| 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 |
| System | MBTA subway |
| Operator(s) | MBTA |
| Daily ridership | 12,000 (estimated)[1] |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 1,500 feet (460 m) |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
| Electrification | Third rail, 600 V DC |
The Red Blue Connector[2] is a proposed construction project to extend the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Blue Line west to connect to the Red Line, which are the only two MBTA subway lines that lack a direct connection. It would extend the Blue Line 0.4 mi (0.64 km) west beyond the current terminus at Bowdoin station to a new terminus at Charles/MGH station, eliminating the former as a result. The project is suggested to relieve pressure on Downtown Boston stations, overcrowding on the Green Line (which is currently the most convenient way to transfer between the two lines), and to connect communities unlinked by public transit, including Cambridge and East Boston.
An underground connection between the Blue Line and the Red Line has been considered since the 1920s. However, the connector idea did not gain serious traction until the early 1970s. Progress of any kind on the proposed project was mostly stagnant until 1991, when 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 transit projects promised during the Big Dig, the connector was never constructed, and the project was briefly put on hold between 2005 and 2006.[3] In the 2010s, continued interest in the project resulted in a renewed effort to design and build the connector. The lack of progress on the connector has been controversial, as the project has been repeatedly delayed or put on hold despite a significant amount of support from politicians and the public.[4][5] As of 2024, design is funded through 30%, but no construction funding has been allocated to the project.[6]
- ^ "Red Line Blue Line Connector Fact Sheet" (PDF). MBTA. May 3, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-28. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Red Blue Connector". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
- ^ Lynds, John (September 20, 2012). "Red/Blue Line Connector Still Up for Consideration". East Boston Times-Free Press. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Disconnect? Internet Report Says Red Line/Blue Line Project is in Jeopardy". East Boston Times-Free Press. September 16, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ Alosi, James (July 30, 2023). "Are we being 'yessed to death' on Red-Blue connector?". Commonwealth Beacon. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
- ^ "Red Blue Connector October 2023 Public Meeting Presentation" (PDF). MBTA. October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2024.