The Boston Foundation - Indicators Project

Nothing expresses Boston's role as the "hub" more plainly than its network of transportation resources. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) provides service from 175 cities and towns into Boston with 1.2 million boardings daily, the fourth largest mass transit system in the country. With a deep-water port, international airport, radial highways and rail lines that connect regional cities and towns to national and international destinations and markets, Boston makes the region's growing role in the global economy possible.

The past decade in Metro Boston saw major investments in transportation: near-completion of the $14.6 billion Big Dig; expansion of the MBTA's commuter rail lines; new state-of-the-art Amtrak train service north and south; traffic calming; the resurfacing of streets and sidewalks; streetscape improvements; and new bike paths.

But Boston's transportation story is changing fast. The events of 9/11 put new security demands on Logan International Airport and the Port of Boston. Due to post 9/11 traveler reticence and economic recession, Logan experienced a drop-off in air traffic - one of the greatest declines among all major American airports. Amtrak faces a possible loss of federal subsidies, and the Port of Boston faces intensifying competition from New York, New Jersey and Halifax, Canada. At the same time, most of the region's public transit systems are reaching or surpassing capacity during periods of peak demand. Buses in Boston are crowded and on schedule less than 65% of the time, leading to charges that the most transit-dependent communities are receiving unequal quality in transportation services. Many of the state's roads and bridges are in need of repair. And car ownership, miles driven and vehicular emissions are increasing rapidly in Boston and the region.

The next few years will tell us how well we are prepared to meet these challenges, and the result may shape the landscape and economic investment in the region for years to come.

The good news is that there are plans and proposals to address each and every transportation challenge - although experts agree that finding resources for implementation will necessitate new thinking. A truly efficient and seamless transportation system will require integrated planning across complex bureaucracies, high quality design, adequate financing and informed lifestyle choices. Innovation in each of these areas may be the only way to fulfill the region's future transportation needs.

The opening of the Leverett Circle Connector, crowned by the new Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge, the widest cable-stayed asymmetrical suspension bridge in the world, is a promise to the future. The bridge became a symbol of the New Boston in 2002 as a million Boston area residents celebrated by crossing the new bridge on foot.

The MBTA purchased 124 forty-foot-long compressed-natural-gas-fuel (CNG) buses. By 2004, the 'T' will ultimately provide 358 alternate-fuel buses in addition to the 160 now in use in areas suffering the health burden of diesel fuel emissions. The T is also adding low-sulfur fuel, retrofitting older buses with diesel particulate filters and replacing about 200 of its oldest buses with new "clean diesel" buses.

In 2002, the MBTA opened the first phase of the new Silver Line with low-floor buses and clean emissions, from Dudley Square to downtown Boston. The new line provides a more direct route, consolidated stops, and large shelters and kiosks. Boardings have increased 50%, from 8,000 to 12,000 per day, in the first six months of operation. Debate continues as to whether the service is an adequate replacement to the Orange Line, relocated from the Southwest Corridor in 1987.

Amtrak's new Downeaster line from Boston to Portland opened in 2001. The line stops in Haverhill, Exeter, Dover, Saco, and Wells on its way to Portland, Maine, and carries about 30,000 daily riders.
Amtrak's new high-speed line, the Acela Express from Boston to New York, was introduced to the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington in December 2000. Offering 13 daily round trips to and from New York, the Acela Express provides high-speed travel to 10,000 people on a typical day.

