The
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is a quasi-governmental organization formed in 1964 that controls the
subway,
bus,
commuter rail, and
ferry systems in the
Boston, Massachusetts area. Originally it was called the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or the
MTA, as immortalized in the popular folk-protest lament "
The MTA Song". It is known by the locals as just
The T because of the logo it adopted back in the
1960s.
The subway system consists of the Red, Orange, Green, and Blue Lines. The naming scheme is a bit misleading, as two of the lines branch: the Green line has four branches, B, C, D, and E; the Red Line has two branches and also incorporates a separate trolley line, the Ashmont-Mattapan High Speed Line. The MBTA Commuter Rail system has ten branches, all of which converge at two stations in Boston, North Station and South Station. The MBTA bus system comprises over 150 lines across the Greater Boston area. The MBTA ferry system operates several boat routes around the Boston Harbor, including service to Logan International Airport.
Recent history
In 1985, the MBTA undertook an expansion of rail service on the Red Line beyond Harvard Square, into the west Cambridge and Somerville areas (see: Davis Square). The project resulted in the construction of a large parking structure and office park at Alewife, the junction with Route 2, where drivers from the western suburbs can park their cars and ride quickly and efficiently into downtown. This move has widely been seen a revitalizing areas further out from the city center and relieving traffic in Cambridge streets and set a pattern for a strong commitment to intermodal passenger transport. Other major new MBTA stations include parking facilities, bus terminals and bicycle parking.
Also in the mid 1980s, the Orange Line elevated railway that ran above Washington Street was torn down and replaced by an underground subway a quarter mile (400 m) away (see Southwest corridor project). While the elevated Orange Line was regarded as noisy and ugly, it was located in a transit dependent neighborhood and its removal substantially extended the commute time from parts of the minority-heavy Roxbury area even though the residents had been promised "better or equal" levels of service.
In 2002, a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line known as the Silver Line began operating in the city in the hopes of replacing the service provided by the original Orange Line "el". In theory, BRT vehicles run in dedicated rights of way such as tunnels or bus lanes, thereby avoiding traffic slowdowns. Due to constraints in existing construction, it was not possible to isolate the Silver Line BRTs from normal street traffic for portions of their operations, making them vulnerable to congestion in the downtown Chinatown and Financial District areas. Many riders still feel that the replacement Silver Line service both isolates the community and fails to live up to the promise of replacement service. Travellers must now exit in busy downtown streets and gain access to the Orange, Green, and Red heavy rail lines if they wish access to any place other than the downtown area.
On January 12, 2005, the cites of Medford and Somerville announced their intent to sue the state of Massachusetts. The Big Dig rerouted a lot of traffic through the area, causing high levels of pollution and congestion. Though the MBTA had agreed to extend the Green Line through the two cities, there has yet to be any progress on the extension since the deal was made in 1990.
The Silver Line will eventually offer a "one seat ride" from Roxbury to Logan International Airport, but the middle portion of the line has yet to be constructed; even the selection of the route remains a topic of heated debate. The portion of the line from South Station to South Boston opened December 17, 2004 with the further connection to Logan Airport promised for 2005.
The remainder of the bus system is identified by the color yellow, and the commuter rail purple; however, these lines are rarely actually referred to as the "Yellow" or "Purple" Lines.
MBTA commuter rail service extends to outlying suburbs that would not otherwise be feasibly served by rapid transit without increasing wait times excessively. Towns and cities at greater distances from Boston are also served, with existing interstate service to Providence, Rhode Island and the possibility of service extensions to Nashua and Manchester, New Hampshire, Fall River/New Bedford, and T.F. Green Airport.
In mid-2006, revenue service will commence on the Greenbush Line, an expansion of the commuter rail system, to serve Boston's South Shore. While it will follow the old right of way of the Old Colony Line, which ceased operations in the 1960s, much money has been spent in the purchase of abutting properties to establish right-of-way for the new branch of the rail system.
In 2006, the T expects to switch from tokens to a farecard system that will be called "The Charlie Card" in honor of the unfortunate hero of "The MTA Song". One of the rejected names for the farecard system was "The Fare Cod", a pun on both the way locals might pronounce "Card" and the fish that was once integral to the Massachusetts economy.
MBTA system articles
See each line for a detailed description and list of stations.
Related articles
External links
Last updated: 10-18-2005 01:19:12
