Smart Growth & Regional Collaboration 

METROPOLITAN ARE A PLANNING COUNCIL 

September 24, 2012 

Jerome Grafe 

MassDEP 

Bureau of Waste Prevention 

One Winter Street, 6th Floor 

Boston, MA 02108 

Re: Red Line/Blue Line Connector Project 

Dear Mr. Grafe: 

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) regularly reviews proposals deemed to have regional 

impacts. The Council reviews projects for consistency with MetroFuture, the regional plan for growth and 

preservation in the Boston metropolitan area, MAPC's Smart Growth Principles, and the Commonwealth's 

Sustainable Development Principles, as well as for their impacts upon the environment. 

The Red Line/Blue Line Connector Project would permit direct transfers between the MBTA's Blue Line and 

the Red Line for the first time. Presently, riders connecting between points on the Blue Line (the Boston 

waterfront, East Boston, Logan Airport, Revere) and points on the Red Line (Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, 

Qumcy) must transfer to the Green or Orange Lines in order to complete their trips. This transfer discourages 

MBTA ridership for some commuters and increases congestion at other downtown Boston stations. The 

Red/Blue Connector would extend the Blue Line under Cambridge Street to Charles/MGH Station. 

Specifically, the project would begin at the Government Center Blue Line Station and extend to connect with 

the Charles/MGH Red Line Station, a distance of approximately 1,500 feet. 

The Red/Blue Connector is projected to more than double daily boardings at Charles/MGH Station alone. 

According to the March 2010 Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR), the project is expected to double the 

number of boardings at Charles/MGH Station form 10,050 (No-Build 2030) to 22,390 (Preferred Alternative 

2030)'. Of the new boardings, 5,610 would be transfers between the Red and Blue Lines. Weekday vehiclemiles traveled are forecast to be reduced by approximately 5,250 (projected to the year 2030). 

The Red/Blue Connector is forecast to reduce public transit congestion in Boston's downtown, specifically on 

the Red Line from Park Street Station to South Station and on the Green Line from Government Center to Park 

Street. According to the project's DEIR, 4,350 and 4,620 fewer riders would board the Red Line at Park Street 

Station and the Blue Line at Government Center each day, reducing congestion by approximately 11 and 27 

percent respectively. These reductions would be realized because transfers at these stations to the Green or 

Orange Lines would not be necessary when the Red and Blue Lines are connected. 

1

 Preferred Alternative is Alternative 1, Blue Line Extension with Eliminated Bowdoin Station. 

60 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02111 • 617-451-2770 • Fax 617-482-7185 • www.mapc.org 

Michelle Ciccolo, President • Lynn Duncan, Vice President • Marilyn Contreas, Secretary • TaberKeally, Treasurer • Marc Draisen, Executive Direct
In addition, the project is expected to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 

reducing automobile travel through downtown Boston. The Red /Blue Connector would also help to 

promote job growth along the Red and Blue Lines and make access to jobs, services and educational 

opportunities more readily available to the high concentration of low-income and minority communities 

who reside along the Blue Line. 

In short, the Red/Blue Connector, although it is an expensive project, would meet an incredible number of 

goals in MAPC's MetroFuture plan and the Commonwealth's Sustainable Development Principles by 

boosting transit ridership, reducing station congestion, improving air quality, reducing GHG, encouraging 

housing and job creation, and improving access for Environmental Justice populations. 

Background 

In obtaining environmental permits for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project in the early 1990s, the 

Commonwealth committed to implement a number of transit improvement projects hi the Boston region 

as mitigation measures. The Red/Blue Connector was one of the transit project commitments. Final 

design of the Project is required by the Massachusetts DEP Air Pollution Control Regulations (310 CMR 

7.36(2)(i)), which are appended to the SIP. 

