Draft Project Impact Report - Boston Redevelopment Authority

Exeter Residences\888 Boylston
\\Mabos\projects\09916.00\docs\Permits\DPIR\Text\DPIR Chapter 4
Transportation081208-clean.docx
Street to the loading area entrance. The Prudential FPIR/FEIR and Development
Plan do not incorporate any changes to pedestrian crossings. The signal
relocation planned for the Mandarin Oriental Boston project, will move the
crosswalk from Fairfield Street to west of the loading entrance, more closely
matching the pedestrian desire path. The relocated signal will also formalize
vehicle access to and from the Mandarin Oriental Boston loading area which will
also serve as the service access for 888 Boylston.
New Garage Entrance –A new garage entrance/exit has been established on East
Ring Road as part of the Mandarin Oriental Boston which provides direct access
to the Green Level parking where the parking nest for the 888 Boylston building
will be located. The original Boylston Street entrance did not provide an exit
from the Green Level. In contrast, the East Ring Road entrance will provide
direct access to both the Blue and Green Levels (entrance and exit). Blue Level
access will be used by the Mandarin Oriental Boston.
The East Ring Road garage entrance location allows more efficient access to the
garage than was proposed in the original Development Plan. Vehicles wishing to
access the garage from downtown and the MassPike can come via Huntington
Avenue and East Ring Road as opposed to circulating around the Prudential Center
or through the Back Bay.
This new garage entrance was also designed to avoid any queuing of vehicles on East
Ring Road. The ticket dispensers/card readers for the entrance location are located
at the bottom of the ramp on the Green Level providing a stacking area within the
garage for ten to twelve cars on the ramp. One entering, one exiting and one
reversible lane will be provided so that at peak times, two card reader/ticket
dispensers will be available for entering vehicles.
Boylston Street and East Ring Road Intersection - Upon completion of the
Mandarin Oriental Boston, the intersection of East Ring Road with Boylston
Street will be reconfigured to form a T-type intersection. This reconfiguration
will serve to slow traffic and re-align the street edge to match the sidewalk
improvements that were part of the Shaw’s Supermarket project. This concurrent
effort will formalize the street configuration, strengthen the pedestrian corridors
and address existing operational issues.
Dartmouth Street – The City of Boston recently redefined Dartmouth Street as a
one way operational roadway in a northwesterly direction, heading towards the
Charles River, near the library. This reversal in the street direction is anticipated
to improve vehicular access and operations along Boylston Street and in the
vicinity of the proposed two buildings.
BTD Signal Timing Programming – The City of Boston Transportation
Department is currently in the process of re-programming the signal timing and
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