Seaport Transportation

I wouldn't complain about those improvements but the fact is that if the Waterfront SL was always going to be a bus, it should have been a surface BRT line (probably down Summer - more than wide enough for real segregated dedicated lanes). The tunnel using buses is pointless. The buses are slow because they are the wrong mode for the tunnel (not to mention the laborious mode switching at SL Way) and the circuitous connection to the TWT that requires doubling back halfway to South Station defeats the purpose of an express line to the airport entirely.
 
Shepard said:
I wouldn't complain about those improvements but the fact is that if the Waterfront SL was always going to be a bus, it should have been a surface BRT line (probably down Summer - more than wide enough for real segregated dedicated lanes). The tunnel using buses is pointless. The buses are slow because they are the wrong mode for the tunnel (not to mention the laborious mode switching at SL Way) and the circuitous connection to the TWT that requires doubling back halfway to South Station defeats the purpose of an express line to the airport entirely.
Click to expand...

Clearly the Silver Line Waterfront is anything but an "express line".

And if we wanted a BRT Express Line to the Airport, it would be easy to configure bypassing the Seaport stops entirely. Just use the virtually empty HOV lane in the I-90 tunnel to the airport, and the South Station HOV exit from the I-90 tunnel.
 
^ Sounds like a job for Logan Express....Massport to the rescue!
 
Shepard said:
I wouldn't complain about those improvements but the fact is that if the Waterfront SL was always going to be a bus, it should have been a surface BRT line (probably down Summer - more than wide enough for real segregated dedicated lanes). The tunnel using buses is pointless. The buses are slow because they are the wrong mode for the tunnel (not to mention the laborious mode switching at SL Way) and the circuitous connection to the TWT that requires doubling back halfway to South Station defeats the purpose of an express line to the airport entirely.
Click to expand...

The silver line should really be using that "state police" onramp. It was designed with general traffic in mind, having proper acceleration lanes and the like. I wouldn't be surprised if it was intended for the silver line to begin with. This "the state police won't let the MBTA use it" is the silliest thing I have ever heard. They are both state agencies. It only takes one quick meeting with a top official at each agency to iron out the details. Ridiculous.
 
If green line trolleys ever get a connection to the waterfront tunnel, the SL busses could be used for only a line to Logan and Airport Station on the BlueLine. The State Police tunnel would be crucial and I still can't figure out why it's not used already.
 
I'm guessing the ramp is not used because it has no merge area where it meets the tunnel entrance.
 
Huge report was just released:

South Boston Waterfront Sustainable Transportation Plan
http://www.sbwaterfrontmobility.org/documents/SBoston_Report_Final_Jan15.pdf

No bold proposals at all. The suggested T "improvements" are mainly improving Courthouse & WTC Station/Headhouse visibility/signage, but also rerouting the #7, possibly adding ferry service & bus shuttles to/from Andrew & Broadway.

3JuteKW.png

Fv85NAR.png

QYMrD6i.png

iGpDrLd.png

NpqdIK0.png

k3XThwr.png

KYFtRHW.png

yqE1Cig.png

ogHCv0I.png

87vUbVH.png

smF2Tbi.png

qxax6lV.png

OHPpyit.png

SUZAS1v.png
 
Last edited:
Looks like the Medium Term [3 to 10 year] planning includes both:
Dorchester Ave
D Street Tunnel & new Silver Line Way Station
 
No balls. Anyone seriously considering looking at Silver Line Phase 3 is a moron. Treat it like it's not part of the Silver Line Washington St service LIKE IT ALWAYS SHOULD HAVE BEEN!
 
That a Green Line solution is not even on their long-term radar is pathetic.
 
I appreciate Signal Priority for Silver @ D being in the 0-3yr plan. 'Course best would be at the 0 end of that, but certainly as part of the Chelsea extension.
 
D Street signal priority is something that could be done in the time it takes to reprogram the signal controller. The fact it's been an agenda item for years shows how dysfunctional things are. It's like telling your boss that you hope to set the time on your microwave before the end of FY15.

I see nothing on that agenda about replacing the pavement in the tunnel, using the State Police onramp, or how 45 second headways in those tunnels are really going to work without insane bunching.
 
Which ramp is State Police only? Ive heard this discussed but am not sure which one it is. Also, I wonder if our dear new mayor will ever get around to trying to boot the Staties out of the Seaport once and for all. The fact that State PD are responsible for this area is just so asinine. Maybe the good Gov. Charlie will take it on.
 
Arborway;224003r how 45 second headways in those tunnels are really going to work without insane bunching.[/QUOTE said:
The tunnel and stations was designed for buses operating in "platoons" of three (multiple buses loading/unloading at the same time at each stop). That is how they would achieve 45 second average headways, it would actually be a platoon of three buses operating about 120-second headways.
Click to expand...
 
winstonoboogie said:
The tunnel and stations was designed for buses operating in "platoons" of three (multiple buses loading/unloading at the same time at each stop). That is how they would achieve 45 second average headways, it would actually be a platoon of three buses operating about 120-second headways.
Click to expand...

Having seen what happens when a few buses get remotely close to each other in the tunnels, I'm not optimistic that it would work as designed.
 
Arborway said:
Having seen what happens when a few buses get remotely close to each other in the tunnels, I'm not optimistic that it would work as designed.
Click to expand...

When the Tall Ships were in Boston in 2012, they ran 30 of the 32 dual-modes in service in the tunnel during the days the festival was taking palce (the normal schedule requires only 17). They didn't have any major problems running such an intense service, but based on the maintenance needs of the bus fleet, it was a schedule that could only be operated for a few days. With a larger bus fleet, they could certainly replicate that level of service on a regular basis.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top