Transit Projects

Silver Line Phase 3

The Silver Line Phase III Project (Phase III) is the final segment of the seven-mile route from Dudley Square to South Boston. Phase III will complete the MBTA Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system by providing the essential connection between the Silver Line Washington Street Service (Phase I) (now operating along Washington Street) with Silver Line Waterfront Service (Phase II) (now operating along the South Boston Waterfront). Upon completion, Phase III is expected to significantly reduce existing and anticipated traffic congestion, realize significant savings in travel time, and generate substantial transportation, environmental and economic development benefits.

Phase III will also connect to the Red, Orange and Green lines, and provide access to MBTA Commuter Rail Lines, Amtrak and intercity buses at South Station and direct routes to Logan Airport terminals. The Silver Line Phase III tunnel will measure approximately one mile, beginning at South Station and heading northwest beneath Essex Street, with new stations connected to the Orange Line at Chinatown Station and the Green Line at Boylston Station (Core Tunnel Segment).

Phase III Proposed Alignment and Alternatives

In May 2005, the MBTA filed an environmental review document for Phase III of the Silver Line with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) and with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The environmental document examined the potential environmental, community, operational and construction impacts of completing the MBTA's bus rapid transit (BRT) service, the Silver Line Phase III Project.

Four alternative alignments were considered in the environmental document, including, the No Build Alternative, the Baseline Alternative, as well as four Build Alternatives: Tremont Street/Portal at New England Medical Center (NEMC), Charles/Stuart Street/NEMC, Charles Street/NEMC, and Columbus Avenue. These four Build Alternatives, all of which are located in the City of Boston and are approximately one-mile long, will connect the two existing Silver Line services into a new tunnel referred to as the Core Tunnel Segment. The Core Tunnel Segment, which was analyzed in a prior environmental review process, includes new connections at the existing Boylston Street (Green Line) and Chinatown (Orange Line) Stations. The environmental document examines the environmental impacts of certain changes to that previously approved alignment.

As part of the EOEA certificate on the environmental review document, the Secretary of EOEA with recommendations from the Artery Business Committee (ABC) required the MBTA to study an alternative location for the portal along Marginal Road that would provide the transportation benefits of alignments in the environmental document, but avoid some, but not all, of the major issued raised by the public.

During this time, while, the MBTA did receive approval to move forward with the SFEIR, a decision was made to delay preparation of the SFEIR until stakeholders' concerns regarding impacts associated with the alignments and portal related to traffic, groundwater, historical/cultural issues and parklands were addressed. The MBTA held meetings with stakeholders to address concerns and increase support for an alignment and portal. At this time, a study of the Marginal Road alternative alignment had begun, and though it was determined not to be feasible, the MBTA, through working with the Artery Business Committee (ABC) and the City of Boston, identified a possible alignment ("Charles Street Modified" (CSM) alignment) that we collectively believe has merit and warrants further study. An overview of the alignment and a conceptual plan for the portal location can be viewed in 'Related Project Documents' below.

Although, this newly announced CSM alignment is the alignment that we believe best addresses the issues that have been raised, the final determination cannot be made nor can it be designed, until the environmental review occurs and until the final environmental approvals are issued. This environmental review will address potential impacts such as groundwater depletion, impacts to historic homes, traffic, noise, vibration and other potential impacts that could result from the Silver Line Phase III project.

The environmental review will occur in two steps. In the first step, which will occur later this year, the MBTA will develop and release a Notice of Project Change, in which it seeks permission from the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs to add this alignment to the group of other alignments studied in the prior environmental document. The Secretary of EOEA will then issue a scope in which he directs the MBTA under what parameters and what environmental issues need to be studied. In the second step, the MBTA will then perform the assessment and prepare a full environmental review document. The environmental review document will bring the newly proposed CSM alignment to the same level of assessment as the previous alignments. This second environmental document will contain a Response to Comments section in which the MBTA responds to each of the comments raised in last year's environmental document as well as those that will be raised during the upcoming Notice of Project Change. This second round of environmental review will occur in the early part of 2007.

The environmental review will be a public process where the public at large will have the opportunity to review the assessment and advise both EOEA as well as the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) as to the adequacy of the environmental documents and assessment prepared by the MBTA. These approvals from both FTA and EOEA are needed for the project to move forward.

