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SILVER LINE BRT

Table of Contents

BOSTON, (USA) ...... 1

SUMMARY ...... 1 CITY CONTEXT...... 1 PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION BACKGROUND...... 1 WASHINGTON STREET TRANSITWAY ...... 2 WATERFRONT ( SEAPORT) ...... 2 PHYSICAL ELEMENTS...... 3 Section A: to World Trade Center Tunnel/ Surface Routes...... 3 Section B: Dudley Square to (Surface Route)...... 3 Section C: Medical Center to South Station Tunnel ...... 3 DESIGN FEATURES ...... 4 VEHICLES...... 4 Section A: South Station to World Trade Center/AITC ...... 4 Section B: Dudley Square to Downtown Crossing ...... 5 NEW TECHNOLOGIES ...... 5 SERVICE DESIGN AND OPERATION ...... 6 SERVICE PLAN ...... 7 FARE COLLECTION...... 7 CAPACITY COMPARISONS ...... 7 RIDERSHIP...... 7 ASSESSMENT ...... 7 LESSONS LEARNED ...... 8 APPLICABILITY ...... 8 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 9

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS (USA) Silver Line BRT

SUMMARY

The 4.1-mile [6.6-km] Silver Line BRT connecting Dudley Square, South Station, and the South Boston Seaport will add a fifth transit line to . The transitway will include three sections: Section A, a 1.1-mile [2-km] bus tunnel between South Station and the Waterfront, is scheduled to open by 2004; Section B, a 2.2-mile [3.5-km] section of curbed bus lanes with improved stations along Washington Street between Dudley Square and downtown opened in 2002; and Section C, a tunnel link between South Station and Washington Street is scheduled to open by 2010. Daily ridership on Sections A and C is estimated at 40,000 by 2005, and, for the entire system, at 65,000 by 2025. Costs are estimated at $600 million, $50 million, and $700 million for Sections A, B, and C, respectively.

Dual-mode electric trolley and low-pollution fuel will operate in the . These 60-foot long, low-floor, easily accessible buses will have three sets of double-doors to expedite passenger boarding and alighting. Buses initially operating along Washington Street will use low-pollution fuel and will have the same design features and passenger amenities. Fare collection will be off vehicle at tunnel stations and at major stations along Washington Street.

When buses leave the tunnel along the waterfront, they will use existing streets and tunnels to reach the Boston Convention and Exposition Center, Boston Marine Industrial Park, and Logan . Thus, the Silver Line will permit direct service from the Financial District/South Station and ultimately Dudley Square to Logan Airport. Ultimately, the Silver Line will provide a one- seat ride from Dudley Square to Logan Airport.

CITY CONTEXT

The Boston urbanized area is one of the nation’s largest, oldest, and most densely developed urban regions. The urbanized area contains almost 3,000,000 residents, of which more than 700,000 live within the City of Boston. Employment in the 2.2-square-mile [6-square-km] Boston central business district (CBD) exceeds 265,000 and continues to increase.

The central business district relies heavily on , rail transit in particular (Figure 1). Three lines (Blue, Red, Orange) and the multi-route Green Line LRT converge on and traverse the central area. In addition, service operates to and from North and South Stations. Collectively, public transportation accounts for about 60% of the peak daytime accumulation of people.

PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION BACKGROUND

Boston’s “transit-first” policy was given impetus by Governor Sargent’s November 1973 Policy Statement on Transportation (1). This policy involved dropping the Inner Belt and I-95 Interstate Highways, establishing a downtown Boston parking space freeze, and expanding public transport investment. It led to transferring Interstate Funds to public transport.

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WASHINGTON STREET TRANSITWAY The cleared for I-91 through and Roxbury was converted to other uses. The Southwest Corridor Improvement Project (completed in 1987) resulted in relocating the Orange Rapid Transit and lines in a common area, building arterial streets, and providing parks and green space along with new housing in the corridor. The Washington Street Elevated Line between downtown and Dudley Square was removed, leaving residents in this area without rapid transit.

This led to a 10-year dialogue between 1987 and 1997 as to the type and location of this replacement transit service – the Washington Street curb bus lanes and streetscape improvements under construction are the outgrowth of these discussions.

