140-770: The Silver Line is a system of bus routes in Boston and Chelsea, Massachusetts , operated by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). It is operated as part of the MBTA bus system, but branded as bus rapid transit (BRT) as part of the MBTA subway system. Six routes are operated as part of two disconnected corridors. As of 2023, weekday ridership on the Silver Line was 27,000. The four Waterfront routes operate out of an underground terminal at South Station and run through
280-526: A CharlieCard ; transfers to/from the Blue Line at Airport and the Washington Street routes are available with a CharlieTicket. The Waterfront routes use 60-foot (18 m) articulated buses with three doors, which provide greater capacity than standard 40-foot (12 m) transit buses. The buses are low-floor and fully accessible , with kneeling bus technology and a wheelchair ramp at
420-513: A Medium Low overall rating, making it ineligible to move into the final design phase for federal New Starts funding. The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization removed Phase III from the list of recommended projects in its long range plan because of funding limitations. Concluding that it could not successfully compete for more than one New Starts grant, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) informed
560-478: A $ 3 million, 3 ⁄ 4 -mile (1.2 km) multi-use path from Eastern Avenue to Washington Street. The Environmental Impact Report was issued in March 2014. MassDOT awarded a $ 33.8 million construction contract for the first phase of the project on September 17, 2014. That phase included the 1.3-mile (2.1 km)-long busway, the four Silver Line stations, replacement of the Washington Street bridge, and
700-451: A bus-only street through Day Square, with a Day Square station for use by the SL3 and local bus routes. In March 2019, state and local officials indicated plans to extend service from Chelsea on two routes to Kendall Square and to North Station , both via Sullivan Square . The routes would primarily use dedicated busways and bus lanes, although it was not decided whether they would be under
840-490: A cannon barrage for two hours, but their shot could not reach the colonists' cannons at such a height. The British gave up, boarded their ships, and sailed away. This has become known as " Evacuation Day ", which Boston still celebrates each year on March 17. After this, Washington was so impressed that he made Rufus Putnam his chief engineer. After the Revolution, Boston's long seafaring tradition helped make it one of
980-496: A dedicated lane) to a surface stop at South Station . It returns south on Surface Road and Kneeland Street. Most stops have a canopy shelter with seating, maps, and a real-time arrival information display. The two routes have the same fare as local bus services (lower than rapid transit), with normal transfers with a CharlieCard. In recognition of their role as replacement for the Orange Line, transfers are also available with
1120-680: A dedicated tunnel, the South Boston Piers Transitway, serving the underground Courthouse and World Trade Center stations in the Seaport District then splitting at the Silver Line Way surface station: During rush hours, additional short turns (designated SLW) are run between South Station and Silver Line Way to increase frequency in the Transitway. Route SL2 runs on Northern Avenue, then on
1260-798: A direct connection to the Seaport and South Station. Three possible alignments were studied. All used the Transitway and the Ted Williams Tunnel to reach Airport station, then the 2012-opened Coughlin Bypass Road to the Chelsea Street Bridge . The first alignment was to run entirely on a new busway on the Grand Junction right-of-way in Chelsea, with stops at Eastern Avenue , Box District , Bellingham Square at
1400-513: A global pioneer in innovation and entrepreneurship , and more recently in artificial intelligence . Boston's economy also includes finance , professional and business services, information technology , and government activities. Boston households provide the highest average rate of philanthropy in the nation, and the city's businesses and institutions rank among the top in the nation for environmental sustainability and new investment. Isaac Johnson , in one of his last official acts as
1540-579: A lack of available dual-mode buses, CNG shuttles operated on the surface sections of the SL2 and SL3 routes from January 5 to March 14, 2005. On March 26, the two routes were combined on nights and weekends. On April 9, weekday SL3 service was extended from City Point to a loop on Farragut Road. On May 28, 2005, the two routes were combined at all times as the SL2/3. This freed up buses for SL1 service to Logan Airport, which began on June 1. As more buses entered service,
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#17327916661961680-677: A lengthy pedestrian tunnel at Chinatown, and move the Boylston loop away from the Burying Ground. In January 2002, the MBTA began seeking federal funding for 60% of the project cost. The FTA approved the project for further planning that July. The Boston Regional Metropolitan Planning Organization rated the project as "high priority" in its May 2003 Program for Mass Transportation, citing its high estimated ridership, low operating cost and service to environmental justice neighborhoods. In 2003,
1820-585: A locally preferred routing. In February 2006, State Transportation Secretary John Cogliano proposed a $ 94 million plan that would eliminate most of the tunneling and cost of the original proposal while still connecting the two phases of the service. Under Cogliano's plan, the Silver Line would run on the surface via Kneeland Street and Surface Road to a new tunnel portal on Essex Street near South Station. A fare-controlled shelter would be added at Downtown Crossing for routes still terminating there. The plan also included expansion of surface Silver Line service, with
1960-483: A longer outbound routing via Surface Road, and allowed an extension to a new downtown terminal at Temple Place (between Park Street and Downtown Crossing stations). Service frequency was also increased at that time. On July 20, 2002, new Silver Line-branded CNG buses began operation – the first low-floor buses to operate in Boston – and the 20 stops were reduced to 11. In November 2002, a twelfth stop at Worcester Square
2100-433: A million residents, and the most densely populated state capital. Some 1.2 million persons may be within Boston's boundaries during work hours, and as many as 2 million during special events. This fluctuation of people is caused by hundreds of thousands of suburban residents who travel to the city for work, education, health care, and special events. Short turn Too Many Requests If you report this error to
2240-701: A new branch running from Copley Square into the Essex Street portal to provide a one-seat ride from the Back Bay area. The southern branch would be extended from Dudley to the Red Line stations at Mattapan via Blue Hill Avenue (replacing route 28 ) and Ashmont via Washington Street (replacing route 23 ) The plan was popular with Bay Village residents who had been worried about the full-length tunnel, but attracted criticism because it would not substantially speed travel times to downtown. A revised tunnel plan
2380-605: A one-way loop on Drydock Avenue and Black Falcon Avenue with multiple stops serving the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park and the Flynn Cruiseport Boston . Buses run clockwise around the loop, with a layover at 23 Drydock Avenue. From Silver Line Way, route SL1 and SL3 buses loop backwards on Haul Road, then cross under Boston Harbor in the Ted Williams Tunnel to East Boston . Route SL1 loops around
