Problems and Needs

Following monitoring, congestion, mobility, and safety problems are identified as problem locations in need of detailed study and further action for the implementation of the recommended improvements. Most of the problem locations identified from monitoring fall into one of the following categories:

Identified Congestion Problems by Type of Facility

Roadways

Congested roadway locations can be seen on the maps (beginning with Figure 4-1). The congested corridors in the Boston region are listed below by direction of travel. A corridor appears on the congested corridors list if the Congestion Management Process indicated that there is a congestion issue in either the AM or PM peak period. Corridors are determined to be congested if any of the following performance measures is below the set threshold: observed travel speed, level of service, or speed index,.  Each of these measures is an indicator of an aspect of congestion, and they often overlap in what they are measuring. The CMP has determined the following arterial corridors within the Boston Region to be congested: the congested arterial and expressway corridors are listed in Table 5-1 and Table 5-2, below.


TABLE 5-1

Congested Arterial Corridors*

Roadway

Direction

From

To

Type of Roadway

Congestion Indicator

Fresh Pond Pkwy.

NB

Soldiers Field Rd. on-ramp

Rte. 2

A

V/C (both)

Fresh Pond Pkwy.

SB

Rte. 2 

Soldiers Field Rd. on-ramp

A

TS (AM), SI (both), V/C (both)

Rte. 107  

NB

Rte. 16

Albert J. Brown Circle

A

TS (PM), SI (PM), V/C (PM), LOS (AM)

Rte. 107

SB

Albert J. Brown Circle

Rte. 16

A

TS (PM), SI (both), V/C (PM), LOS (AM)

Rte. 109

EB

I-495

Birch St.

A

V/C (both)

Rte. 109

WB

Birch St.

I-495

A

V/C (both)

Rte. 114

EB

Palmer Ave.

Marblehead TL

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (PM), CR, LOS (both)

Rte. 114

WB

Marblehead TL

Palmer Ave.

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (PM), CR, LOS (both)

Rte. 119

NB

Pope Rd.

Rte. 2

A

SI (both)

Rte. 119

SB

Rte. 2

Pope Rd.

A

SI (both)

Rte. 127

EB

Essex TL

Rte.128

A

V/C (both)

Rte. 127

WB

Rte. 128

Essex TL

A

V/C (both)

Rte. 129

EB

Rte. 1A

Ocean Ave.

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both), CR, LOS (both)

Rte. 129

WB

Ocean Ave.

Rte. 1A

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both), CR, LOS (both)

Rte. 138

NB

Park Ave.

I-93

A

TS (AM), SI (both), V/C (both)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Roadway

Direction

From

To

Type of Roadway

Congestion Indicator

Rte. 138

SB

I-93

Park Ave.

A

TS (PM), SI (both), V/C (both)

Rte. 140

NB

Maple St.

Foxborough TL

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both)

Rte. 140

SB

Foxborough TL

Maple St.

A

TS (PM), SI (both), V/C (both)

Rte. 145

EB

Boston TL

Revere TL

A

V/C (AM)

Rte. 145

WB

Revere TL

Boston TL

A

V/C (AM)

Rte. 16

EB

Concord St.

Capital St.

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both)

Rte. 16

WB

Capital St.

Concord St.

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both)

Rte. 1A

NB

Bell Circle

Oak Island Rd.

A

TS (PM), SI (PM), V/C (both), CR, LOS (both)

Rte. 1A

SB

Oak Island Rd.

Bell Circle

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both), CR, LOS (both)

Rte. 1A

SB

Rotary

First Bell Circle signal

A

TS (PM), SI (both)

Rte. 1A

NB

Kingman St.

 Market St.

A

SI (AM), LOS (AM)

Rte. 1A

SB

Lynnway stop sign

Kingman St.

A

SI (both)

Rte. 1A

NB

General Edwards Bridge

Hanson St.

A

SI (PM)

Rte. 203

EB

Harvard St.

I-93

A

TS (both), SI (both)

Rte. 203

WB

I-93

Harvard St.

A

TS (both), SI (both)

Rte. 203/ Jamaicaway

EB

Willow Pond Rd.

