DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE
CONTEXT
WHERE/WHEN APPLICABLE
HISTORY
RESPONSES
TESTIMONIES
LINKS


DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE:
The Metropolitan Planning Organization defines transit justice as ensuring "that minority and low-income communities are treated equitably in the provision of transportation services and projects" (2000-2025 Regional Transportation Plan). The central question for transit justice is not whether the services in low-income and minority neighborhoods are of poor quality, but whether or not they are worse than services received by wealthy suburban and majority communities.

In the Heart of the City, and particularly in Roxbury, transit justice has several foci. These include:

Bus versus rail:
There is a widespread preference among users of public transportation for rail service over bus service in the Heart of the City. In the experience of residents, bus service is slower, less reliable, and less comfortable both while waiting and while riding as compared to rail service. Also, the MBTA's bus fleet of diesel vehicles emit carbon particulate matter and nitrogen oxides that develop into smog and can trigger asthma attacks.

Pollution:
As just mentioned, diesel vehicles emit carbon particulate matter and nitrogen oxides that develop into smog and can trigger asthma attacks. A community health study relating to particulate matter in Roxbury's Dudley Square was conducted in 1999. The study found higher concentrations of fine particulate matter and particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on roads reported to have heavy bus traffic in the Dudley Square area (Levy et al., Environmental Health Perspectives, April 2001).

Unfulfilled commitments:
In 1987, the southern section of the Washington Street Orange Line was demolished with federal funding, and the new Orange line was completed. The MBTA committed to restoring replacement service by 1994, but was not able to honor this commitment. In 2002, the MBTA opened the Silver Line, a "state of the art" bus route that serves Roxbury as far south as Dudley Square.

Other:
Other complaints include late buses, lack of responsiveness to customer complaints, bumpy rides, and inadequate night service.


Back to top


CONTEXT:
Planners at the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) project that demand for access to the Heart of the City will increase when the former Boston State Hospital site is redeveloped. Many have also suggested that economic development along Blue Hill Avenue is stymied by poor access via public transportation.

Franklin Park and the Franklin Park Zoo could theoretically also be a regional pull to the area. This point has been argued by organizations such as the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC). Jessica Pineo, a former BRA planner who has worked in Roxbury, feels that the lack of reliable transit and access are the primary reasons why the inner city, as a regional destination, hasn't benefited from Franklin Park. 


Back to top


WHERE/ WHEN APPLICABLE:
Literature from the Washington Street Corridor Coalition refers to the transportation situation in the eastern half of the Heart of the City as "transportation discrimination, plain and simple." A 2002 study by a student at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government shows discrepancies between subsidies for a commuter rail MBTA rider from the suburbs and subsidies for a bus or rail rider from Roxbury (commuter rail subsidy: $6.89; Roxbury bus subsidy: $0.71; Roxbury rail subsidy: $0.66) (M. Otake, Analysis and strategies for transit justice in Greater Boston, 2002). Defenders of the system argue that this discrepancy is due to the fact that the dense and highly transit dependent population in Roxbury makes the subsidy low.

Differences between bus and rail:
Some of the benefits of rail over buses include comfort while waiting, comfort in transit, reliability, environmental quality, and time of travel. Throughout the city of Boston, there are 300 bus shelters for 9,000 bus stops. This means that many bus riders must sometimes wait in the rain, snow, or heat for buses to come. On the Blue Hill Avenue corridor in particular, new, coordinated shelters have increased the comfort of people waiting for the bus.

There are more frequent complaints in the Heart of the City about late buses than late rail service. Compared to the bus system east of Franklin Park, the Orange Line rail system moves people faster and more reliably from the Heart of the City to downtown and beyond.

Rail service does not directly create air pollution, whereas buses can emit a range of pollutants that harm the environment. Diesel buses are particularly harmful. In 2001, the entire fleet of MBTA buses emitted 89 tons of particulate matter into the atmosphere. These "dirty buses," including some that have been in use since 1984, have been a focus of civic and environmental groups in the city for many years.

One benefit of bus over rail is the cost. Buses are generally considered affordable by minority, low-income communities in the Heart of the City. The fares are $.90 per ride for an adult, $.25 for senior citizens and persons with disabilities within one or two zones, and children aged 5-11 pay half fare. Subways are $1.25 and commuter rail rides begin at $1.25 and increase in price the further the destination 'zone' is from the city. Free bus-to-bus transfers are available on all local bus and subway routes.

