Airport Haul Road

[BostonUrbEx]

Airport Haul Road / Silver Line Chelsea

Does anyone know if MassPort's haul road paralleling Chelsea St will allow for use by the Silver Line extension to Chelsea?

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

Does anyone know if MassPort's haul road paralleling Chelsea St will allow for use by the Silver Line extension to Chelsea?

Yes. For one, it's really really short...like 1500 feet on the ROW between turn-in and turn-out. Second, the old Eastern Route here used to be a 4-tracker with a big-ass yard now covered by the footprint of 1A. Which is why they didn't have to do much land-taking to build 1A. The Curtis St. and Saratoga St. bridges were rebuilt as 2-track when 1A came to town, but you can easily see the ROW cut used to be way wider and has sloped earthen fill that didn't used to be there. Put in proper retaining walls and you could squeeze 2 tracks of rail next to 2 lanes of truck road. The T might use it as an excuse to force BRT down everyone's throats yet again as an "Oh, shucks...the ROW is gone! Whoopsie!" excuse, but Massport is the one designing this road, and they are precluding nothing. Including, extremely extremely unlikely as it would be, a freight rail-to-air freight spur that cuts under 1A, over the Blue Line tunnel, and across Frankfort St. on a grade crossing. There are many reasons the BL had a tunnel plunked right in that spot when it was extended in '52...instead of any other spot or any other placement for that 1A offramp. This was one of them (but chances are vanishingly small it'll ever be needed because Logan just doesn't have the infinite freight capacity).

 

[BostonUrbEx]

Seeing as the ROW was formerly so wide, at 4 tracks, how about putting BRT on the haul road and then slapping in platforms on the sides and having a Day Square stop on SL6 to Chelsea? Perhaps one day eliminating the need for Wood Island, or giving Wood Island limited hours like Bowdoin to remove staffing, cleaning/maintenance, etc. In addition, consume half of the 112 bus route.

I imagine a routing somewhat like this: South Station - Courthouse - World Trade Center, - Silver Line Way - Airport Station - Day Square - Central Ave Parking Garage (owned by MassPort for Logan?) - Central @ Highland - various downtown Chelsea stops.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

Map! --> https://t.co/MujlLRDc

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

Seeing as the ROW was formerly so wide, at 4 tracks, how about putting BRT on the haul road and then slapping in platforms on the sides and having a Day Square stop on SL6 to Chelsea? Perhaps one day eliminating the need for Wood Island, or giving Wood Island limited hours like Bowdoin to remove staffing, cleaning/maintenance, etc. In addition, consume half of the 112 bus route.

I imagine a routing somewhat like this: South Station - Courthouse - World Trade Center, - Silver Line Way - Airport Station - Day Square - Central Ave Parking Garage (owned by MassPort for Logan?) - Central @ Highland - various downtown Chelsea stops.

That gets a little dicey with an endless conga line of fuel tanker trucks and big rigs with wide turning radius and poor braking performance swinging close to the platform. Haul roads are great for transit vehicles passing through because of the restricted access, not so great for people milling around on a platform. Neighborhood would probably have a LOT of opposition to a full-build BRT stop there.

Plus, what exactly is your stop going to be on that haul road...gas tank #6? I was kind of puzzled that the 112 even had a stop at Curtis St. until I zoomed in and saw that the Global Fuel home office and a trucking company were right across the street. It's pretty much an employee flag stop for those offices. The 1A-sliced halves of Curtis are uncrossable by peds anyway, so there's nothing between Eastern Ave. and Bennington worth stopping for. The UR stops proposed for that stretch were Griffin Way on the other side of the river and Airport/Blue Line. I don't think it even had one at Bennington/Wood Island.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

Plus, what exactly is your stop going to be on that haul road...gas tank #6?

I was thinking of wedging it down in the trapazoid formed by Bremen, Saratoga, Bennington, and 1A. Perfect spot for capturing Day Square than Wood Island can ever do. Hell, it would be just as, if not more, convenient to the streets east of 1A than is Wood Island.

