Regionwide Suburban Transit Opportunities Study Phase II A report produced by the Central Transportation Planning Staff for the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Regionwide Suburban Transit Opportunities Study Phase II Project Manager Clinton Bench Authors Thomas J. Humphrey Heather Ostertog Contributing Staff Paul Reim Cartography Mary McShane Cover Design Jane M. Gillis Cover Photographs Carol Gautreau Bent Kenneth Dumas Central Transportation Planning Staff, directed by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization. The MPO is com- posed of state and regional agencies and authorities, and local governments. December 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS.................................................................................................1 Overview...........................................................................................................................1 Suggested Routes .............................................................................................................2 Wellesley .........................................................................................................................2 Winchester.......................................................................................................................2 Westwood........................................................................................................................2 Canton..............................................................................................................................3 Salem................................................................................................................................3 Waltham ..........................................................................................................................3 Peabody ...........................................................................................................................4 2. INITIAL CENSUS TRACT SCREENING AND RESULTS ...............................................5 Summary of Screening Criteria.......................................................................................5 Details of Reverse-Commute Suburban Transit Screening Criteria.............................6 Rating Results for Reverse-Commute Suburban Transit Analysis ..............................7 Clusters of Census Tracts with High Ratings under Reverse-Commute Criteria.....7 Individual Census Tracts with High Ratings under Reverse-Commute Criteria .....7 Details of Traditional-Commute Suburban Transit Screening Criteria.......................9 Rating Results for Traditional-Commute Suburban Transit Analysis.......................10 Clusters of Census Tracts with High Ratings under Traditional-Commute Criteria.....................................................................................10 Individual Census Tracts with High Ratings under Traditional-Commute Criteria.....................................................................................12 Details of Suburban-Commute Suburban Transit Screening Criteria .......................12 Rating Results for Suburban-Commute Suburban Transit Analysis.........................15 Clusters of Census Tracts with High Ratings under Suburban-Commute Criteria .......................................................................................15 Individual Census Tracts with High Ratings under Suburban-Commute Criteria .......................................................................................17 Details of Suburban-Mobility Suburban Transit Screening Criteria..........................18 Rating Results for Suburban Mobility Suburban Transit Analysis............................20 Clusters of Census Tracts with High Ratings under Suburban-Mobility Criteria..........................................................................................20 Individual Census Tracts with High Ratings under Suburban-Mobility Criteria..........................................................................................22 3. ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL NEW TRANSIT SERVICES .............................................23 Chapter Overview..........................................................................................................23 Summary of Findings.....................................................................................................24 Results of Analysis of Tracts with No Present Transit Service...................................25 Wellesley .......................................................................................................................25 Manchester-by-the-Sea.................................................................................................28 Hamilton and Wenham................................................................................................28 CTPS iii Regionwide Suburban Transit Opportunities Study: Phase II Needham .......................................................................................................................31 Franklin..........................................................................................................................31 Winchester.....................................................................................................................34 Westwood......................................................................................................................34 Results of Analysis of Tracts with Limited Present Service, and Rated High under Multiple Criteria Sets .....................................................................38 Salem..............................................................................................................................38 Weston ...........................................................................................................................40 Canton............................................................................................................................42 Results of Analysis of Tracts with Limited Present Service, and Rated High under One Criteria Set...............................................................................45 Waltham ........................................................................................................................45 Peabody .........................................................................................................................47 APPENDIX A - PRESENT AND PAST TRANSIT SERVICES IN CENSUS TRACTS RATED HIGH IN POTENTIAL FOR SUPPORTING NEW SERVICES............................49 Introduction ....................................................................................................................49 Summary of Municipalities or Census Tracts without Existing Bus Service ............49 Transit Services in Tract Clusters Identified as Having High Potential to Support Reverse-Commuting Transit ......................................................................51 Transit Services in Individual Tracts Identified as Having High Potential to Support Reverse-Commuting Transit ......................................................................59 Transit Services in Tract Clusters Identified as Having High Potential to Support Traditional-Commuting Transit.................................................................62 Transit Services in Individual Census Tracts Identified as Having High Potential to Support Traditional-Commuting Transit.................................................................72 Transit Services in Tract Clusters Identified as Having High Potential to Support Suburban-Commute Transit.......................................................................73 Transit Services in Individual Tracts Identified as Having High Potential to Support Suburban-Commute Transit.......................................................................76 Transit Services in Tract Clusters Identified as Having High Potential to Support Suburban-Mobility Transit.........................................................................79 Transit Services in Individual Tracts Identified as Having High Potential to Support Suburban-Mobility Transit.........................................................................81 iv Boston Region MPO LIST OF FIGURES 2-1 Tracts with High Ratings for Reverse-Commute-Type Service Potential..................8 2-2 Tracts with High Ratings for Traditional-Commute-Type Service Potential ..........11 2-3 Tracts with High Ratings for Suburban-Commute-Type Service Potential.............16 2-4 Tracts with High Ratings for Suburban-Mobility-Type Service Potential ...............21 3-1 Existing Services and Suggested Route – Wellesley ..................................................26 3-2 Existing Services – Manchester-by-the-Sea.................................................................29 3-3 Existing Services – Hamilton and Wenham ...............................................................30 3-4 Existing Services – Needham.......................................................................................32 3-5 Existing Services – Franklin .........................................................................................33 3-6 Existing Services and Suggested Route – Winchester................................................35 3-7 Existing Services and Suggested Route – Westwood ................................................36 3-8 Existing Services and Suggested Route – Salem ........................................................39