Boston's Go Boston 2030

Boston's Go Boston 2030
Name	Go Boston 2030
Type	Transportation plan
Location	Boston, Massachusetts
Launched	2016
Authority	City of Boston
Related	Big Dig, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Boston Redevelopment Authority

Contents

Boston's Go Boston 2030 is a citywide transportation and mobility plan developed to guide investments in Boston, Massachusetts through 2030. The plan builds on prior initiatives such as the Big Dig, the Emerald Necklace planning, and regional coordination with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. It was produced by the City of Boston in collaboration with partners including the Boston Planning & Development Agency, consulting firms, advocacy organizations, and federal agencies like the Federal Transit Administration.

Background and Planning

The planning process drew on historical projects including the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, contemporary policy efforts like the Climate Ready Boston initiative, and stakeholder engagement models used by the Boston Transportation Department and the Boston Redevelopment Authority. Early studies referenced transit corridors such as the Green Line (MBTA) and the Orange Line (MBTA), bicycle networks exemplified by the Charles River Bike Path, and lessons from peer cities including Portland, Oregon, Copenhagen, and Curitiba. Technical advisory groups included representatives from Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Boston Public Schools, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and neighborhood organizations like the Chinatown Neighborhood Council.

The plan articulated multimodal goals aligning with federal objectives from the Federal Highway Administration and regional targets of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. Objectives emphasized improving connections to major anchors like Logan International Airport, South Station, and the Seaport District, while supporting land use plans for districts such as the Back Bay, Roxbury, and the Dorchester waterfront. Equity priorities referenced civil rights precedents including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and planning standards used by the Urban Land Institute.

Significant initiatives included redesigns of high-crash corridors like Columbia Road (Boston), transit priority measures on routes serving Mattapan, Jamaica Plain, and East Boston, and infrastructure for active transportation linking Commonwealth Avenue and the Charles River Esplanade. Projects proposed partnerships with agencies operating Massachusetts Port Authority, MBTA, and regional bodies such as the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization. Pilot programs referenced congestion management from London Congestion Charge studies, curb-space reforms inspired by New York City Department of Transportation innovations, and transit signal priority technologies utilized in cities like Seattle and Portland, Oregon.

Funding strategies leveraged local revenue tools seen in Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act applications, state capital sources managed by Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and grant opportunities from agencies such as the Federal Transit Administration and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Implementation timelines coordinated with development projects reviewed by the Boston Planning & Development Agency and financing mechanisms used by entities like the Massachusetts Housing Partnership and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Cost-sharing models referenced partnerships with institutions like Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston University, and Northeastern University for campus-oriented transit improvements.

Outreach methods included neighborhood meetings with groups such as the Chinatown Neighborhood Council, the Fenway Civic Association, and the Roxbury Strategic Master Plan Committee, as well as digital engagement informed by techniques from Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. Equity analyses incorporated demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau, civil rights guidance from Office of Civil Rights (DOT), and community benefit agreement precedents from projects like those near South Station and the Seaport District. The plan aimed to address historic displacements similar to controversies involving the Central Artery/Tunnel Project and to coordinate affordable housing supports through partners such as the Boston Housing Authority and Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance.

Performance measurement used indicators comparable to those tracked by the Federal Highway Administration, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and academic studies from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Graduate School of Design. Metrics included transit reliability on MBTA bus routes, bicycle counts on corridors like the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, pedestrian safety at intersections such as those near Kenmore Square, and mode share shifts aligned with targets in regional plans by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. Early outcomes reported adjustments to bus lanes, pilot curb management in the Seaport District, and partnerships for electrification with utilities like Eversource Energy and manufacturers represented by New Flyer Industries. Ongoing evaluation involves coordination between the City of Boston, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and federal partners including the U.S. Department of Transportation to track progress through 2030.