2520-475: A pair of bombs near the finish line of the Boston Marathon , killing three people and injuring roughly 264. The subsequent search for the bombers led to a lock-down of Boston and surrounding municipalities. The region showed solidarity during this time as symbolized by the slogan Boston Strong . In 2016, Boston briefly shouldered a bid as the U.S. applicant for the 2024 Summer Olympics . The bid
2660-423: A paper CharlieTicket (which normally does not allow transfers). This was inherited from the previous route 49 bus, which had free transfers (with the flat token fare) to and from the Orange Line only at New England Medical Center . The Washington Street routes use 60-foot (18 m) diesel hybrid articulated buses with three doors. The buses are low-floor and fully accessible, with kneeling bus technology and
2800-465: A planned people mover at Logan Airport in favor of dual-mode buses operating from the transitway and through the newly-opened Ted Williams Tunnel . A connector road was to extend the transitway from D Street to Haul Road. These changes were approved in February 1998. In May 1999, the MBTA indicated plans to through-route the transitway with the planned Washington Street service as the "Silver Line", with
2940-481: A portal to Washington Street for through-running. Service improvements on Washington Street began in 2001. After years of delays, service through the $ 624 million Transitway began on December 17, 2004. The connecting tunnel (Phase III) was cancelled in 2010 due to rising costs; a surface route (SL4) was introduced the previous year. The original SL3 route to City Point was discontinued on March 20, 2009. A separate SL3 route to Chelsea – originally planned as part of
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#17327916661963080-562: A potential right-of-way (which the Urban Ring had proposed to use) was available. A state study in 2011 analyzed potential Chelsea services, including a Silver Line branch to Bellingham Square or the Chelsea commuter rail station, or improvements to the route 112 bus. In 2013, MassDOT began public planning of the Silver Line Gateway project. In addition to serving Chelsea, the proposed line would provide Blue Line riders
3220-565: A project to improve the historic West End neighborhood. Extensive demolition was met with strong public opposition, and thousands of families were displaced. The BRA continued implementing eminent domain projects, including the clearance of the vibrant Scollay Square area for construction of the modernist style Government Center . In 1965, the Columbia Point Health Center opened in the Dorchester neighborhood,
3360-408: A single South Boston route running to City Point via D Street, Broadway, Summer Street, and E 1st Street. After concerns from residents over reduction of legal parking spaces and impacts to the "local custom" of double parking, this was split into two routes: one running to Andrew via D Street, and one to City Point via D Street and E 1st Street. On December 31, 2004, service began on routes SL2 to
3500-548: A state of defence, that I could promise myself little success in attacking them under all the disadvantages I had to encounter. William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe , in a letter to William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth , about the British army's decision to leave Boston, dated March 21, 1776. Many crucial events of the American Revolution occurred in or near Boston. The then-town's mob presence, along with
3640-602: A surface light rail line, an elevated people mover , a commuter rail shuttle, and a relocation of the Red Line. The transitway was to use trolleybuses or dual-mode buses , rather than the light rail and people mover possibilities considered; it would connect with the Red Line at South Station, the Orange Line at Chinatown , and the Green Line at Boylston . Costs could be reduced by combining its construction with
3780-401: A violent tornado , the city itself has experienced many tornado warnings . Damaging storms are more common to areas north, west, and northwest of the city. See or edit raw graph data . In 2020, Boston was estimated to have 691,531 residents living in 266,724 households —a 12% population increase over 2010. The city is the third-most densely populated large U.S. city of over half
3920-506: A wheelchair ramp at the front door. The routes use 21 New Flyer buses delivered in 2016–17 (part of a 44-bus order also used on routes 28 and 39 ), which replaced the original compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, plus three similar hybrid buses delivered in 2010. All Silver Line buses are maintained at Southampton Street Garage. The 1947 state act that created the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) from
4060-505: Is 2 °F (−17 °C) on December 30, 1917, while the record warm daily minimum is 83 °F (28 °C) on both August 2, 1975 and July 21, 2019. Boston averages 43.6 in (1,110 mm) of precipitation a year, with 49.2 in (125 cm) of snowfall per season. Most snowfall occurs from mid-November through early April, and snow is rare in May and October. There is also high year-to-year variability in snowfall; for instance,
4200-508: Is July, with a mean temperature of 74.1 °F (23.4 °C). The coldest month is January, with a mean temperature of 29.9 °F (−1.2 °C). Periods exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) in summer and below freezing in winter are not uncommon but tend to be fairly short, with about 13 and 25 days per year seeing each, respectively. Sub- 0 °F (−18 °C) readings usually occur every 3 to 5 years. The most recent sub- 0 °F (−18 °C) reading occurred on February 4, 2023, when
4340-547: Is an intellectual, technological, and political center. However, it has lost some important regional institutions, including the loss to mergers and acquisitions of local financial institutions such as FleetBoston Financial , which was acquired by Charlotte -based Bank of America in 2004. Boston-based department stores Jordan Marsh and Filene's have both merged into the New York City –based Macy's . The 1993 acquisition of The Boston Globe by The New York Times
Silver Line (MBTA) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4480-588: Is in Roxbury . Due north of the center we find the South End. This is not to be confused with South Boston which lies directly east from the South End. North of South Boston is East Boston and southwest of East Boston is the North End Unknown, A local colloquialism Boston has an area of 89.63 sq mi (232.1 km ). Of this area, 48.4 sq mi (125.4 km ), or 54%, of it
4620-410: Is land and 41.2 sq mi (106.7 km ), or 46%, of it is water. The city's elevation, as measured at Logan International Airport , is 19 ft (5.8 m) above sea level . The highest point in Boston is Bellevue Hill at 330 ft (100 m) above sea level, and the lowest point is at sea level. The city is adjacent to Boston Harbor , an arm of Massachusetts Bay , and by extension,
4760-620: The Battle of Bunker Hill (1775), and the Siege of Boston (1775–1776). Following American independence from Great Britain , the city continued to play an important role as a port, manufacturing hub, and center for education and culture. The city also expanded significantly beyond the original peninsula by filling in land and annexing neighboring towns. Boston's many firsts include the United States' first public park ( Boston Common , 1634),
4900-625: The Boston Elevated Railway established four immediate projects for the new agency: extension of rapid transit to Braintree , expansion of the Tremont Street Subway to four tracks, replacement of the existing elevated lines ( Charlestown Elevated , Causeway Street Elevated , and Washington Street Elevated ) with subways, and an extension of the Cambridge–Dorchester line northwest from Harvard . In 1948,
5040-585: The Boston Garden opening in 1928. Logan International Airport opened on September 8, 1923. Boston went into decline by the early to mid-20th century, as factories became old and obsolete and businesses moved out of the region for cheaper labor elsewhere. Boston responded by initiating various urban renewal projects, under the direction of the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) established in 1957. In 1958, BRA initiated
