Neponset River Greenway Corridor Completion Project TIGER

Neponset River Greenway Corridor 

Completion Project TIGER Application 

Submitted by 

Use 

Location 

Length 

Features 

MassDOT & Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation 

Bicycle/Pedestrian Corridor and Public Transit Access 

Boston and Milton, Massachusetts 

4.2 Miles to be added to 

4.7 Miles Existing Network 

2 New Bridges; Boardwalks; 

Building Reuse at 2 Sites 

Total Project Cost $16,831,031 

Matching Funds $ 4,599,000 

GRANT REQUEST $12,222,031 

Match provided 27.3% 

Benefit-Cost Ratio 4.9 

COORDINATES 

COLUMBIA POINT: 

Latitude: 42.31358349232509 

Longitude: 71.04650259017944 

NEPONSET VALLEY PKWY: 

Latitude: 42.23515003811633 

Longitude: 71.12499475479126 

For more information and images visit: 

http://www.env.state.ma.us/Neponset_River_Greenway_Corridor/home.htm

Table of Contents 

Site Map 

Project Description 

Transportation Challenges Addressed 

Segment Descriptions 

Segment I 

Segment II 

Segment III 

Project Parties 

Project Grant Sources and Uses 

Funding and Sources 

Project Planning and Support 

TIGER Criteria Applied 

a. Long-term Outcomes 

i. State of Good Repair 

ii. Economic Competitiveness 

iii. Livability 

iv. Environmental Sustainability 

v. Safety 

b. Job Creation and Near-Term Economic Activity 

c. Innovation 

d. Partnership 

e. Benefit Cost Analysis 

Project Readiness and NEPA 

Federal Wage Certification 

Application Changes 

Contact Information 

List of Appendices 

Massachusetts DCR Commissioner Letter 

MassDOT Federal Wage Rate Certification 

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13 

13 

13 

14 

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15 

18 

20 

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28 

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29 

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Figure 1. The proposed Neponset River Corridor Completion Project connects urban neighborhoods with existing rail lines, bikeways, 

commercial destinations, and the river, such as here at Central Avenue. 

NEPONSET RIVER GREENWAY CORRIDOR 

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Blue Hills Pkwy 

T 

T 

T 

T 

Blue Hills Ave 

BROOKLINE 

T 

T 

T 

T 

T 

Hyde 

Park 

T 

T 

DEDHAM 

T 

T 

Data Source: MassGIS (http://www.mass.gov/mgis/) and Google Maps 

T 

T 

T T 

T 

T 

T 

T 

T 

T 

BOSTON 

T 

T 

T 

T TT 

T 

T 

T 

T 

T 

T 

Dorchester 

T 

T 

T 

T 

T 

Mattapan 

T 

T 

T 

T 

T T 

T 

ONE-MILE 

CYCLING ZONE 

MILTON 

THREE-MILE 

CYCLING ZONE 

T 

T 

Columbia 

Point 

T 

T 

QUINCY 

T 

Southeast Expwy 

NEPONSET RIVER CORRIDOR 

LEGEND 

Bike Routes 

Neponset River Corridor 

Major Bike Routes 

Project Segments 

Subway 

Commuter Rail 

MBTA Stations 

T Existing T Proposed 

Major Roads 

Water Bodies 

0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 Miles 

N 

I-93 

Franklin 

River Street 

SEGMENT III 

TRAIL: Dorchester Bay 

SEGMENT II 

TRAIL: Central Avenue 

to Mattapan Square 

Arn nold 

Arboretum 

SEGMENT I 

TRAIL: Wakefield Ave 

to Neponset Valley Pkwy 

BUILDINGS: Brush Hill Road 

+ Demo at Mattapan Square 

Mattapan a 

Square 

Blue Hills 

Reserv 

rvation 

Innovation District 

JFK Presidential Library 

UMass s Boston 

BOSTON 

O 

HARBOR 

Neponset 

Valley 

Pkwy 

Figure 2. Neponset River Corridor Project Area and Segments. 


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I. Project Description 

Build 3 segments to complete a 9-mile Bicycle and Pedestrian Network across Greater Boston. The grant 

amount sought is $12,222,031, which is 72.7% of the estimated total cost of $16,831,031. 

The Neponset Greenway Corridor Completion Project (the 

CORRIDOR USAGE 

“Project”) will create a bicycle and pedestrian route to transit, jobs, 

(cyclists, walkers & runners) 

higher education institutions and cultural resources in Boston, 

Existing 10, 400 

Massachusetts. It runs through environmental justice neighborhoods 

Projected* 24,000 

in Boston, such as Dorchester and Mattapan, to complete a 9-mile 

bicycle and pedestrian system that links urban and suburban 

*After completion of proposed Project. 

communities between the Blue Hills Reservation and Boston Harbor. 

It will incorporate an already heavily used (but currently fragmented) 

bicycle/pedestrian network in the Boston area and complete a priority segment of the state’s Bay 

State Greenway as proposed in the Massachusett’s 2008 Bicycle Transportation Plan. The completed 

network will make bicycle and pedestrian travel safer by creating off-road segments and bridges that 

take walkers and riders past expressway ramps and over trolley tracks. 

Already hosting some 10,400 riders, walkers, and runners each day, the completed Corridor is 

expected to see usage effectively double. Of the more than 24,000 trips that would be made on it 

daily, an estimated 48% would be commuters, using the network to reach the job centers in Boston’s 

new Innovation District and its traditional Downtown. Many would use the system to access the 

transit lines with which the Project will connect. Approximately thirty percent of all trips (7,100) would 

be by bicycle, including 2,800 on just the TIGER funded segments. 

The Project includes three (3) segments: two existing sections that will be lengthened and improved 

for safety and a new middle section to connect the existing segments, thereby “filling the gap”, 

leveraging investments that have already been made with federal, state and local funds, and 

significantly improving safety for those who wish to walk or bike through this Corridor. 

a. Transportation Challenges Addressed: 

The Project will increase safe bicycle and pedestrian travel, 

while also making transit access easier. It will provide benefits 

nearly 5 times larger than its costs. Approximately 60% of the 

new users will be commuters. Other benefits will come from 

health impacts, job creation or increased property values. 

The completed corridor will follow the Neponset River as it 

runs through dense urban neighborhoods. It will provide 

those neighborhoods with safe and healthy transportation 

options for commuting to Boston’s employment and 

Figure 3. Columbia Point includes UMass Boston and 

the JFK Presidential Library. 