Silver Line Phase III Community Outreach

Community Outreach - Public Involvement Plan and Outreach Process. The MBTA's Silver Line Communication and Community Development Office (SLCO) along with other MBTA departments and the Joint Venture team of URS/DMJM+HARRIS, continue to meet with stakeholders, including, residents, community organizations and associations, agencies, elected officials, business, churches, hotels, and educational and medical institutions, along the four proposed Phase III alignments, to hear their concerns and to provide information and address the impacts and issues raised. More than 300 meetings over the past three years have been held with the stakeholders and elected officials. The MBTA is committed to the community participation and public involvement process and will continue its public involvement and outreach efforts throughout the design and construction phases of the project.

The MBTA has conducted and coordinated a diverse public involvement program since January 2003 to disseminate information to key stakeholders, and seek input and feedback on the Phase III alternatives from members of the impacted communities. This process has included more than 130 meetings with stakeholders, city representatives, businesses, civic, and institutional groups. Also, more than 40 meetings, briefings and discussions were held with elected officials.

The environmental document (SDEIS/SEIR), prepared by the MBTA for the Silver Line Phase III project, was submitted to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on May 13, 2005, and the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA). For detailed information on the public involvement process for Phase III please go to Chapter 8.0 in the document. Outreach activities are listed below:

  • Involvement with more than 200 participants and meeting attendees between January 2003 and April 2005.
  • Publication of four Annual Updates (2000 through 2005) and the June 2004 Notice of Project Change (NPC).
  • Prepared and issued a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SDEIS/SEIR) for the Silver Line Phase III Project.

As part of the Phase III process, in May 2005, the MBTA filed a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SDEIS/SEIR) for the Silver Line Phase III Project with the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The SDEIR document examined the environmental, community, operational and construction impacts of the four alignments under consideration. Each alignment connects the two existing Silver Line services (one service along Washington Street and the other along the South Boston Waterfront).

A public comment period on the document followed the filing and closed on August 8, 2005. More than 350 written and oral comments were received from members of the public, elected officials, and agency representatives concerning the proposed Silver Line Phase III alternatives. Subsequent to the end of the comment period, the EOEA issued a Certificate on the Supplemental Environmental Impact Report on August 15, 2005. The certificate is available for review on the SDEIS/SEIR. EOEA determined that the report adequately and properly complies with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act, which allows the MBTA to proceed with submitting a Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Report (SFEIR). Among other items, EOEA requested the MBTA to respond to comments that were received regarding the feasibility of an alternative portal configured along Marginal Road.

While the MBTA did receive approval to move forward with the SFEIR, MBTA's General Manager, Daniel A. Grabauskas, made a decision to delay preparation of the SFEIR until the concerns and impacts raised by stakeholders regarding impacts associated with the alignments and portal related to traffic, groundwater, historical/cultural issues and parklands are addressed.

It is understandable that many people are now concerned that the project will not be completed. However, despite these challenges the MBTA, according to the General Manager, remains strongly committed to the completion of the Silver Line Project. He has instructed the Silver Line Project Team to continue working with the stakeholders, elected officials, and agencies to address concerns and broaden support for the project and address those issues outlined in the certificate. Moreover, the MBTA will be notifying the Federal Transportation Administration of its plans to request Preliminary Engineering (PE) approval for Phase III and the associated rating in the FTA'S FY 2008 Annual New Starts Report at the appropriate time.

The Federal New Starts Program is the vehicle for receiving funding for the Silver Line Phase III Project. In order to be competitive nationally with the other transit projects that are also competing for the limited funding from the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA), a locally preferred alignment for Phase III must be identified as part of the MBTA's application. To increase the likelihood that federal funding for Phase III would be approved, it is critical that Boston, as the host city, is unified in its support for the project and for a preferred alignment. Without this support, other transit properties that have local support for their projects are in a better position to receive funding. Non-funding of Phase III would mean not only a loss of revenue in the millions of dollars for the Commonwealth, but we would be losing a good transit project for our region.

The MBTA is reviewing all of the comments that were received, including over 350 comments from community based organizations, major institutions, businesses and government agencies. It is the MBTA's intention to ultimately select an alignment consistent with the mode of transportation now operating as the two Silver Line BRT services. The Silver Line Communications Office (SLCO), in coordination with the MBTA Design and Construction Department, will continue to coordinate the public involvement and outreach process during design and construction of Phase III.

View the reports below or contact the T Customer Support Services for more information.

Related Project Documents

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