Comprehensive Transportation Plans for Boston and the Region

Boston's Transportation Department released the city's first comprehensive plan, Access Boston 2000 - 2010. The plan calls for decongestion of local-business main streets, district-based restrictions on new parking, traffic calming on residential streets, investment in a next generation of transit projects, amenities for bus riders, and transit-oriented development. It includes a Bicycle Plan and a Fact Book with neighborhood profiles available at www.cityofboston.gov/accessboston.
The Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) released a new Regional Transportation Plan: 2000 - 2025. With an area of 1,405 square miles and 101 cities and towns, Metro Boston's MPO serves three million people - about half of the state's population - an area with more than two million jobs. The MPO's plan builds on Boston's role as the transportation and commercial hub of New England while planning for greater lateral connectivity across communities in the region.
The MBTA released a revision of its Program for Mass Transportation, a 25-year vision document that assigns priority to potential projects based on the application of a set of performance measures. One of the new performance measures is environmental justice - the result of advocacy by Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE) and others.
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council kicked off a new Regional Growth Strategy planning process at a Boston College Citizens Seminar that offers many opportunities for city, town, and resident involvement, bolstered by online data and information. The Growth Strategy will ultimately be expressed in a new 10-year plan for Metro Boston.
Mixed-use residential and commercial development at key transit nodes - or "transit-oriented development" - is starting to make headway. While a number of proposed projects have been stopped or stalled, new projects are being explored along Route 495. In addition, Ashland has created a new transit district, and the North Point project in Cambridge near Lechmere Station has been approved. Boston is making plans for new transit-oriented development near the Jackson Square station on the Orange Line as well.

Since 9/11, urban transportation is considered vulnerable, requiring increased public safety investment and coordination. This is creating financial challenges for the airlines industry and placing new security demands on Logan Airport, the Port of Boston, bridges, tunnels and the mass transit system. Officials are collaborating on new safety measures - from training to surveillance equipment. The new focus on security is redirecting scarce resources, however.

Individual and family transportation choices are beginning to change the character of the region. Land in Massachusetts is being developed at a rate seven times greater than the growth in population, creating "sprawl"- a pattern of residential and commercial development that occasions dramatic increases in vehicle ownership, hours of commuting, miles traveled and congestion.

Vehicle miles traveled in Massachusetts increased by 75% while the state's population grew by only 5.5%, and more than 70% of state commuters are driving alone to work. According to a study by researchers at the University of Texas, Metro Boston residents spend an average of 42 hours annually stuck in traffic, up from 28 hours in 1990 - one of the highest rates in the nation.

Even in Boston - America's premier "walking city" and home of its first subway - vehicle ownership and miles traveled are increasing at higher rates than the population. Car registrations increased by 34% in Boston over the past decade while the city's population grew by only 2.6%. Competition for parking spaces as well as congestion, noise and pollution all undermine Boston's walkability and can adversely affect the city's downtown and neighborhood business districts - compromising the quality of life and impeding future growth.

Vehicular CO2 emissions are increasing as a percentage of all greenhouse gas emissions. More vehicles with lower fuel efficiency are taking to the roads, and the 2003 fleet of new vehicles averages 20.5 miles per gallon, 6% less than 15 years ago.

Parking lots near T stops and commuter rail stations are full most weekdays, impeding the greater potential use of rail service.

Bus riders are among the most transit-dependent populations but are generally the least well served by standard measures of access and quality. More than a third of the MBTA's total daily boardings involve bus riders - 375,000 a day compared to about 130,000 on commuter rail lines serving the suburbs. Buses carry 37% of all MBTA customers and generate about 25% of the T's revenues, but receive only about 13% of the T's capital budget. The T is planning to order nearly 400 new buses over the next few years.

MassPort received environmental approvals for construction of a controversial new runway at Logan Airport, during specific wind conditions, despite opposition from adjacent cities and towns, including Boston. Questions are being raised about whether local communities are shouldering an unfair regional air traffic burden, while others cite the importance of the runway for regional competitiveness. The controversy is leading to greater coordination with other airports in the region and to new thinking about the management of airport traffic, especially short-distance trips.

Amtrak is at risk of losing federal subsidies. The Northeast Corridor is one of Amtrak's busiest and most profitable routes, with about 40,000 passengers daily. But most rail corridors require subsidies, and federal policy is shifting away from subsidies for rail transit. Public subsidies for consumer rail transit have totaled $20.5 billion since Amtrak was established in 1971. In 2001 alone, the US Department of Transportation allocated $32 billion to highways and roads and $13 billion for air travel.