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educational centers, as well as nearby recreational resources. The Project will link environmental 

justice neighborhoods (such as Dorchester and Mattapan) in Boston with suburban neighborhoods in 

Milton and with the University of Massachusetts’ Boston Harbor Campus (UMass Boston), the John F. 

Kennedy Library and Boston’s fast growing Innovation District. The completed corridor will run from 

Boston Harbor in the north to the Blue Hills Reservation in the south, and eventually by way of the Bay 

State Greenway as far south as Cape Cod. 

The expanded Corridor will connect to a number of transit stations (both trolley/light rail and 

commuter rail). There are six (6) stations within 1/4 mile and eleven (11) within 1/2 mile. The entire 

corridor is within one mile of at least one rail transit station. Most of these transit stations have 

no parking and must be reached by walking or bicycling along city streets or parts of the already 

completed corridor. In fact, the new “middle” section will go right through the terminus station of 

BROOKLINE 

I-93 

South 

Boston 

Castle 

Island 

Allendale 

Woods 

BOSTON 

C 

Point 

BOSTON 

HARBORR 

Arnold 

Dorchester 


Mattapan 

River Street 

QUINCY 

I-93 

NEPONSET RIVER CORRIDOR 

Blue Hills Pkwy 

DEDHAM 

Hyde 

Park 

Neponset 

Valley Pkwy 

ONE-MILE 

CYCLING ZONE 

MILTON 

LEGEND 

Bike Routes 

Neponset Trail 

Existing Connection 

Future Connection 

Subway 

Commuter Rail 

MBTA Stations 

Existing Proposed 

Major Roads 

Data Source: MassGIS (http://www.mass.gov/mgis/) and Google Maps 

Blue Hills 

Reservation 

Figure 4. Regional Context in the Greater Boston Metropolitan Area. 

Water Bodies 

0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 

Miles 

N 


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the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA’s) Mattapan High Speed Trolley Line and is 

being built on land donated by the MBTA. (See Figure 4 showing the relationship between the Project 

Corridor and Greater Boston Area.) 

As further detailed in following sections, some 

WHAT IS DIFFERENT 

This project applied unsuccessfully for 

TIGER funds last year. The main 

differences in this application are: 

20,800 bicyclists and walkers, including some 6,000 

commuters (47.7% of the total), will use the Project. 

This estimate is based on surveys of current Neponset 

usage, use patterns for similar facilities in the Boston 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

MassDOT is the lead applicant. 

Total project cost has been slightly 

reduced as work has continued. 

Match increased and includes 

greater participation by the major 

transportation agencies. 

More information on safety 

improvements 

More information on commuting and 

travel to job centers 

area, and guidelines for bicycle and pedestrian systems, 

particularly those that feed transit. While this Project 

is largely off-road, it will link to a network of city 

sponsored on-road bicycle routes (65 miles within 

a 1 mile radius). These feeder systems, as well as the 

Project’s access to 11 transit stations, will dramatically 

increase the non-motorized options available to the 

Project’s host communities, both the underserved 

environmental justice neighborhoods of Boston and the 

adjoining suburban neighborhoods of Milton. 

• Higher Benefit Cost ratio. 

Other off-road shared use paths in the Boston area 

demonstrate a pattern of heavy usage, particularly by 

commuters. Two routes generally comparable to the 

proposed 9 mile Neponset system – the 11 mile Minuteman Bikeway and the 4.7 mile South West 

Corridor trail – have Markedly heavier weekday peak hour usage than weekend usage (45% higher 

on the Minuteman; 31% higher on the Southwest Corridor). This pattern of increased commuter 

usage can reasonably be expected for the Neponset too and may well lead to the 48% estimate being 

exceeded. 

The Project will not only make the bicycle and pedestrian system more complete, but also safer. The 

Project will provide 4.2 miles of new off-road bike path, a change that - by itself - could reduce bicycle 

accidents by 37%. Beyond directing more riders on to off-road segments, the Project will: 

• Effectively overcome the barrier posed in Dorchester by a highway ramp from I-93 and 

dangerous access roads, thereby creating a safe new bicycle and pedestrian link to UMass 

Boston and to the jobs in Boston’s growing Innovation District 

• Build a pedestrian bridge over transit tracks to deter unsafe pedestrian crossings over the 

Mattapan High Speed Trolley Line 


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• Provide safe and attractive off-road access directly into a 

transit terminal near Mattapan Square 

• Route pedestrians and bicyclists away from the dangerous 

five-way commercial intersection (with narrow sidewalks 

and travel lanes, sidewalks, and often blocked with trucks 

unloading merchandise) of Mattapan Square, and; 

• Improve signage and provide crosswalks in high traffic 

areas 

Figure 5. Mattapan Square is an unsafe 

environment for cyclists. the five way 

intersection is too busy to incorporate 

signaling and signage. 

These changes will enhance safety for the estimated 13,600 new 

users, as well as those who use it now. 

This Project does not simply add additional miles. It leverages existing investments and community 

building by filling in gaps and extending the Corridor to link diverse neighborhoods and open new 

opportunities. 

This Project will build on other state and local efforts to make safe and healthy travel a hallmark of 

neighborhood accessibility in the Boston area: 

• The Neponset Greenway is one of 16 priority sections in the Bay State Greenway (BSG) that 

Massachusetts identified in the 2008 State Bicycle Transportation Plan. The priority sections 

include 100 miles of the 740 miles in the BSG. The priority sections were selected because they 

will create “additional connections to urban centers, extending existing paths, and maximizing 

the transportation utility of the network.” The Neponset Greenway is the only priority section 

in Boston. 

• The Project will advance the goals of the Commonwealth’s Healthy Transportation Compact, 

which was created as part of statewide transportation reform legislation and which includes 

the Massachusetts Secretaries of Transportation, Health and Human Services, and Environment 

and Energy, as well as the Highway Administrator, Transit Administrator and the Commissioner 

of Public Health. The Compact’s overall mission includes “reducing greenhouse gas emissions, 

improving access to services for persons with mobility limitations and increasing opportunities 

for physical activities”. The Compact adopted as a specific goal “increasing bicycle and 

pedestrian travel and facilitating implementation of the Bay State Greenway Network.” 