5180-578: The Boston Marine Industrial Park and route SL3 to City Point – the latter running via Northern Avenue, Drydock Avenue, and Summer Street rather than D Street. Two days later, a Sunday-only Silver Line Way-Logan Airport shuttle service called "Silver Line Connector" began operation to meet a legal commitment to begin airport service that month. The existing surface routes in the Seaport were discontinued or rerouted in January. Due to
5320-625: The Boston Public Library , Trinity Church, single-family homes and wooden/brick multi-family row houses. The South End Historic District is the largest surviving contiguous Victorian-era neighborhood in the US. The geography of downtown and South Boston was particularly affected by the Central Artery/Tunnel Project (which ran from 1991 to 2007, and was known unofficially as the " Big Dig "). That project removed
5460-754: The Chelsea Greenway . Silver Line service to Chelsea (route SL3) began on April 21, 2018. By October, daily ridership reached 6,200. The second phase of the project includes the relocated Chelsea commuter rail station plus transit signal priority upgrades for the SL3. Construction began in August 2019; the new station opened on November 15, 2021. As of January 2024, the MBTA and the City of Boston plan to reconfigure Day Square in East Boston in late 2024. The project would include bus lanes on Chelsea Street and
5600-625: The Logan International Airport terminals, with stops at the arrivals level of each terminal (including two separate stops at lengthy Terminal B). Route SL3 serves Airport station, follows the Coughlin Bypass Road, and crosses Chelsea Creek on the Chelsea Street Bridge . It then follows a dedicated busway to Chelsea , with intermediate stops at Eastern Avenue , Box District , and Bellingham Square . The three Transitway stops are full rapid transit stations;
5740-698: The Massachusett people who had small, seasonal communities. When a group of settlers led by John Winthrop arrived in 1630, the Shawmut Peninsula was nearly empty of the Native people, as many had died of European diseases brought by early settlers and traders. Archaeological excavations unearthed one of the oldest fishweirs in New England on Boylston Street , which Native people constructed as early as 7,000 years before European arrival in
Silver Line (MBTA) - Misplaced Pages Continue
5880-586: The New Austrian tunnelling method , was the most technically complex; ground freezing was required to support the historic Russia Wharf Buildings . It also included an immersed tube under the Fort Point Channel. The discovery of a massive boulder under the Channel delayed the project by a year. By late 2000, the project was three years behind schedule and almost $ 200 million over budget;
6020-602: The New England region of the Northeastern United States . It has an area of 48.4 sq mi (125 km ) and a population of 675,647 as of the 2020 census , making it the third-largest city in the Northeast after New York City and Philadelphia . The larger Greater Boston metropolitan statistical area has a population of 4.9 million as of 2023, making it the largest in New England and
6160-537: The North End , and the Seaport . Boston is sometimes called a "city of neighborhoods" because of the profusion of diverse subsections. The city government's Office of Neighborhood Services has officially designated 23 neighborhoods: More than two-thirds of inner Boston's modern land area did not exist when the city was founded. Instead, it was created via the gradual filling in of the surrounding tidal areas over
6300-404: The Red Line at South Station . After the military bases closed in 1974 and the rail yards were no longer needed, the Seaport was designated for commercial development, with accompanying need for expanded transit. The MBTA conducted a feasibility study in 1987 and released a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) in 1989. The DEIR selected an underground "transitway" over alternatives including
6440-652: The South End , the West End , the Financial District , and Chinatown . After the Great Boston fire of 1872 , workers used building rubble as landfill along the downtown waterfront. During the mid-to-late 19th century, workers filled almost 600 acres (240 ha) of brackish Charles River marshlands west of Boston Common with gravel brought by rail from the hills of Needham Heights. The city annexed
6580-561: The eleventh-largest in the country . Boston was founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan settlers. The city was named after Boston, Lincolnshire , England. During the American Revolution , Boston was home to several events that proved central to the revolution and subsequent Revolutionary War , including the Boston Massacre (1770), the Boston Tea Party (1773), Paul Revere's Midnight Ride (1775),
6720-450: The 17 new buses, $ 10.9 million for road work, and $ 2.6 million for shelters. Planning and construction were combined with a necessary repaving of Washington Street, reducing costs. Intended for the route to equal the service quality of light rail, the MBTA branded it as the "Silver Line" and designated it equally to the existing MBTA subway lines on maps. The Silver Line name was introduced in 1996. The Silver Line followed largely
6860-412: The 1970s, the city's economy had begun to recover after 30 years of economic downturn. A large number of high-rises were constructed in the Financial District and in Boston's Back Bay during this period. This boom continued into the mid-1980s and resumed after a few pauses. Hospitals such as Massachusetts General Hospital , Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center , and Brigham and Women's Hospital lead
7000-457: The 19th century, Boston's core neighborhoods had become enclaves of ethnically distinct immigrants with their residence yielding lasting cultural change. Italians became the largest inhabitants of the North End , Irish dominated South Boston and Charlestown , and Russian Jews lived in the West End . Irish and Italian immigrants brought with them Roman Catholicism. Currently, Catholics make up Boston's largest religious community, and
7140-599: The 2010-cancelled Urban Ring Project were to be BRT, with light or heavy rail for the final phase. The Urban Ring was considered a separate project, although it would have shared the SL1 route between Silver Line Way and Logan Airport. Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States . The city serves as the cultural and financial center of
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#17327916661967280-643: The 20th century: Horticultural Hall , the Tennis and Racquet Club , Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum , Fenway Studios , Jordan Hall , and the Boston Opera House . The Longfellow Bridge , built in 1906, was mentioned by Robert McCloskey in Make Way for Ducklings , describing its "salt and pepper shakers" feature. Fenway Park , home of the Boston Red Sox , opened in 1912, with
7420-598: The Atlantic Ocean. Boston is surrounded by the Greater Boston metropolitan region. It is bordered to the east by the town of Winthrop and the Boston Harbor Islands , to the northeast by the cities of Revere , Chelsea and Everett , to the north by the cities of Somerville and Cambridge , to the northwest by Watertown , to the west by the city of Newton and town of Brookline , to
7560-585: The Boylston platform under the existing Green Line station, with a turnaround loop under Boylston Street and the Central Burying Ground . The 1999 decision to combine the Waterfront and Washington Street projects as the Silver Line resulted in the addition of a southern segment, likely using the same abandoned streetcar tunnel as had been proposed a decade before. A new underground station would have been built under Tremont Street, connecting to
