User:Anthonyt31201/sandbox
| RED-BLUE CONNECTOR | |
|---|---|
 Charles/MGH station, the proposed terminus of the extension | |
| Overview | |
| Status | Proposed |
| Owner | MBTA |
| Locale | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Termini | |
| Stations | 1 proposed |
| Service | |
| Type | Rapid transit |
| Operator(s) | MBTA |
| Rolling stock | Type 5 East Boston cars |
| Daily ridership | 12,000 (estimated) |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 1,500 feet (460 m) |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The Red Line-Blue Line Connector, also known as the Red-Blue Connector, is a proposed extension of the MBTA Blue Line, intended to provide a connection to the Red Line, as the Blue and Red lines are the only MBTA Rapid Transit lines that lack a direct connection. The proposed connection would extend the Blue Line 0.4 mi (0.64 km) west from its current terminus Bowdoin, to the Charles/MGH station. which would directly link the Red and Blue Lines, the only MBTA rapid transit lines which currently do not directly connect. The lack of a connection causes a heavy strain on the nearby Green Line, which is currently the most convenient way to transfer between the two lines.
The project was originally proposed in 1973, as part of the Boston Transportation Planning Review, but construction never commenced.[1] Nearly two decades later, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts agreed to build a direct connection between the two lines as part of the Big Dig highway project. Along with several other railroad projects promised during the Big Dig, the connector was never constructed. In 2010, MassDOT completed two different designs for the proposed connectors, both of which included constructing a 1,500 feet (460 m) long tunnel beneath Cambridge Street, which would connect the Blue Line to the Red Line at Charles/MGH.[2]
Historical Overview[edit]
Background[edit]
The Green Line has been the most convenient way to transfer between the Blue Line and the Red Line, causing the segment of the line between Government Center and Park Street to be exceptionally congested, notably during peak travel times. This frequently causes significant delays on the entire system.