WATERFRONT (SOUTH BOSTON SEAPORT) BUS TUNNEL The continued growth of downtown Boston over the past several decades has left little room to expand either within the center or in adjacent areas to the west and south. Although some land will become available along the after its relocation below ground is completed (the ), the remaining growth area is located along the Boston Waterfront to the east of . This area was given an important impetus when the Federal Courthouse was relocated there in the 1990s to stimulate development. Major developments in process include the Boston Convention and Exposition Center (BCEC) and the Boston Marine Industrial Park (BMIC).

Development in this area is expected to increase by 13.6 million square feet [1.3 square km] between 1992 and 2010, and another 4.6 million square feet [0.5 square km] from 2010 to 2025 (Table 1). Overall, about 27 million square feet [2.5 square km] of development is anticipated by 2010, and 31 million square feet is anticipated at “buildout” by 2025.

The South Boston Seaport Area has limited street and public transport access. The South Boston Piers Transitway evolved in response to the need to better connect the area with major employment concentrations and rail lines in the South Station Area.

In early 1998, the Silver Line concept emerged when the MBTA combined the Washington Street improved bus service and the South Piers Transitway into a single system and integrated the planning and development for each project. This also includes the integration of other approved projects like the Airport Intermodal Transit Connector (AITC) project, as well as coordination with new developments in the South Boston Seaport District, including the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC) project and proposed development on Massport property.

The Silver Line is a new Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) line that will improve transit service for the Roxbury, South End, and Chinatown neighborhoods to the downtown financial district, new developments in the South Boston Seaport District including the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC), and to Logan Airport. Intermodal connections will be provided with the Orange Line at the New England Medical Center and Chinatown Stations, the Green Line at the , and the Red Line, commuter rail, bus and intercity services at South Station. Connections to Logan Airport will be made by the Airport Intermodal Transit Connector (AITC).

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PHYSICAL ELEMENTS The Silver Line BRT will extend 4.1 miles [6.6 km] from Dudley Square to the South Boston Waterfront. Figure 2 shows how the line relates to the existing rapid transit and commuter rail systems. Figure 3 shows the Silver Line’s three sections as they relate to their service areas.

Section A: South Station to World Trade Center Tunnel/Seaport District Surface Routes This 1.1-mile section, largely in tunnel, is scheduled to begin revenue service by 2004. The tunnel will have stations at South Station, the new Federal Courthouse, and the World Trade Center. Costs are estimated at $600 million. Construction of the tunnel between South Station and World Trade Center in the South Boston Seaport District is being coordinated with the Central Artery/Tunnel project, which shares right-of-way in key downtown sections along the corridor.

Silver Line routes will provide surface connections to the Boston Marine Industrial Park and the Boston Convention and Exposition Center (BCEC). The Airport Intermodal Transit Connection (AITC) will also use the tunnel to connect Logan Airport, the Seaport District, and South Station. Revenue operation is scheduled to begin in 2002. The opening of this section of the Silver Line will coincide with the completion of major new development projects, such as the BCEC and new development proposed for Massport’s property in the area.

Section B: Dudley Square to Downtown Crossing (Surface Route) The 2.2-mile [3.5-km] surface route along Washington Street will link Dudley Square with downtown Boston. Revenue operation is scheduled to begin by 2002. Costs are estimated at $50 million, including vehicles (low-floor articulated buses).

The MBTA is completely reconstructing Washington Street in this area. Curb transit priority lanes are being installed between and the Mass. Pike. Six new stations, similar to Green Line surface stations, are being provided at major intersections. Improvements include new curbs, sidewalks, lighting, and other urban design amenities.

Section C: New England Medical Center to South Station Tunnel This 0.8-mile [1.3-km] tunnel will link sections A and B and connect to the Green Line Subway. The MBTA plans to complete the tunnel by about 2011. Costs are estimated at $700 million.

The MBTA will construct this tunnel between New England Medical Center and South Station. The tunnel will include the reconstruction of the existing Green Line transit tunnel under between Oak Street and Boylston Station to accommodate Silver Line buses, a new Silver Line station under Boylston Station, and a new tunnel between Boylston Station and South Station. A new station is also planned at the Chinatown Station on the Orange Line. The high project costs result from extensive and complex tunnel construction because the Silver Line will go under Fort Point Channel, go over the Red Line and depressed Central Artery, and go under the Green Line.

The key reason for selecting BRT is the ability to directly reach a much broader service area without major additional investment. Buses would be able to reach Logan Airport and via the new . Thus, a one-seat ride would be possible from Dudley

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Square in Roxbury to Logan Airport terminals and support facilities. The tunnel will also allow travel in a single vehicle from the Financial District to the airport with minimum delay.

