Urban Ring

Longwood residents could face new bus fee

A long-planned project to connect the spokes of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority system may require private financial support from the universities and hospitals connected to the Longwood Medical Area.

Construction could begin as early as 2015 on the so-called Urban Ring ? a chain of five new bus routes linking outlying neighborhoods and inner suburbs of Boston ? to enable riders to go cross-town without heading into the city center to transfer.

But the project is not likely to be built without financial contributions from Harvard University, Boston University and the Longwood-area hospitals, which the proposed new lines would serve, say officials in the state?s Executive Office of Transportation. The Urban Ring is seen as vital to expansion of the Longwood-area life sciences sector.

A 2007 estimate priced construction at $2 billion and annual operating costs at $30 million. Project planners are applying for federal funds that could cover up to half the construction costs.

One proposal would cover part of the cost by levying a 10 percent surcharge on commercial parking spaces around the Longwood area and assessing institutions $100 for each private, nonresidential parking space they maintain. Combined, the parking taxes and fees could raise $44 million annually, enough to service $555 million in debt, according to a Boston Redevelopment Authority analysis obtained by the Boston Business Journal.

The analysis was undertaken for the Executive Office of Transportation on request, said BRA spokeswoman Jessica Shumaker. State officials cautioned that parking fees and taxes are among several ideas now under discussion, and the state has not asked institutions for any specific contributions.

Three-quarters of the estimated construction costs are slated for a $1.5 billion bus tunnel under the Longwood area.

Without the tunnel, the Urban Ring service may not be viable because roadways in Longwood are too narrow and congested, said Wendy P. Stern, the state?s undersecretary of planning and program development.

Stern said the federal government is likely to kick in less than half of the project?s estimated $2 billion cost.

?We have not figured out specific percentages,? Stern said, ?but the point that we really have to get into ... is what?s not able to be financed by the state as the local share has to be financed elsewhere.?

Most of the proposed route, which includes Cambridge, Somerville, Everett, Chelsea, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Roxbury, the Fenway, Allston and Brighton, would be served by buses on a dedicated right-of-way.

The three Urban Ring routes serving the Longwood Medical Area are expected to carry 135,000 passengers daily, said Ned Codd, manager of plan development at the Executive Office of Transportation. The three routes connect Sullivan Square to Ruggles Station via Cambridge; Harvard Square to the University of Massachusetts-Boston via Allston-Brighton; and Kenmore Square to Chelsea via South Boston and East Boston.

The Medical Academic and Scientific Community Organization represents the medical schools and hospitals in the Longwood area. Sarah Hamilton, the group?s executive director, said it is too early to say whether institutions in the area are willing to financially support the Urban Ring.

?Of course everyone?s interested in trying to be collaborative,? she said.

The current proposed route through Allston to Cambridge would connect Harvard University?s Cambridge campus with its planned campus expansion in Allston and its medical school and teaching hospitals in the Longwood area.

?We?re on board with being a member of the process,? said university spokesman Joe Wrinn. He declined to say whether the university is considering a financial contribution. The Allston expansion plans can go forward with or without improved public transit service, he said.

However, better public transportation is essential to any expansion of the life sciences economy centered in the Longwood area, said Arthur Mombourquette, vice president of support services at Brigham and Women?s Hospital.

?If we?re going to grow we need to get more people here,? he said. ?And I think it?s unreasonable to expect that we?re going to be able to pump more vehicle traffic in here.?

As it is currently proposed, the Urban Ring would also support a transit hub proposed by Boston University at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and the BU Bridge. The proposed transit hub is part of the school?s plan to revitalize its campus center.

http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/08/25/story4.html?b=1219636800^1688521
 
It's must be a slow news day if we're talking about this foolishness.

I work in the LMA, and this concept is worthless from the get-go.

Wanna fix the problem, here you go:
  • Run heavy-rail on the D-Line (connect the Orange Line to Kenmore / Yawkey via the existing ROW)
  • Construct a version of these silly musings from a bunch of amateurs
 
I don't think many people are eager to fork over more money to go from one overcrowded bus to another.

And if the Silver Line is any indication, the buses will travel more slowly in the tunnel than they will on surface streets.
 
I would much rather see them relocate the Riverside line under Brookline Ave from Kenmore to Brookline Village. This would better sever the LMA and the existing rail bed can be converted to park land. That area is already served by the Beacon line.