Also, with the removal of half of the 112 bus' route, the busway at Wood Island becomes useless. Or, as mentioned, perhaps Wood Island itself is thus useless. So then Frankfort St can be spliced back together.

 

[cybah]

So I went and did some minor 'rail-fanning' today while I heading to the airport to have lunch with a friend who had a layover. I had enough time so I headed over to Wood Island Station to see if i could take pics of the new haul road.

I'll apologize for the chain link fence, these were only taken from one vantage point and were taken rather quickly as I needed to make sure I was back on the blue line to go to the airport by a certain time. But I wanted to get pics today as I normally do not have time (when I am on the 112)

I didn't have time to take pics of the entrance (under 1A) and the exit (on Chelsea Street). Perhaps one day this week I will walk over and take some more pics. But here's some for now. These were all taken from the Saratoga Street overpass (over the new haul road).

Pic 1 - Looking toward Day Square and 1A. I'm not to sure what's being put into the ground there, looks like a power box of sorts. (It just doesn't look like drainage gear). This road will be lined with a finished retaining wall, notice on the right the finished wall, and the left where it's being installed. Also notice how wide the road becomes when it goes underneath the overpass (where the pic was taken) and narrows going under Bennington Street.

Pic 2 - This is looking toward the Chelsea Street bridge from the Saratoga Street overpass. Notice how wide the road is. It could easily fit 2 lanes in each direction, or platforms or something. Notice the anchors in the ground. I'm going to take a good guess that these are for lighting as they run up and down the entire road. Its odd that they are set out so far away from the wall. But the plans call for some green space within the haul road.

You can see the whole set I took at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35081322@N08/sets/72157631035959636/

More information about the project can be seen here:

http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/theu...C_East_Boston_Chelsea_Bypass_Presentation.pdf

I have a few more comments about stuff that has been said in this thread. I'll post that shortly in a new post.

 

[cybah]

So I have to chime in on this, only because I live in Chelsea, and take the 112 daily (mornings) and see what's going on.

First off that Google map is incorrect. The haul road will meet Chelsea street before the Curtis street overpass. Its also going to split around the gas tanks, where the exit will be on one side of a tank and the other entrance will be on the other side (after Curtis street, if heading toward Day Square). I agree, this is silly and they should have extended it all the way to the bridge (there's just parking lots where the ROW ends at the Chelsea Street bridge).

The work is almost done, as the road is mostly complete from its start under 1A, under Neptune Road. They are now working around the gas tanks. I just hope they put some fencing or something up to prevent the buses from accidentally hitting the gas tank (imagine what kind of explosion this would cause!). I can't imagine they will allow buses to go over 20mph near those tanks.

The main goal of this project is to take the buses out of Day Square, and off of Chelsea and Neptune Streets. Not only for Massport buses, but to Eastern Ave where there are many Airport Park N Rides lots so this new road will provide service for these buses also.

As far as the Silver Line expansion. I keep reading rumbles about this. Chelsea needs additional public transit. Its service by five buses and 3 of those buses are 'key route' buses (which upgrades should be finished by next year).

The MBTA knows Chelsea needs something.. either rapid rail station or additional bus service. The key bus routes are cramped always, and they can't seem to run them fast enough.

The 111 is great, it runs every 5 minutes or less during rush, and 10 or less during non rush. But its always packed, even late at night. Plus now with the Tobin Bridge rehab, this bus is awful to ride now during rush hour. (the headways are just too long now). But in non rush you can be downtown in 7 minutes, it doesn't get any faster than that.