• Boston is becoming one of the most bike friendly cities in the nation. The City’s bike share 

program that began last summer (which received an earlier $3 million FTA Livability grant) 

hit its 100,000-trip target in half the time it took in Denver and Minneapolis. With the Mayor’s 

dedication to being a “bicycle friendly” city, Boston won a Silver Medal from the League of 

American Bicyclists in its first application. Based on the growing interest in cycling and the 

improvements to the bike network, HubWay, the local bikeshare program, is expanding to 

three new communities this year. 


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• The MBTA has invested in making it easy for bicyclists to take transit, thereby providing a low 

cost convenience that increases usage of both modes. In addition to its direct contribution to 

this project of land, signage and bike racks, the MBTA has added the following to the transit 

system: 

– Over 4,000 bike racks, with another 1,200 to come in 2012, 

– New secure bike parking facilities at stations throughout the system, 

– Bike racks on 95% of buses by 2012, and 

– New neighborhood maps to improve bicycle and pedestrian access to and from transit. 

• The Neponset Corridor will leverage or add to new investments. The Corridor along with a 

proposed cycle track on Blue Hill Avenue and a new Blue Hill Transit Station, will open up new 

transportation options and shorten travel time to downtown Boston and Rhode Island. More 

residents will be able to readily access these new commuting options. 

• Programs sponsored by groups such as the Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition and the 

Neponset River Greenway Council are connecting urban gardens, farmers markets, and multiuse 

paths to encourage healthy habits in diverse neighborhoods. www.bostonnatural.org/ 

gwyNep.htm; www.mattapanfoodandfitness.org 

b. Segment Descriptions 

The Project can be implemented rapidly. It will be built in three (3) segments; construction of the 

first part can be advertised within weeks of final grant award; construction of the second and third 

segments could begin in March and June of 2013 respectively. The Project would be fully operational 

by June 2014, although the first segment could be ready for use by the middle of 2013. The different 

parts and highlights of the Project are described briefly below and illustrated in Figure 2. 

SEGMENT I 

This is the southernmost of the three Project segments and will be the first built. Its cost to complete 

is $1,873,719. Part of the overmatch will be met by a $200,000 donation from the Stop & Shop 

Supermarket Company. 

This will create a 0.5-mile off-street route for 

bicyclists (as well as pedestrians) and improve 

0.45 miles of on-street routes for cyclists. It will 

increase safety by providing an off-road option 

for bicyclists who now must share the road in a 

high traffic area. This segment passes through 

the Mattapan Square Station and lies within 

1/4 mile of the MBTA’s Fairmount Station on 

Figures 6a and 6b: Current Condition (top); Proposed Multi-Use 

Path (bottom) along Truman Parkway at the southern end of the 

Corridor 


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the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line. Residents of 

suburban Milton and of Boston’s Mattapan and 

Hyde Park neighborhoods will be able to bike 

to commuter rail or to the trolley line when this 

is built. Approximately 450,000 people live in 

neighborhoods within 3 miles of the path, the 

distance deemed reasonable by FTA’s guidelines for 

bikeways that provide access to transit. 

Martini Shell Park 

Stop & Shop Supermarket 

Project Corridor 

This segment features the renovation of an 

existing building in Milton that will serve as the 

bikeway’s public information/education center. 

A small commercial building (vacant for years 

and purchased by DCR) located adjacent to the 

Mattapan Square Transit Stop will be renovated and 

offered for supportive retail use, such as bike repair. 

truman parkway 

Neponset River 

Neposnet Valley Pkwy 

Running from a point near the Mattapan/Milton 

100 400 ft 

border, this segment will not only provide improved 0 200 

commuter access on two MBTA transit lines, but will Figure 7. Segment I Plan 

also take riders and walkers along the Neponset 

River and to the edge of DCR’s Blue Hill Reservation, 

a 7,000 acre conservation area with 125 miles of trails - the largest open space within thirty-five miles 

of Boston. 

to the Blue Hills 

Reservation 

Segment I will be ready to go within weeks of the final grant award. 

SEGMENT II 

This is the middle segment and will be the second built. It will cost $9,786,623. The overmatch will 

incorporate right of way donated by the MBTA. 

This segment will be 1.5 miles long and include two (2) bridges and a cantilevered boardwalk. It also 

will provide a safe off-road route for bicyclists and pedestrians. Incorporating the path of a former 

railroad bed, it will provide access to transit as it follows and crosses the Neponset River. Among the 

features will be a “canopy walk” that will allow safe bicycle and pedestrian passage over the existing 

Mattapan trolley line, as well as a bridge that will allow bicyclists and pedestrians to cross over the 

Neponset River. The construction costs for the Canopy Walk and the river bridge are estimated to be 

$4,223,940 and $1,212,750 respectively. 


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Mattapan Square Heavy Traffic 

Existing Bike Route 

Mattapan Square Entry Plaza 

Mattapan Station 

Existing Bike Path Along Narrow and Busy River Street 

Central Ave 

Ryan Playground 

Station 

BOSTON 

Central Ave 

T 

neponset river 

T 

MILTON 

Project 



T 

T 

Capen Street 

Station 

Rail Crossing 

(CanopyWalk) 

River 

Crossing 

Valley 

Station 

100 400ft 

0 200 

Figure 8: Segment II Plan showing the proposed trail along the river and the existing trail in red alond the narrow and busy River Street 

This segment will provide a connection between Mattapan, an environmental justice neighborhood 

in Boston, and Milton, the adjoining suburb that CNN ranks as one of the nation’s best places to live 

in the United States. The Project will provide both areas with safe and healthy access to Boston’s job 

centers and educational opportunities, as well as the recreational resources at either end of the full 

corridor (i.e., Boston Harbor to the north and the Blue Hills reservation to the south). It will improve 

access to the transit system and businesses in Mattapan Square. 

Figures 9a, 9b: The existing path along River Street is neither safe for cyclists nor does the road have space to accomodate bike 

facilities (l) The Project proposes to install a 10-foot-wide multi-use trail that connects to a proposed river-crossing. The rendering 

is showing the proposed trail at the Central Ave T Station (r). 

Construction of this segment can begin in March 2013 and be completed by June 2014. 

SEGMENT III 

This northernmost section of the Project will be the third to be built. It will cost $5,170,689. A portion 

of the match will be provided by right-of-way donations from National Grid and from MassDOT as well 

as a cash contribution from MassDOT. 