DESIGN FEATURES The redesign of Washington Street involves providing two travel lanes, a left-turn lane, curb bus lanes, and curb parking lanes between stations. Figure 4 shows the reserved bus lanes in relation to the new urban design features. Figure 5 shows the passenger accommodations and amenities at bus stations.

The bus tunnels are being designed to be similar to an LRT Line. There is a single travel lane in each direction with right-side stations. Subway stations will be 220 feet long, thereby enabling three articulated buses to load and unload at the same time. A mezzanine concourse over the tunnel at the stations provides access to both directions of travel and contains areas for prepayment of fares. An illustrative station design is shown in Figure 6. Each of the three stations in the tunnel will be fully accessible.

A rescue vehicle will tow or push disabled buses to one of two locations with bypass capabilities: the World Trade Center Station or the South Station outer/inner bus loop.

VEHICLES Articulated 60-foot-long buses will be used on all sections of the Silver Line. These BRT vehicles will have an accessible low-floor design with three sets of double doors and automatic passenger information. Dual-mode buses will be used when the tunnels are completed, and the system is fully integrated. On surface streets, the buses will be low emission . In the tunnel, the buses will operate as zero emission using an overhead electrical catenary for their power source. A conceptual vehicle design is shown in Figure 7.

Silver Line buses will accommodate approximately 100 passengers. The buses will contain the latest information technologies, including onboard communication systems that will monitor vehicle locations to enhance adherence to schedule and dispatch capabilities. Information on stops will also be provided to passengers, as it is done on the subway system. Unit vehicle costs are estimated at $1.5 million.

Initially, the MBTA will operate two types of Silver Line vehicles. The buses used on Section A (tunnel) of the Silver Line will have dual-mode capability. The buses used on Section B, however, will use compressed natural gas because initially they will only operate on surface streets such as Washington Street. Upon completion of Section C, the New England Medical Center to South Station tunnel, the MBTA will operate the dual-mode buses throughout the Silver Line. The buses used on Washington Street (Section B) would be shifted to other routes in the MBTA system.

Section A: South Station to World Trade Center/AITC

Thirty-two dual-powered, low-floor articulated vehicles will operate on this section (24 MBTA funded, 8 Massport funded). While operating in the tunnel, these vehicles will receive power from an overhead, 600-volt system by means of trolley poles. At the surface and en route to the

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Logan Airport, the trolley poles will be retracted and the propulsion system will be a diesel generator. Vehicles will be 60-foot-long, articulated, low-floor (14 inches above road service) buses with wheelchair accommodations, automatic pre-recorded audio and visual passenger information, and air conditioning.

Section B: Dudley Square to Downtown Crossing

Seventeen low-floor, articulated, compressed natural gas vehicles will use this route. Vehicles will be 60-foot-long, articulated, low-floor (14 inches above road service) buses with wheelchair accommodations, automatic pre-recorded audio and visual passenger information, and air conditioning. Thus, there will be no overhead wires within the CBD.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES To build internal and external support for new technology, new features will be introduced as soon as possible and at minimum cost. Therefore, the MBTA will stagger the introduction of new features rather than waiting to unveil a complete BRT system. The likely sequence of adding features is as follows: • Talking Buses – Automatic stop announcements will be the first new feature on MBTA buses. This feature can be activated in a single bus, thereby providing immediate benefits without any fleet-wide modification or off-vehicle equipment. Using a global positioning system, an onboard computer will monitor the vehicle’s position and trigger an automatic stop announcement when the bus reaches a specified location prior to each bus stop. This feature will provide clear stop announcements in keeping with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The announcements will also make it easier for occasional riders, tourists, and visitors to use MBTA buses with confidence. • Talking Stations – This step will incorporate electronic signage and the necessary communications equipment to trigger public address announcements (both audio and visual) at BRT stations. When a bus reaches a threshold distance from a station, there will be an automatic announcement: “The next bus on Route 1 is three minutes away.” “The next bus to Downtown Crossing will arrive in about two minutes.” This talking station feature has been selected as the second improvement to be introduced because it requires minimal support services. It can be implemented in a few test stations long before the MBTA is prepared to implement this feature system- wide. • Passenger Information Kiosks – BRT passenger information kiosks will be placed in major public facilities to provide customers with real-time information on expected arrival times of buses at nearby stops. These kiosks will allow passengers to wait indoors and then walk to the bus stop in time to catch the next bus. The kiosks may be introduced in small numbers to a thorough review by both customers and maintenance personnel before widespread application.