The 114/116/117 are an OK buses, but with all the stops they makes on Meridian Street in east Boston, its not a feasible ride to the blue line from Chelsea Center. Plus the 116/117 can be unreliable because of the long haul it makes from Wonderland via Revere Center to Chelsea. Even the 114 (which is the Maverick <-> Bellingham Square loop bus) is unreliable because it doesn't run often enough (yet when it runs its still packed during rush hour)

The 112 is an odd bus. Its never really packed but its never really empty either. You don't ride the 112 end to end, its just too long of a route. Its more of a 'cross town' bus. BUT I notice in the mornings, 99% of the people who get on from Chelsea center are destined for the blue line. But the 112 runs so infrequently and can be delayed (due to its long route it takes from Wellington) it has lower ridership than it should. Because when you ride it from the square, it really is a 7 minute ride to the blue line (if the bridge isn't up). And if the SL was extended to Chelsea Center, I believe that the 112 would continue to run its normal route, only because the areas it covers and its infrequency. Its the only bus for the Solder's Home and Admiral's Hill. Its a long walk out to the nearest non-112 bus stop from these complexes.

So as far as extending, I really can see this happening. The Key Bus Routes project would provide and build upgraded stops within Chelsea Center. Then the T just would have to come up with funds for additional buses, and a handful of stops outside Chelsea center (i.e. Central Ave, Parking Garage, Day Square). I have a feeling that if this were to happen it wouldn't happen until the Chelsea/Revere portion of the Key Bus Routes project is done, since not only because of the bus stops, I believe the T would like to see if the fruits of their labor on that project first.

I also feel that extending would not end in downtown Chelsea.. well maybe. I Do see a 'Chelsea Loop" bus (aka SL6) but I also see them eventually completing an arc of the Urban Ring, by extending this bus to Wellington via the CR ROW (aka SL8). This would include stops at Market Basket, Revere Beach Parkway (somewhere near 99), and Santilli Circle. By adding these stops, this arc would gain ridership (many destined for Gateway Center, and businesses along the parkway, plus Market Basket). This area is very under served by public transit. (the only real bus that goes near by is, again, the unreliable and infrequent 112).

The city of Everett and Chelsea are committed to cleaning up this industrial waste land between 16 and the Tobin, and adding rapid public transit (even if its just a frequent bus) would jump start development in an already active redevelopment area (The city is rebuilding all the roads around Market Basket's Plaza). So there would be a big push for this to happen.

I also question whether a SL6 would service the airport or not. Part of the reason for building this is to service the Employee Parking Garage (and Park & Fly lots nearby), why wouldn't it service the airport? Although if the line was extended to Wellington (as SL8), that line could service be a loop in itself, whereas it would run from Wellington to Chelsea Center and loop around the Airport and come back to Wellington. BUT to make one gigantic route (SS -> Airport -> Airport Station -> Haul Road -> Chelsea Center -> Wellington) just would be too long of a headway. But I digress

The map that was posted in this thread also has markings for a "SL7" which looks to be additional bus service along the 116/117 route corridor. I'm not too sure if this would happen (I haven't heard anything about it) since this pretty much would follow the existing 116/117, which is being improved as apart 'key bus route' project. But I see the T completing the first arc of the urban ring (aka my "SL8") to Wellington from Chelsea Center, before SL7 (as described on that map) would happen.

The other thing to note with completing an arc of the Urban Ring, is that the original documents for the Urban Ring talk about extending the haul road over the bridge into Chelsea, and build it using the rest of the abandoned rail line until it meets the CR tracks (near Broadway/Gerrish/Crescent). Thus avoiding a 'Chelsea loop' all together and just have one stop (presumably an 'upgraded' CR stop) for downtown Chelsea, and avoiding surface streets all together. So if this all comes to fruition, it will be interesting to see how/what will happen.

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

Yeah, the design calls for lots of plantings. Massport's clearing out all the available space in the cut so it's provisioned for future use. So...uh...be thankful this is their project and not the T's as there'd definitely be some rail earth-salting shennanigans otherwise.

Bennington's one of the 1950's/1A-era overpasses that closed up part of the cut, but you can see on that vantage point that the ROW used to maintain its width all the way to the private property lines/fences. Doing the UR through there simply requires replacing the bridge with a wider one and extending the retaining wall to the foot of those fences to reclaim the cut.