This segment will be 1.75 miles long and will provide a safe off-street route for bicyclists and 

pedestrians. It will allow bicyclists and pedestrians to pass under the Southeast Expressway (I-93S), 


10 


emain off-road, avoid the narrow (with no sidewalk) 

and dangerous access road to Morrissey Boulevard, and 

safely reach a major transfer point of the MBTA’s Red 

Line Subway. This segment will also lead to Boston’s 

Harbor Walk near the UMass Boston campus. The Harbor 

Walk provides public access from UMass Boston to the 

“Innovation District” on South Boston’s waterfront and 

then to downtown Boston. Both are prime job centers. 

UMass Boston is a public university with over 15,000 

students. It is adjacent to the JFK Library and Museum 

that attracts visitors from around the world. 

Southeast Expwy 

Victory Rd 

to Harbor 

Walk 

National 

Grid Property 



BOSTON 

HARBOR 

boardwalk 

Morrissey Blvd 

This segment will adjoin an innovative 4,460 panel solar 

power project that National Grid is building at a cost 

of $9.4 million; the Project will include an interpretive 

exhibit to educate Corridor users about solar power. 

The Project also will improve the connection to a major 

recreation facility (Pope John Paul II Park) that was built 

by DCR on a former landfill. This segment will include an 

elevated boardwalk to facilitate coastal access and bypass 

the exit ramp to I-93. 

Victory 

Park 

NEPONSET 

RIVER 



100 400 ft 

0 200 

Figure 10: Segment III Plan showing the existing trail in red 

The construction of this segment can begin by June 1, 2013 and be completed by April 2014. 

All funding will be obligated prior to June 30, 2013. Further schedule details are provided in Table B. 

The proposed project schedule is set out in Table A. It reflects MassDOT’s and DCR’s commitment to 

timely obligation of funds and to prompt project delivery. 

Figures 11a and 11b (l to r): Existing bike way on a road with no shoulder; proposed boardwalk connection. 

II. Project Parties 

The Project applicants are the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) 

and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). MassDOT, the lead applicant, 


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TABLE A 

Neponset Greenway Project 

Schedule 

YEAR 2012 

2013 

2014 

Quarter 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 

PROJECT SCHEDULE 

Segment 1 

Design 

Building Demolition Plans (design complete) 

Blue Hill Avenue connection 

7 Brush Hill Road (design complete) 

Stop & Shop to Neponset Park (complete by 

March 1, 2012) 

Bidding 

Construction 

Segment 1 Complete 

01-Jul-12 

15-Aug-12 

30-Jun-13 

Segment 2 

Design and Permitting 

Central Avenue to Blue Hill Avenue 

Bidding 

Construction 


Segment 3 

Design and Permitting 

Dorchester Bay 

1-Feb-13 

01-Feb-13 

15-March-13 

15-Apr-13 

30-Jun-14 

Bidding 

Construction 


15-Apr-13 

01-Jun-13 

30-Apr-14 

is the newly created state agency that combines disparate highway, transit, and aviation agencies 

into a single entity with responsibility for all modes of transportation across Massachusetts. DCR, 

the partnering agency, is the state agency in charge of state parks, parkways, trails, dams, and other 

natural resources such as state forests. Both MassDOT and DCR are established federal grantees and 

they collaborate on projects ranging from bike paths to bridges. 

DCR is the owner of the existing Neponset Greenway bicycle and pedestrian network, in which it 

has already invested $7 million (including the recent renovation of a former railroad bridge linking 

Adams Village in Boston to the Neponset River Greenway in Milton). DCR is contributing $3,052,000 in 

match and will own and maintain the completed system. MassDOT, the MBTA, and two private sector 

partners (the National Grid utility company and Stop & Shop grocery) will donate the balance of the 

27.3% match. 

MassDOT and DCR have built several successful bicycle and pedestrian projects. DCR also has 

considerable experience maintaining bicycle and pedestrian projects; it is responsible for 184 miles of 

paved bike trails throughout Massachusetts, including a 16-mile bike path along the Charles River and 

the Southwest Corridor multi-use path that was built in a former transit right of way through Boston. 


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III. Project Grant Sources and Uses: Funds and Planning Support 

a. Funding sources: The Project brings a 27.3% match. The match reflects the public-private and 

public-public partnerships that support the project. 

The cost of completing the corridor is $16,831,031; the amount of TIGER funding requested is 

$12,222,031. The 27.3% overmatch will come from 5 separate sources: 

• Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (Project owner and co-applicant, 

$3,052,000 in state funds) 

• Massachusetts Department of Transportation (Project co-applicant) ($300,000 in state funds 

and $291,500 right of way donation) 

• Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority ($352, 500 right of way donation plus $25,000 for 

signage and bike racks near stations ) 

• National Grid ($378,000 right of way donation) 

• Stop & Shop Supermarket Company ($200,000 private funds) 

Project costs have been carefully estimated and contingencies included, but MassDOT and DCR 

understand and acknowledge that they would be responsible for any additional project costs should 

they be necessary. 

These funds would be used for the three segments as detailed in the budget in Table B: 

TABLE B: Project Costs 

*Project Costs are based on previous planning and preliminary design and engineering. 

TIGER Match TOTAL 

TOTAL PROJECT $ 12,222,031 $ 4,599,000 $ 16,831,031 

Segment I $1,273,118 $600,601 $1,873,719 

Segment II $7,783,050 $2,003,574 $9,786,623 

Segment III $3,165,863 $1,994,825 $5,170,689 

b. Project Planning and Support 

The Project shares the strong support of Federal, state and local elected officials from both host 

communities as well as a variety of local and regional advocacy groups dedicated to improving 

sustainable transportation, healthy living, environmental justice and protection of our natural 

resources. The Corridor’s design is the product of a multi-year process. DCR has engaged the 

community, developed master plans, and added features to incorporate the needs of the community 

into the goals of the Project. The City of Boston has incorporated the proposed Project in its economic 

plan for the central host neighborhood. 


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The Project is also a priority of the 2008 Massachusetts Bicycle Plan issued by MassDOT. The Plan 

identified 100 miles within the 740 mile Bay State Greenway as the key first steps towards a cohesive 

statewide bicycle network (the BSG 100). The Neponset Greenway is part of these priority projects for 

the state and is the only one to be built within Boston. 