Forest Hills Rotary

A

SI (PM), LOS (AM)

Rte. 203/ Jamaicaway

WB

Forest Hills Rotary

Willow Pond Rd.

A

TS (AM), SI (both), LOS (AM)

Roadway

Direction

From

To

Type of Roadway

Congestion Indicator

Rte. 27

NB

Depot St.

Canton St.

A

V/C (PM)

Rte. 27

SB

Canton St.

Depot St.

A

V/C (PM)

Rte. 28

NB

Highland Ave.

Assembly Sq. Mall

A

SI (both)

Rte. 28

SB

Assembly Sq.

Mall

Highland Ave.

A

SI (both)

Rte. 28

SB

Riverside Ave.

Presidents Landing

A

SI (both)

Rte. 28

NB

Third St.

Twin City Mall

A

None

Rte. 28

SB

Twin City  Mall

Third St.

A

SI (both)

Rte. 28

NB

Presidents Dr.

Riverside Ave.

A

TS (AM), SI (both)

Rte. 30

EB

I-90

Rte. 9

A

SI (both), V/C (PM)

Rte. 37

NB

Rte. 139

I-93

A

TS (PM), SI (both), V/C (both)

Rte. 37

SB

I-93

Rte. 139

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both)

Rte. 3A

NB

Hingham TL

I-93 Interchange

A

TS (both), SI (both), LOS (PM), V/C (AM)

Rte. 3A

SB

I-93 Interchange

Hingham TL

A

TS (both), SI (both),  LOS (PM), V/C (AM) 

Rte. 4

NB

Rte. 2

Billerica TL

A

TS (PM), SI (both), V/C (both), CR

Rte. 4

SB

Billerica TL

Rte. 2

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both), CR

Rte. 60

EB

Newton St.

Trapelo Rd.

A

TS (both), SI (both)

Rte. 60

WB

Trapelo Rd.

Newton St.

A

SI (both)

Rte. 62

EB

Bedford-Concord TL

Burlington TL

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both), LOS (AM)


Roadway

Direction

From

To

Type of Roadway

Congestion Indicator

Rte. 62

WB

Burlington TL

Bedford-Concord TL

A

TS (PM), SI (both), V/C (both), LOS (AM)

Rte. 99

NB

Dexter St.

Shute St.

A

TS (PM), SI (PM), V/C (both)

Rte. 99

SB

Shute St.

Dexter St.

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both)

Mystic Valley Pkwy.

EB

Auburn St.

Main St.

A

TS (AM), SI (both), V/C (both)

Mystic Valley

Pkwy.

WB

Main St.

Auburn St.

A

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both)

Storrow Drive

EB

Memorial Dr.

Leverett Circle

A

TS (AM) , SI (both), V/C (both)

Storrow Drive

WB

Leverett Circle

Memorial Dr.

A

V/C (both)

Rte. 3/Rte. 3A

NB

Country Club Rd.

Billerica TL

A

SI (both), V/C (both) 

Rte. 3/Rte. 3A

SB

Billerica TL

Country Club Rd.

A

SI (both), V/C (both) 

*Rte. = Route, A = arterial, PLAR = partially limited-access roadway,                                      

LAR = limited-access roadway, TS = travel speed, SI = speed index, V/C = volume/capacity ratio,

LOS = level of service, CR = crash rate, TL = town line

 

TABLE 5-2

Congested Corridors: Limited-Access Roadways and Expressways

Roadway

Direction

  From

To

Type of Roadway

Congestion Indicator

I-90

EB

Oak St. overpass

Centre St.

LAR

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both)

I-90

EB

Cambridge St. overpass

Toll plaza

LAR

TS (both)

I-90

WB

Centre St.

Weston TL

LAR

TS (both), SI (PM), V/C (AM)

I-90

WB

Toll plaza

Exit 17 (Newton/Watertown)

LAR

TS (both), SI (both)

I-93

NB

Granite Ave.

Government Center

LAR

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both)

I-93

SB

Government Center

Granite Ave.

