998.8 The transportation network emitted 19 percent dramatic rise in gasoline prices in 2008 will more carbon dioxide than in 1990.10

12 Connecting the Commonwealth Public Transportation Figure 3. Annual Household Gasoline Expenditures in 20089 While Bay Staters are driving more miles than in the past, they are also taking more Boston and longer trips on public transportation. Annual Household Gas Cost by Census Block Group Between 1993 and 2006, the number of Data not available passenger-miles traveled annually on pub- 0 to $1,600 $1,600 to $2,400 lic transportation in the Commonwealth $2,400 to $3,000 $3,000 to $3,800 increased by 34 percent—a rate of growth >$3,800 11 higher than that of automobile travel. The Transit Station biggest bumps in travel via transit came as County Boundary a result of service expansions, particularly the restoration of commuter rail service along the Kingston/Plymouth and Middle- borough/Lakeville lines in late 1997. (See Figure 4, next page.) In recent years, transit ridership has reached a plateau, but with higher gasoline prices, that is beginning to change. Over the first five months of 2008, transit ridership in the Commonwealth was up by 6 percent over the year before.13 Over the same period, vehicle travel in the Com- monwealth declined by 1.7 percent.14 (See Figure 5, next page.) At a time of rising gasoline prices, Massachusetts’ transit systems provided an important alternative for thousands of travelers. But while transit ridership is on the rise, too many Massachusetts residents still find themselves without good alternatives to driving. Among Bay State commuters, for example, 74 percent drive to work by themselves, compared to just 8.6 percent range of benefits to Massachusetts—sav- who take transit.15 (See Figure 6.) ing oil, reducing congestion, and reducing Providing more and better public emissions of global warming pollution, transportation options would allow more while serving as an important economic Massachusetts residents to choose tran- asset for the Commonwealth. sit—reducing congestion, curbing pol- In 2006, public transportation in Mas- lution, and minimizing the Bay State’s sachusetts saved approximately 153 million dependence on oil. gallons of oil that would have otherwise been burned in vehicles, saving consumers more than $400 million at the pump.17 Those cost savings were based on an average gasoline price in 2006 of $2.68 per The Benefits of Transit in gallon. At gasoline prices of $4 per gallon, the savings would have been nearly $600 Massachusetts million. Public transportation provides a wide Public transportation also plays an

The Case for More and Better Public Transportation 13 Figure 4. Passenger-Miles Traveled via Transit, Massachusetts12

2,500

2,000

1,500 ) Miles s s (Million

Passenger Passenger 1,000

500

0 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Figure 5. Year-Over-Year Change in Transit Ridership vs. Vehicle Miles Traveled, January-April 2008 versus January-April 2007

7% Transit Ridership +6.0% 6%

3% hange C 2% Car and Truck Vehicle Miles 1% Traveled -1.7% Percentage 0%

-1%

-2%

-3%

14 Connecting the Commonwealth Figure 6. Means of Travel to Work in Massachusetts, 200616

Work at Home Other 1% 4% Walk Public 4% Transportation 9%

Carpool 8%

Drive Alone 74% important role in reducing traffic conges- in an increasing number of transit vehicles, tion. A 2007 study by the Texas Trans- use wireless Internet to check e-mail or do portation Institute estimated that public important work. transportation prevented more than 21 Every day, residents across the Com- million hours of traffic delay—equivalent monwealth count on transit to get where to about 2,400 person-years—in the Bos- they need to go—whether they are college ton metropolitan area in 2006, saving the students in western Massachusetts using economy more than $400 million in wasted Pioneer Valley Transportation Authority time and productivity.18 buses to get to class, families taking com- In addition, public transportation is muter rail trains to beach outings on the helping to reduce global warming pollution North Shore, baseball fans packing Green in the Commonwealth, averting about 1.2 Line cars to get to Fenway Park, or the million metric tons of carbon dioxide pol- hundreds of thousands of commuters who lution in 2006.19 take transit to work each morning. And Public transportation provides a host even those of us who don’t take transit of other important, if difficult to quan- every day can rely on it in a pinch—when tify, benefits. Transit provides a source of a sudden snowstorm hits that makes driv- mobility to the poor, elderly, children and ing unsafe, during periods of major road disabled, many of whom cannot afford a car construction, or when gasoline prices are or cannot drive. Investments in transit have high. helped spark the economic revitalization In short, public transportation is a vital of areas around transit stations, helping resource for Massachusetts—one that will to create vibrant communities that are become even more important in a world less dependent on the automobile—a big of higher oil prices and increased concern advantage for economic development in an about congestion and global warming. era of higher fuel prices. Transit riders are Investing in transit can build on this free from the responsibilities of driving, important public asset and position Mas- meaning that they can use their time to sachusetts for even greater benefits in the read, chat, catch up on the day’s news or, years to come.

The Case for More and Better Public Transportation 15 A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts

assachusetts has made significant than investments in improved bus service investments in transit over the for inner-city neighborhoods. Mlast two decades, but there remain All of the projects described here, many transit projects—some of which however, are part of an integrated vision have been on the drawing board for de- for the future of public transportation in cades—that can bring significant benefits the Commonwealth—a vision that Mas- to the Commonwealth. The projects listed sachusetts should strive to make happen in this section are in various stages of de- through strategic investments in the years velopment. Some of them are already in to come. the planning stages and could come on line within the next decade. Others will require longer-term planning and investment. Still others are mere concepts requiring more evaluation. This is not a comprehensive list, but rather serves as an example of transit Goals of Transit Investments investments that can address key needs in Massachusetts, from reducing traffic con- in Massachusetts gestion and pollution to promoting smart Any transit investment strategy for Mas- growth and community revitalization. sachusetts should have a blueprint to guide The projects listed in this section are it—a set of goals that the state wishes to not in order of priority. Transit invest- achieve. The Commonwealth should set a ments must be evaluated on a range of target of, by 2025 at the latest, completing criteria, from their impact on air quality investments that would achieve the fol- and global warming emissions to their lowing goals: potential to spark economic development and improve quality of life. Investments in 1) Fill in obvious gaps in public trans- high-speed rail, for example, deliver dif- portation systems, ensuring that all ferent benefits to different constituencies those who live in areas with the

16 Connecting the Commonwealth population and ridership to support nation, behind only New York, the San public transit have access to high- Francisco Bay Area, Washington, D.C., quality transit service. and Honolulu.21 Just as much as the region’s highway or telecommunications networks, 2) Improving the connectivity of exist- the T is the lifeblood of the Greater Boston ing transit systems, making it easier economy. for travelers to reach a wide variety of A series of transportation investments— destinations quickly and affordably. some of them already far into the planning stages and others requiring more 3) Creating an integrated, New Eng- long-term effort—can help maximize the land-wide rail transportation network, potential of public transportation to solve with Massachusetts at its hub, that Greater Boston’s 21st century transporta- serves both commuters and inter-city tion challenges. passengers within New England and connects the region to important des- Green Line Extension to tinations elsewhere. Somerville and Medford Somerville, Massachusetts, located just 4) Expanding access to transit in lightly northwest of Boston, is the most densely served areas of the Commonwealth, populated city in New England and the including smaller cities, suburbs and sixth most densely populated municipality rural areas, providing an appealing of more than 50,000 people in the United alternative to driving. States.22 It is home to a major university (Tufts University, shared with neighboring 5) Improve the quality of existing transit Medford), a burgeoning arts community, service to make Massachusetts’ transit and vibrant commercial districts. In other systems second to none in efficiency, words, it is a perfect candidate for frequent, convenience, safety and comfort. high-quality transit service. Yet, the MBTA’s rapid transit network Achieving these goals will create a has largely passed Somerville by. The city Massachusetts that is more economically has a long transit history dating back to vibrant, less dependent on oil, less impacted the 1850s, and at one time had several by traffic on the roadways, and capable of commuter rail stops. But until the MBTA meeting the transportation challenges of Red Line was extended to Davis Square in the 21st century. 1984, Somerville had no stations on the core MBTA subway network (although stations at Sullivan Square on the Orange Line and Lechmere on the Green Line are located very near Somerville’s southeastern boundaries.) The idea of extending the MBTA’s Greater Boston Green Line through Somerville to Med- The MBTA is one of America’s premier ford has been discussed for more than 40 transit systems. On an average weekday, years.23 Extension of the Green Line was more than 1.3 million trips are taken on part of the Big Dig transit commitments the MBTA’s vast network of commuter rail made by the Commonwealth in 1991. Yet, lines, subways, trolleys, boats and buses.20 until recently, momentum on the project In terms of transit ridership per capita, the had stalled. In 2008, the Commonwealth Boston metropolitan area ranks fifth in the committed to fully funding the Green

A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 17 18 Connecting the Commonwealth Line extension project, and the extension slow and difficult. By 2025, the Green Line is scheduled to be completed by 2014.24 extension project is projected to increase As currently conceived, the extension the number of transit trips systemwide by will cut through Somerville, paralleling 10,000 each day, eliminate 53,000 miles the route of the MBTA’s Lowell com- of vehicle travel daily, and save commut- muter rail line, with six stations, ending ers 8,640 hours—the equivalent of more in Medford at Mystic Valley Parkway.25 A than 1,000 work days—of time each day.26 short spur line would run along the path Assuming that the trips averted by the of the MBTA Fitchburg commuter rail project would have been made in vehicles line to connect with Union Square, one of achieving the projected average U.S. fuel Somerville’s main commercial hubs. The economy for light-duty vehicles, the line Union Square spur could be extended as far will avoid approximately 890 metric as Porter Square, where it could connect to tons of carbon dioxide pollution per the Red Line. year and nearly 100,000 gallons of gasoline Extension of the Green Line will solve consumption.27 a host of problems in Somerville and In addition, extension of the Green Medford. The area’s congested roadway Line will improve access to several of network makes travel by both car and bus Somerville’s commercial hubs, including

Somerville’s Ball Square is one of the areas that will be connected to the MBTA Green Line, enabling area residents to avoid vehicle trips on congested streets like Broadway (above) and stop-and-go trips on local buses.