7700-535: The Chelsea busway stations have large concrete shelters, while most other surface stops have small shelters. The Waterfront routes have regular rapid transit fares. Passengers enter through faregates at the three Transitway stations, and pay at the on-board farebox at all other stops. Fares are free when boarding at the Logan Airport stops. Transfer is possible to the Red Line within fare control at South Station. Normal transfers to other routes are available with
7840-436: The Chelsea commuter rail station, and Mystic Mall . The second alignment option would have followed the Grand Junction to just short of the commuter rail station, then diverge onto surface roads to Bellingham Square, while the third alignment would have run entirely on surface streets, serving two stops on Central Avenue and four stops along a loop serving Chelsea station and the MGH Chelsea healthcare center. In September 2013,
7980-493: The FTA that it was no longer seeking New Starts money for Phase III. All New Starts funds available would instead be directed to the legally mandated Green Line Extension project. In a July 2010 report, the MBTA declared that Phase III was on indefinite hold and no further funds would be spent on the project. A partial solution that did not require a new tunnel opened on October 13, 2009, after expedited construction using federal stimulus money . The new route, SL4, covered much of
8120-465: The Gilmore Bridge, Everett–Haymarket via Rutherford Avenue , and Eastern Avenue–Kendall via Everett Square. All of the potential SL6 routes would operate primarily in dedicated lanes. A SL3 extension to Sullivan was announced as the preferred alternative in March 2024; the study recommended that SL6 planning be deferred pending related planning efforts for Sullivan Square, Rutherford Avenue, the Gilmore Bridge, and Kendall Square, as well as implementation of
8260-405: The Irish have played a major role in Boston politics since the early 20th century; prominent figures include the Kennedys , Tip O'Neill , and John F. Fitzgerald . Between 1631 and 1890, the city tripled its area through land reclamation by filling in marshes, mud flats, and gaps between wharves along the waterfront. Reclamation projects in the middle of the century created significant parts of
8400-441: The John Hancock Tower is the old John Hancock Building with its prominent illuminated beacon , the color of which forecasts the weather. Downtown and its immediate surroundings (including the Financial District, Government Center, and South Boston ) consist largely of low-rise masonry buildings – often federal style and Greek revival – interspersed with modern high-rises. Back Bay includes many prominent landmarks, such as
8540-447: The MBTA agreed to change the name of Dudley Square station to Nubian, following the December 2019 renaming of the square itself. The station renaming took effect in June 2020. In May 2022, the MBTA released a draft plan for a systemwide network redesign. The draft called for the SL4 and SL5 to be combined into a single Nubian–South Station route to provide simpler and more consistent downtown service. The November 2022 draft network plan kept
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#17327916661968680-526: The MBTA diverted $ 150 million of other federal grants and $ 50 million of contingency funds to cover the costs. The Transitway was ultimately completed in 2004, with a final cost to the MBTA of $ 624 million. Although some projects like the new federal courthouse and the new convention center had been built, commercial development had lagged early plans; the MBTA adjusted its 2006 daily ridership projections from 45,000 to 14,000 shortly before opening. The Transitway opened on December 17, 2004, with
8820-406: The MBTA favored bus or light rail service on Washington Street; the latter would have been a branch of the Green Line , operated through the 1962-abandoned southern branch . The Orange Line was rerouted in 1987; that year, the Urban Mass Transportation Administration rejected the MBTA's funding request to create a light rail line on the corridor. Local opinion favored the temporary retention of
8960-453: The MBTA indicated that it would pursue the first alternative, with an estimated daily ridership of 8,700, despite potential issues with bridge clearances and rebuilding the commuter rail station. On October 30, 2013, MassDOT announced $ 82.5 million in state funding for the new Silver Line route to Chelsea, with completion expected in 2015. The announcement also included the relocation of the commuter rail station to Chelsea (Mystic Mall) and
9100-588: The Renew Boston Whole Building Incentive which reduces the cost of living in buildings that are deemed energy efficient. Under the Köppen climate classification , Boston has either a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa ) under the 0 °C (32.0 °F) isotherm or a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa ) under the −3 °C (26.6 °F) isotherm. Summers are warm to hot and humid, while winters are cold and stormy, with occasional periods of heavy snow. Spring and fall are usually cool and mild, with varying conditions dependent on wind direction and
9240-473: The SL2 and SL3 were re-split into separate routes (except nights and weekends) on August 20, and the Farragut Road loop was cut due to noise complaints from residents. On October 15, City Point service was cut on nights and weekends. The planned SL4 route to Andrew, expected to begin service in 2005, was never implemented. As enough dual-mode buses became available, the borrowed 40-foot trolleybuses were phased out; they were last used on February 12, 2006. By 2006,
9380-423: The SL2 terminus was renamed "Design Center" with no changes in service. Until 2019, SL2 buses served the Design Center loop in two different patterns. Before noon, outbound buses proceeded around the whole loop, laid over at the Design Center stop, then proceeded inbound. After noon, outbound buses made a shorter western loop, laid over at Design Center, then proceeded inbound via the main loop. On December 22, 2019,
9520-426: The SL3, with Chelsea or Airport as potential termini rather than South Station. Alternatives were presented in September 2022. Three potential SL3 extensions would run to Malden Center, Wellington, or Sullivan – all via Everett Square, with varying amounts of dedicated bus lanes on the western portion. Four potential SL6 routes were identified: Everett (Glendale Square)–Kendall via McGrath Highway , Everett–Kendall via
9660-437: The SL4 on the surface at South Station . The Washington Street routes use articulated diesel hybrid buses. The Washington Street corridor was built to replace the Washington Street Elevated , which was used by the Orange Line rapid transit line until 1987. Initial plans called for a light rail branch of the Green Line , but trolleybuses and later CNG buses were substituted. Planning began in 1987 for mass transit to serve
9800-486: The Silver Line brand. In January 2021, the MBTA and MassDOT began work on the Silver Line Extension (SLX), which would look into route alternatives from Chelsea into Everett, Somerville, Cambridge, and Boston. Six potential corridors were identified by September 2021: to Wellington , to Sullivan, to Malden Center , to downtown Boston via Sullivan, to Kendall Square via Sullivan, and to Kendall Square via Wellington. Some corridors could be operated as new routes independent from
9940-444: The Silver Line had doubled transit ridership to the Seaport, and increased transit ridership to Logan by 24%. The SL3 service was never successful, as the parallel route 7 had a more direct routing, lower fares, and better downtown connections. By 2008, the SL3 averaged less than one passenger per trip on the segment not shared with the SL2. On March 20, 2009, SL3 service was cut, with SL2 service increased in its stead. In October 2009,