LAR

TS (both, SI (PM), V/C (both)

I-93

NB

Leverett Circle

I-95

LAR

TS (PM), SI (PM), V/C (both)

I-93

SB

I-95

Leverett Circle

LAR

TS (AM), SI (AM), V/C (both)

I-93

NB

Massachusetts Ave.

Braintree Split

LAR

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both)

I-93

SB

Braintree Split

Massachusetts Ave.

LAR

TS (both), SI (PM), V/C (both)

I-93/Rte. 128

NB

I-95

Braintree Split

LAR

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both) 

I-93/Rte. 128

SB

Braintree Split

I-95

LAR

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both) 

I-95

NB

Winter St.

Rte. 3

LAR

TS (PM), SI (PM), V/C (both)

I-95

SB

Rte. 3

Winter St.

LAR

TS (AM), V/C (both)

Rte.128

NB

Braintree Split

Dedham St. overpass

LAR

TS (AM), SI (AM), V/C (both)

Roadway

Direction

From

To

Type of Roadway

Congestion Indicator

Rte.128

SB

Dedham St. overpass

Braintree Split

LAR

V/C (both)

I-95 

NB

I-93

Rte. 30

LAR

TS (AM), V/C (both)

I-95 

SB

Rte. 30

I-93

LAR

TS (both), SI (PM), V/C (both)

Rte. 1A/Rte. 60

NB

Logan on-ramp

U-turn

PLAR

TS (PM), SI (PM)

Rte. 1A/Rte. 60

SB

U-turn

Logan on-ramp

PLAR

SI (AM)

Rte. 2

NB

Newtown Rd.

I-95/Rte. 128

PLAR

TS (AM), SI (both), V/C (both)

Rte. 2

SB

I-95/Rte. 128

Newtown Rd.

PLAR

TS (PM), SI (both), V/C (both) 

Rte. 2

EB

Lake St.

Alewife signal

LAR

SI (both)

Rte. 2

WB

Alewife signal

Lake St.

LAR

SI (both)

Rte. 24

NB

Avon TL

Rte. 139

LAR

TS (both), SI (AM)

Rte. 24

SB

Rte. 139

Avon TL

LAR

None

Rte. 24

NB

Mazzeo Dr.

I-93

LAR

TS (both), SI (AM), V/C (both)

Rte. 24

SB

I-93

Mazzeo Dr.

LAR

TS (PM), SI (PM), V/C (both)

Rte. 3

SB

Braintree Split

Exit 14

LAR

TS (AM), SI (AM), V/C (both)

Rte. 3

NB

Exit 14

Braintree Split

LAR

TS (AM), SI (AM), V/C (both)

Rte. 9

EB

Southborough

Brookline Ave.

PLAR

TS (PM),  SI (both),V/C (both), CR, LOS (both)

Roadway

Direction

From

To

Type of Roadway

Congestion Indicator

Rte. 9

WB

Brookline Ave.

Southborough

PLAR

TS (both), SI (both), V/C (both), CR, LOS (both)

Rte. 1

NB

City Square

Chelsea off-ramp

PLAR

SI (PM)

Rte. 1

SB

Chelsea off-ramp

City Square

PLAR

TS (AM), SI (AM)

Rte. 1

NB

I-93

Route 99 on-ramp

PLAR

SI (PM), V/C (AM)

Rte. 1

SB

Lowell St.

I-93

PLAR

SI (AM), V/C (AM)

Rte. 1/VFW

NB

I-95

Centre St.

PLAR

TS (both), SI (both)

Rte. 1/VFW

SB

Centre St.

I-95

PLAR

TS (both), SI (both)


 

Congested Interchanges

Listed in Tables 5-3 and 5-4, below, are the most congested interchanges in the Boston Region. The approach speed and speed index were analyzed to determine which intersections were congested. The interchanges are displayed by time of day and direction. The interchange information was collected and analyzed in 2008.