A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 19 Union Square and Ball Square, and pro- in 1904, the subway tunnel between vide a direct transit connection to Tufts downtown Boston and East Boston was University. the first tunnel underneath Boston Har- Because the extended Green Line would bor. Over the years, the Blue Line, which mostly travel over existing rights-of-way, runs through the historic tunnel, has been the project is relatively low-cost as major upgraded and expanded several times, transit expansion projects go. A 2005 draft eventually bringing subway service as far report prepared for the Commonwealth up the North Shore as Revere. estimated the total capital cost of the proj- But despite its importance as a transit ect at approximately $438 million (2005 link to the North Shore and Logan Air- dollars).28 port, the Blue Line falls short of its promise The Green Line extension project is an in several ways. The Blue Line and Red attractive transit investment—a relatively Line are the only two MBTA subway lines low-cost line through a densely populated that do not connect in downtown Boston. area that is starved for efficient and swift As a result, traveling from the North Shore transit service. The Commonwealth has to Cambridge or Dorchester (or vice versa) already committed the necessary funding requires two transfers, despite the fact that to the project, but it will be important for the final stop on the Blue Line, Bowdoin, Massachusetts to ensure that the project is less than a half-mile away, and a straight stays on track for completion in 2014. shot down Cambridge Street, from the Red Line station at Charles/MGH.29 At Blue Line Extension to Lynn and the other end of the line, the Blue Line the Red-Blue Line Connector falls just a few miles short of serving the Long before even the old, elevated Central densely populated city of Lynn, Mass., Artery was a gleam in transportation plan- home to more than 80,000 residents and ners’ eyes, Boston was the site of another a historic downtown in need of economic “big dig.” At the time of its construction revitalization.30

The newly remodeled Charles/MGH Red Line station was built to accommodate a connection to the extended Blue Line.

20 Connecting the Commonwealth Connecting the Blue Line to the Red new economic development. In the case of Line at Charles/MGH station would al- areas such as Davis Square in Somerville low for seamless connections in the heart and downtown Malden, this development of downtown Boston—easing congestion has occurred in formerly struggling com- at transfer stations such as Government mercial districts. Center and State Street—and facilitating Lynn, whose historic downtown is dif- travel between the North Shore, the South ficult to access via the area’s congested Shore and Cambridge/Somerville. As with network of highways, could benefit from many of the other projects discussed in this expanded access to rapid transit. Lynn report, the idea of connecting the Red and currently has a commuter rail station, but Blue lines has been on the agenda for a long the existing service does a relatively poor time, with initial engineering work having job of serving “reverse commuters”—those taken place in the mid-1980s.31 When the not commuting into Boston in the morn- MBTA recently rebuilt the Charles/MGH ing and out of the city in the evenings. Red Line station, it designed the new sta- While there are nine trains that pass tion in such a way as to allow for the cre- through Lynn before 9 a.m. each weekday ation of an underground Blue Line station morning on the way to North Station in directly beneath it. Boston, there are only four heading in the The Red/Blue Line connector is esti- opposite direction.35 Providing regular, mated to avert an additional 1,400 auto- rapid transit connections between Boston mobile trips per day, while providing other and Lynn would not only ease travel to and benefits including reduced congestion on from Boston, but it also would encourage other MBTA subway lines.32 The estimated business growth and economic revitaliza- capital cost of the project as of 2005 was tion in Lynn. $222 million.33 A 2003 analysis found the The idea of extending the Blue Line to project to be “among the more cost-effec- Lynn has been debated for decades. When tive projects in terms of capital cost rela- the Blue Line was extended to Wonderland tive to new transit rider and to air quality in the early 1950s, the extension was done improvements.34 along the right-of-way of a former nar- At the other end, extending the Blue row-gauge railway—a right-of-way that Line to Lynn would not only provide more continues all the way to Lynn and provides frequent service to North Shore commut- one option for extending the Blue Line. An ers heading to downtown Boston, but it alternative routing of the extension would would also provide an economic boost to take the Blue Line parallel to the com- the city of Lynn, which has faced its share muter rail tracks that currently extend to of economic challenges. Older industrial Newburyport and Rockport. Construction cities such as Lynn are important to the along the former narrow gauge railway future economic growth of the Common- route is estimated to cost approximately wealth, with affordable housing stock and $400 million, while the commuter rail office space as well as compact downtown alignment would cost approximately $600 areas that are frequently walkable and million.36 could be well-suited to improvements in The MBTA’s 25-year plan, last revised transit service. Previous extensions of the in 2003, lists the Blue Line extension to MBTA subway network, such as the Red Lynn as a “high priority” project and esti- Line and Orange Line extensions of the mates that it would increase transit rider- 1970s and 1980s and construction of the ship by 7,900 daily riders systemwide.37 Silver Line along the South Boston wa- The Red/Blue Line connector is cur- terfront in the 2000s, have helped spark rently in the planning phases and is part of

A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 21 the revised Big Dig transit commitments long line that is the only MBTA commuter agreed to in 2006. Design on the project rail line that exists entirely within the city is scheduled to be completed by 2011. The of Boston. Fairmount line trains depart- extension of the Blue Line to Lynn is not ing from Readville at the extreme south- included in the Big Dig commitments ern border of the city make a 24-minute and the timeline for completion is less journey that ends at South Station, where certain. passengers can connect with the Red Line, Extending the Blue Line at both ends Silver Line, commuter rail, Amtrak and will both improve the connectivity of the intercity bus services. core MBTA subway network and extend Yet, for decades, the Fairmount line the reach of the system to include a densely has been woefully underused. The line populated part of the Commonwealth has only three stops between its origin with major transportation challenges. The and terminus, and the stations in the Commonwealth should prioritize both Dorchester and Mattapan neighborhoods projects as part of its “to-do list” for transit were (until recently) forbidding places, with improvements in Massachusetts. little signage, few amenities, poor lighting, and infrequent service (including none on Fairmount Commuter Rail Line weekends). Indeed, the existence of the Improvements (Indigo Line) rail line was unknown to many residents The Dorchester and Mattapan neighbor- of the nearby communities, who typically hoods of Boston are home to some of the board buses traveling congested streets to most impoverished and transit-dependent connect with the Red Line and Orange areas in the city. Running through the Line subways that flank the Fairmount midst of those neighborhoods is the Fair- Line corridor. mount commuter rail line—a nine-mile The Fairmount line, however, remains

Upham’s Corner in Dorchester is one of the areas that would benefit from improvements in service along the Fairmount commuter rail line.

22 Connecting the Commonwealth an important potential transportation asset and others are already planning new proj- for the city—an asset that the MBTA is ects near the rail line.41 The Fairmount working to improve through what could be Line improvements are part of the Big an ambitious revitalization project. Mem- Dig transit commitments and are due to bers of the abutting communities envision be completed by 2011. as the end result of the project the creation One unresolved question regards the of an “Indigo Line” with the quality and kind of trains that will be used in the cor- level of service typical of existing MBTA ridor. Traditional diesel commuter rail subway lines. trains are large, heavy, slow to stop and Two decades ago, the Fairmount Line start, and produce significant amounts of itself was almost discontinued by the pollution—all drawbacks on a short line MBTA. Rail service on the corridor was with numerous stations running through revived and augmented in the late 1970s a densely populated urban neighborhood. to replace rail service on the Southwest The use of diesel multiple-unit (DMU) Corridor that runs through the Roxbury, cars—which do not use a separate locomo- Jamaica Plain, Roslindale and Hyde Park tive—could reduce end-to-end travel times neighborhoods in Boston while that cor- on the line by as much as 20 percent and ridor was thoroughly rebuilt. In 1987, when increase ridership by 27 percent, while re- construction on the Southwest Corridor ducing fuel consumption and dramatically was complete, the MBTA moved to discon- curbing air pollution.42 The use of DMU tinue service on the Fairmount Line, but cars would also add to the “subway-like” ultimately dropped those plans in the wake feel of the service and represent a com- of strong community opposition.38 The mitment to continued, high-quality transit proposed improvements to the Fairmount service in the corridor. Line would help realize the potential com- The cost of the Fairmount Line im- munity advocates saw in the 1980s. provements is estimated to be $110 million, The first pieces of the revitalization and purchasing new subway-like trains for plan have already been carried out, with the line could increase the cost further.43 the renovation of the commuter rail sta- But, the investment in the Fairmount Line tions at Upham’s Corner in Dorchester and is certain to pay off for nearby residents, Morton Street in Mattapan. The new sta- who have long put up with slow and ardu- tions include improved lighting, high-level ous bus service, and provide a shot in the platforms for easier boarding, shelters and arm for the commercial districts along safety improvements.39 The next step will the line, while providing equitable transit be the addition of four new stations along service for a part of the city that has long the line serving the Newmarket area of desired it. Roxbury (home of the bustling South Bay shopping center), the Four Corners and Connecting and Improving Codman Square areas of Dorchester, and the Silver Line the Mattapan Square area of Mattapan. The MBTA Silver Line has been among (A fifth station has also been proposed for the most controversial transit projects in Columbia Road in Dorchester.)40 recent memory. And given Boston’s history Along with the new stations and other of contentious planning for public projects, upgrades will come more frequent ser- that is saying something. vice, which should attract much-needed The Silver Line emerged as a result of economic development in the corridor. In two separate needs: the need for an efficient anticipation of the improvements, non- transit connection between downtown profit organizations, housing developers Boston and the rapidly developing South

A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 23 MBTA Silver Line buses traverse Boston’s famously narrow downtown streets, providing slower service than an earlier rail line.

