MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION – OFFICE OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNING URBAN RING CORRIDOR PLANNING CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE – MINUTES OF MEETING LOCATION OF MEETING: State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Boston DATE/TIME OF MEETING: CAC Meeting – November 22, 2010, 4:00-6:00 PM CAC MEMBERS/ALTERNATES: Joe Beggan, Harvard University Kelley Brown, MIT Sarah Hamilton, MASCO Jeff Levine, Brookline Planning & Community Development Thomas Nally, A Better City Jeff Rosenblum, City of Cambridge Tad Read, Boston Redevelopment Authority James Shaer, Boston University Karen Wepsic, On the Move/MBTA Rider Oversight Committee Wig Zamore, Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP) Kathleen Ziegenfuss, City of Somerville MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: Scott Hamwey, Office of Transportation Planning Matt Ciborowski, Office of Transportation Planning AGENCY/PUBLIC: Joe Cosgrove, MBTA Jay Doyle, AECOM Richard Garver Eric Halvorsen, MAPC Romin Koebel, Fenway CDC Robert LaTremouille, FOWG Archie Mazmanian, Brookline Cottage Farm Steve Silveira, MC Strategies Barry Steinberg, Association for Public Transportation HANDOUTS: � Meeting Agenda � Urban Ring Progress Summary � Slides from Massport’s East Boston – Chelsea Bypass Road MEPA Site Walk � Maps for CTPS Silver Line Extension to Chelsea Alternatives � New Urban Ring Website Home Page MassDOT Planning Page 1 of 5 Summary of CAC Meeting July 13, 2010 General Process Issues Jim Shaer requested that future meetings be held at 3pm as opposed to the traditional 4pm. Jeff Rosenblum noted that the 4pm start times were designed to accommodate community members’ schedules, but in light of the fact that most people were attending in a professional capacity, he supported the change. Tom Nally indicated that future meetings would be scheduled to start at 3pm. Dick Garver asked if the Urban Ring Progress Summary could be sent out to the group in advance of future CAC meetings, which would allow members some time to review. Scott Hamwey apologized for the oversight and indicated that he would distribute the Progress Summary in advance in the future. He also noted that the Progress Summary would be posted on the website after members had a week to review the current version for comments/corrections. Haul Road Update Mr. Hamwey gave a brief overview of Massport’s East Boston – Chelsea Bypass Road project. The overview included a description of the project, its schedule with regard to both the MEPA process and proposed construction schedule, and the projected benefits in terms of reduced congestion on area streets. He noted that the project will create opportunities for improved transit service in this portion of the corridor. CTPS Update on Silver Line to Chelsea Study Mr. Hamwey introduced Scott Peterson, the project manager for CTPS’ analysis of Silver Line Extensions to Chelsea, to provide an update on some of those opportunities for improved transit. Mr. Peterson described the three different alternatives analyzed (Route 112 realignment to Airport Station, Silver Line route from South Station to Chelsea Commuter Rail Station via Grand Junction busway, and Silver Line route from South Station to Chelsea – Bellingham Square via local streets), and the two different operating assumptions for the Bypass Road (commercial vehicles and transit only vs. general traffic). Next, Mr. Peterson shared some general results. All three alternatives increase the number of daily transit trips, with the Route 112 realignment resulting in an increase of 240 riders per day, and the two Silver Line alternatives resulting in increases of between 510 and 620 new riders. Mr. Hamwey noted that the Route 112 realignment is a change that could be a part of the MBTA’s service planning process. In order to implement the Silver Line options, MBTA Operations would need to be comfortable with a reduced spare ratio for the hybrid fleet (the spare ratio is currently set at 100 percent). Karen Wepsic asked why the state couldn’t simply purchase the extra vehicles in light of the fact that it is making investments in South Coast Rail. Mr. Hamwey explained that the number of vehicles required to provide the service – three – would not be a large enough order to find a manufacturer willing to produce them. The preferable option would be to work within the MBTA’s existing fleet. Mr. Rosenblum asked if there were any features being built into the Bypass Road to give priority to future transit service. Mr. Hamwey replied that the facility will be only one lane in each direction, limiting what can be done to favor transit vehicles either on the facility or at its end points. Jim Shaer asked if any consideration could be given to signal prioritization at the Chelsea Street Bridge. Mr. Hamwey said that this was not part of the CTPS analysis, but could be a part of a future and more comprehensive evaluation of a Silver Line extension. He noted that the Silver Line extension via the Grand Junction busway would carry an approximately $20 million cost to construct the busway, and that an expenditure of that amount would suggest that other opportunities to improve service on the route should be explored. Mr. Hamwey also noted MassDOT Planning Page 2 of 5 Summary of CAC Meeting July 13, 2010 that the biggest barrier to transit service along this corridor is the operations of the Chelsea Street Bridge, which is closed to traffic whenever a ship needs to pass to or from the upriver portion of the Chelsea River. Robert LaTremouille asked for more information to be provided on rail lines on future maps of the project. Mr. Hamwey explained that the only active rail corridors in the study area (the MBTA’s Blue Line and the Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail Line) are depicted on the maps. Mr. LaTremouille said he was concerned about unused freight lines. Mr. Hamwey explained that the City of Chelsea confirmed there was no market for freight on the Grand Junction busway right of way, and there has been no freight use for decades on the East Boston Haul Road, which has been physically separated from the Grand Junction since the railroad bridge over the Chelsea River was removed in the 1950s. Updates on Yawkey Station, Ruggles