Good project...the neighborhood needs this quite badly after so many years of suffering with the mixed truck traffic.

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

So I have to chime in on this, only because I live in Chelsea, and take the 112 daily (mornings) and see what's going on.

First off that Google map is incorrect. The haul road will meet Chelsea street before the Curtis street overpass. Its also going to split around the gas tanks, where the exit will be on one side of a tank and the other entrance will be on the other side (after Curtis street, if heading toward Day Square). I agree, this is silly and they should have extended it all the way to the bridge (there's just parking lots where the ROW ends at the Chelsea Street bridge).

The work is almost done, as the road is mostly complete from its start under 1A, under Neptune Road. They are now working around the gas tanks. I just hope they put some fencing or something up to prevent the buses from accidentally hitting the gas tank (imagine what kind of explosion this would cause!). I can't imagine they will allow buses to go over 20mph near those tanks.

The main goal of this project is to take the buses out of Day Square, and off of Chelsea and Neptune Streets. Not only for Massport buses, but to Eastern Ave where there are many Airport Park N Rides lots so this new road will provide service for these buses also.

As far as the Silver Line expansion. I keep reading rumbles about this. Chelsea needs additional public transit. Its service by five buses and 3 of those buses are 'key route' buses (which upgrades should be finished by next year).

The MBTA knows Chelsea needs something.. either rapid rail station or additional bus service. The key bus routes are cramped always, and they can't seem to run them fast enough.

The 111 is great, it runs every 5 minutes or less during rush, and 10 or less during non rush. But its always packed, even late at night. Plus now with the Tobin Bridge rehab, this bus is awful to ride now during rush hour. (the headways are just too long now). But in non rush you can be downtown in 7 minutes, it doesn't get any faster than that.

The 114/116/117 are an OK buses, but with all the stops they makes on Meridian Street in east Boston, its not a feasible ride to the blue line from Chelsea Center. Plus the 116/117 can be unreliable because of the long haul it makes from Wonderland via Revere Center to Chelsea. Even the 114 (which is the Maverick <-> Bellingham Square loop bus) is unreliable because it doesn't run often enough (yet when it runs its still packed during rush hour)

The 112 is an odd bus. Its never really packed but its never really empty either. You don't ride the 112 end to end, its just too long of a route. Its more of a 'cross town' bus. BUT I notice in the mornings, 99% of the people who get on from Chelsea center are destined for the blue line. But the 112 runs so infrequently and can be delayed (due to its long route it takes from Wellington) it has lower ridership than it should. Because when you ride it from the square, it really is a 7 minute ride to the blue line (if the bridge isn't up). And if the SL was extended to Chelsea Center, I believe that the 112 would continue to run its normal route, only because the areas it covers and its infrequency. Its the only bus for the Solder's Home and Admiral's Hill. Its a long walk out to the nearest non-112 bus stop from these complexes.

So as far as extending, I really can see this happening. The Key Bus Routes project would provide and build upgraded stops within Chelsea Center. Then the T just would have to come up with funds for additional buses, and a handful of stops outside Chelsea center (i.e. Central Ave, Parking Garage, Day Square). I have a feeling that if this were to happen it wouldn't happen until the Chelsea/Revere portion of the Key Bus Routes project is done, since not only because of the bus stops, I believe the T would like to see if the fruits of their labor on that project first.

I also feel that extending would not end in downtown Chelsea.. well maybe. I Do see a 'Chelsea Loop" bus (aka SL6) but I also see them eventually completing an arc of the Urban Ring, by extending this bus to Wellington via the CR ROW (aka SL8). This would include stops at Market Basket, Revere Beach Parkway (somewhere near 99), and Santilli Circle. By adding these stops, this arc would gain ridership (many destined for Gateway Center, and businesses along the parkway, plus Market Basket). This area is very under served by public transit. (the only real bus that goes near by is, again, the unreliable and infrequent 112).

