Silver Line to Chelsea

As has been said before, the comparison between green and silver is a poor one... the green line is a unified piece, regardless of the details around whether you can get to Kenmore or Lechmere on such-and-such line. The silver line is completely discontinuous. Calling multiple separate branches that don’t share a common trunk is stupid and confusing. If we ever get real BRT and have multiple lines, is every single line going to be called Silver Line X? The only reason these silver branches share a common name in the first place is because they were supposed to be connected together underground. Until that happens, they should have separate names.

I hate the “silver” designation, anyway. Whoever did the design idea behind it - it’s the shoddiest, cheapest attempt I’ve ever seen at crappy retro Art Deco, with the name/color doing a bad job of being reminiscent about chrome plated transportation - gimme a break. This is all defensive on the part of the MBTA, anyway, because they knew damn well that the Silver was hardly an equivalent of actual rapid transit, and hence, they couldn’t just use a color, they had to make it gimmicky, too. There's also the logo design itself - which thankfully they've mostly retired, I think - the ridiculous Egyptian/Art Deco wings + with the "SILVERLINE" letters not even properly centered... an embarrassingly sloppy design for a major public agency... Stupid theme, stupid name, shitty design.
 
Last edited:
Its pretty interesting that Cybah only posts here and not in any other threads. Thats dedication to be able to stay away from the rest of the whole forum and only focus on only what your here for. He has a true dedication to this project and though Ill never take this part of the line I hope its a success for his sake.
 
stick n move said:
Its pretty interesting that Cybah only posts here and not in any other threads. Thats dedication to be able to stay away from the rest of the whole forum and only focus on only what your here for. He has a true dedication to this project and though Ill never take this part of the line I hope its a success for his sake.
Click to expand...

I used too. I used to post everywhere. I was very active on a few sites for many years.

I got PO'd one day after I took the 1st set of photos, that I actually took them down. Scroll back and you can see how pissed I was.

I just learned 'pick your battles'. So I come here, I post reply to any questions and leave. I just don't have the energy to internet-fight people any more.

I should also note that I am involved in a few transit groups so I get my fill of transit 2 nights a week.
 
Hey All-

It's time for a final update before it opens on 4/21.

This is a small update as there's not much to show. I only took pictures to do a final "closure" before it opens of this project. I'll probably do another photo set a few months after it opens. (and of course, a set the day it opens)

There's a few spots left. They tore up part of the sidewalk at Cottage street and there appears to be some sort of crossing signal going in there (at least the bases for it). (This gives me hope a signal wil be there for car traffic)

Bellingham Square is done, it's just a mess. The ramp hasn't changed since the last time it opened. I now doubt it will be ready for opening day, as will the signals.

They still have roughly 19 days until opening so you neve rknow.

If you'd like to see the previous photo sets they can be found here by clicking on the links below:

Pics from 4/25/15
Pics from 6/20/15
Pics from 8/1/15
Pics from 9/19/15
Pics from 10/31/15
Pics from 1/9/16
Pics from 3/12/16
Pics from 4/16/16
Pics from 5/15/16
Pics from 6/26/16
Pics from 8/13/16
Pics from 10/5/16
Pics from 11/10/16
Pics from 12/14/16
Pics from 2/2/17
Pics from 3/23/17
Pics from 4/20/17
Pics from 6/3/17
Pics from 7/22/17
Pics from 9/9/17
Pics from 12/16/17
Pics from 2/17/18

And if you'd like to see the ALL of NEW photos, you can click here

And now for the highlights. Like last time, I am going to severely limit what I post, and urge people to click on the link above to see the pictures.
----

Electrical Work at Cottage Street

41095058392_8764d58c9e_b.jpg

26266795767_f81e0be43b_b.jpg


----

Sidewalk being dug up at Library street (this was finished last time)

40243312945_73b48d146e_b.jpg


----

Just add buses...

26266853557_ae159fe8bd_b.jpg


----

A view into Bellingham Square Station from the Washington Ave Bridge

40243348885_ccfaaa5aac_b.jpg


----

A view of the unfinished ramp system at Bellingham Square Station

27265209958_095267f833_b.jpg


----

Just waiting for some buses...

40243214835_6b626c5704_b.jpg


-----

And that's it. Like I said, not much to see since it opens in 19 days. I'll be riding the morning of the first run. And if there is a ribbon cutting I will be there also.

I probably will take a set a few months after it's been open to show what it looks like after some use. We'll see.

But this the end of a 3 year project! So excited to finally see it come to frutition.

Anyways, let me know what you think
 
Project looks great but one thing that seems very annoying to me is that the Chelsea stop on the silver line isn’t the Chelsea stop on the commuter rail line. At least on the map, you have Chelsea twice right next to each other. They should’ve renamed one. Now you have a confusing situation where someone gets on at airport and is told, ride the Chelsea silver line to Bellingham square to get on the Chelsea train stop. Just make sure you don’t take the bus to the Chelsea stop. Just seems like a very lazy oversight

Edit: typo
 
choo said:
Project looks great but one thing that seems very annoying to me is that the Chelsea stop on the silver line isn’t the Chelsea stop on the commuter rail line. At least on the map, you have Chelsea twice right next to each other. They should’ve renamed one. Now you have a confusing situation where someone gets on at airport and is told, ride the Chelsea silver line to Bellingham square to get on the Chelsea train stop. Just make sure you don’t take the bus to the Chelsea stop. Just seems like a very lazy oversight

Edit: typo
Click to expand...

It's because this is a two phase project. The Commuter Rail is coming in Phase II. Unfortunately it has no funding (which is why it hasn't started yet, when the SLG plans say it should be by now).