Boston waterfront and the need to provide line that previously ran along Washington “replacement service” along the Washing- Street, it is a far cry from the direct, quick ton Street corridor for the Orange Line, and frequent service that residents of the which was relocated in 1987. The result corridor had received from the elevated thus far has been two transit lines that Orange Line.44 Whereas the Orange Line share the same color on MBTA maps and ran from Dudley to downtown Boston in the moniker, “bus rapid transit,” but other- just 8 minutes, the Silver Line takes more wise have very little else in common. than twice as long.45 The Silver Line Waterfront branch The MBTA is now planning to connect from South Station to the waterfront and the two sections of the Silver Line—a move Logan Airport is widely regarded as a suc- that has attracted a great deal of opposition cess. The Waterfront branch runs through based on the project’s cost, its potential a dedicated bus tunnel from South Sta- disruption to nearby neighborhoods, and tion through the waterfront area, where it the belief among some area residents that eventually connects to surface roads. The light rail would provide superior service Washington St. section, however, runs in less expensively than bus rapid transit. bus-only lanes on congested streets or in Moreover, the future of the Silver Line has mixed traffic. While the service has in- ripple effects on transit issues elsewhere creased ridership and provided a modest in the city. improvement in travel times over the bus The Silver Line debate has grown so

24 Connecting the Commonwealth contentious on all sides that it is impor- in this section of the city have among tant to take a step back and make several the highest ridership in the city—the observations: number 28 bus that runs from Matta- pan Sq. to Ruggles station via Dudley • Linking the Washington Street draws more than 12,000 riders a day, corridor with Boylston Street sta- nearly as many as the Silver Line.46 tion via a transit tunnel should Streetcars ran in this corridor until be a priority, enabling Silver Line the 1950s and a restoration of high- buses or light rail cars to avoid city capacity transit service would provide traffic—speeding transit commutes improved connections to areas such and reducing congestion on already as Roxbury’s Grove Hall commercial packed downtown streets. Converting area, the Franklin Park Zoo, and the the Silver Line to light rail would al- Blue Hill Avenue business district. low for the use of existing abandoned tunnels running under Tremont • Using light rail on the Washington Street, while bus rapid transit could St. section of the Silver Line would operate through a new tunnel built preclude the “one-seat” ride be- under Charles Street South. In either tween Roxbury and Logan Airport case, a tunnel link to Boylston station touted as a benefit of the Silver Line. would be a significant improvement However, other projects—including over the status quo. the proposed Urban Ring (see page 26)—could achieve this goal and do • Rail transit is a better solution for so without the need to carry travelers the Washington Street corridor through downtown Boston. than bus rapid transit. Bus rapid transit works well on the Waterfront • The eventual routing of the Silver portion of the Silver Line, enabling Line, if it remains a bus rapid transit buses to branch out in several direc- service, should not foreclose options tions after departing the underground for future use of the abandoned Green bus tunnel in South Boston and to Line tracks and tunnels at Boylston use the Ted Williams Tunnel to reach station. One idea, for example, is to Logan Airport. The main purpose of use the abandoned tunnels to re-route the Silver Line-Washington Street the Green E line into a new tunnel service, however, is to move large beneath Stuart Street, thereby reduc- numbers of people in a straight line ing congestion in the central Green between Roxbury and downtown Line subway. Boston—a job well suited for rail. Moreover, light rail vehicles could use The Silver Line Phase 3 project serves existing abandoned tunnels rather an important need by speeding trips from than requiring the boring of a new the South End and Roxbury to downtown tunnel beneath Charles Street South. Boston and creating new transit connections in the downtown area. However, • The Warren Street-Blue Hill replacement of the current Silver Line- Avenue corridor, running from Washington Street bus service with light Dudley Square to Mattapan rail would provide better service (and pos- Square, should receive frequent, sibly do so at lower cost), while extension high-capacity transit service—ide- of rapid transit from Dudley Square to ally a light rail connection. Bus routes Mattapan Square would provide improved

A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 25 transit service to an already transit-ori- the Longwood Medical Area and Kendall ented area of the city. Square in East Cambridge, which sit along one “spoke” or another of the MBTA net- A High-Quality Urban Ring work.47 In 1995, local government officials Getting to downtown Boston on the T in Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, is a snap. Getting around it is a different Everett and Somerville committed to work story. together in planning for the Urban Ring, If you live in Chelsea but work in including the land use and development Somerville, live in Cambridge but work policies that will maximize the benefits at the Longwood Medical Area, or live in of transit investments in the Urban Ring Dorchester but commute to Jamaica Plain, corridor.48 traveling on the MBTA can be a time- In 2001, the MBTA and federal De- consuming experience, requiring slow bus partment of Transportation completed a rides on congested streets, or travel into Major Investment Study that laid out a and back out of downtown Boston. For three-phase plan for development of the suburban commuters, the extra time spent Urban Ring: traveling into and out of the core could make the difference between driving and • Phase 1 is to be the establishment taking the T to their destinations. of several limited-stop “crosstown” Construction of an “Urban Ring,” a bus routes on existing rights-of-way. circumferential transit line around down- Three such routes now exist. town Boston, could provide a faster and more convenient option, connecting the • Phase 2 of the project is to include radial “spokes” of the MBTA system, al- the launch of “bus rapid transit” leviating congestion at downtown subway service—bus service that is similar in stations, and vastly expanding the number frequency and “feel” to rail service, of people who can use the MBTA to get to and which often uses separate rights their destination. of way—along parts of the corridor, Circumferential or parallel transit links in addition to better connections with around major cities are common the world other modes of transit, such as com- over. Many of the world’s most successful muter rail.49 transit systems—including those of Lon- don and Paris, as well as, to a lesser extent, • Phase 3 will include the construc- New York City—have subway systems tion of rail transit along the western that bear greater resemblance to a pile of part of the corridor, running in an spaghetti than the starburst pattern of the arc roughly from Dudley Square in MBTA. The many interlocking lines give Roxbury through the Longwood passengers more than one good option for Medical Center and East Cambridge getting where they need to go, provide and eventually on to Assembly Square more connections with more destinations in Somerville. around the city, and provide important redundancy in the system in the case of a The Urban Ring is thought of as one problem that causes the shutdown of any large project, but in reality, it is unlikely one subway line. that many (if any) riders will ever travel In Boston, the idea of an urban ring more than halfway around the ring, since was first conceived of in the 1970s, but the it will almost always be easier to take an idea truly gained steam in the 1990s with existing MBTA subway line to those desti- the growth of employment centers such as nations. As a result, it is far more important

26 Connecting the Commonwealth to provide effective transit connections subject to traffic delays, making travel on along the most heavily traveled segments the Urban Ring a less appealing option.52 of the ring than to compromise service Potentially more damaging, planning for quality in the pursuit of a “one-seat ride” Phase 2 of the project is progressing with- along the entire loop. out consideration of the rail investments There are three segments of the Urban slated for Phase 3, leading to the potential Ring that are particularly important based for investments to be made now that pre- on projected ridership: clude or increase the expense of providing rail service later on. • The segment south and west of down- The Commonwealth and Boston resi- town Boston linking the southern dents and businesses stand to benefit from branch of the Red Line with Boston completion of the Urban Ring in whatever Medical Center, Newmarket, Dudley form, but the benefits of achieving full Square, Ruggles, Longwood and Bos- build-out—including rail service—are ton University. far greater. An estimated 170,000 riders are projected to use the Phase 2 Urban • The corridor from Allston across the Ring, which would cost $2.2 billion to Charles River through Kendall Square build (with the majority of the money to and Lechmere to Assembly Square on be spent on a tunnel under the Longwood the Orange Line. medical complex). The final, third phase of the project, however, would accommodate • The northern corridor linking Ever- nearly 300,000 daily riders, according to ett, Chelsea and Logan Airport.50 a 2001 study.53 The same study estimated that ridership on a light rail line that These corridors—and especially the connected Dudley Square in Roxbury first two—are ideal candidates for rail with Assembly Square in Somerville via transit, with high potential ridership, Longwood and East Cambridge would top dense development patterns and already- 200,000 daily riders by 2025.54 That level congested roadways. The proposal for of daily ridership would rival or exceed the the Everett-Chelsea-East Boston corridor ridership levels of the MBTA’s existing would, in part, operate bus service over an subway lines.55 existing rail right-of-way, suggesting that With a rail-based Urban Ring, trips rail transit should be considered in this that had once been difficult would become area as well. convenient—by 2025, a rail-based Phase 3 The current proposal for a bus-based of the Urban Ring is predicted to chop 18 system in Phase 2 of the Urban Ring may minutes off a projected 39 minute trip from not achieve the goal of providing reliable, Assembly Square to MIT, and 28 minutes frequent and fast transit service along the off the 48 minute trip from Dudley Square most heavily traveled portions of the cor- to Kendall Square.56 While Phase 2 would ridor. Under the current proposal, buses divert an estimated 13,000 automobile trips would operate over separate rights-of-way each day, Phase 3 would divert more than over only about half the length of the Ur- 37,000 trips, with substantial reductions in ban Ring.51 Key parts of the Urban Ring air pollution, energy consumption, wasted would be served either through dedicated time, and congestion in the central part of bus lanes on existing city streets (an ap- the transit system.57 proach that has not worked well along the The Urban Ring is envisioned as a Washington St. segment of the Silver Line) phased project, but while there is a need for or in mixed traffic, where buses would be immediate transportation improvements

