Silver Line Info
SILVER LINE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FOR PHASE III – SDEIS/SEIR REPORT
In May 2005, the MBTA filed an environmental review document for Phase III of the Silver Line with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) and with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
The environmental document examined the potential environmental, community, operational and construction impacts of completing the MBTA’s bus rapid transit (BRT) service, the Silver Line Phase III Project. Phase III will complete this BRT system by providing the essential connection between Phase I (now in operation along Washington Street) with Phase II (now in operation along the South Boston Waterfront). Upon completion, Phase III is expected to significantly reduce existing and anticipated traffic congestion, realize significant savings in travel time, and generate substantial transportation, environmental and economic development benefits. Additionally, it will enhance the value of existing transit investments by improving connections or providing alternatives to the Green and Orange Lines of the rapid transit system.
This environmental document considered several alternatives including the No Build Alternative, the Baseline Alternative, as well as four Build Alternatives: Tremont Street/New England Medical Center (NEMC), Stuart Street/NEMC, Charles Street/NEMC, and Columbus Avenue. These four Build Alternatives, all of which are located in the City of Boston and are approximately one-mile long, will connect the two existing Silver Line services into a new tunnel referred to as the Core Tunnel Segment. The Core Tunnel Segment, which was analyzed in a prior environmental review process, includes new connections at the existing Boylston Street (Green Line) and Chinatown (Orange Line) Stations. The environmental document examines the environmental impacts of certain changes to that previously approved alignment.
The environmental document was the subject of extensive public review. Nearly 350 individuals and organizations filed either written comments or gave oral comments at one of the two well-attended public hearings. The comments focused on a series of issues concerning many elements of the project. Of particular importance were comments concerning, but not limited to, the following impact areas:
The disruption of Elliot Norton Park during the construction period
Potential impacts during construction period and long term impacts to older, historic homes in Bay Village due to changes in earth movement, groundwater, vibration, etc.
Pedestrian safety issues on Washington Street at the proposed portal location
Impacts to emergency response vehicles serving the New England Medical Center
As part of the public comments, the Artery Business Committee (ABC) recommended, and the Secretary of EOEA required as part of the EOEA certificate on the environmental review document, that the MBTA study an alternative location for the portal along Marginal Road which would provide the transportation benefits of alignments in the environmental document, but avoid some, but not all, of the major issued raised by the public.
While the Marginal Road Alternative as proposed by the ABC was determined not to be feasible, the MBTA, through working with the ABC and the City of Boston, identified a possible alignment (“Charles Street Modified” alignment) that they collectively believe has merit and warrants further study. An overview of the alignment and a conceptual plan for the portal location can be viewed on the following graphics ("Alignment graphic" and "CSM portal graphic.").
Briefly, the CSM alignment is a modification of the Charles Street/New England Medical Center portal alignment. The tunnel will continue under Charles Street past Elliot Norton Park with the portal situated on Tremont Street. Vehicles will then surface and travel in independent reservations, through the use of contra-flow lanes (bus only lanes that travel in the opposite direction of other traffic on the street), along Marginal Road and Herald Street. The contra-flow lanes on these streets will be between Tremont Street to the west and Washington Street to the east. Both contra-flow lanes will hug the Massachusetts Turnpike. Surface vehicles will then utilize the existing Silver Line bus-ways on Washington Street. Overall, the CSM alignment provides a direct connection from Washington Street to the Seaport District and the airport, as well as direct connections from Washington Street to the Green, Orange and Red Lines, the commuter rail system, and bus terminals at South Station. The MBTA will be doing further studies of the CSM alignment as part of the environmental review of Phase III.
While this new alignment was positively received by many (see news articles), the new alignment proposal will now be the subject of extensive public review that looks at and examines environmental and community impacts such as groundwater depletion, impacts to historic homes, traffic, noise, vibration and other potential environmental impacts.
That environmental review will occur in two steps. In the first step, which will occur later this year, the MBTA will develop and release a Notice of Project Change, in which it seeks permission from the Secretary of Environmental Affairs to add this alignment to the group of other alignments studied in the prior environmental document. The Secretary of EOEA will then issue a scope in which he directs the MBTA under what parameters and what environmental issues need to be studied. In the second step, the MBTA will then perform this assessment and prepare a full environmental review document. The environmental review document will bring the newly proposed alignment to the same level of assessment as the previous alignments. This second round of environmental review will occur in the early part of 2007.
The environmental review will be a public process wherein all interested parties will have the opportunity to review the assessment and advise both EOEA as well as the FTA as to the adequacy of the environmental documents and assessment prepared by the MBTA. These approvals from both FTA and EOEA are needed for the project to move forward.
Further updates to this environmental review will be posted on this website as the Silver Line Phase III project progresses.
