Government Transportation

Go Boston 2030 Plan to Bring Harbor Ferries, N. Station/S. Station Express Bus & Bike Corridors

The Go Boston 2030 Vision and Action Plan was recently released with several projects impacting the North End and downtown Boston area.

“Go Boston 2030 addresses the transportation challenges that we face as a city and a region, and lays the foundation for how we can create a safer, more equitable transportation future… Altogether, the initiatives in this plan will connect people to the region’s fastest growing job centers, tackle transportation inequality, prepare our transportation networks for climate change and increase economic mobility for the people of Boston.” – Mayor Martin Walsh

The plan comprises 58 transportation projects and policies sorted into early action projects (within the next 5 years) and long-term projects (within the next 5 to 15+ years).

Major projects in and around the North End / Waterfront area are highlighted below.

Inner Harbor Ferry Expansion

One of two long-term projects affecting the North End is a ferry service between Lovejoy Wharf at North Station and Fan Pier in South Boston. Additional proposed routes would also connect Lovejoy Wharf to Pier 4 in Charlestown and Lewis Mall in East Boston.

 

North Station to South Boston Waterfront Rapid Bus

This long-term project would connect commuters between North Station and the Seaport by bus service in exclusive bus lanes between Causeway Street and the South Boston Waterfront. These buses with all-door boarding, running in tandem with the proposed ferry service, will reduce traffic and crowds along the North Station to Waterfront corridor.


Connect Historic Boston – Bike Corridors

Building better bike corridors will be a multi-phase project that has already begun in some places. You may have noticed the wide, protected bike lines that have been added to Staniford Street in the West End and Commercial Street in the North End. One of the priority areas for expanding this network is completing the Commercial Street lanes and expanding bike corridors over the North Washington Street Bridge into Charlestown.


Smart Signal Districts

In these areas, traffic lights will communicate with each other as traffic backs up onto short blocks where drivers wait to turn or public transport unloads passengers. Traffic signals will then adjust their timing to alleviate temporary delays and ease the flow of traffic for vehicles, bikers, and walkers. Bullfinch Triangle, in the West End, is one of the areas that is part of this early action project.


Neighborhood Mobility microHUBs

These kiosks, an early action project, will provide real-time interactive information about transit schedules and shared vehicle availability. They will be strategically placed near T-stations and in small business districts to help commuters complete multi-step journeys. Proposed locations include Hanover Street and Haymarket station. One of two long-term projects affecting the North End is a ferry service between Lovejoy Wharf at North Station and Fan Pier in South Boston. Additional proposed routes would also connect Lovejoy Wharf to Pier 4 in Charlestown and Lewis Mall in East Boston.

Read about the other 2030 projects and how they will affect transportation in Boston and the surrounding areas at boston.gov/transportation/go-boston-2030.

4 Replies to “Go Boston 2030 Plan to Bring Harbor Ferries, N. Station/S. Station Express Bus & Bike Corridors

  1. “exclusive bus lanes between Causeway Street and the South Boston Waterfront” – where exactly are these going to be? Atlantic Ave and the Service road going down to 1 lane? That should go real well…

  2. Has anyone looked at proposed pricing? Does anyone truly think that building, presumably, more than one of the kiosks would cost $500K? building terminals and buying ferries for $21M? Do they truly feel that constituents are that dumb and math-incapable? Have any of these geniuses priced a single ferry, let alone looked at the cost of constructing _anything_ in Boston?

  3. Anyone who thinks any of these proposals is an alternative to the North/South Station Rail Link is NOT THINKING!

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