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• CAD/AVL – After introducing the above passenger information features, the MBTA will implement a CAD/AVL system to monitor vehicle locations and schedule adherence. This information will provide dispatchers with the information they need to decide how best to respond to service interruptions or delay.

SERVICE DESIGN AND OPERATION

The Silver Line incorporates the essential BRT elements. It combines the flexibility of a surface bus system with the service characteristics of a more traditional light-rail or heavy-rail transit system. This approach integrates exclusive transit rights-of-way, such as tunnels or bus lanes, with surface bus routes operating in general traffic.

Using this combination of routing options, the MBTA will feed multiple bus routes with large coverage areas into a high-capacity line on an exclusive right-of-way. Bus location and headway adherence will be monitored and maintained, even in general traffic, through recent advances in vehicle tracking technologies. These Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSs) will also give riders information about bus arrivals at stations. As a result, transit riders on the Silver Line will be provided with a high level of service.

Boston’s street network and emerging development patterns pose particular challenges for developing and implementing a new transit system. Directional transit (e.g., north-south and east-west grid routes) is difficult in Boston because the street patterns reflect nearly 400 years of growth and development. Street rights-of-way vary in width, and the grid patterns often found in other U.S. cities are rarely found within Boston. By including BRT principles, the Silver Line will have the flexibility to address the constraints of Boston’s street system and its development patterns.

The Silver Line will have transit priority lanes with surface stations on roadways with sufficient right-of-way and will operate in mixed traffic on streets where it is not possible to provide transit priority lanes. In the downtown, the buses will use tunnels with underground stations to facilitate movement and provide intermodal connectivity. As a result, the BRT will enable the MBTA to facilitate access from neighborhoods in all directions to the job centers in central Boston.

The Silver Line will meet the needs of existing transit-dependent neighborhoods and emerging economic growth areas. In the South Boston Seaport District, the MBTA will serve new developments in the Seaport District as they materialize. New underground stations will be located at the new Federal Courthouse and the World Trade Center – locations of new developments that were recently completed or are under construction. Further east, surface bus routes will provide access to the Boston Marine Industrial Park and new developments that are currently in the planning stage.

The MBTA will provide access to the Boston Convention and Exposition Center (BCEC) by extending one of the planned BRT routes to a new station that will be built by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority. In addition, the MBTA has worked closely with the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) to provide a Silver Line connection to Logan Airport as part of Massport’s AITC Project.

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SERVICE PLAN The likely 2003 service plan for the “Tunnel” transitway (Section A) is shown in Figure 8. Three routes would operate 46 trips and carry 4,462 people in the peak hour – a combined headway of 1.3 minutes and a load-factor of 97 people per bus. Route 1 would operate to the Airport, Route 2 to the Boston Marine Industrial Park, and Route 3 to the BCEC. All would operate in a common surface and tunnel section to South Station.

In the year 2010, the three routes would operate on a combined 40-second headway (90 buses per hour) and have a passenger capacity of 8,633 people. Peak headways would be 10 minutes on Route 1 and 1.5 minutes each on Routes 2 and 3. Buses serving Logan Airport will operate in mixed traffic in the Ted Williams Tunnel.

FARE COLLECTION Off-vehicle pre-payment of fares is planned for stations in the BRT tunnel and at major stops along Washington Street. Pay-as-you-enter (perhaps with proof-of-payment) is envisioned for other stops.

CAPACITY COMPARISONS The Silver Line Transitway (full development) will be the equivalent of adding another Blue Line to the system (Table 2). (Note, these capacities are based on scheduled operations and do not necessarily represent maximum achievable capacities).

RIDERSHIP Ridership estimates prepared by the Central Transportation Planning Staff are shown in Table 3. In 2005, daily ridership is expected to approach 40,000. By 2025, with the complete three-section system, ridership is forecast at more than 65,000 riders daily. These ridership estimates exceed that of the Blue Line.

ASSESSMENT

The Silver Line BRT adds a fifth rapid transit line to downtown Boston. It places buses in a tunnel below ground in congested areas and uses streets and highways elsewhere. When completed, it will bring rapid transit to downtown Boston and the South Piers from a large catchment area. Thus, it is similar in concept to the original , built over a century ago.