10080-481: The Silver Line. The project was cancelled in 2010 due to high cost, but planning for several smaller sections continued. The Chelsea –South Boston section was given high priority because Chelsea was densely populated yet underserved by transit. MassDOT had also purchased the Grand Junction Branch – including abandoned sections in Chelsea and East Boston – from CSX Transportation in 2010, meaning that
10220-684: The South Boston Piers Transitway – a dedicated bus tunnel through the Seaport District with stations at Courthouse and World Trade Center . At Silver Line Way , they fan out on the surface: the SL1 to Logan International Airport , the SL2 to Dry Dock Avenue , and the SL3 to Chelsea via East Boston . An additional short turn route, SLW, runs only at peak hours between South Station and Silver Line Way. The Waterfront routes use mostly articulated diesel hybrid buses with extended battery range. Two routes operate on Washington Street between Nubian station (at Nubian Square in Roxbury ) and Downtown Boston . The SL5 terminates at Downtown Crossing and
10360-562: The Washington Street service as Phase I, the initial Transitway build as Phase II, and the Boylston extension as Phase III . Initial construction of the Transitway was divided into four main sections: South Station and turnaround loop plus 1,550 feet (470 m) of tunnel ($ 96 million), Russia Wharf and Fort Point Channel tunnel ($ 128 million), Courthouse station plus 1,450 feet (440 m) of tunnel ($ 110 million), and World Trade Center station plus 1,200 feet (370 m) of tunnel ($ 43 million). The Russia Wharf section, using
10500-617: The Waterfront shuttle route between South Station and Silver Line operated by a mix of new dual-mode buses and 40-foot (12 m) trolleybuses borrowed from the Harvard-based routes . It was only the third "urban trolleybus subway" (tunnel with stations) in the world, after the Harvard bus tunnel and the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (in which trolleybus service ended in 2005). Original plans called for
10640-471: The Western Hemisphere. The first European to live in what would become Boston was a Cambridge -educated Anglican cleric named William Blaxton . He was the person most directly responsible for the foundation of Boston by Puritan colonists in 1630. This occurred after Blaxton invited one of their leaders, Isaac Johnson , to cross Back Bay from the failing colony of Charlestown and share
10780-615: The act as an attempt to force them to accept the taxes established by the Townshend Acts . The act prompted the Boston Tea Party , where a group of angered Bostonians threw an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company into Boston Harbor . The Boston Tea Party was a key event leading up to the revolution, as the British government responded furiously with the Coercive Acts , demanding compensation for
10920-535: The adjacent towns of South Boston (1804), East Boston (1836), Roxbury (1868), Dorchester (including present-day Mattapan and a portion of South Boston ) (1870), Brighton (including present-day Allston ) (1874), West Roxbury (including present-day Jamaica Plain and Roslindale ) (1874), Charlestown (1874), and Hyde Park (1912). Other proposals were unsuccessful for the annexation of Brookline , Cambridge, and Chelsea . Many architecturally significant buildings were built during these early years of
11060-508: The angry colonists. This did not sit well with the colonists, however. In 1770, during the Boston Massacre , British troops shot into a crowd that had started to violently harass them. The colonists compelled the British to withdraw their troops. The event was widely publicized and fueled a revolutionary movement in America. In 1773, Parliament passed the Tea Act . Many of the colonists saw
11200-426: The area. Nevertheless, the city experienced conflict starting in 1974 over desegregation busing , which resulted in unrest and violence around public schools throughout the mid-1970s. Boston has also experienced gentrification in the latter half of the 20th century, with housing prices increasing sharply since the 1990s when the city's rent control regime was struck down by statewide ballot proposition . Boston
11340-607: The cancelled Urban Ring Project – began service on April 21, 2018. Extension of the SL3 route to Sullivan Square is planned. Several other Silver Line extensions have been proposed, as has a conversion of the Washington Street corridor to light rail, but most have not been pursued. The Silver Line has been the target of criticism by riders and transportation planners. Much of the system is missing BRT Standard features such as enforced dedicated lanes, off-vehicle fare collection, sheltered stations, and transit signal priority . Three Silver Line services operate from South Station in
11480-605: The centuries. This was accomplished using earth from the leveling or lowering of Boston's three original hills (the "Trimountain", after which Tremont Street is named), as well as with gravel brought by train from Needham to fill the Back Bay . Christian Science Center , Copley Square , Newbury Street , and New England's two tallest buildings: the John Hancock Tower and the Prudential Center . Near
11620-460: The city government. A climate action plan from 2019 anticipates 2 ft (1 m) to more than 7 ft (2 m) of sea-level rise in Boston by the end of the 21st century. Many older buildings in certain areas of Boston are supported by wooden piles driven into the area's fill; these piles remain sound if submerged in water, but are subject to dry rot if exposed to air for long periods. Groundwater levels have been dropping in many areas of
11760-464: The city often receives sea breezes , especially in the late spring, when water temperatures are still quite cold and temperatures at the coast can be more than 20 °F (11 °C) colder than a few miles inland, sometimes dropping by that amount near midday. Thunderstorms typically occur from May to September; occasionally, they can become severe, with large hail , damaging winds, and heavy downpours. Although downtown Boston has never been struck by
11900-443: The city's economy, and the city's industrial manufacturing overtook international trade in economic importance by the mid-19th century. The small rivers bordering the city and connecting it to the surrounding region facilitated shipment of goods and led to a proliferation of mills and factories. Later, a dense network of railroads furthered the region's industry and commerce. During this period, Boston flourished culturally as well. It
12040-414: The city, due in part to an increase in the amount of rainwater discharged directly into sewers rather than absorbed by the ground. The Boston Groundwater Trust coordinates monitoring groundwater levels throughout the city via a network of public and private monitoring wells. The city developed a climate action plan covering carbon reduction in buildings, transportation, and energy use. The first such plan
12180-594: The colonists' growing lack of faith in either Britain or its Parliament , fostered a revolutionary spirit there. When the British parliament passed the Stamp Act in 1765, a Boston mob ravaged the homes of Andrew Oliver , the official tasked with enforcing the Act, and Thomas Hutchinson , then the Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. The British sent two regiments to Boston in 1768 in an attempt to quell
12320-474: The commander-in-chief of the British forces in North America, led the British army in the siege. On June 17, the British captured Charlestown (now part of Boston) during the Battle of Bunker Hill . The British army outnumbered the militia stationed there, but it was a pyrrhic victory for the British because their army suffered irreplaceable casualties. It was also a testament to the skill and training of