Originally the stations were Eastern Ave, Box District, Chelsea Center, and Mystic Mall. Some point 2 or so years ago, they changed Mystic Mall to Chelsea to reflect once the commuter rail station moves. And Changed "Chelsea Center" to Bellingham Square.

Not sure WHY, except when I asked the PM, he said it was just to align the names better once the CR station opened to prevent confusion like is happening now.

I guess they thought the CR station would be in the works now, but it is not.

FWIW, I think the name Bellingham Sq is a stupid name. WHy? because it's not really near B'ham Square. It's between Day and Cary Squares. (And should be called Cary Square instead). Talk about confusion. People thinking they need to go to B'ham Sq, get off the SL3 and realize they are 2 blocks from B'ham Square.
 
Riverside said:
This is of interest to me. What reroute would lead them to not stop at Airport?
Click to expand...

The Chelsea Street bridge went up.

The road configuration around Airport doesn't really allow for a detour I guess. The buses would either:

A) back track to the airport and use the airport exit to take 1A north or

B) back track to the airport and use the airport exit to take 1A south to Eastie and over the meridian street bridge (if possible)

C) Go Airport Road -> Neptune -> Bennington Street North to try to get onto 1A

Anything that requires backtracking or Bennington Street would add so much time to the detour.

So I think this message is for buses who are in the tunnel and/or in the Transitway and the bridge went up so the buses would be detoured BEFORE they got off at the Airport exit to just use 1A north.

It sucks for anyone trying to go from the Seaport to Airport Station. But I understand why the T did it this way.
 
So... if outbound, then detour past airport AND past the bridge by continuing north on 1A?

...and if inbound, detour around the bridge, but don't bypass airport?

Do i have that right?
 
There's no reason for there to be uncertainty over this detour route. Clearly they've already figured it out. Has anyone reached out to the MBTA and asked them to clarify?
 
I would think that airport station would be the busiest on the route. Both for Cheslea residents going downtown or Revere/Lynn/Eastie going to the Seaport.
 
sm89 said:
There's no reason for there to be uncertainty over this detour route. Clearly they've already figured it out. Has anyone reached out to the MBTA and asked them to clarify?
Click to expand...

I did and they ignored my question and directed me to the trip planner.
 
sm89 said:
There's no reason for there to be uncertainty over this detour route. Clearly they've already figured it out. Has anyone reached out to the MBTA and asked them to clarify?
Click to expand...

I asked a while back to the PM I have a contact with. That is what they said.

There is a meeting on Thursday at Chelsea City Hall as an informational session. I will ask them because I'd like clarification also.
 
"Secretary Pollack Would like Silver Line to Go to Everett
April 6, 2018
By Seth Daniel

Just as the Silver Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line gets ready to launch in Chelsea on April 21, State Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said in a meeting in Boston that she would like to see it expand to Everett – a plan that Mayor Carlo DeMaria and the Lower Mystic Regional Transportation Working Group has touted as well.

The Silver Line 3 (SL-3) will being operations on April 21, making a 30-minute journey from the Mystic (Market Basket) Mall to South Station, via Logan Airport and the Seaport in Boston, every 10 minutes. The BRT will run on a separate, bus-only lane through Chelsea and over the Chelsea Street Bridge.

Pollack said that a draft of the soon-to-be-released Transportation plan, called Focus 40, will have a recommendation for Everett to be included in an expansion of the new Silver Line service.



“That service will open on April 21, and we’re looking forward to the opening,” she said. “That is a BRT service, and we hope to continue it from Chelsea into Everett and Sullivan Square and other highly congested areas. That’s one other thing we are looking at in our Focus 40 plan.”

Those statements came at a breakfast in the Back Bay on March 20 where Pollack was the keynote speaker and addressing investment in the Orange Line. She also highlighted the new Silver Line service and the agency’s hopes to continue it in the years to come."
 
Sounds like they'd continue it along the commuter rail to the casino area.
 
tysmith95 said:
Sounds like they'd continue it along the commuter rail to the casino area.
Click to expand...

Can't or just difficult and $. Active Rail Line and the BRT line would need to cross over near the product mart at some point. Just a very hard and expensive construction method due to it being an active rail line (we've had discussions on here about this)

The Everett Transit Plan also had the SLG go beyond Market Basket to 2nd street, then to Norwood Square (up B'way) to Malden Center via Ferry.

I HATE THIS ROUTE. Let's take what headway we have on the busway and then put it into mixed traffic or a bus lane. And send it clearly WAY THE F**K OUT OF ITS WAY to Malden.

I'm not even a fan of it going to Sullivan very much as suggested by Pollock. It's likely to use 99 over along the CR as stated above but there's too much traffic if 99 is used. And unless it can be its own busway or ROW, it's no better than the buses that are there. I get why they want Sullivan, Casino + more direct connection to Cambridge and Kendall Sq, thus completing yet another arc of the Urban Ring.

I think at one point we're going to end up building the Urban Ring, maybe as not one huge project, but in pieces.
 
Last edited:
I'm really losing track of how this would be different from any old bus. I'm not a huge fan of the SL in general because I think it represents abdication of responsibility on behalf of leaders who didn't have what it takes to build at least light rail. But with something like this, the line becomes totally blurred. Should we change all the Inner Express buses to Silver Lines?

I understand how powerful BRT is; but weirdly branding some routes as a "line" and including them deceptively on our rapid-transit map isn't getting serious. We need dedicated rights of way or at least bus lanes, signal priority, the works. I don't care if they're all yellow or all silver or whatever. The whole enterprise is a half-ass job.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top