Coming Full Circle: Improvements Advance in the Urban Ring Transportation Corridor
April 30, 2012
The Urban Ring transportation corridor, located a mile or two beyond Boston's urban core, connects the transit, bus, and commuter rail routes that focus on Downtown Boston. Service in the corridor will relieve congestion in the central subway and will enhance access to and connections within the ring around the core that is home to academic, research, medical, cultural, and life sciences centers - major drivers of the regional innovation economy. Although the Urban Ring is no longer a project under active sponsorship by MassDOT, the Urban Ring concept is currently being implemented through individual projects in several sectors of the ring.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="227" caption="The Urban Ring will enable growth and development in areas of Boston and the region that would otherwise be inhibited by congestion and a lack of mobility."]
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ABC and its members continue to advocate for implementation of Urban Ring early actions through our Urban Ring Committee and our leadership role in the Citizens Advisory Committee. It is critical that the current momentum established by these initiatives continues, and that we articulate the need and gain support for transportation improvements and expansion of service in the Urban Ring corridor.
East Boston
In East Boston, Massport is constructing the East Boston / Chelsea Bypass Road located along an abandoned railroad right of way between the Airport MBTA Station and the new Chelsea Street Bridge. Construction is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2012. The Bypass Road will take trucks heading to Logan Airport off local streets and accommodate improved bus service between the Blue Line and Chelsea. In the future, Silver Line service may be extended from South Station via Airport Station into Chelsea, as part of a plan studied last year by MassDOT.
Roxbury
In Roxbury, the Boston Transportation Department and its consultants are developing a redesign of Melnea Cass Boulevard that will provide bus lanes for local buses and future Urban Ring service. The current design approach includes separate bus lanes in the center median of the boulevard, consistent with the concept developed as part of the November 2008 Locally Preferred Alternative of the Urban Ring.
Longwood Medical Area
The Medical Academic and Scientific Community Organization (MASCO) has conducted a study of how to improve bus operations to and through the Longwood Area and recommended improvements to bus routes that are being evaluated by MassDOT. Yawkey Station, which is served by MASCO shuttle buses to the Medical Area and future Urban Ring bus service, will see improvements to the commuter rail platform and better pedestrian connections to local streets and the new development over and adjacent to the Massachusetts Turnpike.