12460-418: The corridor and eight intermediate stops. North of Kneeland Street, the routes run on separate one-way loops. The SL5 runs north on Washington Street to Temple Place (between Downtown Crossing and Park Street , with an intermediate stop at Chinatown . It returns south on Tremont Street , with a southbound stop at Boylston . The SL4 runs north on Washington Street to Chinatown, then east on Essex Street (with
12600-475: The creation of Boston baked beans . Boston's economy stagnated in the decades prior to the Revolution. By the mid-18th century, New York City and Philadelphia had surpassed Boston in wealth. During this period, Boston encountered financial difficulties even as other cities in New England grew rapidly. The weather continuing boisterous the next day and night, giving the enemy time to improve their works, to bring up their cannon, and to put themselves in such
12740-664: The destroyed tea from the Bostonians. This angered the colonists further and led to the American Revolutionary War . The war began in the area surrounding Boston with the Battles of Lexington and Concord . Boston itself was besieged for almost a year during the siege of Boston , which began on April 19, 1775. The New England militia impeded the movement of the British Army . Sir William Howe , then
12880-525: The dual-mode Silver Line fleet. The final dual-mode buses were retired in July 2023, ending trolleybus operations in the Boston area . [REDACTED] All stops are accessible Two Silver Line routes run between Nubian station (at Nubian Square in Roxbury ) and Downtown Boston along Washington Street : These two routes share most of their routing on Washington Street between Nubian Square and Tufts Medical Center , with dedicated lanes for most of
13020-466: The elevated Central Artery and incorporated new green spaces and open areas. Boston is located within the Boston Basin ecoregion , which is characterized by low and rolling hills with a number of ponds, lakes, and reservoirs. Forests are mainly transition hardwoods such as oak - hickory mixed with white pine . As a coastal city built largely on fill , sea-level rise is of major concern to
13160-403: The existing New England Medical Center (NEMC) station, with a portal to Washington Street just north of Oak Street. In April 2000, the MBTA adjusted the alignment to use Boylston Street instead of Avenue de Lafayette and Avery Street, with side platforms at the stations. The new alignment would conflict less with development, provide a straighter route, avoid the need for a pedestrian crossing and
13300-541: The first Community Health Center in the United States. It mostly served the massive Columbia Point public housing complex adjoining it, which was built in 1953. The health center is still in operation and was rededicated in 1990 as the Geiger-Gibson Community Health Center. The Columbia Point complex itself was redeveloped and revitalized from 1984 to 1990 into a mixed-income residential development called Harbor Point Apartments. By
13440-458: The first public school ( Boston Latin School , 1635), and the first subway system ( Tremont Street subway , 1897). Boston has emerged as a global leader in higher education and research and the largest biotechnology hub in the world. The city is also a national leader in scientific research, law, medicine, engineering, and business. With nearly 5,000 startup companies, the city is considered
13580-640: The first phase, and between 34,800 and 69,800 for the full build, depending on the rate of commercial development. In November 1994, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) agreed to fund $ 331 million (80%) of the $ 413 million first phase, which was to be completed in December 2000. The environmental approval process was completed in April 1995. In 1997, with construction on the transitway already under way, Massport cancelled
13720-461: The first wave of European immigrants . Irish immigrants dominated the first wave of newcomers during this period, especially following the Great Famine ; by 1850, about 35,000 Irish lived in Boston . In the latter half of the 19th century, the city saw increasing numbers of Irish, Germans , Lebanese , Syrians, French Canadians , and Russian and Polish Jews settling there. By the end of
13860-461: The fortifications and dozens of cannons on Dorchester Heights that Henry Knox had laboriously brought through the snow from Fort Ticonderoga . The astonished British awoke the next morning to see a large array of cannons bearing down on them. General Howe is believed to have said that the Americans had done more in one night than his army could have done in six months. The British Army attempted
14000-570: The front door. The main Waterfront fleet consists of 45 diesel hybrid buses with extended battery range – sufficient to run through the Transitway on battery power – which were delivered in 2022–2023. A similar extended-battery-range hybrid bus built in 2018 and five battery electric buses built in 2019 are also used. All Silver Line buses are maintained at Southampton Street Garage. The Waterfront routes previously used dual-mode buses which operated as electric trolleybuses between South Station and Silver Line Way, and as conventional diesel buses on
14140-488: The growing Seaport; a new transit tunnel called the South Boston Piers Transitway was chosen in 1989. It was to run from Boylston to World Trade Center via Chinatown and South Station, though the Boylston–South Station section was later deferred as a separate phase. In 1999, the MBTA designated the Washington Street and Transitway projects as the Silver Line, and planned for the Boylston tunnel extension to include
14280-648: The leader of the Charlestown community before he died on September 30, 1630, named the then-new settlement across the river "Boston". The settlement's name came from Johnson's hometown of Boston, Lincolnshire , from which he, his wife (namesake of the Arbella ) and John Cotton (grandfather of Cotton Mather ) had emigrated to New England . The name of the English town ultimately derives from its patron saint, St. Botolph , in whose church John Cotton served as
14420-490: The legislature authorized the city to issue $ 19 million in bonds (equivalent to $ 193 million in 2023) to construct an extension of the Washington Street Tunnel under Shawmut Street, connecting with the existing elevated south of Dudley Square. Although none of the proposals were built immediately, it established a precedent of replacing the elevated lines. In 1972, protests led to cancellation of
14560-528: The loop further to the west at Charles Street. New portal alignments were considered, including one on Columbus Avenue to the southwest. Capital cost was originally estimated at $ 768–812 million depending on the portal location; completion was moved from 2010 to 2013. Daily ridership for the completed Silver Line system was estimated to reach 160,000 by 2025. In August 2005, the MBTA put the Phase III project "on hold" in order to build community consensus on
14700-536: The militia, as their stubborn defense made it difficult for the British to capture Charlestown without suffering further irreplaceable casualties. Several weeks later, George Washington took over the militia after the Continental Congress established the Continental Army to unify the revolutionary effort. Both sides faced difficulties and supply shortages in the siege, and the fighting
14840-634: The nation in medical innovation and patient care. Schools such as the Boston Architectural College , Boston College , Boston University , the Harvard Medical School , Tufts University School of Medicine , Northeastern University , Massachusetts College of Art and Design , Wentworth Institute of Technology , Berklee College of Music , the Boston Conservatory , and many others attract students to