A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 27 in the corridor it also makes sense for the Commonwealth to begin planning now for Regional Rail the eventual construction of rail transit at Passenger rail transportation in Mas- least along the segment of the ring from sachusetts serves a number of pressing Dudley Square to Assembly Square. This needs. The MBTA’s commuter rail lines is particularly important given the capital bring tens of thousands of commuters to cost of constructing the Phase 2 tunnel Boston-area jobs every day while con- from Dudley Square to Longwood. Any necting far flung portions of the metro- capital-intensive development on the cor- politan area. Amtrak’s Acela service is a ridor should be consistent with the vision crucial transportation link with the New of rail transit—and rail transit should be York-Washington, D.C. corridor, while built now, rather than later, in parts of the Amtrak’s Downeaster service has proven corridor where it makes sense. to be a popular connection with south- With the development of the Urban ern New Hampshire and coastal Maine. Ring, Massachusetts has the chance to Amtrak’s service from Boston to Albany solve long-standing transportation problems and from Hartford to Vermont via Spring- in the Boston area and to put a bold stamp field provide infrequent but important rail on the region’s future development. It is links, while the state’s freight rail network imperative that the state get it right the first provides vital, but often unappreciated, time by investing in high-quality transit benefits. options that will deliver the greatest benefit But for all its importance, Massachu- for Boston-area travelers and the region’s setts’ rail network falls short of its poten- economy. tial. Critical areas of the state, including

28 Connecting the Commonwealth the Springfield area and the South Coast, rail transportation network. It would bene- do not have access to regular commuter fit Massachusetts as the hub of the regional rail service to metropolitan hubs. And economy, while providing commuters and with both automobile and air travel fac- other travelers with more options for their ing pressure from higher oil prices, there daily journeys. is a growing need to provide alternative transportation links throughout the New South Coast Commuter Rail England region. Massachusetts has the ca- Fall River and New Bedford—the two pacity to be the hub of such a system, with main cities of Massachusetts’ “South existing railroad rights-of-way that cross Coast”—have struggled economically in the state and a strong foundation of pas- recent decades, never fully recovering senger rail service from which to build. from the demise of the twin pillars of the The following series of investments region’s economy, fishing and textiles. The would put Massachusetts on track to be- region is also disconnected from much come the center of a New England-wide of the rest of the eastern Massachusetts

Improving MBTA Bus Service

he future of public transportation in the Boston area includes ambitious projects Tsuch as the Urban Ring and extensions of existing subway lines. But it must also include improvements in the operation of “bread and butter” transit services such as the MBTA’s bus network. As of 2005, an average of more than 375,000 people boarded MBTA buses each weekday.58 Unfortunately, for many bus travelers, service can be spotty and unreliable. For example, in 2008, MBTA officials admitted that drivers had dropped thousands of scheduled trips per month in an effort to cut costs without notifying customers.59 The MBTA deserves recognition for its program to purchase cleaner vehicles and to improve communications, allowing for automated stop announcements on many MBTA bus lines. Among the measures that can be taken to improve bus service are the following:

• Make better use of communications technology to keep buses on schedule, prevent “bunching” of buses, provide real-time schedule information to passengers, and give buses priority at traffic signals.

• Experiment with the use of express buses to complement existing, highly used bus routes, and encourage the development of more bus-priority traffic lanes.

• Provide additional transit services, including better options for “reverse commuting” and limited late-night service in areas with high ridership potential.

The most important long-term step to improve bus service, however, is to address the MBTA’s financial crisis, thereby ensuring adequate funding to operate the bus network and reducing the temptation to reduce costs through service cuts.

A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 29 economy, depending on congested highway Commuter Rail Connection to links for its connection to metropolitan New Hampshire Boston. The idea of connecting Fall River and New Hampshire sends thousands of com- New Bedford to the MBTA commuter muters to Massachusetts each morning, rail network has been under discussion clogging Bay State highways and consum- for two decades, but has gained significant ing vast amounts of fuel. A 2006 report momentum in recent years. There are found that 13 percent of commuters in several proposed alternatives for linking the entire state of New Hampshire work the two communities to the commuter in Massachusetts, with the vast major- rail network, including branch lines off ity of those commuters driving alone.67 of the existing Attleboro, Stoughton and With the exception of a small corner of Middleborough rail lines.60 Completing southeastern New Hampshire served by the project will also require an expansion Amtrak’s Downeaster, there is no direct in capacity at Boston’s South Station. The rail service between New Hampshire and total cost of the project is estimated to be the Boston area. approximately $1.4 billion.61 Public officials in New Hampshire are The Fall River/New Bedford exten- taking steps to change that. City officials sions would attract significant numbers in Nashua have been pushing for years of new transit riders—up to 2,900 each to restore commuter rail service between day—averting approximately 200,000 ve- that city and Lowell (which is currently hicle-miles of travel daily.62 That translates served by the MBTA’s Lowell commuter into approximately 2.6 million gallons of rail line). Rail service could ultimately annual gasoline savings and nearly 23,000 be extended north to Manchester (with a metric tons of averted carbon dioxide possible stop at Manchester Airport) and, emissions.63 eventually, Concord. The idea of restoring Currently, the Commonwealth is in commuter rail is wildly popular with New the midst of evaluating the alternatives Hampshire residents—a 2007 poll found for providing commuter rail service to that 87 percent of Granite State residents the region, with the goal of choosing a support the extension of passenger rail in route by 2009 and launching the restored the state.68 service in 2016.64 It is important that plans The most recent proposal calls for for the extension of commuter rail to the introduction of a rail shuttle between South Coast also reduce the risk for harm Lowell and various points in southern New to sensitive ecosystems and species in Hampshire, with the new service not to southeastern Massachusetts and preserve be operated by the MBTA. Boston-bound the potential for future expansion of rail commuters would then switch to an MBTA service in the area. commuter rail train for the remainder of Ultimately, the extension of commuter the trip. By 2025, more than 1,600 daily rail service to the South Coast could be the riders would be projected to use the ser- first step in a revitalization of rail travel vice.69 The project has an estimated capital throughout southeastern Massachusetts cost of $77 million, which would increase and Cape Cod. The Commonwealth is to $113 million if an additional spur to already planning to study an extension of Wilton, NH, is added.70 An alternative commuter rail service along existing tracks approach would simply extend the existing to Wareham and Buzzards Bay.65 Eventu- MBTA Lowell line north into New Hamp- ally, rail service could be restored as far as shire, with the service being operated by Hyannis.66 the MBTA.

30 Connecting the Commonwealth The Nashua-Manchester corridor is southern New Hampshire project that the not the only place in New Hampshire that rail shuttle service could be up and running could benefit from a restoration of com- as soon as 2010.73 muter rail service. There have also been The main benefit of New Hampshire discussions of extending the Haverhill commuter rail for the Bay State would commuter rail line approximately 5 miles be a reduction in the number of vehicles over the border to Plaistow, NH, to serve on busy Massachusetts highways such as commuters in that community.71 Route 3, I-93 and I-495, and the air pollu- The restoration of rail service in New tion they cause. As a result, Massachusetts Hampshire has faced a number of road- should help New Hampshire get new rail blocks, which state officials are now work- service up and running by exploring the ing to surmount. In 2007, the state of New possibility of extending Haverhill branch Hampshire created the New Hampshire service to Plaistow and working with New Rail Transit Authority to plan for exten- Hampshire officials to assist in the restora- sion of commuter rail in the state. And tion of service from Lowell to the Nashua- the state adopted legislation in 2008 to Manchester corridor. ease the financial burden of restarting rail service.72 Funding still remains a major hurdle—New Hampshire is constitution- Springfield-Hartford-New Haven ally prohibited from using gasoline tax Commuter Rail revenue for transit projects, and has neither Rail transportation has been an important a state sales tax nor a state income tax. But cog in the western Massachusetts economy should funding be found, rail advocates in for more than 150 years. It was the cross-

I-93 heading south from New Hampshire is clogged with traffic each morning as commuters travel to jobs in Massachusetts. Extending commuter rail to southern New Hampshire would provide an alternative to congested highways.

A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 31 ing of north-south and east-west railroads connections to Bradley International Air- that originally gave Springfield its nick- port. The new line, called the Connecticut name, “the crossroads of New England,” Valley Knowledge Corridor Line, would and helped spur the development of the also link residents of the Connecticut River city’s industrial base. Even today, railroads valley with the Metro North commuter rail have a significant presence in the regional system, which serves New York City, and economy, with CSX’s West Springfield Shore Line East, which provides commuter railyard serving as a key freight rail facility rail service between New Haven and New for the Northeast. London. Where railroads once fueled Spring- In 2005, the state of Connecticut pro- field’s industrial growth, rail transporta- posed a “start-up service” plan that would tion is being considered today as a way to include rush-hour trips at 30-minute tap into the city’s modern strategic assets, intervals along the corridor, several new including its proximity to the educational stations in Connecticut, and improvements resources of the Pioneer Valley, and its in tracks and stations to accommodate the location in the midst of a dense cluster new service. The new service was estimated of health care and financial services busi- to attract more than 2,400 daily riders by nesses that extends down the I-91 corridor 2025, which would remove a significant to Hartford. Convenient, rapid transpor- number of cars from area highways.75 The tation—particularly along the Spring- estimated capital cost of the project is field-Hartford-New Haven corridor and $300 million (2005 dollars), of which ap- between Springfield and the northeastern proximately 90 percent would be paid by hub cities of Boston and New York—is vital the state of Connecticut.76 to fueling the growth of the region in the Connecticut has already allocated years to come. funding for the project, which is now in Springfield still benefits from its cross- environmental review and may come on roads location through its access to Amtrak line as soon as 2011.77 In 2008, the Mas- service in multiple directions. Travelers in sachusetts House passed a transportation Springfield can board trains heading for bond bill that would include funding for Boston, New York, Washington, D.C., planning the project as part of a bond bill Chicago, or Vermont. What is missing, that also provided funding for the Urban however, is frequent, high-quality service, Ring and the commuter rail extension to particularly along the Springfield-Hart- the South Coast. ford-New Haven corridor, where travelers Massachusetts needs to ensure that are looking for an alternative to the often Springfield benefits from the extension snarled I-91. The current Amtrak service, of commuter rail service in Connecticut for example, has only two weekday morn- by investing the necessary funds to coming peak-period trains from Springfield to plete the Commonwealth’s share of the Hartford (the last of which leaves Spring- project. field at 7 a.m.) and no morning rush-hour In addition to completing the commuter service in the opposite direction, meaning rail connection between Springfield, Hart- that it is of limited usefulness for would-be ford and New Haven, the Commonwealth commuters.74 should also consider the potential for For several years, state officials in Con- rail transit north and east of Springfield. necticut have engaged in planning for new Freight rail tracks currently exist that could commuter rail service that would link the link Springfield to Holyoke, Deerfield, three cities and other communities in the Greenfield and eventually destinations in corridor, while providing improved transit Vermont. Extending commuter rail service

