Development Pipeline Prompts Privately-Funded Transit Study

BOSTON—Eight significant developers and property owners are ponying up a total of $400,000 to fund the creation of a study and plan to improve the North Station area's transportation network and supporting infrastructure.

The Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Boston Transportation Department announced on Tuesday they will begin work on a privately-financed study that will cover the West End, the Bulfinch Triangle and Government Center areas of Boston. The major stakeholders that are contributing $50,000 each for the study and formulation of an action plan are: Massachusetts General Hospital, Delaware North (owners of the TD Garden), Equity Residential, AvalonBay Communities, Related Beal, Boston Properties, HYM Investment Group and Trinity Financial. The action plan is to serve as a framework for prioritizing both public and private transportation and infrastructure investments in the future.

"Downtown Boston is experiencing unprecedented growth, and we must do everything in our power to make sure growth doesn't come at the expense of gridlock," says BRA Director Brian Golden. "This transportation plan will take stock of all development, from buildings to infrastructure, and provide us with valuable insight into where we should invest in improvements. We're grateful to have the support and partnership of our funders to be able to execute this work."

The BRA and BTD expect to release a request for proposals in January 2015 to retain a transportation consultant to assist with the formulation of the action plan. Both agencies are currently drafting a scope of work in connection with the RFP.

Boston Transportation Department Commissioner Gina N. Fiandaca says of the study, "BTD is thrilled to have this opportunity to partner with the community in this process. We expect it to result in both immediate and long term action items that will significantly improve mobility in the North Station area of the city and advance a comprehensive transportation plan for this burgeoning neighborhood."

An estimated 7.7 million square feet of new development is expected in this part of Boston in the coming years, according to the BRA. Some of the developments under construction near North Station include the Avalon North Station, One Canal, and Lovejoy Wharf residential projects. In addition, Boston Properties' multi-phase Boston Garden project and Equity Residential's Garden Garage redevelopment are approved and under review. HYM Investment's redevelopment of the Government Center Garage and the Haymarket Hotel project, proposed by Normandy Real Estate and Harbinger Development, are also in the pipeline.

In addition to the development that's underway, there are a host of transportation-related infrastructure projects planned or in discussion. For example, two bridges that serve the study area, the Longfellow and the North Washington Street Bridge, will be overhauled in the next five years, and the state is contemplating realigning a portion of Storrow Drive near Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition, "Connect Historic Boston," a partnership between the City of Boston and the National Park Service, plans to upgrade Causeway Street with better bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.

The two agencies say that a key facet of the transportation action plan will come from public participation. The study will include an analysis of existing conditions and a future needs assessment that addresses the combined impacts of new development over the next 15 years; a slate of recommended early action transportation projects to achieve immediate improvements; the formulation of a long-term strategic investment plan of new transportation projects and programs; and assessing the effectiveness of the improvements relative to the goals of the plan.

The agencies hope the plan will propose what the agency terms as "achievable improvements" as well as potential funding sources and the formulation of a realistic timeline for those initiatives to be completed. 

The contributions were voluntary and were separate from any approval mandates, according to BRA spokesman Nicholas Martin. He tells Globest.com the two agencies are pleased that the property owners/developers agreed to fund the study.

"I think it (transportation) is something they see as being in their interest because transportation and traffic issues affect everybody that has a stake in the neighborhood and these eight organizations have a large stake in the future of the neighborhood," he notes.