$100 Million for Silver Line; "Little Big Dig" Dead

Governor Deval Patrick and Mayor Tom Menino held a joint press conference this afternoon pledging more than $100 million in federal highway stimulus money toward improving bus rapid transit (BRT) in Boston. The money will be used to expand the Silver Line from Dudley Square to South Station while bypassing the "Little Big Dig," the billion dollar tunnel that was to have been built underneath the Boston Common. BRT will also be expanded during the next three years to improve Silver Line travel times and to expand service from Ruggles Station to Mattapan. Opponents of BRT, including State Representatives Byron Rushing and Gloria Fox, see the project as a mixed blessing that does not address the rapid transit needs of Roxbury residents. [UHub, Mass.gov]

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This plan sounds like legitimate BRT with dedicated bus lanes, signal prioritization, nice bus stops, frequent service, potential for pre-pay boarding at stations. Much different than the existing Silver Line. And using highway funds for public transit make it even better.

I'm sure there will be nay-sayers--this is Boston after all--but I say this is a move in the right direction.

I agree. It has the potential to be a really exciting project. Dig these diagrams.

Interesting to hear from Patrick, Menino, and Aloisi at the press conference but nobody from the T.

i like the idea of the buses being in the middle, where they will not kill bikers, or at least annoy bikers by passing and getting passed and pulling over all the time. buses, you're crazy!

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