32 Connecting the Commonwealth Massachusetts missed a golden opportunity to close the gap in Boston’s rail network when it failed to link South Station (above) with North Station during the Big Dig. between Worcester and Springfield would railroads establishing a terminal at North require significant investment to increase Station and south-side railroads sharing capacity along the existing rail line, which a terminus at South Station. Between the is a busy freight railroad, but would also two stations was a one-mile gap, which provide commuters in western Massachu- continues to exist today. setts with new transportation options. The gap in the Boston area rail network Establishing commuter rail service to is a major obstacle blocking more effective Springfield can help the city take advantage and efficient rail service in the Boston area of its strategic location in New England, and the Northeast. Most obviously, the lack help spur the redevelopment of downtown of a direct connection makes it difficult to Springfield (including the long-stalled get from locations south of South Station plans to renovate the city’s historic but to areas north of North Station. A com- dilapidated Union Station), and ensure muter hoping to go from the South Shore mobility throughout the region. to the North Shore via commuter rail, for example, must get off at South Station, Creating a North-South Rail transfer to the Red Line and then the Or- Connection ange Line, and finally board another train The Boston area’s rail network is an artifact at North Station. The extra time spent on of the 19th century—a time when compet- connections makes it more likely that a ing railroads were busy laying tracks along commuter will decide to drive instead. every possible corridor in the quest for There are several cities with older rail profits. Each of those railroads originally networks that face similar problems—with established its own passenger terminal, but New York City, in which trains run to for the sake of efficiency, they eventually either Penn Station or Grand Central Sta- combined efforts to create two stations tion, but not both—being a good example. serving downtown, with the north-side But the gap in Boston’s rail network is

A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 33 the only one in the nation that interrupts project through the heart of downtown intercity travel, preventing a direct ride Boston and cost as much as $8.3 billion on Amtrak from points south of Boston to (2010 dollars).81 Regardless of the history, northern New England. building the North-South Rail Link would The gap between stations also reduces be an important step toward creating an the capacity and flexibility of the MBTA efficient rail system for Massachusetts and rail system, since trains cannot be quickly the Northeast. It is, however, unlikely to moved from one side of the system to the happen soon, so the region should look at other and because trains must be stored at other alternatives. each “stub end” station for a time before reversing direction to start a new journey, “Second-Best” Solutions in Boston: thus reducing the effective capacity of the There is currently one rail link between the stations. South Station is already nearing north and south halves of the rail system: its capacity, with expansion plans on the the Grand Junction railroad that crosses table, and North Station may face future the Charles River. The Grand Junction, capacity constraints as well. however, is not currently used for passenger Uniting the Greater Boston rail network service, consists of only a single track, and is no easy task. There are several options. would require major upgrades to provide passenger service. Moreover, the railroad North-South Rail Link: The most el- bridge over the Charles is being considered egant solution to the disconnect in the re- as a possible route for the Urban Ring (see gion’s rail system is simply to close the gap page 26). in downtown Boston via a North-South Another alternative is to provide a direct Rail Link—a rail tunnel that would unite transit link between North and South the two halves of the region’s passenger rail stations, such as a streetcar line running network. The benefits of the link would along the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Cit- be substantial: planning conducted earlier ies such as Seattle and Portland, Oregon, in this decade estimated that the rail link have recently built new streetcar lines would divert more than 50,000 automobile designed to help travelers navigate city trips daily, save more than 16 million hours neighborhoods and to provide a focus for of travel time annually, and save more than economic development. A streetcar along 1 million vehicle miles each business day.78 the Rose Kennedy Greenway could help By 2025, that would amount to a savings of to unify the greenway corridor and help 10 million gallons of gasoline and 90,000 travelers find their way through downtown metric tons of carbon dioxide pollution per Boston, while providing a direct North year, helping Massachusetts to achieve its Station-South Station connection as a side goals of energy independence and reduced benefit. A streetcar is no substitute for a rail contribution to global warming.79 connection through Boston, but it could be However, the region missed a golden a modest improvement to make transfers opportunity to make the project a real- between the north and south halves of the ity during construction of the Big Dig, rail network easier and more reliable. which shares the same corridor. The rail link was part of the original vision for the Connections Outside of Greater Boston: If project, but restrictions on federal trans- providing a direct rail connection through portation funding resulted in the rail link downtown Boston is too expensive, the being dropped from the plan.80 As a result, other option is to go around it. Building construction of the North-South Rail a passenger rail connection that bypasses Link would require yet another tunneling Boston would do little to improve the

34 Connecting the Commonwealth performance of the region’s commuter rail resistance to the project, however, coupled network, but it would allow for inter-city with the long timeline for construction and passenger trains to travel from northern the urgent need for better rail service in the New England to New York City and region, suggests that Massachusetts should beyond. A north-south connection could look at other alternatives. either be routed from New York City north through Springfield and the Pioneer Worcester Regional Rail Valley, or through Worcester, with both The restoration of commuter rail service routes eventually connecting to existing between Worcester and Boston in 1994 freight rail tracks running along the Route after a nearly 20-year absence has had a 2 corridor and on to Lowell, and eventu- positive impact on the Worcester region. ally New Hampshire and Maine. Either By 2005, more than 800 commuters each option would require upgrading of existing day were boarding trains from Worcester tracks. In this scenario, either Worcester or to points east along the line, easing traf- Springfield—rather than Boston—would fic congestion on the Mass Turnpike and become the region’s intercity passenger rail other roads and providing an alternative hub, connecting north-south and east-west to automobile commuting.82 Restoration rail lines. of commuter rail service was also a driv- Construction of a North-South Rail ing factor in the renovation of Worcester’s Link through Boston would be the best way stunning Union Station, which now serves to connect the region’s rail network—with as a bus and rail transportation hub for dramatic benefits for the region. Strong the city.

Worcester’s beautifully restored Union Station serves Amtrak and MBTA commuter rail lines and could serve additional passenger rail routes in the years to come. (Credit: John Simakauskas, vistadome.com)

A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 35 While commuter rail service is a boon Second, new stops in these towns could to the city, the level of service along the reduce overcrowded conditions on the Worcester-Boston line has never been suf- existing commuter rail line and allow for ficient, largely due to conflicts with freight an increase in service between Worcester rail service along the line and the fact that and Boston. The Commonwealth is cur- the stretch of track between Worcester rently conducting a feasibility study for and Framingham is owned and operated the extension.86 by freight rail operator CSX, making it the only stretch of track in the commuter Worcester to Providence—Worcester rail system that is not fully controlled by and Providence share a direct freight rail the MBTA. Worcester is currently served connection, leading to the possibility for by 10 round trips per day, which is lower the restoration of passenger rail service than the frequency of service on most other along the corridor. The initial momen- commuter rail lines.83 The infrequency of tum for the project is coming from Rhode service is particularly a problem for would- Island, where the state has studied the be commuters to Worcester—there is only potential for restoring commuter rail ser- one train that arrives at Union Station prior vice as far as Woonsocket, which is on the to 10:15 a.m. and only one rush-hour train Massachusetts border and roughly halfway out of Worcester in the evening.84 between Providence and Worcester.87 A Improving and expanding service on the Worcester-Providence commuter rail line Worcester-Framingham-Boston line is of would likely remove cars from busy roads great importance to Worcester, as is im- such as Route 146 and I-495, while provid- proving the quality of local transit service. ing new options for suburban commuters (See “Regional Transit Authorities” below.) and the only direct rail connection between But there are also several other exciting New England’s second and third largest proposals to expand rail transportation cities. Massachusetts should work with in and around Worcester—proposals that Rhode Island officials to investigate the could make it easier for suburban com- feasibility of commuter rail service between muters to reach downtown Worcester by Worcester and Providence. transit and that would connect Worcester with other major New England cities. Worcester to New London, Conn.— Freight rail tracks also currently run Worcester to Boston via Ayer—The per- between Worcester and Groton and New sistent problems in improving Worcester London, Conn. Most of the interest for service along the Framingham line have restarting passenger rail service along led state officials to consider a new alterna- this corridor has come from Connecticut, tive—running commuter rail service from which is currently dealing with increased Worcester northeast along existing freight highway traffic in the eastern part of the rail tracks to Ayer, where it would connect state driven by the Foxwoods and Mohe- with the MBTA’s existing Fitchburg com- gan Sun casinos. Connecticut is currently muter rail line.85 The new line, which would planning to study the potential for New require substantial track improvements to London to Worcester rail service.88 A complete, would have several potential rail connection with New London would benefits. First, it would create several new provide both commuter rail connections commuter rail stops—possibly including to residents living south and west of stops in Harvard, Lancaster, Clinton and Worcester as well as a direct connection West Boylston—that would allow for rail for Worcester residents to Amtrak service commutes to and from downtown Worcester. to New York City. As with Providence to