The State Bike Plan represents the Governor’s commitment to a modern transportation network that 

balances all modes, including increased availability of bicycle and pedestrian options. As the Plan 

stated: 

“Consistent with Governor Deval Patrick’s Sustainable Development Principles, by 2030 Massachusetts will 

be a leading state in sustainable transportation and development. Our transportation system will better 

balance transportation modes, offering Commonwealth citizens and visitors alike a network of roads, 

shared use paths, and transit facilities designed, constructed, and maintained with bicycle use always in 

mind. Our bicycle transportation network will feature 50 percent more miles of designated facilities than 

exist now and comprise both on‐ and off‐road resources.” 

This project will also advance the goals of the Commonwealth’s Healthy Transportation Compact, 

formed so that the most senior leaders in the state are focused on “adopt[ing] best practices to 

increase efficiency to achieve positive health outcomes through the coordination of land use, 

transportation and health policy.” This collaboration emphasizes the Commonwealth’s commitment 

to making smart transportation choices that create access to employment, education and recreation 

while reducing greenhouse gases and promoting physical activities. Among the Compact’s top 

priorities is “Increasing bicycle and pedestrian travel and facilitating implementation of the Bay State 

Greenway Network”, within which the Neponset Greenway is a priority project. 

IV. TIGER Selection Criteria Applied 

This Project fulfills all the criteria required for TIGER funding. It will create benefits almost five (5) 

times its costs. Its route, design, and local match reflect a goal shared among several stakeholders. If 

awarded a TIGER grant, this Project will enhance the livability of several diverse neighborhoods while 

creating a safe and healthy travel option for Greater Boston. 

A. LONG-TERM OUTCOMES 

i. State of Good Repair 

The Project will complete and improve a bicycle and pedestrian corridor that weaves through 

developed urban and suburban areas. By removing bicycle traffic from busy city streets and making 

better use of underutilized rights of way, it will make healthy transportation safer and more appealing. 


14 


Estimated increased bicycle use 

(described more fully in the benefit-cost 

analysis technical memo and based 

on NCHRP Report 552) will result in 

a reduction of auto vehicles miles of 

travel (VMT) that will lessen roadway 

deterioration and maintenance costs. 

MBTA TOD Parcel 

Connector 

Proposed route of Project 

Mattapan T Station 

Mattapan Square 

DCR and MassDOT are experienced 

stewards of multi-use networks. DCR, 

as owner, will be responsible for 

maintenance. It has a maintenance 

staff of 997, supplemented by a 

seasonal crew of 1,700. In FY11, its combined capital and operating budget was over $150 million. 

In the Neponset Corridor it has expanded its available resources and built community capacity by 

sponsoring local groups that help with seasonal responsibilities. This includes youth conservation 

corps and programming of activities. If this grant is awarded, the completed Neponset Greenway 

Corridor will be maintained by DCR’s trained workforce and established budgetary resources, 

supplemented by the kind of local interest that assures long-term benefits. 

Blue HIlls Avenue 

Figure 12: The Project will improve the 5 way intersection at Mattapan Square which 

is now hard for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate safely. Currently the intersection 

is unsafe with no room for cyclists. 

ii. Economic Competitiveness 

The Project will enhance the economic vitality and competitiveness of the region, particularly in the 

environmental justice communities that it serves. 

MassDOT’s 2008 Bike Plan emphasizes 

the importance of successful active 

transportation projects as part of the 

state’s economy. As the State Bike Plan 

said: “Investments in bicycle facilities 

have resulted in positive economic 

impacts in terms of tourism… and for 

adjacent real estate values…. Strategic 

investments in new bicycle facilities can 

lead to positive benefits and better serve 

the Commonwealth’s information‐based 

economy.“ Creating this extended multiuse 

path will improve the medium and 

long-term economic competitiveness of 

the region as forecast by the State Bike 

Plan. 

UMASS – AN URBAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY 

UMass Boston is a large urban university that offer 

undergraduate and graduate programs through 8 colleges at its 

campus on its Boston Harbor campus. 

Some 15,000 students are enrolled and the student population 

is diverse. There is virtually no on-campus housing, so University 

life depends on off-campus housing in surrounding communities 

and low-cost transportation options (including the MBTA). 

The Neponset Project will not only make it easier for residents to 

reach the University, it will give University students and faculty 

better access to housing opportunities along the Neponset 

Corridor. 


15 


First, this path will create low-cost access to employment centers, institutions of higher education, 

transit nodes and businesses up and down the Corridor. The Boston Bycyclists Union identified 107 

employers (a partial list of the total) within 5 city blocks of the proposed route, and almost 50,000 

jobs are within 1 mile of the route. 

TABLE C: Environmental Justice Area Demographics 

Location of 

Environmental 

Justice Area (EJA) 

Total Population 

of EJA 

Minority 

Population of 

EJA 

Percent of Total 

Population that 

is Minority 

EJA’s Median 

Household 

Income 

as a Percent of the 

Region’s Median 

Household Income 

Dorchester 53,596 42,157 79% 67% 

Mattapan 50,966 48,779 96% 60% 

Source: Journey to 2030 Transportation Plan of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization, April 2007 

Having a completed corridor will remove existing barriers and create new links from neighborhood 

retail and housing centers (e.g., Mattapan Square) all the way to the UMass/Boston campus and 

then on to Boston’s fast growing Innovation District. The low-cost nature of cycling allows families to 

allocate resources to other needs, such as housing. This is particularly important in Boston, which has a 

very high combined cost of housing and transportation- 56% of median household income in the City 

of Boston goes for housing and transportation according to the Urban Land Institute’s 2010 report, 

“Boston Regional Challenge”(p.10). By comparison, the combined cost of housing and transportation 

in Washington DC is 47% (ibid, p.1). 

While the Project’s economic impact will be corridor wide, Mattapan Square exemplifies the type of 

long-term positive outcomes that the Project can create in the environmental justice communities 

through which it passes. 

In 2004 some 90% of Mattapan’s population was African-Americans and persons of Caribbean 

descent. The City of Boston’s 2006 Economic Development Action Agenda for Mattapan identified 

the Neponset River Greenway Corridor as a beneficial project that would improve the pedestrian 

environment and make it easier to access a retail area that lacked parking. That report found that local 

retail was underdeveloped partially because it was close, but not convenient. This Project would help 

alleviate that problem. Improving the link to the Neponset River Greenway is one of the action items 

identified as a “Key Business Development Strategy” for the Mattapan business district. In addition, 

access to the MBTA’s soon to be developed TOD project adjacent to Mattapan Station will be enhanced 

by the project. 