The city of Everett and Chelsea are committed to cleaning up this industrial waste land between 16 and the Tobin, and adding rapid public transit (even if its just a frequent bus) would jump start development in an already active redevelopment area (The city is rebuilding all the roads around Market Basket's Plaza). So there would be a big push for this to happen.

I also question whether a SL6 would service the airport or not. Part of the reason for building this is to service the Employee Parking Garage (and Park & Fly lots nearby), why wouldn't it service the airport? Although if the line was extended to Wellington (as SL8), that line could service be a loop in itself, whereas it would run from Wellington to Chelsea Center and loop around the Airport and come back to Wellington. BUT to make one gigantic route (SS -> Airport -> Airport Station -> Haul Road -> Chelsea Center -> Wellington) just would be too long of a headway. But I digress

The map that was posted in this thread also has markings for a "SL7" which looks to be additional bus service along the 116/117 route corridor. I'm not too sure if this would happen (I haven't heard anything about it) since this pretty much would follow the existing 116/117, which is being improved as apart 'key bus route' project. But I see the T completing the first arc of the urban ring (aka my "SL8") to Wellington from Chelsea Center, before SL7 (as described on that map) would happen.

The other thing to note with completing an arc of the Urban Ring, is that the original documents for the Urban Ring talk about extending the haul road over the bridge into Chelsea, and build it using the rest of the abandoned rail line until it meets the CR tracks (near Broadway/Gerrish/Crescent). Thus avoiding a 'Chelsea loop' all together and just have one stop (presumably an 'upgraded' CR stop) for downtown Chelsea, and avoiding surface streets all together. So if this all comes to fruition, it will be interesting to see how/what will happen.

Yes, the abandoned half of the wye to Chelsea St. (which used to have a parallel rail drawbridge) is part of the UR. The Eastern Route is 4-track width from the wye all the way to the new 1980's construction Mystic bridge. And, really, 4-track + buffer because it used to have freight sidings in addition. They did it that way because it was shared by B&M and B&A back in the day, on segregated tracks. This is why Everett terminal is the only place on the northside that CSX serves, and the only place CSX and Pan Am both have customers...CSX is the freight successor to B&A's rights.

The UR plan calls for eliminating all the grade crossings except for Chelsea station at that tough intersection underneath Route 1. If Phase III turns it into a rail line and it's light rail, vehicles can share the Chelsea bridge. You can easily do light rail on a movable bridge (draw, swing, or lift)...Lechmere Viaduct used to when it was still a draw span. Detaching the rail and catenary are no different from how the NEC operates. If it ends up (doubtful) becoming heavy rail, then the parallel span gets put back in on its old footprint.


Again, everyone feared the BRT kool-aid drinkers at the T would monkey around with this in a way that would preclude flex for future rail. So it's good that comparatively much more competent Massport is the one calling the shots here.

 

[cozzyd]

Seeing as the ROW was formerly so wide, at 4 tracks, how about putting BRT on the haul road and then slapping in platforms on the sides and having a Day Square stop on SL6 to Chelsea? Perhaps one day eliminating the need for Wood Island, or giving Wood Island limited hours like Bowdoin to remove staffing, cleaning/maintenance, etc. In addition, consume half of the 112 bus route.

I imagine a routing somewhat like this: South Station - Courthouse - World Trade Center, - Silver Line Way - Airport Station - Day Square - Central Ave Parking Garage (owned by MassPort for Logan?) - Central @ Highland - various downtown Chelsea stops.

Would this really be more convenient to Chelsea residents than the 111? I guess it takes you to South Station instead of Haymarket, and perhaps it's less congested than the Tobin?

 

[cybah]

Would this really be more convenient to Chelsea residents than the 111? I guess it takes you to South Station instead of Haymarket, and perhaps it's less congested than the Tobin?

The issue isnt so much timing to downtown, its more about dealing with sheer volume. During Rush Hour the 111 (and its stub clone, the 111C) run every 5 minutes or less and some times that's not enough. Its usually standing room only and a sea of people waiting to get on. And between traffic and other factors, buses get off schedule and bunch up. It doesn't matter what the T does, there's just so much volume on this route.