36 Connecting the Commonwealth Worcester service, the Commonwealth or departed Amtrak trains at North Sta- should work with the state of Connecticut tion, Back Bay or Route 128 station.90 With to investigate the possibility of revived skyrocketing gasoline prices, ridership on commuter rail service along this corridor. Amtrak trains is expected to set an all-time Should these projects find their way to record this year.91 completion, Worcester could find itself at Unfortunately, the success of the North- the center of a burgeoning rail network, east Corridor high-speed line has not been with connections in virtually all directions, replicated elsewhere. With the exception of making Worcester a central location in an extension of near-high-speed service in New England and providing a spark to the eastern Pennsylvania, there have been no new region’s economy. high-speed rail lines built in the United States since the Acela came on-line in 2000. The lack of progress to date is far short of the vision for high-speed rail laid out by federal officials in the 1990s. During that High-Speed Intercity Rail decade, the federal government designated Amtrak’s Acela service along the Northeast 11 high-speed rail corridors nationwide, corridor is the only high-speed rail service in including several in New England.92 the United States and provides a glimpse of With gasoline prices and highway the potential for high-speed rail to trans- congestion on the rise, however, there is form intercity transportation in America. new momentum at the federal level for Between Boston and New York, the Acela high-speed rail. In June 2008, the U.S. provides a clean, fast, and convenient con- House of Representatives passed a bill that nection—often providing a ride that is would provide stable, multi-year funding to faster and more comfortable than flying Amtrak and create $350 million per year for downtown-to-downtown trips. in matching funds for investment in high- High speed rail, with trains often trav- speed rail corridors.93 eling over 200 mph, has expanded rapidly Massachusetts officials should encour- in Europe, Asia, and more recently Latin age federal investments in high-speed rail America. Further expansion of high-speed and work to ensure that some of those in- rail will be pushed by rising gas prices and vestments are made in the state’s proposed the growing hassle and inconvenience of high-speed rail corridors. airports and air travel. High speed rail is more energy efficient than short-haul Boston to Montreal—High-speed rail flights less than 500 miles.89 Planes waste along the Boston to Montreal corridor a large portion of their fuel during the would travel between Boston, Woburn initial take off. Replacing these short-haul and Lowell, Massachusetts; with potential flights will also have the added benefit of stops in Nashua, Manchester and Con- feeing up capacity at overcrowded airports cord, New Hampshire; and White River such as Logan for relatively more efficient Junction, Montpelier, Burlington and St. long-haul flights. Albans, Vermont, before connecting with Boston is one of the nation’s hubs for the Canadian rail system for the journey intercity rail service—more than 1 million to Montreal.94 There is currently no rail passengers boarded or departed Amtrak service between Boston and Montreal; trains at Boston’s South Station during the last train ran in 1967. High-speed rail Amtrak’s 2007 fiscal year, making it the service could connect Boston and Montreal sixth-busiest station in the entire Amtrak in as little as four hours—about the current system. Another million passengers boarded travel time between Boston and New York

A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 37 City on Amtrak’s Acela service.95 A 2003 Massachusetts and can relieve pressure on study estimated that high-speed service the Massachusetts Turnpike. It could also along the corridor could attract as many link Massachusetts residents with rail ser- as 600,000 annual riders corridor-wide, vice to upstate New York and points west with 200,000 traveling between Boston in the Great Lakes region, as well as to the and Montreal.96 The addition of high-speed Adirondacks and Canada. rail service would provide quick, direct connections between Boston and northern New Haven to Springfield—In addi- New England and the track improvements tion to proposals to extend commuter rail needed to make high-speed service a real- service from New Haven to Springfield, ity would likely also improve the quality the corridor is also designated as a federal of commuter and freight rail service along high-speed rail corridor. A high-speed rail the corridor as well. connection between the two cities would potentially allow for Amtrak to run high- Boston to Portland and Auburn, Maine— speed trains along the “inland route” from The restoration of passenger rail service Boston to New York via Springfield and between Boston and Portland, Maine, Hartford, providing greater access to New has been a smashing success. With higher York-based service for central Massachu- gasoline prices, passenger travel on the setts and an alternative to the increasingly Downeaster has been regularly breaking congested Northeast Corridor. records. During fiscal year 2008 (from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2008), ridership on the Funding for high-speed rail can and Downeaster increased by 28 percent—with should come primarily from the federal the ridership increase since October 2007 government. But Massachusetts has a criti- being the largest of any Amtrak route in the cal role to play in planning for high-speed nation.97 A recent study projects that devel- rail and pushing for it to be built in the opment along the route of the Downeaster Commonwealth as opposed to elsewhere. could generate as much as $3.3 billion in High-speed rail is vital to Massachu- construction investment and create more setts’ future accessibility and leadership in than 8,000 new jobs by 2030.98 The state of the Northeast region. The Commonwealth Maine recently appropriated funds to im- should begin to plan now for the eventual prove tracks from Portland to Brunswick, introduction of high-speed rail and should which will potentially connect to coastal actively push for funding of high-speed rail rail as far north as Rockland.99 Creation projects in Massachusetts. of high-speed service between Boston and Auburn, Maine—particularly if paired with construction of the North-South Rail Link—would expand the range of possible rail service in the state of Maine while ex- pediting connections within Massachusetts Regional Transit Authorities between Boston and Haverhill. Massachusetts must embrace a broad vision for 21st century transit service in the Com- Boston to Albany, Buffalo and Points monwealth. But it is also important that the West—High-speed rail service from state focus on maintaining and improving Boston to Albany would provide large current transit services. Unfortunately, the benefits to the Commonwealth—first and quality of existing transit service in many foremost among them being an efficient parts of the Commonwealth is not nearly east-west transportation link that spans as good as it should be.

38 Connecting the Commonwealth Across the country, rising gasoline routes and shortened others.101 The prices are causing many drivers to take a service reductions are on top of earlier second look at transit, providing a prime cuts to bus routes and the elimination opportunity for transit agencies to attract of all bus service on major holidays.102 new riders. Ironically, however, many Massachusetts transit agencies have been • The Cape Cod Regional Transit cutting service due to budgetary shortfalls Authority doubled fares on some bus and the impact of fuel prices on transit routes in March, while cutting service. agency budgets. Despite the fare increase, ridership on Among the recent headlines from one bus line increased by 27 percent in around the Commonwealth: early 2008 over the year before, due to higher gasoline prices.103 • The Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority planned Record-high gasoline prices provide a to cut bus routes, end Sunday service, golden opportunity to get Massachusetts and curtail Saturday service, despite residents to rethink their transportation a 9 percent increase in ridership. The choices. The Commonwealth should use cuts were put on hold pending the this opportunity to add new services. But Legislature’s decision on funding.100 Massachusetts’ antiquated system of funding the regional transit authorities (RTAs) • The Worcester Regional Transit around the state has made it impossible for Authority has combined several bus the RTAs to respond to consumer demand

Note: Mapping of proposed routes for illustration purposes only. Depiction on this map does not suggest endorsement of a particular routing.

A Vision for the Future of Public Transportation in Massachusetts 39 by preserving service, adding new services, for expenses in the current year—a solu- and keeping fares low. tion that would both provide more revenue Currently, the RTAs receive funding certainty for the RTAs and reduce the cost from the state in the form of reimburse- of debt service. In 2008, the Legislature ments for expenses incurred the previous instructed the Executive Office of Trans- year. The funding formula relies both on portation to “forward fund” the RTAs and assessments to cities and towns that are provided the RTAs with 25 percent of the served by the RTAs and on state appropria- state’s “toll credits,” which can be used to tions. RTAs must borrow to cover current obtain additional federal transportation year expenses not knowing whether the funding to compensate the state for toll increases in local assessments or state fund- funds used to maintain federal highways. ing will be enough to cover expenditures. It is likely that the toll credits will free up If income turns out to be insufficient, the RTA capital funds that can be used to ad- transit agency’s debt is rolled forward to dress operating costs. the following year, acting as an albatross Forward funding is not a panacea—the around the neck of the transit agency forward funding mechanism for the and eventually forcing service cuts, fare MBTA, a one cent portion of the state increases or both. The end result can be sales tax, has proven to be both inconsistent a downward spiral in which less ridership and to provide less funding than originally brings less revenue, causing service cuts anticipated. But with a consistent and ad- and fare increases that depress ridership equate source of funding, the RTAs could further. put themselves on better financial footing RTA officials have advocated that they and allow for improved transit service receive “forward funding,” in which a across the Commonwealth. dedicated source of funding is used to pay

40 Connecting the Commonwealth From Vision to Reality: A 21st Century Transit System for Massachusetts

assachusetts must make sound in- plan, and then work to obtain the neces- vestments in public transportation sary resources to get the job done. The if it hopes to remain competitive in plan would be similar to the MBTA’s cur- Mst the 21 century—a time that looks increas- rent Program for Mass Transportation, ingly likely to be one of higher oil prices, but would be broader in scope (including increased concern about global warming, transit improvements outside the MBTA’s and continued congestion problems. At the purview) and would propose a schedule and same time, however, Massachusetts faces a financing plan for completing the proposed transportation funding crisis. As estimated projects. by the Massachusetts Transportation Many levels of government and other Finance Commission in 2007, the cost to institutions have a role to play in achieving maintain the Commonwealth’s transporta- the goal of a 21st century transit system for tion system over the next 20 years exceeds Massachusetts. estimated revenues by $15 billion to $19 billion.104 That figure does not include any expansions or enhancements to the system, including construction and operation of the projects described in this report. Massachusetts must solve its ongoing Federal Government transportation finance problems in ways The main federal transportation fund- that ensure the continued safe operation ing law—the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, of the state’s roads and transit systems. Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A But when it comes to expansion projects, Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU)—is due the lack of readily available funds should for reauthorization by Congress in 2009. not cause state officials to throw up their It is possible that the coming reauthoriza- hands. Rather, the Commonwealth should tion will be the most sweeping reform of develop a long-range, strategic plan for federal transportation policy in nearly transit investments in the Commonwealth, two decades. The Congressional Budget identify the price tag of completing that Office projects that the portion of the

