MBTA Green LineB Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility

MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements Public Meeting 10/23/2014 1

History of Project • City of Boston Commonwealth Avenue Improvements: This area of Commonwealth Ave. is under Phase 2 A-CAP 2 A (COB) • Upgrade pedestrian accessibility, create dedicated bike lanes, improve left turn lanes, and to beautify the median • Approached MBTA for review MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 2

MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 3

Impacts • COB Project triggers accessibility at four MBTA stations - BU West, St. Paul, Pleasant, Babcock • The stations would need to be code-compliant • Necessitate adjustments to COB design - delay • Added design and construction costs for COB • New design and construction costs for MBTA requested that the COB project not be progressed until all the issues are vetted MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 4

MBTA • Feasibility of making the 4 existing stations code- compliant? • Alternatives? • Are MBTA goals and needs being met? • Cost and Funding? • How to accommodate the COB Project MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 5

MBTA Operational Considerations • Over the years the MBTA has been reviewing alternatives to consolidate the 4 existing stations in this congested corridor to: – Improve service times – Increase Green Line reliability – Further enhance safety – Provide upgraded service to our patrons MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 6

Code Considerations Code compliance: 780 CMR, 521 CMR (MAAB), & NFPA 130 • Two means of accessible egress from each station platform – minimum egress width of forty-four (44) inches per the state building code and forty-eight (48) inches for accessibility. • Maximum allowed distance from remote point of a station platform to Point of Safety is 740 feet based on evacuation times. • Accessible boarding of the No. 8 cars from all platforms MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 7

Code Impacts for Existing Stations • All 4 stations would need to be relocated midblock to provide two means of egress and stay within the maximum allowed distance of 740 feet from a remote point on the platform to the Point of Safety based on evacuation times. • Need sufficient platform width for egress and to store and deploy mobile lifts • Not possible for existing stations to meet code MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 8

MBTA Decision • MBTA explored alternatives • Reviewed Accessibility and Building Code Compliance, Safety, Green Line Operations, and Engineering • Compatibility with the COB Project • Most of the alternatives didn’t meet criteria • Only one alternative met the criteria MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 9

Preferred Option Scope • Consolidates Babcock and Pleasant Street Stations • Consolidates St Paul and BU West Stations Advantages • Consolidates four stations down to two stations • Achieves accessibility, improved safety and customer service • Favorable to design and construction • Stations centrally located • Meets code requirements including space for mobile lifts and to provide 150 feet of canopy on each platform MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 10

Preferred Option (Continued) Advantages (cont. ) • Babcock Inbound platform requires barrier reset to provide required space for compliance. Space available in COB design • Two means of egress from the station with under four minutes to a point of safety from either platform with the mid-block platforms • Two stations have capacity of four stations Disadvantages • New St. Paul/Amory Outbound platform requires 1’-6” for 225’ from proposed left turn lane, but COB can accommodate. This option meets the criteria MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 11

MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 12

Benefits • Achieves accessibility • Consolidates 4 stations down to 2 - operational benefit • Provides safety enhancements • Significant cost savings: design and construction • Advances COB design • Benefits stakeholders MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 13

Interagency Coordination • COB Project to precede MBTA project - MBTA project cannot commence until COB Project is completed • COB design accommodates MBTA needs • Close coordination is required in design and construction of both projects MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 14

New Stations • Two new stations: – are centrally located – touch same intersections of the 4 current stations – have capacity of the 4 current stations – include added platform width and walkways – are modern/MBTA standards • Old stations will be removed and blend-in MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 15

Accessibility • MBTA’s mission • Green Line accessibility is a priority • All platforms will be accessible for No. 8 cars • First time these stations to have detectible warning strips • 150 foot Canopy and benches on platforms • Distances between stations MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 16

Operations • Benefits of station consolidation • Travel time improvements • Green Line reliability MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 17

Chiswick Rd Sutherland Rd Washington St Warren St Allston St 18% 33% 26% 27% 43% 29%20% 15% 36% Washington St Warren St Allston St 43% 29%20% 15% 36% BU Central Sutherland Rd 27% St Paul/BU West Chiswick Rd 26% Babcock/Pleasant Chestnut Hill Ave 33% 20% 12% 9% 9% 6% BU Central St Paul St BU West Babcock St Pleasant St Packards Corner Harvard Ave Griggs St South St Boston College 18% Packards Corner Harvard Ave Griggs St Chestnut Hill Ave B Line, proposed average spacing 1396 feet South St Boston College B Line, current, average spacing 1231 feet 16% Station usage compared to line volumes, source CTPS (2010) 20% 14% 16% MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 18

949 ft 760 ft 764 ft BU Central BU West St Paul St Pleasant St Babcock St Packards Corner B Line, current stop spacing 599 ft 1926 ft 1476 ft 1284 ft BU Central St Paul/BU West Packards Corner Babcock/Pleasant B Line, proposed stop spacing 2238 ft MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 19

Safety • Enhances safety by providing walkways to platforms • Faster pedestrian unloading of crosswalks • Improved queuing for trains • No mid-block crossing • Pedestrians flow to signalized intersections MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 20

Security and Communications • Extension of the Fiber Optic based Wide Area Network – from Kenmore Station to the proposed new stations. – Incorporate Blandford, BU East, and BU Central Stations to the east and the remainder of the B Line stations to the west in the future. – dedicated connectivity for all Security and Communications Systems. MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 21

Security and Communications • Video Surveillance System – Provide CCTV cameras at each station to view platforms and intersections. Video shall be centrally stored, and remotely accessible. • Emergency Call Box System – Provide Emergency Call Boxes on each platform to provide customers with direct access to the MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 22

Security and Communications • Public Address / Visual Message System – Provide audio and visual ADA compliant broadcast messages from the OCC. System will be compatible with future Green Line Next Train Announcements. • Telecommunications – Provide local telephone service for employees. MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 23

Cost (based on Conceptual Design) Professional Services $600, 000 • Construction of 2 new stations Including Canopies, Security and Communications, and demo/restoration of old stations Construction $5, 800, 000 Flagging, Admin, Inspection, … $2, 000 Total Project cost $8, 400, 000 MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 24

Schedule Design • 30% completed by end of 2014 • 100% Design completed by next summer Bid Phase • Out to bid, Award and NTP to a Contractor in late 2015 Construction • 12 to 18 months (Will have schedule & cost estimate at 30% design) • Schedule dependent upon COB Project MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 25

Potential Benefits and Risks • Coordination with COB Commonwealth Avenue Phase 2 A - CAP 2 A Project • Coordination with MHD Superstructure Replacement (B-16 -055) Commonwealth Avenue over I-90 & MBTA Project • Efficiencies to be gained through interagency coordination/cooperation MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 26

Summary Accessibility improvements Operational benefits Enhanced safety Design and Construction benefits Facilitates COB Project Requires close design/construction coordination with COB Project • MBTA project to follow COB Project • • • MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 27

Summary (Continued) • COB Project to set the curb and barrier lines • The MBTA project could take up to a year to design and 12 -18 months to construct • B Line continues to run during construction • Greater detail to be shared at 60% design Goal - To build a better transportation system for all patrons! MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 28

Thank You! ----Questions? MBTA Green Line/B Line Station Consolidation and Accessibility Improvements 29