Amendments to the SIP in 2006 for ambient ozone concentrations and implementing MassDEP transit 

regulations called for the Red/Blue Connector's final design to be completed by December 31, 2011 as 

part of an overall strategy to improve air quality. The modified commitment included only project design, 

not construction. There is no specific requirement or obligation to construct the Red/Blue Connector, 

although it would undoubtedly bring great benefits to the people of the region. 

In response to the requirement of completing the final design of the Red/Blue Connector by December 31, 

2011, MassDOT took a number of steps to advance the project design which included allocating resources 

to advance the conceptual design, completing a DEIR ha March 2010, as well as forming and meeting 

with a working group. 

In spite of these efforts, MassDOT determined that allocating additional transportation funding to the 

final design of the project was not justified, primarily because funds to build the project are so scarce. 

MassDOT has projected the cost to complete the project's final design would exceed $50 million and 

MassDOT has estimated that the project construction cost has risen from about $290 million ten years ago 

to $748 million. On July 1, 2011, MassDOT formally requested that MassDEP remove the Red/Blue 

Connector design from the regulation and the SIP. Subsequently, MassDOT requested to delete from its 

Transit System Improvement Regulations (310 CMR 7.36) the requirement to complete the final design 

of the Red/Blue Connector, as well as to amend accordingly its SIP for ozone. 

60 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02111 • 617-451-2770 • Fax 61 7-482-7185 • www.mapc.org 

Michelle Ciccolo, President • Lynn Duncan, Vice President • Marilyn Contreas, Secretary • Taber Keally, Treasurer • Marc Draisen, Executive Direc
Recommendation 

MAPC recognizes the severe financial constraint that the Commonwealth faces to fund our transportation 

system. At the same time, MAPC feels strongly that our region must continue to plan for the increased 

growth anticipated to occur along the Red and Blue Lines. In fact, MAPC's own research coupled with a 

June 2012 report by Northeastern University's Dukakis Center, Hub and Spoke, found that subway lines 

and key downtown stations are approaching capacity. The Red/Blue Connector is the kind of project that 

would ensure the MBTA can continue to serve a growing ridership, support sustainable growth patterns, 

and promote equitable distribution of transit services. 

MAPC does not oppose MassDOT's efforts to remove the design of the Red/Blue Connector from the 

SIP, but MAPC believes that a SIP requirement should not be removed unless it is replaced with an 

additional mitigation measure. We do not find compelling the argument that the design of the Red/Blue 

Connector would not improve air quality on its own. The design is obviously the first critical step in a 

project that most certainly would improve air quality, along with the many other benefits cited above. It 

should not be dropped from the list without an appropriate element of mitigation. 

MAPC encourages MassDOT and the MBTA to pursue potentialy less costly ways of relieving 

congestion in the central subway system and increasing ridership, such as connecting State Street Station 

and Downtown Crossing underneath Washington Street via a pedestrian tunnel and perhaps with a 

moving walkway to facilitate connections. 

It is currently possible to transfer between the Red and Blue Lines by traveling one stop on the Orange 

Line between State and Downtown Crossing stations, navigating a path through stairs and passages of 

those stations. A potentially less costly solution to connect the Red and Blue Lines could be to establish a 

direct underground pedestrian connection along Washington Street between Downtown Crossing and 

State Street Stations. 

Another opportunity for advancing improvements to the central subway system is to incorporate the 

study, design, or implementation of Red Line and Blue Line connection improvements as part of any 

mitigation packages for future development projects along either subway line, since these projects would 

certainly benefits from these improvements. These projects include the Millennium Tower and Burnham 

Building located in Downtown Crossing, the proposed casino development at Suffolk Downs, and many 

others. 

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this important project. 

Sincerely, 

Marc D. Draisen 

Executive Director 

cc: Richard Davey, MassDOT 

David Mohler, MassDOT 

60 Temple Place, Boston, MA 02111 • 617-451-2770 • Fax 617-482-7185 • www.mapc.org 

Michelle Ciccolo, President • Lynn Duncan, Vice President • Marilyn Contreas, Secretary • Taber Keally, Treasurer • Marc Draisen, Executive Dire