The 116/117 isnt much better coming out of maverick (its usually still half full once it reaches Bellingham Square).

If there was more direct service to the blue line (which can handle more volume) people might be more apt to use it. Connect it at both ends with a train station (i.e. Wellington or Airport) and it'll be a winner.

And yes in short, it would be convenient. It would avoid traffic on the Tobin and all the 'local' stops the 116/117 does on Meridian Street. It would be a 2-3 stop ride to the Airport and/or Blue Line.

 

[cozzyd]

How about this for CT4?

Airport Station -> Day Square -> Garage ->Downtown Chelsea -> (Tobin Bridge) -> Tobin Offramp @ New Rutherford (serving Charlestown) -> Community College -> Land @ O'Brien -> Lechmere -> 1st @ Charles (Galleria) -> 1st @ Binney -> Binney @ Third -> Third @ Broadway (Kendall Square) ->Broadway @ Galileo Galilei (and turn around via Ames st).

 

[cozzyd]

The issue isnt so much timing to downtown, its more about dealing with sheer volume. During Rush Hour the 111 (and its stub clone, the 111C) run every 5 minutes or less and some times that's not enough. Its usually standing room only and a sea of people waiting to get on. And between traffic and other factors, buses get off schedule and bunch up. It doesn't matter what the T does, there's just so much volume on this route.

The 116/117 isnt much better coming out of maverick (its usually still half full once it reaches Bellingham Square).

If there was more direct service to the blue line (which can handle more volume) people might be more apt to use it. Connect it at both ends with a train station (i.e. Wellington or Airport) and it'll be a winner.

And yes in short, it would be convenient. It would avoid traffic on the Tobin and all the 'local' stops the 116/117 does on Meridian Street. It would be a 2-3 stop ride to the Airport and/or Blue Line.

Maybe the 111 needs articulated buses?

 

[Commuting Boston Student]

I also feel that extending would not end in downtown Chelsea.. well maybe. I Do see a 'Chelsea Loop" bus (aka SL6) but I also see them eventually completing an arc of the Urban Ring, by extending this bus to Wellington via the CR ROW (aka SL8). This would include stops at Market Basket, Revere Beach Parkway (somewhere near 99), and Santilli Circle. By adding these stops, this arc would gain ridership (many destined for Gateway Center, and businesses along the parkway, plus Market Basket). This area is very under served by public transit. (the only real bus that goes near by is, again, the unreliable and infrequent 112).

The city of Everett and Chelsea are committed to cleaning up this industrial waste land between 16 and the Tobin, and adding rapid public transit (even if its just a frequent bus) would jump start development in an already active redevelopment area (The city is rebuilding all the roads around Market Basket's Plaza). So there would be a big push for this to happen.

There's a very good reason why that area is under served by public transit.

I got half way through explaining it before realizing that I had degenerated into a maniac frothing at the mouth.

So here's some maps to illustrate my point instead.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

There's a very good reason why that area is under served by public transit.

I got half way through explaining it before realizing that I had degenerated into a maniac frothing at the mouth.

So here's some maps to illustrate my point instead.

As you can see, things used to be much better. http://www.historicaerials.com/aeri...4016326061643&lon=-71.0611308287295&year=1955

The "why does this road exist?" was the original Revere Beach Parkway. And it exists still because you can't go 99N to 16W otherwise. Nor 16E to 99N or 99S.

Frankly the pseudo-highway that exists now a piece of crap, IMO. Realistically I don't know how much better you can handle the East-West traffic without having said pseudo-highway, though.

 

[Ron Newman]

This is getting pretty far away from 'Airport Haul Road', but the state plans to improve or replace the Route 16 bridges over the Orange Line and over the Malden River so that they are reasonable to walk across.

 

[Commuting Boston Student]

Frankly the pseudo-highway that exists now a piece of crap, IMO. Realistically I don't know how much better you can handle the East-West traffic without having said pseudo-highway, though.