Development costs are high because of the complex below-ground construction. Anticipated ridership both in 2003 and 2010 is high and comparable with several rail lines. Buses operating at 40- to 80-second headways during peak periods will have multiple berthing positions at stations and provisions for passing stopped buses at two stations.

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LESSONS LEARNED Developing a complex BRT line in a major city center requires a long time period and continued community support. It is necessary to maintain public dialogue at every step in the planning process. There is a need to recognize and respond to community and advocacy concerns (e.g., pro-rail groups) and to maintain continuity and momentum throughout the planning effort.

In the Boston context, it is important to focus on the service and operation benefits of BRT, rather than merely its cost advantages. In the Boston context, the Silver Line affords one-seat ride far beyond the extent of the transitway. A small mileage of Transitway investment translates into far more extensive service benefits.

From a design and operating perspective, it is essential to transfer the attributes of LRT to BRT. These attributes include segregated rights-of-way in congested areas, priority lanes on city streets, attractive stations and passenger amenities, off-vehicle fare collection, and attractive multi-door vehicles.

BRT represents both an opportunity and a challenge. It represents an opportunity to take advantage of the significant advances in bus technology and a challenge to the engineers and operating personnel who need to approach bus design and procurement with the same creativity that they have historically reserved for .

It is important to examine the bus industry’s ability to furnish the desired vehicles when they are needed. Ideally, propulsion systems should have been tested in revenue service (elsewhere) before being acquired. Prototype vehicles and features should be tested before making large investments.

APPLICABILITY The concept of a BRT tunnel in congested areas affords promise where essential to provide desired service reliability – especially in large cities. Even more transferable is integration of facility and service patterns and the provision of “rapid transit” design features such as segregated rights-of-way, attractive stations, off-vehicle fare collection, and special vehicles.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

(1) Governor Francis W. Sargent Policy Statement on Transportation in the Boston Region, November 30, 1972.

(2) Federal Transit Administration Bus Rapid Transit Program, Request for Participation. Silver Line: Implementation of Bus Rapid Transit. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Circa 1999.

(3) Silver Line and South Boston Transitway Service Plan MBTA Service Planning Department, September 2000.

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Table 1: Land Use Projections—Boston Waterfront (In Million Square Feet)

Type of Development 1992 Existing 2010 Projected 2025 Buildout*

Office 2.7 9.1 10

Retail 0.3 0.4 0.7

Cultural 0.5 2.3 2.6

Industrial 9.5 7.9 7.9

Hotel 0 3.9 5.1

Residential 0.1 3.1 5

Total 13.1 26.7 31.3

Net Increase 13.6 4.6

*Buildout limit with Transitway Infrastructure

SOURCE (RIDERSHIP & LAND USE): CTPS Memo from Vijay Mahal to David Ryan dated 4/1/01.

Table 2: MBTA System Planned Capacity

Transitway Transitway Red Line Orange Line Blue Line Green Line 2003 2010 Avg Peak 4 min 4.5 min 3.75 min 1.4 min 78 sec 40 sec Headway (Interval between vehicles) Trips/Hour (Peak 16 13 17 43 46 89 capacity) Capacity - 167 131 95 101 97 97 (Seats + Standees) Passenger 16,032 10,218 6,460 8,686 4,462 8,633 Capacity/Hour - Peak

Table 3: Transitway Ridership Projections

Segment 2005 2025

South Station- BMIP 15,600

South Station- BCEC 8,950

South Station- Logan (AITC) 3,200

Boylston- BMIP 14,700

Boylston- World Trade Center 7,625

Dudley- BMIP 16,380

Dudley- BCEC 13,810

Dudley- Logan (AITC) 12,725

Total Ridership 27,750 65,240

Dudley- CBD 12,130

Dudley- Boylston 9,200 12,650

Grand Total 49,080 77,890

NOTE: BMIP- Boston Marine Industrial Park BCEC- Boston Convention and Exposition Center AITC- Airport Intermodal Transit Connector

SOURCE (RIDERSHIP AND LAND USE): CTPS Memo from Vijay Mahal to David Ryan dated 4/1/01.

Figure 1: Existing Rail Transit in Boston Figure 2: Silver Line Relative to Existing Transit and Commuter Rail Figure 3: Silver Line Sections Figure 4: Reserved Bus Lane Figure 5: Passenger Accommodations and Amenities at Typical Station Figure 6: Conceptual Station Figure 7: Conceptual Vehicle Design Figure 8: Section A – Tunnel Between South Station and the Waterfront and the Airport