 

TABLE 5-3

The Ten Most Congested Interchanges in the

AM Peak Period

Freeway

Freeway Section

Direction

Interchange

Speed Index

Approach Speed

Route 3 South

Route 14, Duxbury, to I-93, Braintree

NB

Int. 16, Route 18

0.2

12

Route 3 North

New Hampshire state line to

I-95/Route 128, Burlington

SB

Int. 30N, Lowell Connector

0.22

12

I-93 North

Int. 31, Route 16/Mystic Valley Parkway

SB

Int. 31, Route 16/Mystic Valley Parkway

0.27

15

I-93 North

I-95/Route 128, Woburn/Reading,

to Route 28, Somerville

SB

Int. 30, Route 38/Mystic Avenue

0.27

15

I-93/SE Expressway

Route 3, Braintree, to Southampton Street, Boston

NB

Int. 12, Route 3A/Neponset

0.27

15

I-93/SE Expressway

Route 3, Braintree, to Southampton Street, Boston

NB

Int. 13, Freeport Street

0.27

15

Route 1 North

I-95, Peabody, to I-93, Charlestown

SB

Route 99

0.34

17

I-90

I-495, Hopkinton, to Logan Airport, Boston

WB

Int. 18, 19, & 20, Allston-Brighton

0.35

19

I-93/SE Expressway

Route 3, Braintree, to Southampton Street, Boston

NB

Int. 14, Morrissey Boulevard

0.36

20

Route 24

Route 140, Taunton, to I-93 (Route 128), Randolph

NB

Int. 19, Harrison Boulevard

0.4

26


 

Table 5-4

The Ten Most Congested Interchanges in the

PM Peak Period

Freeway

Freeway Section

Direction

Interchange

Speed Index

Approach Speed

 

I-90

I-495, Hopkinton, to Logan Airport, Boston

WB

Int. 18, 19, & 20, Allston-Brighton

0.18

10

Route 3 North

New Hampshire state line to

I-95/Route 128, Burlington

NB

Int. 30N, Lowell Connector

0.22

12

I-93 North

Int. 31, Route 16/Mystic Valley Parkway

NB

Int. 31, Route 16/Mystic Valley Parkway

0.27

15

I-93 North

I-95/Route 128, Woburn/Reading,

to Route 28, Somerville

NB

Int. 30, Route 38/Mystic Avenue

0.27

15

Route 1 North

I-95, Peabody, to I-93, Charlestown

NB

Route 99

0.34

17

I-90

I-495, Hopkinton, to Logan Airport, Boston

EB

Int. 18, 19, & 20, Allston-Brighton

0.35

19

Route 1A/Route 60

 

SB

Porter Street off-ramp

0.38

15

I-95/Route 128

University Avenue, Canton, to Route 9, Wellesley

SB

Int. 13, University Avenue

0.4

22

I-90

I-495, Hopkinton, to Logan Airport, Boston

WB

Int. 17, Newton Corner

0.4

22

I-93/SE Expressway

Route 3, Braintree, to Southampton Street, Boston

SB

Int. 16, Southampton Street

0.44

20

 


Congested Locations on the Network of HOV Lanes

The location of the worst congestion on Boston’s HOV network is the northbound HOV lane (in the evening) on the Southeast Expressway. Travel times have been increasing for both the HOV and general-purpose lanes over the past nine years, since 2002, except at the very beginning and end of each peak period. Congestion in this network reaches its peak at about 8:00 AM. Despite the congestion, the travel time saved by using the HOV lanes is about 8 minutes, which does meet the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) standards for travel time savings. The DEP standards are that the travel time for each mile of HOV travel should be at least one minute less than for one mile of travel in the general-purpose lanes. Another issue is that while the Southeast Expressway’s southbound HOV lane did not show significant congestion, it also did not meet the DEP standards.

Public Transit

The following table (Table 5-5) shows data for the 10 bus routes with the lowest percentage of weekday trips meeting the on-time performance threshold: Routes 171, 459, 553, 455,1 558, 435, 556, 450, 434, and 429. Any bus route that has fewer than 60% of its trips performing on time does not pass the congestion threshold for on-time performance.  

Table 5-6, below, shows the commuter rail lines that failed to meet on-time performance standards. During the first three months of 2011, none of the MBTA commuter rail lines met the on-time performance threshold of 95% of trips operated on time.