I really do believe that, besides the bridge improvements mentioned by Ron Newman, just sticking an at-grade intersection, some crosswalks, and a traffic light right in the middle of that pseudo-highway and making the left lanes left-turn-only would create a world of difference and be an extremely positive change for the area.

 

[Shepard]

What are the ridership projections for a BLX to Chelsea via a branch over the Chelsea Street bridge? The ROW, as far as I'm aware, is almost complete preserved... I'd have to imagine this would be an even bigger "rider for the buck" investment than more buses, even in their own every-now-and-again ROWs.

 

[F-Line to Dudley]

What are the ridership projections for a BLX to Chelsea via a branch over the Chelsea Street bridge? The ROW, as far as I'm aware, is almost complete preserved... I'd have to imagine this would be an even bigger "rider for the buck" investment than more buses, even in their own every-now-and-again ROWs.

I don't know, because I think the Urban Ring study site the state set up has been taken down. But it did have ridership studies, at least through the BRT Phase II. It was mega. There's definitely justification for a rail line through there. Frankly I think that should be the first leg done, as light rail. The Grand Junction obviously can't be done until there's some replacement (N-S Link or new connecting track) for the northside/southside equipment shuttle, but you can definitely do a Green Line branch off Lechmere. The new carhouse location for GLX traces out the ROW on trajectory to Sullivan. To make it a revenue track you would:

Phase I (really easy...this really should be a future tack-on to GLX that they do at same time as a Union-Porter extension)
1. Reconfigure yard switches and whatnot so it's a thru track.
2. NOT do something stupid like making the flyover ramps to the yard leads single-track or something (the drawings are vague about that, so reason to be nervous).
3. Do a very quick duck-under tunnel under the freight wye. Duck-unders aren't hard with trolleys because they can handle steep grades (see the B/C/E inclines).
4. Plunk new platforms on the double-track freight storage tracks next to Sullivan.

Phase II
5. Figure out where you're getting across the Mystic, and widen either the Eastern Route bridge or the Orange/Haverhill bridge. They want to hit both Assembly and Wellington. I think that's going to be too expensive, too tight a fit, and too hard to EIS around the Mystic wetlands. Parallel-spanning the Eastern Route bridge is a lot more straightforward. The old draw span that existed there until the 1980's still has preserved approaches on the south side of the current span. What you could do it build the parallel span, relocate commuter rail onto that, and put the trolleys on the existing span (see next bullet on why they need to stay on north side of the RR tracks)
6. Stay on the north side of the Eastern Route tracks (Everett terminal freight tracks are on the south side), stop at Gateway Ctr. Also provides Saugus Branch accessibility for the trail and (maybe, but I doubt it) some spur 50 years from now.
7. Chelsea station, displacing the CR station. That's also the only grade crossing that's near-impossible to eliminate, so that's why I'm skeptical this could ever be heavy rail.
8. Duck-under or flyover to the abandoned wye. Station at Griffin Way. Make this the turnback for now.

Phase III
9. Merge onto Chelsea St. bridge in mixed traffic.
10. Peel off onto the Haul Road ROW. Haul Road shifted over so both can fit, narrow bridges like Bennington widened to their former width.
11. Continue on to Airport station on the currently trailed portion of the ROW. It's a block-wide linear park, so trail doesn't go away.

Phase IV
12. Logan Terminals El. Can do it hugging the second level of the parking garage the next time 30 years when Logan's up for a total renovation like it got in the early 90's. Buffer exists for ROW next to the Pike. Make it a dual busway with rail in pavement so both light rail and Silver Line from SS can share it grade-separated. Sort of a Terminal Transitway.


I mean, this is like 30 years total so it's not as awe-inspiringly complicated as it would look as a monolith. Figure you're picking off 1 phase per decade, with II and III following each other in quicker succession like the GLX Phase I to Medford Hillside and Phase II to Route 16.