14980-572: The nation's busiest ports for both domestic and international trade. Boston's harbor activity was significantly curtailed by the Embargo Act of 1807 (adopted during the Napoleonic Wars ) and the War of 1812 . Foreign trade returned after these hostilities, but Boston's merchants had found alternatives for their capital investments in the meantime. Manufacturing became an important component of
15120-627: The need to add a second platform at Boylston due to high expected ridership, and to reduce impacts to the historic Boston Common from the loop. One alternative placed the station and loop under Tremont Street south of Boylston Street; the other enlarged them under the Common. Continued concerns about the Common, concerns from Bay Village residents about impacts to Eliot Norton Park, and desires to add Back Bay service resulted in further changes in 2004–05. The platforms at Boylston were to be aligned east–west under Boylston Street west of Tremont Street, with
15260-508: The northern portion of the Elevated until a permanent replacement could be built. However, the MBTA closed the Elevated and instead upgraded the route 49 bus from a feeder route to a more frequent trunk route. In 1989, the MBTA announced that trolleybuses would be used on Washington Street, operating on 4-minute headways at peak hours. By 1990, the MBTA expected service to begin in 1993, with an underground connection to Boylston station and
15400-419: The official name from the "Town of Boston" to the "City of Boston", and on March 19, 1822, the people of Boston accepted the charter incorporating the city. At the time Boston was chartered as a city, the population was about 46,226, while the area of the city was only 4.8 sq mi (12 km ). In the 1820s, Boston's population grew rapidly, and the city's ethnic composition changed dramatically with
15540-564: The peninsula. The Puritans made the crossing in September 1630. Puritan influence on Boston began even before the settlement was founded with the 1629 Cambridge Agreement . This document created the Massachusetts Bay Colony and was signed by its first governor John Winthrop . Puritan ethics and their focus on education also influenced the early history of the city. America's first public school, Boston Latin School ,
15680-600: The planned Southwest Expressway . Instead, the alignment was used for a combined corridor for intercity rail, commuter rail, and the Orange Line – replacing the Washington Street Elevated of the latter. The northern part of the new corridor was about 1 ⁄ 2 mile (0.80 km) west of Washington Street, so the MBTA (which had replaced the MTA in 1964) began planning in 1978 for a replacement service between Dudley Square and Downtown Boston. By 1985,
15820-668: The planned bus network redesign. The proposed SL3 extension would run in an off-street busway west to 2nd Street, mixed traffic (possibly later dedicated lanes) on 2nd Street and Spring Street, and dedicated lanes on Chelsea Street and most of Broadway . South of Sweetser Circle, a dedicated busway would be built on Lower Broadway. New stops would be located on 2nd Street at Boston Street and Spring Street; on Broadway at Chelsea Street (Everett Square), Beacham Street, and Horizon Way; and at Sullivan Square station. The extension would add 6.36 miles (10.24 km) of round trip distance, with 5.18 miles (8.34 km) – 80% – in dedicated bus lanes. It
15960-515: The portal from the surface section. On December 12, 2006, the FTA approved the project to re-enter its funding process. By mid-2008, environmental review and preliminary engineering were expected to be completed by the end of the year, with federal funding sought in 2010 and construction lasting from 2011 to a 2016 opening. However, the estimated price of the tunnel plan, dubbed the "Little Dig", had risen to $ 2.1 billion by May 2009. The FTA assigned it
16100-461: The position of the jet stream . Prevailing wind patterns that blow offshore minimize the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. However, in winter, areas near the immediate coast often see more rain than snow, as warm air is sometimes drawn off the Atlantic. The city lies at the border between USDA plant hardiness zones 6b (away from the coastline) and 7a (close to the coastline). The hottest month
16240-576: The preferred portal location was moved slightly north to avoid the need to demolish the YMCA building, and the NEMC station was removed. A proposal to consolidate the Chinatown and Boylston stations was rejected due to steep grades required and lack of cost savings, and a proposal to eliminate the loop was rejected because of the need to short turn most buses at Boylston. Further changes in 2003–04 were caused by
16380-429: The proposed South Boston Piers tunnel in a future phase. After several more years of studies, the MBTA decided in 1996–97 to build the route as a bus rapid transit line using compressed natural gas (CNG) buses to avoid the visual impact of overhead wires. Environmental documentation was filed in 1998, and construction began in 2001. The project cost $ 27.3 million, with major elements including $ 10.9 million for
16520-467: The rector until his emigration with Johnson. In early sources, Lincolnshire's Boston was known as "St. Botolph's town", later contracted to "Boston". Before this renaming, the settlement on the peninsula had been known as "Shawmut" by William Blaxton and "Tremontaine" by the Puritan settlers he had invited. Prior to European colonization , the region surrounding present-day Boston was inhabited by
16660-522: The route was changed so that buses proceeded around the whole loop before the layover at all times. On March 15, 2020, afternoon service began laying over at 23 Dry Dock Avenue before making the loop. In January 2021, Massport approved a ground lease agreement for air rights development over Silver Line Way station, which will include improvements to the stop. On March 13, 2022, all SL2 buses began laying over at 23 Dry Dock Avenue. The stop at 88 Black Falcon Avenue, closed since April 2019 due to pier repairs,
16800-459: The same alignment as the proposed Phase III, with a dedicated bus lane on Essex Street and a South Station stop west of Atlantic Avenue. The existing Downtown Crossing-Dudley route was renamed SL5 at that time. The Urban Ring Project was a planned circumferential surface BRT line. It would have shared the Silver Line berths at Dudley Square, and have had a surface stop outside World Trade Center station, but otherwise would have been separate from
16940-530: The same proposal. An additional SL4 stop (Chinatown Gate) on Surface Artery at Kneeland Street in Chinatown was added on August 19, 2022, while the Orange Line was closed for maintenance work; it was retained after the closure. For most of the 20th century, the Seaport District was an industrial area occupied by rail yards and wharves; the South Boston Army Base and South Boston Naval Annex were served by short bus routes that connected with
17080-491: The same route between Dudley Square and Downtown Boston as route 49; the primary change was the consolidation of stops. Although the MBTA considered other stop locations, most of the final stops were at existing route 49 stops. The conversion to the Silver Line occurred in several steps. In December 2001, the MBTA opened a contraflow bus-only lane on Washington Street between Marginal Road and East Berkeley Street, allowing southbound buses to use Washington Street. This eliminated
17220-606: The southwest by the town of Dedham and small portions of Needham and Canton , and to the southeast by the town of Milton , and the city of Quincy . The Charles River separates Boston's Allston-Brighton , Fenway-Kenmore and Back Bay neighborhoods from Watertown and Cambridge, and most of Boston from its own Charlestown neighborhood. The Neponset River forms the boundary between Boston's southern neighborhoods and Quincy and Milton . The Mystic River separates Charlestown from Chelsea and Everett, and Chelsea Creek and Boston Harbor separate East Boston from Downtown ,