Ethnic and economic characteristics of areas where there is bus service only:
Along the Blue Hill Avenue/ Warren Street corridor and along Washington Street north of the Egleston Square area, buses are currently the only available form of public transit. The minority ratio in these areas is greater than 90%, while the minority ratio for the MBTA area as a whole is 23% (M. Otake, Analysis and strategies for transit justice in Greater Boston, 2002). According to the 2000 Census, the median household income in Roxbury is less than half of the median household income for the MBTA area as a whole. Also according to the census, the tracts east of Franklin Park along Blue Hill Avenue and east of Humboldt Avenue in Roxbury are some of the most densely settled in the city. The communities east of Humboldt and in Egleston Square are also among the most transit-dependent in the city. Roxbury residents use public transportation more than four times as frequently as the typical Massachusetts suburbanite and drive half as often. The lack of transit options to the area may have negatively affected shopping centers such as Grove Hall and Egleston Square, as well as the Franklin Park Zoo.

Plans for the Silver Line:
According to the MBTA, the Dudley Square to downtown route of the Silver Line only comprises the first phase of the transit project. The second leg is slated to be added in spring 2004, connecting South Station and the South Boston Waterfront via an exclusive underground "transitway" with continuing service to Logan Airport. In its third phase, the Silver Line would link downtown and South Station, offering a one-seat ride from Dudley Square to Logan Airport and serving 60,000 riders a day.

The $601 million second phase of the development is still set to open late in 2004. However, the ambitious final phase of the Silver Line is not on the list of transit projects targeted for federal funding as of February 2004 and it remains on the sidelines as Congress reauthorizes its six-year transportation spending bill. The $760 million last leg will have a much tougher time rebounding from a "not recommended" rating by the Federal Transit Administration than state officials have acknowledged, according to lobbyists and others familiar with the reauthorization process (Anthony Flint, "Silver Line derailed to funding sideline," The Boston Globe, Feb. 6, 2004).

MBTA officials argue that the Silver Line represents a cost-effective way to move people through the area with many of the benefits of rail. Some community groups argue that the Silver Line bus system is not an adequate replacement for the Elevated Orange Line.

According to the Summer 2003 issue of "Dig It," an MBTA newsletter on Silver Line Community News and Information, Silver Line ridership has nearly doubled since its kick-off in July 2002. In a recent customer survey, 90% of passengers rated Silver Line service "good" to "excellent," with 41% indicating that the service was "excellent." 

No stops on the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line:
The Fairmount Commuter Rail runs directly through the eastern half of the Heart of the City, east of Blue Hill Avenue and Franklin Field. As of 2002, however, there are no stops in the area except for one at the intersection with Morton Street in Mattapan. The Morton Street stop has no dedicated parking spaces.

In April 2005, the $40 million first phase of the MBTA's Fairmount line renovation project began at the Uphams Corner Station. Tracks and signals, six bridges, and the Morton Street Station will also be rehabilitated on the Fairmount line as part of the first phase. The construction of four new stations -- Blue Hill Avenue, Talbot Avenue, Newmarket and Four Corners/Geneva Avenue -- is also planned as part of the project. The project's total cost is pegged at $96 million. (Mac Daniel, "T To Begin Upgrade of Fairmount Rail Corridor," The Boston Globe, April 14, 2005)

Diesel buses left idling for extended periods of time:
Although the MBTA has a policy that requires drivers to limit the idling of diesel buses to less than five minutes, in February of 2002, EPA field agents found that drivers were allowing diesel buses to idle for as long as two and a half hours in Roxbury (Mac Daniel, "T Cited for idling diesel buses quality of air is EPA concern," The Boston Globe, July 9, 2002).

Night Owl Service:
As of late December 2004, the MBTA is considering cutting the Night Owl bus service. This bus service transports late night travelers on weekends to areas of Roxbury and Mattapan Square (Anthony Flint, "Cost May Lead to Cuts in T Buses, Night Owl Among Likely Targets," The Boston Globe, December 30, 2004).

Back to top


HISTORY:
Historically, many areas of the Heart of the City were accessible by rail and streetcar systems that ran often and were relatively affordable. Streetcars ran from Uphams Corner in Dorchester along Columbia Road to Franklin Park, and from Franklin Park down Talbot Avenue to Peabody Square. They ran from Cummins Highway to Roslindale Village, and from Blue Hill Avenue to Mattapan. The trolleys ran every two minutes and for much of the early 1900s cost only five cents. Trackless trolleys took the place of the trolleys with tracks, but these were dismantled in the 1960s (The Three-Deckers of Dorchester: an architectural historical survey, 1977).