Station Joe Cosgrove of the MBTA provided updates on two MBTA stations: Yawkey Station *Groundbreaking ceremony event took place November 15th featuring Gov. Patrick, Lt. Gov. Murray, Mayor Menino and Secretary/CEO Mullan kicking off project start for Yawkey Station Reconstruction *Existing station is minimimal single platform station with access to only one of the 2 tracks serving Yawkey. Reconstruction project will provide full-length, fully accessible platforms serving both tracks, security, lighting, canopies, 2 elevators, benches, ramps and path of travel pedestrian access to Brookline Ave and Beacon St. *Funding for Station Reconstruction is through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, primarily from funds allocated in 2007 economic stimulus bill for infrastructure improvements in the Fenway/Longwood area. *MBTA is partnering with Fenway Center developer, MK Yawkey Development (John Rosenthal, principal) the station project as an early phase of the Turnpike Parcel 7 air rights development. *The Commonwealth has also provided funding for roadway projects in the Fenway/Longwood area to be undertaken by MassDOT Highway Division and City of Boston Transportation Department. Roadway/pedestrian traffic improvements in design and planned for construction include extension of the Muddy River Community Path, Audubon Circle and extension of Yawkey Way across Brookline Ave with connection to Maitland Street. Ruggles Station *Ruggles Station is one of the busiest intermodal stations in MBTA system providing bus, subway and commuter rail connections. There are three commuter rail tracks at Ruggles but only platform access to two tacks. This is a source of a system bottleneck with only 14 of 22 inbound a.m. peak trains able to stop at Ruggles under the current configuration. Commuters have to go to Back Bay and double back via Orange Line to Ruggles adding 20-30 minutes to their morning commute travel time. * MASCO worked with MBTA and undertook 2008 feasibility study investigating capital project options for more efficient rail operation at Ruggles. MassDOT Planning Page 3 of 5 Summary of CAC Meeting July 13, 2010 *MBTA has programmed funding in the CIP to initiate preliminary engineering/real estate review for addition of a commuter rail platform at Ruggles that would enable more a.m. trains to stop and provide access to all operating tracks. MBTA is looking to start preliminary engineering phase work in early 2011 under Task Order Consultant engineering work and subject to funding will seek to advance project into subsequent design and construction phases. Mr. Garver asked if Maitland Street was being designed with the bus lane envisioned by the Urban Ring LPA. Mr. Cosgrove said that it was not. Mr. Hamwey said that there was insufficient width in the right of way to accommodate the buslane at this time, but that surface bus movements through Maitland Street could be facilitated through signal coordination. Mr. Garver said the level of congestion on this block was likely to be significant and he wasn’t confident you could effectively move buses with signal coordination. Mr. Hamwey said that the additional right of way necessary to accommodate the bus lane would have to come out of the Children’s Hospital parcel. He noted that MassDOT was not proposing BRT service on Maitland Street as an early action item at this time, but that it would support any efforts the City might choose to make to work with Children’s Hospital to preserve the right of way width necessary for a potential future bus lane. Other Issues Mr. Garver asked about the status of the Grand Junction in Cambridge and the discussions in recent months about Worcester commuter rail use of the corridor. Mr. Hamwey explained that the Commonwealth purchased the rail line to use it. He noted that it has always been an active rail line and therefore MassDOT was exploring expanded rail use in the corridor. Mr. Hamwey said that MassDOT did not view expanded rail use as negatively impacting the Urban Ring LPA and noted that the Urban Ring planning process never contemplated the disruption of rail service on this corridor. Mr. Hamwey then introduced Matt Ciborowski of MassDOT who quickly reviewed the development of a scope of work for CTPS to analyze the ridership potential of the Grand Junction. Wig Zamore suggested that deisel locomotive commuter rail service stopping in a dense urban environment like Cambridge was not a very sustainable proposal. He also proposed that any ridership analysis look at the potential for light rail service running between Sullivan Station and Allston. He explained that this would effectively create an “urban ring” of Green Line/light rail service around the city. Mr. Ciborowski agreed that the Grand Junction is a vital corridor with a great deal of potential for use. He reiterated that MassDOT must maintain rail service along the corridor under an agreement with CSX to serve customers in Chelsea. Mr. Garver asked if the ridership analysis would take into account the proposed expansion of capacity at South Station. He said that one of the reasons behind looking at the Grand Junction for commuter rail service was the capacity constraint at South Station, so he thought it important that any ridership gains from Worcester service on the Grand Junction be compared with ridership gains from South Station expansion. Mr. Ciborowski replied that the study will include a future no-build scenario, which will include the proposed expansion of South Station, and that the issue will be examined carefully before the study scope is finalized. Robert LaTremoille said that ridership analysis should not focus solely on the Grand Junction, but also on the preferred Phase 3 alignment—the Kenmore crossing tunnel under the Charles River. MassDOT Planning Page 4 of 5 Summary of CAC Meeting July 13, 2010 Mr. Hamwey announced that the new Urban Ring website was up at www.mass.gov/theurbanring. Mr. Rosenblum requested that a number of the topics discussed at this meeting be added to future iterations of the Urban Ring Progress Summary. Mr. Hamwey agreed to add the Grand Junction, Chelsea Greenway, Commonwealth Avenue Phase 2 Reconstruction, Turnpike Deck Reconstruction, and Maitland Street to the updates. The meeting was adjourned at 6:00 PM. MassDOT Planning Page 5 of 5