17360-608: The surface branches. The 32 dual-mode buses, built by Neoplan USA , were delivered in 2004–05 and overhauled from 2014 to 2018. Eight of the buses were funded by Massport and included luggage racks for airport passengers. The dual-mode buses (and overhead lines in the Transitway) proved difficult to maintain and required a time-consuming switch between modes at Silver Line Way. In 2018–19, the MBTA obtained several buses to test alternate options for Waterfront service. A single New Flyer diesel hybrid bus with extended battery range
17500-509: The temperature dipped down to −10 °F (−23 °C); this was the lowest temperature reading in the city since 1957. In addition, several decades may pass between 100 °F (38 °C) readings; the last such reading occurred on July 24, 2022. The city's average window for freezing temperatures is November 9 through April 5. Official temperature records have ranged from −18 °F (−28 °C) on February 9, 1934, up to 104 °F (40 °C) on July 4, 1911. The record cold daily maximum
17640-559: The upcoming Central Artery/Tunnel Project ("Big Dig"). Service from the transitway could be extended to serve Logan International Airport , to form part of a proposed circumferential transit line , and to connect with the planned Washington Street service. The South Boston Piers Transitway alignment was refined by the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIR) in 1992. The Final Environmental Impact Statement/Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIS/FEIR)
17780-467: The winter of 2011–12 saw only 9.3 in (23.6 cm) of accumulating snow, but the previous winter, the corresponding figure was 81.0 in (2.06 m). The city's coastal location on the North Atlantic makes the city very prone to nor'easters , which can produce large amounts of snow and rain. Fog is fairly common, particularly in spring and early summer. Due to its coastal location,
17920-736: Was admired for its rarefied literary life and generous artistic patronage . Members of old Boston families—eventually dubbed the Boston Brahmins —came to be regarded as the nation's social and cultural elites. They are often associated with the American upper class , Harvard University , and the Episcopal Church . Boston was a prominent port of the Atlantic slave trade in the New England Colonies , but
18060-408: Was approved in December 1993. The South Station–Seaport segment was to open in 2000, with the Boylston segment opening in 2006. The stations at World Trade Center , Courthouse , South Station, Chinatown, and Boylston would each have island platforms , and the tunnel could be later converted to light rail as a Green Line branch if needed. Daily ridership was expected to be between 24,200 and 37,200 for
18200-549: Was commissioned in 2007, with updates released in 2011, 2014, and 2019. This plan includes the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance, which requires the city's larger buildings to disclose their yearly energy and water use statistics and to partake in an energy assessment every five years. A separate initiative, Resilient Boston Harbor, lays out neighborhood-specific recommendations for coastal resilience . In 2013, Mayor Thomas Menino introduced
18340-494: Was estimated to increase SL3 ridership by 15,000 daily boardings by 2040, with a capital cost of $ 95 million. In June 2024, the MBTA was awarded a $ 22.4 million federal grant for reconstruction of the Lower Broadway segment for existing bus routes and eventual Silver Line service. Several other bus rapid transit and express bus projects have been proposed in Boston, many under the Silver Line banner. The first two phases of
18480-468: Was founded in Boston in 1635. Boston was the largest town in the Thirteen Colonies until Philadelphia outgrew it in the mid-18th century. Boston's oceanfront location made it a lively port , and the then-town primarily engaged in shipping and fishing during its colonial days. Boston was a primary stop on a Caribbean trade route and imported large amounts of molasses, which led to
18620-433: Was limited to small-scale raids and skirmishes. The narrow Boston Neck, which at that time was only about a hundred feet wide, impeded Washington's ability to invade Boston, and a long stalemate ensued. A young officer, Rufus Putnam , came up with a plan to make portable fortifications out of wood that could be erected on the frozen ground under cover of darkness. Putnam supervised this effort, which successfully installed both
18760-403: Was obtained as an option on a separate order; it entered testing in September 2018 and revenue service in December. On July 31, 2019, the MBTA began using five New Flyer battery electric buses on both Waterfront and Washington Street routes. In November 2020, the MBTA exercised a contract option for 45 additional 60-foot hybrid buses with extended battery range (similar to test bus #1294) to replace
18900-717: Was permanently cut at that time. An improved stop on the east side of 27 Drydock Avenue (at Black Falcon Avenue) is planned by 2025 as part of redevelopment of 88 Black Falcon Avenue. The May 2022 draft network plan called for routes SL1 and SL3 to use D Street to more directly access the Ted Williams Tunnel, with only route SL2 plus SLW shuttles serving Silver Line Way. The November 2022 revised proposal kept this change, with SL2 enhanced to higher frequency service all days. The Boylston extension, as planned in 1993, would have run west from South Station under Essex Street, Avenue de Lafayette, and Avery Street. The Chinatown platform would have been under Hayward Place east of Washington Street, and
19040-565: Was put forward in March 2006, with support from most transportation leaders including Cogliano. The plan involved a variation of the Charles Street tunnel alignment, with the portal moved southwest onto Tremont Street near Marginal Road. This "Charles Street Modified" alignment remained the preferred alternative for the remainder of the project. Contra-flow dedicated bus lanes, already in place on Washington Street, were to be extended onto Marginal Road and Herald Street to allow buses to reach
19180-399: Was restored. The 40-foot (12 m) were replaced by 60-foot (18 m) buses in August 2003, and service frequency was again increased. On January 31, 2005, the route was the first MBTA bus route to receive new automated fare collection equipment. By 2005, ridership was double that of route 49, but early decreases in travel time were cancelled out by longer dwell times. In February 2020,
19320-548: Was reversed in 2013 when it was resold to Boston businessman John W. Henry . In 2016, it was announced General Electric would be moving its corporate headquarters from Connecticut to the Seaport District in Boston, joining many other companies in this rapidly developing neighborhood. The city also saw the completion of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, known as the Big Dig , in 2007 after many delays and cost overruns. On April 15, 2013, two Chechen Islamist brothers detonated
19460-535: Was soon overtaken by Salem, Massachusetts and Newport, Rhode Island . Boston eventually became a center of the American abolitionist movement . The city reacted largely negatively to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 , contributing to President Franklin Pierce 's attempt to make an example of Boston after Anthony Burns 's attempt to escape to freedom. In 1822, the citizens of Boston voted to change
19600-543: Was supported by the mayor and a coalition of business leaders and local philanthropists, but was eventually dropped due to public opposition. The USOC then selected Los Angeles to be the American candidate with Los Angeles ultimately securing the right to host the 2028 Summer Olympics . Nevertheless, Boston is one of eleven U.S. cities which will host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup , with games taking place at Gillette Stadium . The geographical center of Boston
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