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Transcript of boston_harbor_ferry_document_final.pdf
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2015
Completing Bostons Ferry System A Blueprint for Excellence
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Introduction Boston Harbor and its waterfront have undergone
an historic renaissance. Over $25 billion in public
funds were used to clean up the harbor, reroute the
Central Artery and create the Boston Harbor Islands
National Park. Those public investments have paid
off handsomely in private development. Indeed,
without this profound transformation, Boston would
never have been chosen as the U.S. bid city for the
2024 Summer Olympics.
Boston Harbor is once again a sparkling amenity for
residents, businesses and visitors. Its time to take its ferry system to scale. The keys to success are well-
known:
A completed network of ferry terminals with
links to public transit.
Seamless user experience with the MBTA.
Coordinated governance within MassDOT
and the MBTA to set policy priorities and
manage resources.
Public-private partnerships to promote water
transportation.
Continued technical, contracting and
regulatory innovation to improve trip times,
operating efficiencies, and ADA access.
The benefits of a robust Boston Harbor ferry system
are many; the costs are relatively minor. With cranes up all over the waterfront, city-
wide planning underway for the Olympics and a recognized need to invest in our
mass transit system, now is the time to develop the infrastructure needed to provide
the door-to-door service residents, businesses and tourists need to make ferry service
among their top choices.
In 2012, MassDOT created the Ferry Compact, an executive-level committee of water
transportation stakeholders focused on developing financially and environmentally
What is a Ferry?
Many passenger boats
ply Boston Harbor and
Massachusetts Bay.
Ferries have scheduled
routes and must be
ADA-compliant. They
include commuter
boats, inner harbor
shuttles, Boston Harbor
Island ferries and
recreational excursion
boats. They may be
seasonal or year-round.
In addition, water taxis
provide essential on-
demand inner harbor
service for times and
places not served by
scheduled ferries.
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sustainable ferry services. We turn to Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack to continue and expand that commitment. Harbor ferries can go far in easing
Bostons traffic problems, spurring transit-related development and increasing recreational access to the Boston Harbor Islands.
Getting to Scale Bringing Bostons ferry system to scale will provide much-needed public transit to relieve downtown and Seaport traffic congestion while accelerating broader
awareness of Boston as an outstanding coastal city. As this winters storms showed, the MBTA is sorely in need of investment and improvement. Regional and harbor
ferries provide a cost-effective, underused opportunity to stretch our public transit
dollars.
Boston Harbor ferries already make
over three million rider-trips annually
for commuter and recreational
activities. Ferries are a smart
investment, requiring lower overall
subsidies than other forms of mass
transit. They significantly improve
commuter and recreational links
between Boston Harbor and Mass
Bay coastal communities and spur
transit-oriented development
around their terminals. Ferries are essential to accessing the Boston Harbor Islands
National Park, an exceptional public asset minutes from downtown and other
waterfront communities. Finally, ferries and ferry terminals provide invaluable
emergency response resources during natural and human-caused disasters.
The current business model for Boston Harbor ferries involves contracting with private
boat operators. This allows Bostons recreational and excursion market to partially subsidize scheduled passenger service. That strategy by itself, however, is not
sufficient to make ferry transit frequent, convenient, sustainable, and affordable for
everyday users. The following is needed to make Bostons ferry system as successful as that of other outstanding waterfront cities such as New York, San Francisco and
Amsterdam.
Ferry Terminals
Completion of Boston Harbors ferry terminal infrastructure--including ADA access--is the essential first step in bringing the system to scale. Well-sited ferry terminals have
the following characteristics:
They provide optimal access to residential, business and recreational
destinations.
They decrease travel times over alternative mass transit options.
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They have access to multimodal land connections (bus, subway, rail, taxi, bike
and pedestrian) to provide door-to-door transportation. Such multimodal
connections should be seamless, highly-visible and well-signed.
They have enclosed passenger waiting areas (or shelters at a minimum),
restrooms, ticketing and information facilities. Covered gangways protect
passengers in inclement weather.
Docks providing access to scheduled ferry service are required to be ADA-compliant.
Ramp riders and other mechanical conveyances are difficult to maintain in a
saltwater environment. Strong preference should be given for ADA docks that use
articulating gangway systems with no electric or mechanical dependency.
Although currently the only regularly scheduled inner harbor ferry is the MBTAs Long Wharf-Charlestown Navy Yard route, ADA-compliant ferry docks exist or are planned
for multiple other destinations. Outer harbor and Massachusetts Bay routes currently
go to the Harbor Islands, Salem, Lynn, Hingham, Hull and Provincetown.
Maps on pages 4 and 5 show the location of existing and proposed ferry terminals in
Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay.
Seamless User Experience
The essence of completing Boston Harbors passenger ferry system is to recognize it as an integral part of Greater Bostons mass transit system. This means that ferries must be seamlessly integrated with land-based services and understood to require an on-
going, predictable subsidy, just like buses, subways and trains.
