Urban Ring Project

MBTA Urban Ring
ParentMassachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
FoundedSuspended, but partial implementation of some segments is proceeding
Headquarters10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
LocaleBoston, Massachusetts
Service areaBoston, Chelsea, Everett, Medford, Somerville, Cambridge, and Brookline
Service typeBus rapid transit
Routes1 circumferential, with 2 major spurs
Stations31 proposed
Daily ridership282,000–293,000 passengers per day in 2025 (estimated)
Fuel typeDiesel
OperatorMBTA
Websitewww.massdot.state.ma.us/theurbanring/

The Urban Ring was a proposed project of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, to develop new public transportation routes that would provide improved circumferential connections among many existing transit lines that project radially from downtown Boston.[1] The Urban Ring Corridor is located roughly one to two miles from downtown Boston, passing through the Massachusetts cities of Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Medford, Somerville, Cambridge, and Brookline.[1] The project was expected to convert 41,500 car trips to transit trips daily.[2]

The Major Investment Study split the project into three phases, the first of which (enhanced bus service) was partially implemented. The planning of Phase 2 was suspended in January 2010 because MBTA and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have insufficient funding to build a substantial portion of that phase (projected to cost $2.4 billion).[2][3] As of 2019, some interim bus service improvements have been implemented or are underway, in the absence of major funding.

  1. ^ a b eot Urban Ring Notice
  2. ^ a b "Urban Ring Phase 2: Fact Sheet", Executive Office of transportation, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, January 2009 (archived 2011)
  3. ^ Mullan, Jeffery B. (January 22, 2010). "Re: Urban Ring Phase 2, EOEEA #12565" (PDF). Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 23, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2019.