The Project would also provide a healthy, safe, and convenient way for Mattapan residents to reach 

Boston’s job centers. While Mattapan has several transit alternatives now, non-auto travel to the major 


16 


job centers tends to involve transfers. This time travel penalty is illustrated in the following chart 

comparing the average commute times for Mattapan (Zip Code 02126) and the City of Boston: 

TABLE D: Commuter Travel Time, Mattapan vs. City of Boston 

Travel Time Mattapan Zip Code City of Boston 

Less than 30 Minutes 34.6% 52.3% 

30 - 44 Minutes 33.3% 26.6% 

45 - 59 Minutes 16.6% 10.7% 

60 or more Minutes 15.6% 8.3% 

Second, active transportation, such as biking, is growing as an industry in itself and a stimulus for 

tourism. 

The City of Boston reports that jobs directly attributable to the bike industry have grown by 60% 

over the past three years. In 2010 (even before Boston’s successful bike share program opened) there 

were already 350 bicycle-related jobs in Boston, including many at the seven (7) new bicycle-related 

businesses that opened since 2007. Bike share is not simply a nice amenity for the public; it is a 

growing local business that will soon spread to three new communities in the next eight months – 

with fundraising ongoing to make the UMass Boston Campus a bike share site too. 

Biking allows more communities to benefit from tourism. Tourism is one of Massachusetts’ leading 

industries; 20 million people visited Massachusetts in 2008 and they spent $15.6 billion. While visitors 

to the JFK Library would not be likely to 

drive to Mattapan, they might want to 

bike to the Blue Hills along the Neponset 

River – stopping in Mattapan on their 

way. Particularly now that Boston can 

offer a booming bike share program, 

reliance on these links will increase. This 

will result in new jobs and increased 

tourism with less congestion. 

Figures 13a and 13b: Truman Parkway before construction (l); New work along 

Brush Hill Road (r) incorporates landscaped stormwater infiltration trenches, 

parkway guardrails and a safe route of travel adjacent to swift moving vehicles. 

These improvements are typical of those proposed for Segment I of the 

Neponset River Corridor Project. 

Finally, there is evidence that a 

completed trail will create added value 

for local homeowners along the corridor. 

A Massachusetts real estate study looked at the impact of rail trails on price and time on the market for 

home sales using homes near trails in Eastern Massachusetts (Minute Man Trail and the Nashua River 

Trail). Homes near the trails both held their price (sold closer to the list price) and were on the market 

for less time compared to other homes. (http://www.greenway.org/pdf/ma_home_sales.pdf). 


17 


Consistent with these findings and 

national research on the property value 

impact of residential real estate near bike 

trails, we estimate a modest incremental 

property value premium. But when 

applied to the large population and 

number of residences near the new trail 

segments, this results in significant benefit 

estimated to be approximately $40 million 

(even with “netting out” transportation 

benefits). 

Building to be demolished for entrance to 

Greenway and for safety improvements 

iii. Livability 

Massachusetts has focused on bicycle 

transportation as part of the “Healthy 

Transportation Compact” formed by 

the state’s Departments of Health, 

Transportation, and Environment and 

Energy pursuant to a legislative directive 

that accompanied MassDOT’s creation. . 

. .” This Corridor Completion Project will 

create travel options that encourage 

healthier lifestyles. 

Figures 14a and 14b (t to b): The removal of three existing out-buildings at Mattapan 

Square allow for a rejuvenated transit hub that includes bike parking, new plantings, 

seating and improved visual access into the station’s facilities for bus drivers. 

The relevance of this Project to long term livability benefits is well illustrated by the Mattapan Food 

and Fitness Coalition, which sponsors farmers’ markets and encourages more reliance on walking 

and biking. That group has found that Mattapan has one of the highest rates of asthma, diabetes, 

and heart disease in the City and County. Right now there are few alternatives to busy roadways for 

bicyclists and pedestrians throughout this Corridor - a limitation that this Project will remedy. 

The enhanced access to transit will also reinforce the area’s best development choices. Near this 

Project, the MBTA has plans for a Transit Oriented Development site at Mattapan Station, that will give 

“strong preference to development plans that support this project. This type of development (not 

car centered, but relying on walkability and proximity to transit) dovetails perfectly with USDOT’s 

Livability Principles and with an asset such as this bikeway. 

Mattapan Square has already benefited from a “Main Streets” grant, but a greater pedestrian presence 

will increase the neighborhood’s sense of security and community. Seniors, young parents with 

strollers, students, and commuters use the existing bike path. This usage pattern is a form of safe and 

healthy travel; it allows people to come together to share a resource and their neighborhood. 


18 


The livability benefits of this Project can be quantified both in terms of existing and new bicyclists and 

pedestrians who will be using the Neponset Greenway bicycle and pedestrian system. Recent counts 

by the Boston Bikes volunteer organization found approximately 400 bicyclists and 2,400 pedestrians 

(including joggers) within a six (6) hour period on existing segments of the Greenway. Many of these 

users, along with new users, will benefit from the completed segments provided by this Project in 

terms of safety and a more pleasant trip compared to on-road. Additional users will be generated from 

multiple sources, including recreational users and commuters who will be able to use the completed 

Greenway bicycle and pedestrian system to safely access MBTA stations and jobs. As estimated below, 

these mobility impacts (particularly those affecting commuters) for existing and new users are the 

largest benefit in the benefit-cost analysis ($145 million over 30 years, undiscounted). 

This Project epitomizes the small choices that can make a big difference in how a community 

chooses to travel and to interact. A bike repair shop may not be a major job creator, but it is the type 

of business that the City of Boston’s Economic Development Action Agenda recommended to help 

bring people to Mattapan Square. Taking one’s children by bike from the new neighborhood to the 

old neighborhood (as described in neighborhood support letters) may be a relatively short trip, but 

it can help tie families and neighbors together in new ways that improve the livability of the whole 

community. 

