Dear Neighbors,
As South Boston has grown with new residents and a larger workforce on the South Boston Waterfront, it is important to know what your elected leaders have done to address the need for safer and more reliable transportation across South Boston.
Since I joined the legislature in 2010, and as I continue to serve you in the State Senate, safe and reliable transportation has been a top priority for me. It is important that all of South Boston is included when transportation infrastructure and safety improvements are made.
In 2014, at the request of the community and your elected officials, the South Boston Waterfront Sustainable Transportation Plan (SBWSTP) was conducted. A working group consisting of members from MassDOT Highway Division, the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA), Massport, the City of Boston, the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) , the MBTA, and A Better City began to hold public meetings to formulate a plan to invest in all neighborhoods of South Boston impacted by the growth of the South Boston Waterfront.
To support these investments, the Legislature approved $25million of state capital funds to be used on infrastructure and safety improvements, taking into account the recommendations of the SBWTP published in January of 2015.
This work is ongoing, with some projects currently underway and others planned in the future. Here is a brief overview of some of the projects that have been completed or are currently underway:
- Additional bus trips began in 2017 for the MBTA #7 and #9 routes
- MBTA City Point Buss Shelter: Conversion of the City Point Bus Layover Facility on East First Street to allow for passenger pick up and drop off. A passenger platform was added to sidewalks for access as well as additional benches and much needed lighting.
- Day Boulevard Pedestrian Road Safety Improvements: A Roadway Safety Audit of Day Blvd. was recently conducted and site work for new signals, speed mitigation measures and safety improvements is currently underway.
- Pedestrian bridge repairs along Old Colony Avenue connecting residents safely from the Maryellen McCormack Housing Development to Moakley Park.
Some projects that are currently being financed under the SBWSTP plan:
- Day Boulevard Pedestrian Road Safety Improvements.
- Bypass Road Passenger Vehicle Pilot: This program is expected to limit cut through traffic throughout all of South Boston. This pilot is a follow up to a previous 6 month pilot program conducted in 2016 and will last a year to gather more robust data on the use of passenger vehicles and congestion on the Haul Road.
- Cypher and E Street: Beginning stages of designing extension of Cypher Street between D Street and E Street to Summer Street for commercial use to take trucks and commercial vehicles off West First & West Second Streets is underway.
- Summer Street Reconstruction: Reconstruction of sidewalks in the Fort Point section of South Boston is currently underway. This goal of this project is to improve pedestrian access and safety on Summer Street between Melcher and A Streets. This project is in construction and full beneficial use is expected this year.
In summary, over $15million has been invested by the State, over the past 3 years, in transportation infrastructure and safety measures across South Boston. This is just a snapshot of the work being done, and there are still many more improvements being planned ensure that our streets are safe for all. I will continue to work together with my elected colleagues in South Boston and in the Legislature to provide the necessary funding for transportation investments, and advocate to our transportation officials for their prioritization and completion.
If you have any questions on these matters or any other, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
NICK COLLINS
State Senator