The elevated Orange Line was constructed in 1909 and ran from downtown Boston to Forest Hills along Washington Street. There are a variety of opinions about the desirability of the old elevated Orange Line. While some describe "the El" as a blighting influence, others experienced it as a vital and efficient link between the Heart of the City and downtown.

Although the pros and cons of the former Orange Line are often debated, it has been clear for decades that the Blue Hill Avenue corridor from Dudley Square to Mattapan Square is a dense, transit-dependent area underserved by rail. Many studies and plans have grappled with this "dead zone" in transportation. One example of this is found in a Neighborhood Analysis Report prepared by the Boston Redevelopment Authority in 1977. The report notes that the current transportation system serves the perimeter of the Franklin Field area, but that the internal areas are not served. The report recommends a variety of actions that were never taken and recommends conducting another study. The report reads, "There is presently a Replacement/ Transit Improvement Study initiated to provide the analysis required to determine the type of service which is appropriate for the South End, Roxbury, Franklin Field, North Dorchester, and Mattapan areas" (Neighborhood Profile Reports, 1977).

Although the transportation dead zone has long been a concern at the City level and multiple studies have been done on the subject, little action has been taken to address the transit needs. As of 2002, the MBTA is focusing its efforts on plans for both a southern extension of the Silver Line and an expansion of the service along the Fairmount Commuter rail. Upgrades to the existing Uphams Corner and Morton Street Stations, tracks and signals, and six bridges along the Fairmount line began in April 2005.


Back to top


RESPONSES:
Community groups:
A range of groups, including the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA), Project RIGHT, and Alternatives to Community and Environment (ACE) have fought and continue to fight for a total commitment from the MBTA to use compressed gas rather than diesel fuel for buses. ACE has also facilitated a coalition for transit justice and research on asthma and air quality. Since 1986, the Washington Street Corridor Coalition has fought to regain rail service in Roxbury from the downtown area to Dudley Station and subsequently south along Warren and Blue Hill Avenues.

MBTA:
In April 2002, the MBTA switched its entire 980 bus fleet to a cleaner diesel fuel that will reduce airborne pollutants by an estimated 50 tons per year over the next four years. The MBTA is also incrementally retrofitting its buses with pollution-trapping diesel fuel filters, which will reduce particulate emissions from 89 tons per year in 2001 to 12 tons per year by 2003. The MBTA is purchasing 358 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses to replace the oldest diesel buses. Finally, as mentioned above, the MBTA is planning to build a southern extension of the Silver Line and to expand service along the Fairmount Commuter rail.

City:
In 2001, the City attempted to improve the comfort-level of bus service by providing coordinated, protected bus shelters along Blue Hill Avenue. These improvements have not, however, lessened the demand for rail service in Roxbury and Dorchester south to Mattapan Square.

The Roxbury Strategic Master Plan published in 2004 recommends a review of the present bus route structure by a panel of neighborhood representatives, city officials, and MBTA representatives. The Plan states that the review should identify demand corridors not served by present routes and suggest adjustments in the MBTA's Service Plan to make existing routes more effective. The panel should also explore improvements in transit access to cultural venues such as the Museum of the National Center for Afro-American Artists.

In 2004, the City, through its Coordinated Street Furniture Program, is in the process of installing bus shelters along the major bus routes in Roxbury.

Back to top


TESTIMONIES:
"They call it a line, but that don't make it a train!" (Refrain of protesters at the Silver Line opening, July 2002).

"Commuter rail station have new electronic signs telling riders when trains will come, while urban bus riders wait at stops without shelters and without posted route schedules" (Platform for just transportation and livable communities. On the Move: Greater Boston Transportation Justice Coalition). 

"Given the high asthma rates in Boston, it's unacceptable that diesel buses are left idling for more than an hour at a time" (Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of the EPA's New England office. From an article by Mac Daniel, "T Cited for idling diesel buses quality of air is EPA concern," The Boston Globe, July 9, 2002).

"The transportation system [along the Blue Hill Avenue corridor] needs to be there before [the Heart of the City] will be able to truly find a place on the Boston map" (Jessica Pineo, former deputy director of strategic planning for the Boston Redevelopment Authority).

"The MBTA still refuses to honor its original commitment for a true replacement service...We will never accept a bus as a replacement for the Orange Line. This is transportation discrimination, plain and simple" (Washington Street Corridor Coalition literature).

"There is a gaping transit void along Blue Hill Avenue. Franklin Park could benefit the inner city as a regional destination area, but access is a constraint right now. I also suspect that good development of the Boston State Hospital site will be limited if there is no reliable, fast transit" (Jessica Pineo, former deputy director of strategic planning for the BRA).

Back to top