“ Boston already has the Silver Line, but why not create a true BRT that runs from Egleston all the way to Downtown? One with prioritized lanes AND prioritized traffic signals AND limited access boarding? Roxbury needs better transit connections.”

—02130

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hington S

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Essex St

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hington S

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Essex St

BostonCommon

Thompson Square/Bunker Hill

SullivanSquare

FranklinPark

CodmanSquare

DudleySquare

OlmstedPark

EglestonSquare

Upham’sCorner

ArnoldArboretum

JoeMoakley

Park

FortPoint

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20

1

95

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Dorchester

Hyde Park

Roxbury

East Boston

Brighton

West Roxbury

Mattapan

Jamaica Plain

Roslindale

Fenway

South Boston

Allston

Charlestown

South End

Back Bay

Downtown

Mission Hill

Seaport

West End

Beacon Hill

North End

LMA

BrooklineNewton

Watertown Cambridge

Milton

Quincy

Dedham

Everett

Chelsea

Revere

Somerville

Improved Silver Line: Dudley to Downtown

Today the Silver Line between Dudley and downtown along Washington Street has protected bus shelters and an exclusive red bus lane. In the next five years, the width of the lane will be increased, physical buffers and stronger enforcement will ensure that it is not used for double parking, an off-board payment system will allow for all-door boarding and prevent long passenger queues from delaying stops, automated signal priority will avoid red-light delays, and raised, accessible platforms will make it safer and easier for passengers of all abilities to board. An improved Dudley Station will be paired with improved termini at Downtown Crossing and South Station, where new in-street platforms will enable faster transfers to the Orange, Red, and waterfront Silver Lines.

Project Description

Identified on the ballot as an Early Action commitment

Crosstown Project Score

Best PracticesThe GRTC Pulse is under construction in Richmond, VA. This BRT project will be a mix of bus-only lanes and mixed-traffic with queue jumps. Level boarding will speed the boarding process. www.ridegrtc.com/brt

Public Input

Benefits and Issues AddressedThe evolution of bus rapid transit (BRT) technologies since the creation of the Silver Line nearly two decades ago allows for the Washington Street line to finally be upgraded to gold-standard BRT and provide streetcar-quality service into the heart of the South End, Roxbury, and Dudley Square. With faster and more frequent service, residents of Roxbury and several neighborhoods whose buses feed into Dudley would have better access to Downtown, to health care at Boston University and Tufts Medical Centers, and to transfers to other rapid transit lines, driving up transit ridership to meet Go Boston 2030’s targets. Visitors could travel to Dudley, expanding commercial activity and contributing to the vitality that evolves around transit hubs elsewhere in Boston.

Implementation

Better rapid bus service and terminals on the Silver Line from downtown to Dudley

Access 1 Safety 1 Reliability

Access 2 Safety 2 Affordability

Sustainability/Resiliency 1 Sustainability/Resiliency 2 Governance

Approximate Cost: $22 million for capital improvements Potential Funding Sources: MassDOT/MBTA, City capital program, and FTA Who’s responsible: BTD, PWD, and MassDOT/MBTA Time Frame: Design and initial improvements within five years

GO BOSTON 2030 ACTION PLAN Projects and Policies

Boston Transportation Department March 2017