Massachusetts has been slow to spend Federal Transportation Enhancement funds designed to promote bicycling, walking, and historical and scenic improvements. Increasingly, however, concepts like "traffic calming," "pedestrian friendliness," and "first-mile connections," in addition to public transit and other amenities accessible by walking, such as skating or biking, are beginning to catch on - especially in Boston -encouraging exercise while decreasing car trips, noise and pollution.

MBTA Funding: Maintenance vs. Expansion
The economic downturn is beginning to result in a budget squeeze for the T. New fiscal constraints may compel the MBTA to weigh investments in maintenance against future expansion of the system - despite clear and growing needs for both.

The region's transportation system is complex and fragmented, requiring greater coordination and integrated planning at all levels. Getting the most from each transportation dollar will require public-sector coordination and an engaged public.

A new concept hits Boston streets: Zipcar - the opportunity to have convenient access to a car in the city or for occasional long-distance travel without having to own a car. Zipcar is based on the concept of "car-sharing," pioneered in Europe in the 1980s. The annual fee is $75, plus a refundable $300 deposit. The AAA estimates that owning an average car and driving it 15,000 miles per year costs about $7,500, not including insurance and parking costs, which are high in Boston. "Car Free in Boston" provides information on taxi service, car-sharing and car rentals. The 10th edition is due in 2003.

The Take the T Home Mortgage Program is an innovative partnership between the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency and the MBTA to help frequent T riders buy a home with no down payment. Working with local banks, the program takes into consideration the lower monthly expenses paid by transit users without car payments, enabling them to qualify for mortgages that otherwise would have been unaffordable.

A Tourism Transportation Task Force is coordinating improved access to Boston's historic sites and neighborhoods. Recognizing the need to support tourism - one of Boston's fastest growing industries - the Boston Transportation Department convened a task force of tour bus and trolley operators, tour guides, and managers of visitor destinations like museums and neighborhood groups to develop a new parking and route map, released in 2002. The guide is being distributed nationally to groups visiting Boston.

Fuel Efficiency. With global warming and a world population expected to grow by 50% by 2050, fuel-efficiency is the wave of the future - from Europe's 56 plus mpg Smart Car to hybrid electric/gas Japanese cars. American automakers also are offering new fuel-efficient models for 2003, including hybrid SUVs. Massachusetts has adopted California's auto emission standards -- stricter than the current federal standard. The commitment to fuel efficiency will tackle regional air quality and reinforce the Bay State's identity as a center of innovation.

Alternatives for Community and Environment
Based in Roxbury, Massachusetts, Alternatives for Community & Environment (ACE) works in low-income communities and communities of color to achieve environmental justice; including on transportation issues.

Artery Business Committee
The Artery Business Committee is an independent, consensus oriented, nonprofit organization of employers, retailers, business owners, public sector representatives working together to address employee transportation issues in Boston. Site includes a commuter calculator, traffic advisotries, and listings of events and services.

Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization
Cooperative effort among local Massachusetts state agencies to achieve effective transportation planning for Eastern Massachusetts; includes statistics and area traveler resources.

Conservation Law Foundation, New England's Environmental Advocate
The Conservation Law Foundation works to solve the environmental problems that threaten the people, natural resources, and communities of New England, including transportation issues. Site includes case studies and information about events and publications.

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
Official site of the Massachusetts public transportation authority. Provides subway, bus, and commuter rail schedules and other public transportation information.

Metropolitan Area Planning Council
The MAPC is the regional planning agency representing 101 cities and towns in Eastern Massachusetts, including Boston. Their Online Metro Data Center offers a broad range of demographic and economic information on this region. Website also provides information on the MAPC’s programs and initiatives.

Logan International Airport/MassPort
Official site of the Massachusetts Port Authority. Provides flight schedules for Logan Airport, airport information for Logan, Worcester, and Hanscom Field, and informational publications about MassPort.

MassCommute.com
Transportation management associations council. Describes services, including shuttles to transit, and contains a list of councils with links.

A proposed tunnel connecting North and South stations in Boston or Back Bay Station and North Station.

THE URBAN RING


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