From Vision to Reality 41 federal highway trust fund that pays for rail network and the MBTA commuter rail highway projects will run out of money network already cross state borders, linking sometime during fiscal year 2009, with residents of the six New England states. the public transit portion of the account Yet, there is nothing that resembles a scheduled to run out of money soon there- region-wide plan for passenger rail. Mas- after.105 America’s aging transportation sachusetts should take leadership in con- network is increasingly in need of costly vening regional officials to develop a rail repairs. Meanwhile, amid rising gasoline plan for New England and in identifying prices, Americans are now experiencing potential sources of funding to make that the downside of the highway-centered plan a reality. By developing a regional rail investment policies of the last few decades, plan that enjoys broad support across New which leave too many Americans with few England, the region can make a strong case transportation choices. In short, the status for federal investment in the region’s rail quo cannot continue. infrastructure and target transportation Massachusetts officials should campaign investments in the region to those projects for a new federal transportation funding with the biggest potential pay-offs. law that makes a large investment in needed improvements to transit systems and intercity rail, while focusing federal highway investment on the need to maintain and repair existing infrastructure. Federal State Policy money should be used in a targeted and Massachusetts must obviously take steps strategic way to encourage transportation to solve its transportation funding cri- investments that minimize oil dependence, sis—through both the identification of congestion, environmental pollution and new revenues and steps to improve the ef- sprawl, and encourage the development of ficiency of existing transportation agencies. compact, livable communities where driv- The Massachusetts Transportation Fi- ing is an option, not a requirement. nance Commission has outlined numerous Such a dramatic shift would benefit recommendations that state officials should Massachusetts by providing additional consider, including cost savings such as ad- resources for needed transit projects—in- dressing MBTA employee healthcare and cluding some that have sat on the drawing pension costs, and new revenues such as an board for decades. In addition to pushing 11.5 cent increase to the state gas tax. for new federal transportation priorities, The Commonwealth should also pri- Massachusetts should also work aggressively oritize the MBTA’s debt crisis by relieving through existing avenues to obtain federal the authority of the $1.8 billion in debt funding for transit infrastructure projects, incurred for projects required under the including high-speed passenger rail. Big Dig settlements. By fiscal year 2013, the MBTA’s annual debt service payments could reach a half-billion dollars per year, crippling the authority’s ability to continue to provide its current level of service at Regional Coordination affordable prices, much less expand to ad- Massachusetts residents aren’t the only dress the transportation needs of the 21st ones who benefit from investments in century.106 public transportation in the Common- Finally, Massachusetts must address wealth—particularly investments in the the funding challenges of regional transit region’s rail network. Amtrak’s intercity authorities by creating a forward funding

42 Connecting the Commonwealth system based on adequate and predictable particularly at a time of high gasoline streams of revenue. By taking these steps, prices, traffic congestion, and increasing Massachusetts can put its transportation concern over the environment. Much of system on a more solid financial foot- that network is a gift left to us by policy- ing—creating a foundation from which makers and entrepreneurs who lived a the Commonwealth can begin to plan for century or more ago, laying down the system expansions. tracks and digging the tunnels on which When planning future investments our transit system operates. the state’s transportation network, the Massachusetts must make its trans- Commonwealth should prioritize invest- portation investments with a similar ments in public transportation, with state long-term vision in mind—especially in and federal dollars used to finance transit an era when high gasoline prices, increased improvements, rather than continued ad- concern about the environment and conditions to the MBTA’s debt. tinuing congestion all argue for invest- The Commonwealth should align other ment in clean, efficient transportation public policies with a 21st century vision for alternatives. There are myriad potential transportation that is less dependent on solutions to Massachusetts’ transportation automobiles and can take full advantage funding challenges, but obtaining money of improved public transit. Massachusetts for transportation improvements is only should require that all proposed transpor- half the battle—the Commonwealth also tation investments be evaluated for their needs a visionary, forward-looking plan impact on oil dependence and global warm- for investing that money in ways that ing pollution. State government buildings create and sustain a safe, affordable and should be located, to the extent possible, extensive transportation system for the in areas with accessible transit service. 21st century. And the Commonwealth should encour- The projects listed in this report should age local governments to adopt land-use make up the core of Massachusetts’ transit plans and zoning reforms that allow for “to-do” list over the coming years. The and encourage compact development in Commonwealth simply cannot afford to and around transit stations. allow these projects—many of which have already sat on the drawing board for decades—to remain undone, particularly at a time when metropolitan areas across the country are developing and implementing Conclusion visionary plans for public transportation. Massachusetts’ extensive transit network is a It is time, once again, for Massachusetts tremendous asset for the Commonwealth— to lead.

From Vision to Reality 43 Notes

1. Based on 1980-2006 vehicle-miles 29 February 2008, adjusted for inflation based traveled estimates from U.S. Department on U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of of Transportation, Federal Highway Economic Analysis, National Income and Product Administration, Highway Statistics series of Accounts Table, Table 1.1.9: Implicit Price Deflators reports, Historical Summary to 1995 and for Gross Domestic Product, 29 May 2008. annual reports from 1996 to 2006; 2007 Estimates for 2006 and 2007 based on rate of vehicle-miles traveled estimates from U.S. change in vehicle-miles traveled (see note 1 for Department of Transportation, Federal sources) and gasoline prices in Massachusetts, Highway Administration, Traffic Volume Trends based on U.S. Department of Energy, Energy series of reports, February 2007 to January Information Administration, Massachusetts 2008; 1980s population estimates from U.S. Gasoline and Diesel Retail Prices, downloaded Census Bureau, Intercensal Estimates of the from tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_gnd_ Total Resident Population of States: 1980 to 1990, dcus_sma_a.htm, 14 July 2008. August 1996; 1990s population estimates from 6. Ibid. U.S. Census Bureau, Time Series of Massachusetts Intercensal Population Estimates by County: 7. U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal April 1, 1990, to April 1, 2000, 17 April 2002; Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2000s population estimates from U.S. Census reports, years 1998 and 2006. Bureau, Annual Population Estimates, Estimated 8. Estimate is in 2007 dollars, see note 5 for Components of Population Change and Rates of the calculation methodology. Components of Population Change for the United States and States: April 1, 2000, to July 1, 2007, 1 9. Center for Neighborhood Technology, July 2007. Housing and Transportation Affordability Index, downloaded from htaindex.cnt.org/map_tool, 2. David Schrank and Tim Lomax, Texas 24 July 2008. Transportation Institute, The 2007 Urban Mobility Report, September 2007. 10. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, State CO2 Emissions from Fossil Fuel Combustion, 3. Ibid. 1990-2005, downloaded from www.epa. 4. Ibid. gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads/ CO2FFC_2005.pdf, 14 July 2008. 5. Based on state gasoline expenditure data for 1980 through 2005 from U.S. Department of 11. U.S. Department of Transportation, Energy, Energy Information Administration, Federal Transit Administration, National State Energy Data 2005: Prices and Expenditures, Transit Database, with data through 2006,

44 Connecting the Commonwealth downloaded from www.ntdprogram.gov/ linked transit trips, time savings are compared ntdprogram/, 28 June 2008. Note: this figure to a transportation system management includes only transit agencies that report to alternative. the National Transit Database, including 11 27. Average fuel economy for 2025 based on Massachusetts regional transit authorities and projections from U.S. Department of Energy, the MBTA. Figures for private transit providers Energy Information Administration, Annual were excluded. Data for missing years in the Energy Outlook 2008, June 2008; carbon dioxide NTD data were estimated by interpolating data emissions per gallon of gasoline assumed to from the preceding and following years. be 19.6 pounds of carbon dioxide per gallon 12. Ibid. based on Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 13. U.S. Department of Transportation, Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, , Federal Transit Administration, National Frequently Asked Global Change Questions downloaded from cdiac.ornl.gov/pns/faq.html, Transit Database: Monthly Module Adjusted Data 14 July 2008. We assumed that the energy and Release, downloaded from www.ntdprogram. gov/ntdprogram/, 16 August 2008. global warming emission savings from the project would only accrue on weekdays. 14. U.S. Department of Transportation, 28. See note 23, Appendix C, based on Federal Highway Administration, Traffic Alternative 1C. Volume Trends series of reports, February 2007 to June 2007 and February 2008 to June 2008. 29. Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation, 15. U.S. Census Bureau, 2006 American Red Line/Blue Line Connector: , Community Survey: Means of Transportation to Expanded Environmental Notification Form September 2007. Work: Workers 16 Years and Over, downloaded from www.census.gov, 15 August 2008. 30. Steven Rosenberg, “Blue Line Blues,” 16. Ibid. Boston Globe, 6 April 2008. 31. See note 29. 17. U.S. PIRG Education Fund, A Better Way to Go: Meeting America’s 21st Century Transportation 32. Ibid. Challenges with Modern Public Transit, March 33. Central Transportation Planning 2008. Staff, 2003 Program for Mass Transportation, 18. See note 2. prepared for the Massachusetts Bay 19. See note 17. Transportation Authority, as included in appendix to Massachusetts Executive Office of 20. Noah Bierman, “Ridership Rising Fast, Transportation, Red Line/Blue Line Connector: MBTA Announces,” Boston Globe, 4 June 2008. Expanded Environmental Notification Form, 21. U.S. Department of Transportation, September 2007. Federal Transit Administration, Top Transit 34. Ibid. Cities, downloaded from www.ntdprogram.gov/ ntdprogram/, 24 June 2008. 35. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Newburyport/Rockport Line— 22. U.S. Census Bureau, United States Outbound, Weekday Effective 4/30/07, Summary: 2000, Population and Housing Unit downloaded from www.mbta.com, 14 July 2008. Counts, Part 1, April 2004. 36. See note 30. 23. Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., Beyond 37. Central Transportation Planning Staff, Lechmere Northwest Corridor Study (draft), prepared for the Massachusetts Bay 2003 Program for Mass Transportation, prepared Transportation Authority, August 2005. for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, May 2003, revised January 2004. 24. George P. Hassett, “State Fully Funds 38. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Green Line Extension,” Somerville News, 25 April 2008. Authority, Fairmount Line Feasibility Study: Final Report (executive summary), 16 October 2002. 25. Massachusetts Executive Office of 39. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Transportation, Green Line Extension Project (map), 1 May 2008. Authority, Renovations to Morton Street Station Complete (press release), 17 July 2007. 26. See note 23, Appendix F. Note: “trips” are 40. Massachusetts Bay Transportation