Canopy Walk/Rail Crossing 

Figure 15: The canopy walk provides a safe, separated mode of travel for cyclists and pedestrians looking to use the transit system at 

Mattpan Station that will coordinate with the $10 million of station upgrades MBTA has completed over the last 5 years 

As noted in the State Bike Plan, “Our higher‐density neighborhoods are often characterized by motor 

vehicle congestion and parking scarcity. In these locations, parking construction costs are very high, 

which often makes bicycling a more competitive mode of travel”, suggesting that this is exactly 

the type of project in the right area to benefit from an enhanced multi-use network. As there is no 

(or very limited) parking at 8 of the 11 transit stops within a half mile of the corridor, most people 


19 


accessing the public transportation system here must currently do so by walking or bicycling. This 

project provides more people with a safe route to those stations. 

iv. Environmental Sustainability 

There will be several kinds of environmental benefits from this Project. 

First, increased use of the existing bicycle and pedestrian network and higher levels of bicycle and 

pedestrian activity will cause a measurable reduction in auto VMT. Combined with the improved 

connections to transit, this will reduce dependence on oil and gasoline consumption and reduce air 

pollutants, including greenhouse gas emissions. 

Second, in addition to the planned work, DCR will – as a matter of standard practice – remediate 

any noteworthy contamination it finds within the right of way. This work would be in addition to the 

pledged local match. 

Third, the completed Project will substantially benefit the surrounding natural environment. The 

greater access to and through wooded riverbank areas will not only mean greater public appreciation 

of those resources, but also more aggressive maintenance as downed trees and other problems 

become more visible. 

Fourth, during and after construction DCR will provide on an ongoing basis: 

• Management of forested areas 

• Plantings where trails impact habitat 

• River bank stabilization and enhanced aquatic and riparian habitat 

• Groundwater recharge and infiltration of storm water runoff 

DCR’s partnership with MassDOT will make sure that the path is 

not only safe and fully functional, but that it is just as attractive and 

protected as the natural resources that the Project will connect 

- the Blue Hills Reservation to the south, the beaches of Boston 

Harbor to the north, and neighborhood parks along the way. 

v. Safety 

A key element of this Project is the reduction in the number of 

conflicts that bicyclists who travel this route currently have with 

cars and an increase in the options for safe passage that riders and 

walkers will have as they negotiate around and over other modes. 

Figure 16: The busy Boston roads and intersections 

prevent many people from making the 

choice to ride into work. The safety of the 

Corridor will allow people to have a safe and 

healthy commute. 


20 


The vast majority of the new network (3.53 miles of the 4.2 

miles) will be off road. The Project will also improve eight (8) 

intersections. 

According to Boston’s 2010 State of the Hub Year End Report 

on bicycling, 37% of all bicycle crashes are with an automobile. 

If Boston’s trend towards greater bicycle usage (a 122% 

ridership increase between 2007 and 2009) is to continue 

safely, more riders will need off-road alternatives. To use 

the existing portions of the Corridor, riders are forced now 

to navigate neighborhood streets that are not designed to 

accommodate bicycles. With the completed Project, riders will avoid busy streets such as River Street 

and have safer crossings at major thoroughfares such as Blue Hill Avenue. 

Figure 17: The DCR already has installed some safe 

pedestrian crossings, which include signage and 

traffic signalization, along the trail. 

SAFE, SAFER, SAFEST 

This Project makes it safer to walk or bike along this 9 mile 

corridor running between Boston Harbor and the Blue Hills. 

• 37% of all bicycle crashes in Boston are with an 

automobile -this project provides 3.53 miles of new 

off-road connections. 

• The Project’s pedestrian bridge is a well located and 

attractive alternative that will reduce “jay-walking” 

across the transit tracks. 

• Highway ramps create barriers– the foot of an 

interstate ramp is no place to cross on foot or by 

bike. This offers a safe off-road connection. 

• Bicycle patrols by local police are planned in Milton 

– increasing neighborhood safety and security. 

The second segment will help bicyclists 

safely navigate through the congested 

five-way intersection in Mattapan Square 

and reach the nearby transit terminal. The 

third segment of the Project’s planned route 

creates a new link (using land donated 

by MassDOT) so that cyclists will be able 

avoid both the barrier now caused by a 

highway off-ramp and the narrow access 

roads at Morrissey Boulevard. This new link 

will make it possible for residents of the 

environmental justice communities along 

the Neponset Corridor to safely walk and 

bike to UMass Boston, Boston Harbor, and 

the City’s growing Innovation District. 

The design of the completed Greenway 

prioritizes the safety of the users. One early concept could have created a potential operational 

conflict between users and transit. To eliminate this conflict, DCR and the community worked with 

the MBTA to include a new “Canopy Walk “ that will provide an attractive alternative for people who 

otherwise might be tempted to “jaywalk” across the trolley tracks. 

The Project will also offer new opportunities for community policing, particularly in Milton where the 

Chief of Police hopes to use the trail for officers on bicycles to patrol residential and wooded areas. 


21 


B. JOB CREATION AND NEAR-TERM ECONOMIC ACTIVITY 

TABLE E: Economic Growth by Sector 

Neponset Greenway Project Direct Jobs 

2012 2013 2014 Job Years 

Construction 28 67 33 

Engineering+Architecture 8 2 2 

Total 36 69 35 141 

Source: IMPLAN Economic impact model and HDR calculations 

This Project will increase employment and economic activity in the region. The short-term 

construction activity will provide jobs and labor income in construction, manufacturing and 

supporting industries. 

Based on the Project schedule and capital budget, the Project is estimated to involve141direct on-site 

job-years during the construction phase. The following table breaks down these labor requirements by 

construction and engineering by year. 

These direct on-site jobs are only those associated specifically with the construction elements of the 

Project improvements. They do not include the jobs that will be created when funds are spent on nonlabor 

items, such as materials and equipment and other sub-contractors. Based on the capital budget 

and using the nationally recognized IMPLAN economic impact modeling system, the total short-term 

job creation nationwide, including multiplier effects, is estimated to be 78 jobs in 2012, 172 jobs in 

2013, and 89 jobs in 2014. 

The economic impact analysis 

includes estimates of multiplier and 

total impacts based on the direct, 

indirect and induced impacts of the 

Project (note: right of way costs are 

excluded from these calculations). 

Direct wages are estimated at $7.4 

million, and with multiplier effects 

the total wage impact is $17.3 

million. The total business output 

(sales) impact based upon the direct 

$16.821 million investment in the 

Project is estimated to be $48.1 

million over the construction period. 