In May 2005, the MBTA filed an environmental review document for Phase III of the Silver Line with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) and with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
The environmental document examined the potential environmental, community, operational and construction impacts of completing the MBTA’s bus rapid transit (BRT) service, the Silver Line Phase III Project. Phase III will complete this BRT system by providing the essential connection between Phase I (now in operation along Washington Street) with Phase II (now in operation along the South Boston Waterfront). Upon completion, Phase III is expected to significantly reduce existing and anticipated traffic congestion, realize significant savings in travel time, and generate substantial transportation, environmental and economic development benefits. Additionally, it will enhance the value of existing transit investments by improving connections or providing alternatives to the Green and Orange Lines of the rapid transit system.
This environmental document considered several alternatives including the No Build Alternative, the Baseline Alternative, as well as four Build Alternatives: Tremont Street/New England Medical Center (NEMC), Stuart Street/NEMC, Charles Street/NEMC, and Columbus Avenue. These four Build Alternatives, all of which are located in the City of Boston and are approximately one-mile long, will connect the two existing Silver Line services into a new tunnel referred to as the Core Tunnel Segment. The Core Tunnel Segment, which was analyzed in a prior environmental review process, includes new connections at the existing Boylston Street (Green Line) and Chinatown (Orange Line) Stations. The environmental document examines the environmental impacts of certain changes to that previously approved alignment.
The environmental document was the subject of extensive public review. Nearly 350 individuals and organizations filed either written comments or gave oral comments at one of the two well-attended public hearings. The comments focused on a series of issues concerning many elements of the project. Of particular importance were comments concerning, but not limited to, the following impact areas:
The disruption of Elliot Norton Park during the construction period
Potential impacts during construction period and long term impacts to older, historic homes in Bay Village due to changes in earth movement, groundwater, vibration, etc.
Pedestrian safety issues on Washington Street at the proposed portal location
Impacts to emergency response vehicles serving the New England Medical Center
As part of the public comments, the Artery Business Committee (ABC) recommended, and the Secretary of EOEA required as part of the EOEA certificate on the environmental review document, that the MBTA study an alternative location for the portal along Marginal Road which would provide the transportation benefits of alignments in the environmental document, but avoid some, but not all, of the major issued raised by the public.
While the Marginal Road Alternative as proposed by the ABC was determined not to be feasible, the MBTA, through working with the ABC and the City of Boston, identified a possible alignment (“Charles Street Modified” alignment) that they collectively believe has merit and warrants further study. An overview of the alignment and a conceptual plan for the portal location can be viewed on the following graphics ("Alignment graphic" and "CSM portal graphic.").
Briefly, the CSM alignment is a modification of the Charles Street/New England Medical Center portal alignment. The tunnel will continue under Charles Street past Elliot Norton Park with the portal situated on Tremont Street. Vehicles will then surface and travel in independent reservations, through the use of contra-flow lanes (bus only lanes that travel in the opposite direction of other traffic on the street), along Marginal Road and Herald Street. The contra-flow lanes on these streets will be between Tremont Street to the west and Washington Street to the east. Both contra-flow lanes will hug the Massachusetts Turnpike. Surface vehicles will then utilize the existing Silver Line bus-ways on Washington Street. Overall, the CSM alignment provides a direct connection from Washington Street to the Seaport District and the airport, as well as direct connections from Washington Street to the Green, Orange and Red Lines, the commuter rail system, and bus terminals at South Station. The MBTA will be doing further studies of the CSM alignment as part of the environmental review of Phase III.
While this new alignment was positively received by many (see news articles), the new alignment proposal will now be the subject of extensive public review that looks at and examines environmental and community impacts such as groundwater depletion, impacts to historic homes, traffic, noise, vibration and other potential environmental impacts.
That environmental review will occur in two steps. In the first step, which will occur later this year, the MBTA will develop and release a Notice of Project Change, in which it seeks permission from the Secretary of Environmental Affairs to add this alignment to the group of other alignments studied in the prior environmental document. The Secretary of EOEA will then issue a scope in which he directs the MBTA under what parameters and what environmental issues need to be studied. In the second step, the MBTA will then perform this assessment and prepare a full environmental review document. The environmental review document will bring the newly proposed alignment to the same level of assessment as the previous alignments. This second round of environmental review will occur in the early part of 2007.
The environmental review will be a public process wherein all interested parties will have the opportunity to review the assessment and advise both EOEA as well as the FTA as to the adequacy of the environmental documents and assessment prepared by the MBTA. These approvals from both FTA and EOEA are needed for the project to move forward.
Further updates to this environmental review will be posted on this website as the Silver Line Phase III project progresses.
posted by The Chair at
5:00 PM