Customers should experience all public transit modes as part of the same system.
Commuter ferry fares need to be consistent with rail and bus transit, payable via
Charlie Cards and other MBTA fare media, and subject to discounted transfers.
Users of the MBTAs website should find a ferry icon and trip planning tool that leads potential customers to all scheduled passenger services in the harborwhether MBTA-sponsored or notespecially including the Harbor Island routes. Like other MBTA services, ferry schedules should be available on the MBTA website and in print.
The MBTA also needs to expand its intermodal connections. Some of these, as on the
South Boston Waterfront, will involve multi-party capital planning. Others, like Long
Wharf, are near completion. One step that can be taken nowand recurrently as the system growsis to adjust bus routes to include ferry terminals where possible to expand the reach of ferry commuters inland.
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Coordinated governance by MassDOT
No single public entity owns the ferry system in Boston Harbor. Even when the system goes to scale, a diversity of roles and spheres of influence is likely to continue.1
Improving Bostons ferry system requires identifying the public
agencies whose existing missions
are best aligned with scheduled
ferry service and tasking them with
the leadership/coordinating roles
necessary for Bostons ferry system to succeed. Those agencies are
the MBTA and its parent entity,
MassDOT.
Through its Office of Transportation
Planning, MassDOT is responsible
for setting policy priorities and
funding strategies across all forms
of transportation, and across all
modes of transit within the MBTA.
MassDOT also holds a senior
position on the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization, which allocates federal
highway, transit, and multi-purpose funding among competing projects.
MassDOTs role in bringing Bostons ferry system to scale is to make water transportation a clear priority and provide sufficient funding through the MBTA. In turn,
the MBTA would increase its responsibility for managing branding, operating subsidies,
and vendor contracts for scheduled ferries.
A new comprehensive route feasibility analysis is needed to incorporate changes in
development and commuting patterns and to recommend a phased investment
and action plan. While important components of such a plan are currently included
in the South Boston Waterfront Transportation Plan, a more comprehensive
assessment is needed to include the inner harbor, outer harbor and Mass Bay ferry
transit needs and options. Such an analysis should include an infrastructure
completion action plan as well as development of designs and specifications for
vessel innovation needs.
1 Today, various scheduled ferry routes are sponsored by the MBTA, Boston Harbor Island Alliance, the
Cities of Lynn, Salem and the Town of Winthrop. The ferries themselves are operated by private
contractors. Inner Harbor ferry terminals are owned by Massport, the Boston Redevelopment Authority
and a range of private landowners. Funding, construction and operations are affected by Mass DEP
through Chapter 91 permitting, Mass CZM through consistency concurrence for projects needing
federal approvals, and the US Coast Guard through regulatory jurisdiction of passenger transport.
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This should be a high priority for MassDOT and the Commonwealth. We need only
look as far as New York Harbor to see how detailed, ongoing planning has led to the
successful expansion of the ferry system to meet new commuting demands related to
the wave of new waterfront development.
In his 2015 State of the City Address, Mayor DiBlasio announced that the City will
extend public ferry service to all five boroughs over the next three years, with fares
identical to land transit. The Mayor reasoned that expanded ferry service gives New
Yorkers opportunity and connection, and will spur economic development in the outer boroughs.
Capital investment and operating subsidies
Securing limited federal and state transportation funds will require leadership within
both MassDOT and the legislature, supported by the water transportation community.
Such funding will only be a priority when decision makers recognize Bostons ferry system as a cost-effective, viable solution to ease traffic congestion and boost transit-
related development for Greater Bostons coastal communities.
Federal capital funding programs can be used for landside facilities, vessel
procurement or existing vessel repowering with Tier 3 (low-emission) marine engines.
The recent federal surface transportation law, MAP-21 offers several relevant
programs:
An 80:20 match for capital investments in publicly owned ferry boats and
terminals where bridges, tunnels, or other highway alternatives are not feasible.
The Surface Transportation Program (STP) and the Congestion Mitigation and
Air Quality Program (CMAQ) can be used to purchase or overhaul ferries.
The Federal Lands Access Program supports access to "the federal estate"
through "infrastructure" owned by states or communities (e.g., public piers).
Mass DEP also receives
significant Chapter 91
state licensing feesup to a million dollars for
large waterfront
development projects.
Through coordination
and planning, these
one-time funds could
better support the
completion of Boston
Harbors waterfront ferry infrastructure.
Although Chapter 91 contributions are a useful source of capital funding in the short
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term, they are not sufficient for all needed ferry capital and operating needs and will
expire and diminish over time. Their effectiveness would be increased by pooling and
distributing them through a coordinated strategy, and/or by using them as a match
to secure additional public grants. In negotiations with waterfront developers, the
City should support ferry service as an option for traffic demand management.