Long before I would want to see a full Urban Ring I think we need more 'spokes'. There are a lot of high population areas that are not served by the subway(Roxbury, Chelsea, Everett, Lynn, Watertown) and there is a good reason the MBTA lines are Boston centric, that's where most people want to go.
 
I would much rather see them relocate the Riverside line under Brookline Ave from Kenmore to Brookline Village. This would better serve the LMA and the existing rail bed can be converted to park land.

Not a bad idea at all. Would help out with Sox games as well. Would you try to reconnect to the existing D-Line ROW at (or near) Pearl Street? Or at the junction of Rt. 9 and Washington Street? It may be pretty tricky...

That area is already served by the Beacon line.

By "that area," I assume you mean the Fenway and Longwood stops. It's sort of true that the service is replicated at St. Mary's (Audubon Circle) and Hawes Street. But consider, St. Mary's to Landmark Center is a soul-robbing walk in the winter -- we'll need a stop there.
 
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If achievable it would be good to go all the way to Brookline Village before joining the old tracks. The only stations that would be moved would be Fenway and Longwood. If needed then you could keep Fenway and then shift under ground to Brookline Ave. I believe there has been a regular problem with crime and sexual assaults at Longwood
 
And if the Silver Line is any indication, the buses will travel more slowly in the tunnel than they will on surface streets.


Has anyone figured out why MBTA Silver Line buses can blast down Washington St at 45mph with traffic, pedestrians and local kids play ball, but can only drive 15mph through a tunnel where there's little unexpected urban life that might jump out in front of the bus?
 
The tunnel dimensions don't allow for speeds faster than 25 mph, but that doesn't explain why they usually go well below the speed limit.
 
Not many dedicated busways on that bus "rapid transit" line.

Worse than Silver Line?
 
Assuming for a moment that BRT is even close to being acceptable for the passenger loads of a major arterial line, the three biggest problems with the proposed implementation as I see it:

- The buses will run on diesel, not electric power. This is insane.

link
Mr. Mahoney asked if EOT had considered trackless trolley technology. Mr. Codd said that trackless trolley had been evaluated, but the catenary and power system would have significant cost and visual impacts. Instead, the project recommendation is for diesel-electric hybrid 60 foot articulated buses, which have limited emissions.

- Limited use of busways. BUS LANES IN KENMORE SQUARE. Read that again. The $1 billion+ bus tunnel will end just before Kenmore and dump the vehicles into Sox traffic with "Bus Lane" painted on a patch of roadway before reentering a dedicated busway on the other side of BU. I'm sure this will end well.

- The bus tunnel will likely allow the vehicles to operate at lower speeds than in mixed traffic or surface busways. Again, this is insane. The B line goes much, much faster when it heads below ground for a reason. It should never be the other way 'round.
 
If they're going to use bus lanes, maybe they'll learn a lesson from Washington St and separate the bus lane from the other lanes with a narrow island/curb, like most other cities with BRT do. They probably won't, and then they'll be shocked that lots of non-buses are driving in the bus lane.
 
- Limited use of busways. BUS LANES IN KENMORE SQUARE. Read that again. The $1 billion+ bus tunnel will end just before Kenmore and dump the vehicles into Sox traffic with "Bus Lane" painted on a patch of roadway before reentering a dedicated busway on the other side of BU. I'm sure this will end well.

.

This is the worst part. The tunnel should start with the grand junction, under comm ave and mass pike, not later by longwood.

Better yet, put the B underground too and have a big connection station.

Oh also, note they refer to the proposed B line BU bridge station. Hilarious.
 
While we're digging tunnels for buses, why not just screw it an make them light rail?
 
Jesus Christ. I really hope this economy kills this. I'm not against improved bus transit but this is idiotic.
 
Because the project will cost 2.5 billion, not 25 billion

I doubt light rail would cost THAT much...according to the 2003 PMT, electrifying the entire commuter rail system would only cost 2 billion--even less than the Urban Ring. Considering how much the commuter rail is used now, I'd say it's a worthy investment.
 
I doubt light rail would cost THAT much...according to the 2003 PMT, electrifying the entire commuter rail system would only cost 2 billion--even less than the Urban Ring. Considering how much the commuter rail is used now, I'd say it's a worthy investment.

A large portion of the project is street running. You will not get a street running train in this state. As such, making it light rail would increase the cost exponentially do to ROW or tunnels.
 

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