Boston's Silver Line opens

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Silver Line is now open for business. Phase I of the bus rapid transit service, which uses dedicated lanes and exclusive underground tunnels, opened July 20. The BRT line provides service between Dudley Station and Downtown Boston. Initially, 40-foot buses will serve the Washington Street Corridor, but they will be replaced in less than a year by new 60-foot articulated vehicles. The vehicles are low floor and fueled by CNG. The service is predicted to average 15 minutes on every run, with up to 30 trips per hour. Bus-tracking technology using satellites is predicted to cut down grouping of buses along the route, preventing overcrowding. Each station, both street-level and underground, offer smart kiosks with real-time schedule information, digital message boards, intercom assistance and automatic public address systems. Phase II of the Silver Line, which will run from South Station to Logan Airport, is scheduled to be complete by December 2003. Phase III will connect the Silver Line between South Station and Boylston Street in 2010. Find out more about the project at www.allaboutsilverline.com.