Two additional local funding sources are associated with the planned Wynn Everett
casino. Surrounding Community Agreements with Somerville, Medford, Cambridge
and Boston include a total of $550,000 annually for water transportation. In addition,
an estimated $13 million in annual Community Mitigation Funds will be administered
by the Gaming Commission to improve water and sewer districts, local and regional education, transportation, infrastructure, housing, environmental issues and public
safety Depending on community priorities, some of these funds could also be available for water transportation.
Such funds can be helpful in completing capital improvements to the ferry system.
Like any mass transit system, however, ferries require predictable, dedicated
operating subsidies to provide high-frequency, low-cost service. This is true whether
the vessels themselves are provided by private operators or transit agencies.
Boston Harbors existing ferry routes receive the lowest subsidies of any form of public transit in the MBTA system. Expanding routes and schedules will require additional
operating support
to bring fares more
in line with
subsidized buses,
subways and trains.
Ferry terminals,
docks and vessels
also require
preventative,
routine and capital
maintenance. An
assurance for
funding such
ongoing expenses
should be
established and
included in operations contracts.
Innovation
Boston Harbor ferries have been run as a public/private partnership over the past five
decades, with some publicly-subsidized routes contracted to private operators
through RFPs. Coordinating technological, contractual and regulatory requirements
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can drive private sector innovation to decrease operating costs, trip times and
environmental impacts. Here are some win-win opportunities:
Decreased trip times. Innovative vessels are needed for some of the inner harbor
transit routes in particular. Bostons inner harbor currently requires very slow speed limits to prevent wakes that threaten public safety and coastal erosion. The
Harbormaster, however, can authorize increased ferry speed limits for proven low-
wake commercial vessels. Improved ferry design, including bow loading, ADA
boarding access, greater maneuverability and low-displacement hulls can decrease
passenger trip times without increasing wakes or coastal wash.
Improved efficiency and emissions. The EPA will soon require ferries to operate Tier 3
low-emission engines. Federal grant programs exist to help pay for new vessels
and/or the replacement of older diesel reduction engines with Tier 3 level engines.
MassDOT can significantly improve both ferry operating costs and environmental
impacts by advocating more strongly for the states share of these funds.
State leadership is needed to
transition the fleet toward alternative
fuels. Challenges include the need
to develop alternative-fuel engines
appropriately sized for small-to mid-
scale ferries. Bunkering and tankage
for alternative fuels such as LNG and
CNG would also need to be
developed in association with
landside public transit, such as
Massport and MBTA buses to
achieve economies of scale.
Electric/diesel hybrid powering for
smaller vessels is also possible.
Optimizing vessel specifications. Different vessel types and sizes are appropriate for
the Inner Harbor, Outer Harbor and Mass Bay routes. Inner harbor vessels for most
new routes need accommodate no more than 49 passengers in fully enclosed
climate controlled cabins, while outer harbor and Mass Bay routes require vessels of
149 passengers or more. Creating a procurement process that specifies vessel
requirements and offers operators time to purchase or modify them will spur the
development of vessel specifications best suited to Boston Harbors varying navigation conditions.
Outer harbor and Mass Bay vessels should remain a mix of public and private
ownership so that they may continue to be used by operators for multiple purposes in
addition to the commuter period transit routes.
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Conclusion and recommendations
The rapid development of Bostons waterfront now threatens its very success due to overloaded surface roads, subways and buses. Completing Boston Harbors ferry system will provide a viable alternative for commuters and visitors and complete our
renaissance as a world-class coastal city.
We call on the City and State to do the following:
1. Commit to fully integrating Boston Harbors commuter and recreational ferries with Greater Bostons land-based public transit system.
2. Coordinate governance and management through MassDOT and the MBTA.
3. Complete the ferry infrastructure of ADA-compliant terminal facilities and seamless
intermodal connections through committing and coordinating multiple ferry
stakeholders (i.e., MassDOT, Massport, municipalities and private landowners).
4. Identify and pursue applicable federal grant programs for ferry terminals and
vessels.
5. Support Mass DEPs efforts to pool and dedicate Chapter 91 funds to encourage ferry ridership based on a prioritized set of capital investments and/or operating
subsidies.
6. Encourage and support R&D of innovative vessel technology including low-wake
and -wash design, low-emission engines, ADA access and high maneuverability to
reduce trip times and environmental impacts.
7. Coordinate expanded ferry services with short and long-range initiatives such as
the South Boston Water Transportation plan, Bostons Climate Action Plan, reinvestment in the MBTA and Bostons 2024 Olympics bid.
Authors Julie Wormser and Vivien Li, The Boston Harbor Association
Phil Griffiths, Boston Harbor Island Alliance
Technical Review and Graphic Design Alison Nolan, Boston Harbor Cruises
Charles Norris, Norris and Norris Assoc.
Alden Raine, AECOM
Megan Kluttz, map design
This report was funded through generous support from Wynn Resorts.