BOSTON – Ed Flynn, candidate for Boston City Council District 2 has released a proposal to bring a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Silver Line investment program to District 2. In his campaign for City Council, Flynn has talked extensively about modernizing and enhancing Boston’s public transportation system.
Flynn said, “In recent years, conventional bus routes have become overburdened due to an explosion in both the South Boston population and the levels of T ridership. More and more residents are taking the T to work in Downtown and on the South Boston Waterfront without adequate resources to accommodate them, leading to service interruptions and inefficiencies.”
He continued, “Through common-sense investments in transportation infrastructure, we can make the community more accessible and ensure that all residents are able to access Boston’s major economic and employment zones.”
In 2015, the South Boston Waterfront Sustainable Transportation Plan was commissioned to provide recommendations to the most pressing issues affecting the South Boston Waterfront, and they found that “transit connections between the South Boston Waterfront and South Boston residential neighborhoods have not kept pace with Waterfront land use growth and demand for access to these areas.” The MBTA has stated that they have seen an 84-percent ridership increase on the number 7 bus, and a 54-percent increase on the number 9 bus. These two routes provide service at levels greater than 11,000 rides per day, many of which have riders waiting for multiple buses before being able to board, negatively affecting their work schedules.
Flynn‘s proposal to bring about a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Silver Line investment program in the District, would link the City Point Bus Terminal to the South Boston Waterfront, South Station areas and Copley Square. Bus Rapid Transit lines would supplement existing bus service, enabling riders to travel directly to the South Boston Waterfront, Downtown Boston and Copley from the City Point Bus Terminal. A second step the MBTA could take to improve the situation would be for a direct Silver Line route from Andrew Square to the South Boston Waterfront, this will address the current strain on the system, as well as preempt the ridership increase being brought on by new developments in that area. A third remedy is to increase the current number of buses along the number 9 and number 7 routes during peak hours, allowing residents to travel more efficiently. Of course, the need for the most environmentally friendly bus models is also a priority to reduce noise pollution and carbon emissions that are currently affecting our residents. By implementing these programs, the MBTA could greatly reduce the stress on the system caused by the current levels of ridership and improve service delivery.
Ed Flynn is a lifelong resident of South Boston, where he has been deeply involved as a youth sports coach, veterans’ advocate, and community activist. In addition to being an active Boston Public Schools parent at the Josiah Quincy School in Chinatown, Ed is a member of the Cityside Neighborhood Association, South Boston Citizens’ Association, Ward 7 Democratic Committee, and VFW Fitzgerald Post.Ed served on active duty in the Persian Gulf on two deployments and overseas in the Navy Reserves, helping to coordinate disaster relief in Haiti. Ed and his wife, Kristen, are raising their children, Caroline and Stephen, in South Boston.