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The commuter rail is one of the best in the country (NYC and Chicago are practically better), and the T does need to greatly improve it's subway system. The Blue Line sorely needs to be extended to Lynn pronto!
In fairness, as critical and often frustrated as I am with the T, the fact that we have an urban train system and that it's relatively safe (in terms of crime), does put Boston in rarified air nationally. There are systems I like more (e.g. Twin Cities light rail) but they're nowhere near as expansive in their coverage.
Yea, it is a rarity among US cities to have transit system at this level given. There are cities of other developed countries, including cities whose population growth and (re)development have been as recent or even more so and where car ownership is high, that have much better and we should still push for much better, but in the pretty low bar context of US cities, Boston's is quite good.
Yea, it is a rarity among US cities to have transit system at this level given. There are cities of other developed countries, including cities whose population growth and (re)development have been as recent or even more so and where car ownership is high, that have much better and we should still push for much better, but in the pretty low bar context of US cities, Boston's is quite good.
While this is great fodder for City vs. City threads (which I thoroughly enjoy), it doesn't translate to the real-world experience of people who rely on the system. "Better than Houston!" is nice, but it doesn't make me feel any better when I'm on a train that's going 5mph over ancient track that hasn't been replaced or I get the daily "The Red Line is experiencing delays of up to 25 minutes due to a disabled train at Park Street" notifications. I'm happy about the GLX, but it shouldn't have taken so long to build (originally slated for 2012), and we should at the very least be able to trust that the system is going to function on a daily basis. That we're better in the context of most US cities doesn't help either of those things.
Quote:
Originally Posted by htfdcolt
It's possible to actually discuss a topic objectively without dragging political tropes into the thread. Try it.
For this particular poster, it's clearly not. They can't help the foaming at the mouth rhetoric like "St Fentanylsburg light rail-based zombie storage/toilet/wallet inspection/mandatory iPhone donation facility" which is probably why they've been banned from CD under at least 2 different usernames and is also why they are one of only 2 users to land on my ignore list in the entire time I've been a CD member.
While this is great fodder for City vs. City threads (which I thoroughly enjoy), it doesn't translate to the real-world experience of people who rely on the system. "Better than Houston!" is nice, but it doesn't make me feel any better when I'm on a train that's going 5mph over ancient track that hasn't been replaced or I get the daily "The Red Line is experiencing delays of up to 25 minutes due to a disabled train at Park Street" notifications. I'm happy about the GLX, but it shouldn't have taken so long to build (originally slated for 2012), and we should at the very least be able to trust that the system is going to function on a daily basis. That we're better in the context of most US cities doesn't help either of those things.
Yea, that's sort of the gist of what Liz Warren said at the opening ceremony--true, but a real Debbie Downer sometimes. The real world experience of transit in Houston is that the vast majority of people avoid it altogether and the ones who do rely on it can sometimes be quite desperate. Does someone having a worst time with mass transit in Houston make your time in Boston better? Eh, probably not or at least not much. However, it's true the system in Boston is much better and with this has gotten even better in comparison and overall.
My feeling about mass transit in the US is that for a long time resources and regulations were steered towards other forms of transport and there's a lot of institutional knowledge that was lost or never developed and that there is a price that'll need to be paid in order to have that again. That I think is something that's born out in countries that embarked on their first large transit systems in the latter 20th century where they also saw major cost overruns and blown deadlines (like Taipei for instance which is one that I'm quite familiar with). However, continual criticism and then redressing of these issues over time was able to eventually bring down costs and timelines through understanding what practices, policies and regulations are at odds with each other on municipal, state, and federal lines that drive up costs and what can be improved. I think there's a possibility that US mass transit systems and agencies are essentially in the midst of refiguring that out and the question is if they'll do it with some consistency so there's some continuity in institutional knowledge, or even better, some measure of learnings being shared among agencies.
Last edited by CaseyB; 12-16-2022 at 01:05 PM..
Reason: off topic
The commuter rail is one of the best in the country (NYC and Chicago are practically better), and the T does need to greatly improve it's subway system. The Blue Line sorely needs to be extended to Lynn pronto!
Blue Line to Kendall and Lynn (Expansion in both ways)
Orange Line needs to expand down through Hyde Park into 128.
Another Green Line Branch to Dudley Square, then connect Union Square to Porter Square.
Fairmount Line Conversion to Rapid Transit (Purple Line?)
Light Rail conversion from Seaport through Boston.
NSRL and Commuter Rail electrification
Start double tracking many areas that dont have it (Braintree-Middleborough, etc)
Blue Line to Kendall and Lynn (Expansion in both ways)
Last time I've checked, it was supposed to be the Blue line expanding from Bowdoin into Charles/MGH. Expanding into Kendall/MIT is news to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by masssachoicetts
Orange Line needs to expand down through Hyde Park into 128.
For me, Forest Hills is a perfect transit hub and a perfect terminus for the Orange line. As for expanding down to Hyde Park and Readville, I'd rather convert the Fairmount Line from a commuter line to another heavy-rail subway line from Readville to South Station. I'll have to start another thread about the Fairmount Line on this forum (https://www.city-data.com/forum/bost...eavy-rail.html).
