BOSTON INNER HARBOR WATER TRANSPORTATION T Ferry. Presented by

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "BOSTON INNER HARBOR WATER TRANSPORTATION T Ferry. Presented by"

Transcription

1 BOSTON INNER HARBOR WATER TRANSPORTATION T Ferry Presented by Revisd October 1, 2017

2 Boston Inner Harbor Area where Waterfront is closer than existing T stations 23

3 Enhanced Water Transportation The Navy Yard has severely restricted vehicular access and a lack of public transportation. Charlestown gridlock may increase to an unacceptable level when the Casino opens and North Washington Street Bridge construction starts. Phase 1 The immediate solution is to extend the Water Shuttle route and operating hours by adding a Pier 4 to Lovejoy Wharf (North Station) segment and one ferry boat to the existing Long Wharf to Pier 4 Water Shuttle. This, combined with a coordinated Mini Bus connector serving Charlestown, will provide the entire Charlestown community with a convenient public transportation alternative. It should not be necessary to increase the footprint of the existing Pier 4 floating dock that can berth up to two ferries. Phase 2 Develop a world class harbor wide efficient, convenient and green T Ferry. This system s route structure would be extended as additional boats are brought on line. To increase the service area mini bus shuttle connecter routes could be incorporated into the system. Frequency, efficiency and convenience would be the keys to this systems success. The system could use relatively small, bow loading, low wake catamaran style Water Buses in the 30 to 60 passenger range. These faster boats with auto docking and streamlined ticketing, loading and unloading procedures could provide quick and economical transit and turn around times. For additional Information contact NYCA Water Transportation Group Ed Cardinali edwardcardinali@aol.com & James Lee jslbos@gmail.com, 24

4

5 Pier 4 Water Transportation Dock & Bldg. 123 Pumphouse The historic and iconic 1906 Dry Dock 2 Pumphouse is just 20 yards from the Water Transportation Gangway. It could be restored as an excellent Public Waiting Room and Visitors Information Center Bldg. 123 Pumphouse current interior condition

6 Strategically Integrating Supply and Demand The T Ferry s broader success as a public transportation system will be predicated on its strategic integration with both the supply and demand of mass transit services. On the supply side, the T Ferry must be better integrated with the T, since mass transit works most efficiently as a network offering end-to-end service. On the demand side, T Ferry terminals must be integrated with land use planning and demand-side management. The following are some suggestions for practical implementation. 1. Expanded ridership throughout the day is central to expanding the frequency and coverage of transit services, increasing revenue and lowering operating costs. When planned holistically, these factors can enhance one another. 2. The macro strategy to increase ridership is predicated on expanding demand through (water) transit-oriented-development, e.g. by increasing mixed-land-use intensity within 500 feet of ferry transit stops. 3. The micro strategy to increase ridership focuses on enlarging the passenger catchment area around T Ferry stops by means of: a. Better integration with the T in terms of network planning, modal integration and same-trip-fare-discount, e.g. T subway/bus riders get a discount when transferring to the T Ferry within 30 minutes, and vice versa. b. Better design of inter-modal transfer points, e.g. bus drop-offs, ride-share waiting areas, park-n-ride facilities, bike and bikeshare facilities, pedestrian connections and amenities, etc. c. A system-wide electronic fare system that can more accurately correlate passenger trips with passenger miles traveled. As many cities around the world demonstrate, an electronic fare system is a key enabler of service flexibility and revenue optimization, a game-changer in providing an efficient and equitable mass transit system. d. Better terminal facilities to provide passenger comfort, shelter from inclement weather, ticketing service, route and schedule information, streamlined boarding and de-boarding, and a better transit experience overall. Against this performance metric, the current low capital cost associated with the T Ferry actually reflects an under-investment in this category. Case in point is the ferry terminal at Pier 4, Charlestown Navy Yard as compared to terminals along New York City's East River ferry line. Navy Yard Pier 4 Ferry Terminal New York City E34 th St. Ferry Terminal In short, to be successful, the T Ferry must provide reliable, cost-effective, seamless and pleasant end-to-end trip experience.

7 Expanding Water Transportation Demand Through Better Integration with the MBTA Bus System Existing MBTA Bus Routes or a dedicated Minibus Connector Route can connect Charlestown residents to the T Ferry stop at Pier 4 and avoid N. Washington Bridge, Rutherford Ave. and Chelsea St. congestion. Terry Ring Way Stop 28

8 phased route expansion