Table 5-7, below, shows the congested corridors for the rapid transit lines. Both the Red Line and the Orange Line failed to meet the on-time performance standard. The B Branch of the Green Line and the Mattapan High-Speed Line also failed to meet the standard.

 TABLE 5-5

Top Ten Bus Routes with the Lowest

On-Time Performance2

Bus Route Name

Bus Route Number

Weekday On-Time Performance*

Dudley Station–Logan Airport Station

171

22%

Salem Depot–Downtown Crossing

459

37%

Roberts–Downtown Boston

553

41%

Salem Depot–Wonderland

455

42%

Riverside–Downtown Boston

558

43%

Liberty Tree Mall–Central Square (Lynn)

435

44%

Waltham Highlands–Downtown Boston

556

46%

Salem Depot–Haymarket/Wonderland Station

450

46%

Peabody–Haymarket

434

46%

Northgate Shopping Center–Central Square (Lynn)

429

46%

 

Percent of buses running on time (less than 5 minutes late).

 

TABLE 5-6

Commuter Rail Lines That Failed to Meet

On-Time Performance Standards,

December 2011, February 2012 and March 20123

Rail Line

Average On-Time Performance 

Rockport

85%

Fitchburg

88%

Providence

90%

Newburyport

91%

Stoughton

94%

Haverhill

94%


 

TABLE 5-7

Rapid Transit Lines That Failed to Meet

On-Time Performance Standards,

December 2011, February 2012, and March 20124

Rail Line

Average On-Time Performance

Orange Line

94.30%

Red Line

94.60%

The MBTA bus routes that fail to meet the Load Standard Adherence during at least one of the three monitoring periods (weekday, Saturday and Sunday) are: bus routes 1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40, 41, 44, 45, 47, 51, 59, 62, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 73, 75, 76, 77, 80, 83, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 93, 96, 101, 104, 106, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 116, 117, 120, 136, 137, 191, 192, 216, 222, 225, 230, 238, 240, 350, 411, 429, 430, 441, 442, 450, 455, 459, 553, 701, 741, 742, 749, and 751.

According to data used for the preparation of the MBTA’s  Preliminary 2010 Service Plan, the following rapid transit lines failed to meet passenger load standards: the Blue Line (evening and late evening), the Red Line Braintree branch (midday base), the Red Line trunk service (midday, outside the core area), the Green Line B Branch outside the core area (midday base, evening, and late evening), the Green Line C Branch (outside the core area, evening), and the Green Line D Branch outside the core area (midday base, evening, and late evening). The rapid transit lines that failed to meet the passenger load standards are displayed in Table 5-8.

 

TABLE 5-8

Rapid Transit Lines That Failed to

Meet Passenger Load Standards

Rapid Transit Line

Area

Time of Day

Blue Line

Core

Evening, late evening

Red Line (Braintree)

Non-core

Midday base

Red Line (Trunk)

Non-core

Midday base

Green (B)

Non-core

Midday base, evening, late evening

Green (C)

Non-core

Evening

Green (D)

Non-core

Midday base, evening, late evening

 

The only commuter rail line with any observed violation of passenger load standards is the Lowell Line during the PM peak period.

Park-and-Ride Lots

The park-and-ride lots in Table 5-9 had utilization rates of 90% or more on a typical weekday in 2009–10 and are therefore likely in need of increased capacity.

 