Quote:
Originally Posted by masssachoicetts
Another Green Line Branch to Dudley Square, then connect Union Square to Porter Square.
It would be best to connect the Green Line from Heath St to Arborway (Forest Hills). Also, I'd revive the A line from Packards Corner to Waterwown Yard via Beacon St in Allston-Brighton and N Beacon St in Watertown. The old route along Washington St and Tremont Sts in Allston-Brighton and Watertown will be served by the 57. A new route via Beacon and N Beacon St will serve those areas well and allow for a more direct route than the old route.
Quote:
Originally Posted by masssachoicetts
Fairmount Line Conversion to Rapid Transit (Purple Line?)
Check my second response plus the link!
Quote:
Originally Posted by masssachoicetts
Light Rail conversion from Seaport through Boston.
I'm kind of on the fence about converting the Silver Line to LRT. I want to see this Silver Line BRT work for the best. Maybe light rail maybe overdoing it, but either way, I'm still going to support the Silver Line as a BRT!
Quote:
Originally Posted by masssachoicetts
NSRL and Commuter Rail electrification
Start double tracking many areas that dont have it (Braintree-Middleborough, etc)
Let's see what happens in the near future. I don't want to be wholly reliant on electric power, especially since it's said that relying completely on electric power can be more expensive than relying on diesel, which is independent form electric plus would lessen the electric load that would've increased had MBTA made the commuter rail wholly electric. And we have to consider the rising costs of energy.
Last time I've checked, it was supposed to be the Blue line expanding from Bowdoin into Charles/MGH. Expanding into Kendall/MIT is news to me.
For me, Forest Hills is a perfect transit hub and a perfect terminus for the Orange line. As for expanding down to Hyde Park and Readville, I'd rather convert the Fairmount Line from a commuter line to another heavy-rail subway line from Readville to South Station. I'll have to start another thread about the Fairmount Line on this forum (https://www.city-data.com/forum/bost...eavy-rail.html).
It would be best to connect the Green Line from Heath St to Arborway (Forest Hills). Also, I'd revive the A line from Packards Corner to Waterwown Yard via Beacon St in Allston-Brighton and N Beacon St in Watertown. The old route along Washington St and Tremont Sts in Allston-Brighton and Watertown will be served by the 57. A new route via Beacon and N Beacon St will serve those areas well and allow for a more direct route than the old route.
Check my second response plus the link!
I'm kind of on the fence about converting the Silver Line to LRT. I want to see this Silver Line BRT work for the best. Maybe light rail maybe overdoing it, but either way, I'm still going to support the Silver Line as a BRT!
Let's see what happens in the near future. I don't want to be wholly reliant on electric power, especially since it's said that relying completely on electric power can be more expensive than relying on diesel, which is independent form electric plus would lessen the electric load that would've increased had MBTA made the commuter rail wholly electric. And we have to consider the rising costs of energy.
Blue Line expansion to Kenmore Square, not into Cambridge. Replacing Storrow Drive.
Last time I've checked, it was supposed to be the Blue line expanding from Bowdoin into Charles/MGH. Expanding into Kendall/MIT is news to me.
When the study was announced to extend the Blue line from Bowdoin to Charles/MGH, many transit pundits proposed the idea of continuing the line. It would veer right, cross under the river, and terminate at the Volpe Center. The thought was that it would allow people to travel from north of Boston to Kendall without changing trains and clogging the Charles/MGH station.
That would have put 2 stops within a 5 minute walk of each other. But of course, that was before Covid. Would it make sense today or in the future?
At the time, redevelopment of the Volpe was just beginning and a station and terminus could have been added in the basement at a reasonable cost. I think it's too late now. There was also the idea that from there, the Blue line could have been extended to Lechmere or Union in the future.
Blue Line expansion to Kenmore Square, not into Cambridge. Replacing Storrow Drive.
Hmmm! I believe that the Green Line west of Downtown Boston does a great job of coverage. Not sure if extending the Blue Line west to Kenmore would actually improve and alleviate the Green Line, but the only reason why I wouldn't extend to Kenmore is the coverage of the Green Line. It's best to extend the Blue Line to Charles/MGH for the time being!
Quote:
Originally Posted by robr2
When the study was announced to extend the Blue line from Bowdoin to Charles/MGH, many transit pundits proposed the idea of continuing the line. It would veer right, cross under the river, and terminate at the Volpe Center. The thought was that it would allow people to travel from north of Boston to Kendall without changing trains and clogging the Charles/MGH station.
That would have put 2 stops within a 5 minute walk of each other. But of course, that was before Covid. Would it make sense today or in the future?
At the time, redevelopment of the Volpe was just beginning and a station and terminus could have been added in the basement at a reasonable cost. I think it's too late now. There was also the idea that from there, the Blue line could have been extended to Lechmere or Union in the future.
The T currently has 4 transit lines. The Red Line north of downtown serves the city of Cambridge and another station in Kendall/MIT would be overdoing it. Connecting the Blue Line to the Red Line at Charles/MGH will finally enable a Red/Blue transfer connection. Plus, Charles/MGH is a perfect transit hub especially since MGH is a major employer in Greater Boston and it's one of the best hospitals in the country, so it makes sense to expand to Charles/MGH.
Should the south side of the orange line be extended from Forrest Hills to Norwood?
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