Notes 45 Authority, Fairmount Line Improvements, 52. The Washington Street segment of downloaded from www.mbta.com/about_the_ the Silver Line has been criticized by some mbta/t_projects/?id=14261, 14 July 2008. local residents and transit advocates as being 41. Pete Stidman, “Fairmount Improvements inadequate “replacement service” for the Trigger New Building in Dot, Mattapan,” Orange Line elevated service, which was ended in 1987. The Washington Street Silver Dorchester Reporter, 17 January 2008. Line runs in combination of mixed traffic and 42. Massachusetts Executive Office of designated bus lanes on existing city streets. Transportation, Fairmount Line Service While the Silver Line does attract some more Improvements: Potential Uses of DMUs: Final riders than the bus line it replaced, and has Report, April 2008. marginally lower travel times, it is far from 43. Ron DePasquale, “Coming Down the the level and quality of service that would be Track, A Four Corners Upgrade,” Boston Globe, sustainable in the Washington Street corridor. 10 December 2006. 53. See note 48. 44. U.S. Department of Transportation, 54. Ibid. Federal Transit Administration, Boston Silver 55. Ibid. Line Washington Street Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Demonstration Project Evaluation, September 56. Ibid. 2005. 57. Ibid. 45. Jeremy Marin and Warren Terrell, Sierra 58. See note 46. Club, MBTA’s Silver Line: Taxpayers Get Less for More, Spring 2005. 59. Casey Ross, “Bus-ted: T Lied to Cut Costs,” Boston Herald, 16 February 2008. 46. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, MBTA Ridership and Service 60. Goody Clancy, Massachusetts Executive Statistics, 2006, excerpt downloaded from www. Office of Transportation, South Coast Rail bostonmpo.org, 10 July 2008. Alternative Routes, downloaded from www. commentmgr.com/projects/1212/docs/ 47. Massachusetts Executive Office of AlternativeRoutes.pdf, 14 July 2008. Transportation, Urban Ring Regulatory Background, downloaded from www. 61. Massachusetts Executive Office of theurbanring.com/regulatorybackground.asp, Transportation and Massachusetts Bay 14 July 2008. Transportation Authority, South Coast Rail Plan for Action, 4 April 2007. 48. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and U.S. Department of 62. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Transportation, Major Investment Study of Authority, New Bedford/Fall River Commuter Circumferential Transit Improvements in the Rail Extension: Final Environmental Impact Urban Ring Corridor: MIS Final Report, 31 July Report, April 2002. Estimates based on 2001. Stoughton alternative. 49. Massachusetts Executive Office of 63. See note 27. Note: data from note 62 are Transportation, Urban Ring Phase 2: Proposed based on ridership in year 2010. The project is Circumferential Transit Project, Presentation to unlikely to be completed by then. Allston Neighborhood Association, 18 June 2008. 64. Joe Cohen, “Rail Planners to Choose Final 50. Massachusetts Executive Office of Route Within a Year,” Standard-Times, 1 May Transportation, Urban Ring Phase 2, 2008. downloaded from www.commentmgr.com/ 65. Diana T. Barth, “Commuter Rail Takes projects/1169/docs/UrbanRing0608_web.pdf, Step Closer to B. Bay,” The Enterprise, 20 June 14 July 2008. 2008. 51. Carrie Russell, Conservation Law 66. Cape Cod Metropolitan Planning Foundation, Letter to Executive Office of Energy Organization, Cape Cod Regional Transportation and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian A. Plan, April 2007. Bowles Re: Circumferential Transit Improvements in the Urban Ring Corridor—Phase 2; May 31, 67. NHPIRG Education Fund and Clean 2007 Notice of Project Change to Special Review Water Fund, Driving Global Warming: Procedure, 27 June 2007. Commuting in New Hampshire and its

46 Connecting the Commonwealth Contribution to Global Warming, January 2006. An Integrated Regional Rail Network for New , 27 June 2007. 68. Nashua Regional Planning Commission, England Survey Shows Strong Support for Passenger Rail 82. Boardings from Massachusetts Bay Service (press release), 13 March 2007. Transportation Authority, Commuter Rail , 69. New Hampshire Passenger Rail Task Station Boardings (Inbound), Typical Weekday downloaded from www.bostonmpo. Force, Draft Proposal for the Re-introduction org/bostonmpo/resources/CMS/ of Passenger Rail Service in Southern New CRBoardingsFeb05.pdf, 14 July 2008. Hampshire, 5 January 2007. 83. Scott Zoback, “Sidetracked,” 70. Ibid. Worcester Magazine, 6 September 2007. 71. Shawn Regan and Meghan Carey, “MBTA 84. Based on Massachusetts Bay Eyes Plaistow for New Commuter Rail Transportation Authority, Framingham/ Station,” The Eagle-Tribune, 3 March 2008. Worcester Line: Weekday Effective 6/23/08, 72. New Hampshire Governor John Lynch, downloaded from www.mbta.com, 14 July 2008. Governor Lynch Signs Law Aimed at Moving 85. John J. Monahan, “Will City Trains Go New Hampshire Forward in the Development of North to Go East?” Worcester Telegram & Commuter Rail (press release), 11 June 2008. Gazette, 6 March 2008. 73. See note 69. 86. Ibid. 74. Based on Amtrak, Springfield—New York— 87. City of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Washington, Effective May 12, 2008 (timetable), , downloaded downloaded from www.amtrak.com, 9 July Commuter Rail Feasibility Study from www.dot.ri.gov/projects/intermodal/ 2008. reports/WoonComRailFinalRpt.pdf, 14 July 75. Connecticut Department of 2008. Transportation, Final Report: New Haven— 88. Connecticut Department of Hartford—Springfield Commuter Rail Transportation, Department of Transportation, Implementation Study, June 2005. Bureau of Policy & Planning (Power Point 76. 90 percent: Natasha Clark, “PVACR presentation), August 2007. Crusade for New Haven—Springfield 89. For a comparison of carbon dioxide Commuter Railway,” East Longmeadow emissions among various modes, which are Reminder, 19 March 2008. closely related to energy consumption, see 77. Funding from: Tri-State Transportation Center for Clean Air Policy and Center for Campaign, CT Year in Review: ConnDOT Neighborhood Technology, High Speed Rail and Looks for the Right Road, 4 January 2008; Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the U.S., January environmental review from: Tri-State 2006. Transportation Campaign, Frankel Maps 90. Amtrak, Amtrak State Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year ConnDOT Progress on Smart Growth, Transit 2007, State of Massachusetts, January 2008. Efforts, 5 February 2008; 2011 from: Windsor Locks Economic and Industrial Development 91. Bob Dart, “Amtrak Ridership Up as Gas Commission, Windsor Locks Main Street Prices Hit New Highs,” Atlanta Journal- Study: Feedback from Public on Preliminary Constitution, 22 May 2008. Recommendations, 14 May 2008. 92. U.S. Department of Transportation, 78. Citizens Advisory Committee for the Federal Railroad Administration, High Speed North South Rail Link Project, Principal Rail Corridor Designations, downloaded from Conclusions of the NSRL Project MIS/DEIS/ www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/203, 11 September DEIR, 31 March 2003. 2008. 79. See note 27. 93. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act, downloaded 80. Sierra Club, Conference on Funding the from www.speaker.gov/legislation?id=0216, 14 North South Rail Link, Monday, April 26, 2004: July 2008. Conference Minutes, downloaded from www. sierraclubmass.org/issues/conservation/nsrl/ 94. Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, nsrl_conf_minutes.pdf, 14 July 2008. Boston to Montreal High-Speed Rail Planning and , prepared 81. Association for Public Transportation, Feasibility Study Phase 1: Final Report

Notes 47 for Vermont Agency of Transportation, New 102. Lee Hammel, “WRTA Wants to Cut Hampshire Department of Transportation, More Buses,” Worcester Telegram & Gazette, 1 and Massachusetts Executive Office of March 2008. Transportation and Construction, April 2003. 103. Brian H. Kehrl, “Riders ‘Dump the Pump’ 95. Ibid. to Ride on Regional Buses,” The Enterprise, 13 96. Ibid. June 2008. 97. Northern New England Passenger Rail 104. Massachusetts Transportation Finance Commission, Authority, Downeaster Completes Another Record Transportation Finance in , 28 Breaking Year (press release), 21 July 2008. Massachusetts: An Unsustainable System March 2007. 98. Northern New England Passenger Rail 105. William W. Millar, American Public Authority, New Report Shows Downeaster Train Transportation Association, Adds Billions to Maine’s Economy (press release), 7 On Public April 2008. Transportation Funding for Fiscal Year 2009: Testimony Before the Subcommittee 99. Environment Maine, Downeaster Expansion on Transportation and Housing and Urban to Brunswick Gets Boost (press release), 23 April Development, and Related Agencies of the U.S. 2008. House Committee On Appropriations, 16 April 100. Emily Wilcox, “Bus Cuts on Hold, 2008. GATRA Routes Remain as They Are Until 106. John Larson and Eric Bourassa, Fall,” WickedLocal Plymouth, 21 June 2008. MASSPIRG Education Fund, Derailed By Debt: 101. Worcester Regional Transit Authority, Unhealthy Choices the MBTA Will Be Forced to Route & Schedule Changes, downloaded from Make in FY2009-FY2013, Fall 2007. www.therta.com/downloads/WRTA_Route_ Changes_Fact_Sheet.pdf, 14 July 2008.

48 Connecting the Commonwealth