TABLE 5-9

Park-and-Ride Lots That Failed to

Meet Parking Utilization Standards

Station

Line

Lot Ownership

Parking Spaces

Occupied Parking Spaces5

% Parking Space Utilization

Ayer

Fitchburg

Town

82

80

98%

Lincoln

Fitchburg

Town

44

43

98%

Littleton

Fitchburg

Town

66

65

98%

South Acton

Fitchburg

Town

385

362

94%

Waltham

Fitchburg

Town

94

88

94%

Greenwood

Haverhill

Private

6

6

100%

North Wilmington

Haverhill

Town

50

49

98%

Reading

Haverhill

On-street

37

37

100%

Wedgemere

Lowell

MBTA

124

124

100%

Wedgemere

Lowell

On-street

31

31

100%

West Medford

Lowell

MBTA

20

19

95%

West Medford

Lowell

Town

45

44

98%

Winchester

Lowell

Town

151

138

91%

Beverly Depot

Newburyport/Rockport

On-street

56

55

98%

Ipswich

Newburyport/Rockport

On-street

22

22

100%

Ipswich

Newburyport/Rockport

Town

128

126

98%

Manchester

Newburyport/Rockport

MBTA

68

66

97%

Salem

Newburyport/Rockport

Town

121

120

99%

Swampscott

Newburyport/Rockport

MBTA

126

119

94%

Swampscott

Newburyport/Rockport

On-street

16

16

100%

Auburndale

Framingham/Worcester

MassDOT

60

55

92%

Wellesley Hills

Framingham/Worcester

On-street

18

17

94%

Wellesley Hills

Framingham/Worcester

Town

51

48

94%

Worcester

Framingham/Worcester

MBTA

115

103

90%

Endicott

Franklin

Town

45

45

100%

Franklin

Franklin

MBTA

118

116

98%

Norwood Central

Franklin

MBTA

68

68

100%

Walpole

Franklin

Private

328

315

96%

Station

Line

Lot Ownership

Parking Spaces

Occupied Parking Spaces6

% Parking Space Utilization

Needham Center

Needham

Town

124

118

95%

Needham Junction

Needham

MBTA

171

166

97%

Sharon

Providence/Stoughton

MBTA

37

37

100%

Sharon

Providence/Stoughton

Town

709

635

90%

Wood Island

Blue Line

Private

82

77

94%

Forest Hills

Orange Line

MBTA

202

199

100%

Malden

Orange Line

MBTA

198

192

98%

Oak Grove

Orange Line

MBTA

760

693

100%

Braintree

Red Line

MBTA

981

905

100%

Butler

Red Line

MBTA

44

42

100%

Savin Hill

Red Line

MBTA

20

18

95%

Woburn Bus Yard

MBTA Express Bus

MBTA

75

70

98%

Hingham

Commuter Boat

Private

293

287

91%

Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities

According to the needs assessment that was conducted for the Boston Region MPO’s current Long-Range Transportation Plan, Paths to a Sustainable Region, less than 2% of the region’s non-interstate roadways provide bicycle accommodations, and half of the region’s non-interstate roadways do not have a sidewalk on at least one side.7 There are a few transit stations that are scattered throughout the MBTA system that have insufficient bicycle capacity and  stations that surpassed the bicycle utilization standards, as can be seen  in Tables 5-10, 5-11, and 5-12.


 

TABLE 5-10

Rapid Transit Stations That Surpassed the

Bicycle Utilization Thresholds

Station

Line

Utilization %

Porter

Red Line

108%

Harvard

Red Line

119%

Haymarket

Orange Line, Green Line

100%

Newton Center

Green Line D Branch

94%

 

TABLE 5-11

Bus Stations That Surpassed the

Bicycle Utilization Thresholds

Station

Route Number

Utilization %

Watertown Square

59, 70, 70A, 71

92%

 

TABLE 5-12

Commuter Rail Stations That Surpassed the

Bicycle Utilization Thresholds

Station

Line

Utilization %

Ipswich

Newburyport/Rockport

100%

Lowell

Lowell

92%

Waltham

Fitchburg Line

88%

Walpole

Franklin Line

100%

Providence

Providence/Stoughton Line

100%

 

 

1   MBTA bus route 455 has experienced a reduction of service since the writing of this document.

2   Any bus route that has fewer than 60% of its trips performing on time does not pass the congestion threshold for on-time performance.

3   Any commuter rail line that has fewer than 95% of its trips performing on time does not pass the congestion threshold for on-time performance.

4   Any rapid transit line that has fewer than 95% of its trips performing on time does not pass the congestion threshold for on-time performance.

5   Occupied parking spaces at time of last AM-peak-period inbound train.

6   Occupied parking spaces = at time of last AM-peak-period inbound train.

7   Boston Region MPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan, Paths to a Sustainable Region, Vol. 2, “Regionwide Needs Assessment.”