Figure 18: An 1,100-foot canopy walk would provide accessible, scenic travel over existing 

trolley tracks and respond to current safety guidelines for pedestrian railroad crossings. 


22 


The Council of Economic Advisors 

BOSTON’S INNOVATION DISTRICT 

(CEA) offers guidance on estimating 

the number of jobs associated with a 

Located in the Seaport District that sits between Boston’s 

government funded transportation 

Financial District and the residential areas of South Boston 

project. This guidance provides an 

(familiar to many as the setting for “Good Will Hunting”), 

estimate of one job created or saved per 

the Innovation District is filling old warehouse buildings 

$76,923 of government spending. Using 

with start-up companies and welcoming new offices and 

the CEA method and assuming an overall 

residential projects to former surface parking lots. 

Project expenditure of $16.821 million, 

Among the companies that are locating there are: 

219 jobs are estimated to be directly 

created by the investment. 

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals 

• Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems, 

Higher paying jobs are often more 

• Skyhook 

desirable for communities, as they 

• Greentown Labs 

generate a greater amount of additional 

• Novophage 

taxes and consumption. But lower paying 

wages may be beneficial for communities 

The Seaport Transportation Management Association 

with a greater proportion of unemployed 

(TMA), which is already busy meeting the needs of these 

low-skilled workers. Most of the jobs 

employers, is a strong supporter of the Neponset project. 

directly associated with the Project will 

The TMA knows that the employees of these firms will want 

be in construction-related industries. 

to bike, walk, and take transit. The more travel options they 

Construction employment may benefit 

have, the more the District will thrive. 

many individuals in these more 

economically disadvantaged populations, 

with secondary benefits to the local businesses and communities. On the recently opened Baker 

Square pedestrian bridge on the lower Neponset Trail, the contractor employed many skilled trades 

people and local residents from the construction trades that were previously unemployed. 

c. Innovation 

This Project will re-create a traditional travel corridor to meet 21st century needs. It will offer new 

and healthy access to the educational resources of UMass the Innovation District in which much of 

Boston’s high tech job growth is occurring. According to the Boston Globe, the Innovation District 

is Boston Mayor Menino’s initiative to develop underutilized waterfront property as a “platform of 

entrepreneurship focused on jobs, housing, and infrastructure”. 

The Project will allow DCR and MassDOT to complete the Neponset’s non-motorized network and 

provide a national model for older cities desiring to construct new, healthy and safe urban travel 

pathways. 


23 


The Commonwealth’s approach to designing and constructing new bicycle and pedestrian facilities, 

such as this Project, also highlights the success of Massachusetts’ landmark 2006 Project Development 

and Design Guide, which made context sensitive design the standard (rather than the exception) and 

which exemplifies the State’s focus on harmonizing and promoting all travel modes. These are design 

approaches that MassDOT and DCR are proud to share. 

d. Partnership 

This Project is being proposed by DCR and MassDOT consistent with the partnership that the two 

agencies have formed since Transportation Reform created MassDOT in 2009. The agencies are 

collaborating on a number of transportation projects throughout the Commonwealth – working 

together to emphasize the best qualities of each agency. 

This Project was also built on many years of carefully nurtured partnerships between neighborhoods, 

municipalities, businesses, and public agencies. Since the Project was proposed in 1995, it has been 

monitored and supported by the Greenway Council. That Council has encouraged public and private 

support for summer job programs that put neighborhood teens to work building Project features, 

as well as the planning exercises that gave rise to the present Project and the programming choices 

that have made the existing Greenway sections mainstays of 

neighborhood life. 

Figure 19: The City of Boston embarked on an 

ambitious bike share program called The Hubway 

in the summer of 2011. 

The Project has an overmatch that includes public and private 

partners. The public funding is supplemented by contributions 

from two large companies – the Stop & Shop Supermarket 

Company and National Grid. Those companies’ commitments 

are the result of negotiations with DCR and reflect the 

companies’ desire to invest in the communities where they are 

located. 

MassDOT and the MBTA are also contributing land and funds to supplement DCR’s resources. MassDOT 

and the MBTA worked closely with DCR on project development and will be very involved in its 

implementation. MassDOT will make a cash contribution and donate the right of way and will assure 

adherence to accepted standards. The MBTA also will contribute right of way and help make sure that 

walkers and bikers have easy connections to the several transit stations (six (6) within ¼ mile; eleven 

(11) within ½ mile) with which the network will connect. 

While not directly contributing funds to this Project, the City of Boston has undertaken a number of 

major bike initiatives in the past four years to become a leader in promoting and accommodating 

cycling, as well as other healthy activities. In fact, feeding into the Neponset Corridor there are several 

completed and planned City bicycle transportation improvement projects. This will increase use of the 

bicycle and pedestrian system to be built with this grant. 


24 


Under the leadership of Mayor Menino, who strongly supports this Project, the City has: 

• Added 1,500 new bike spaces and 33 miles of bike lanes, 

• Worked with 2,500 youth in the bike program (in 2010 alone) 

• Developed programs such as Roll it Forward (with a goal of collecting/repairing and 

distributing 1,000 bikes in Boston neighborhoods) and Bike to Market (bringing bike repair to 

Farmer’s Markets – mostly in low-income neighborhoods). 

Boston is now home to one of the most successful bike-share programs in the country. A program that 

was launched in July 2011 has already seen its 100,000th trip. The bike share program will be starting 

in the surrounding cities and towns (Brookline, Cambridge and Somerville) this Spring which will add 

to the success of the Project and the continued expansion of bicycling in the region. 

The Neponset River Greenway is an essential piece of the 

Boston Bicycling Network. It will provide a major lowstress 

connection for cyclists on the southern edge of the 

city, tying into many of the network’s most important 

streets like Blue Hill Avenue, Hyde Park Avenue, Morton 

Street and Washington Street. 

- BOSTON BIKE NETWORK MASTER PLAN 

In these and other ways, Boston is taking 

the steps necessary to promote cycling (bike 

share, bike lanes, donating bikes, safety 

summits). However, according to a recent 

survey, bicycle riders are most likely to ride 

where they have a separated path, out of 

traffic – which is exactly what the completed 

Project will provide. 

Elected officials for the Town of Milton have also expressed their strong support for and commitment 

to this Project. Milton’s support dates back to 1997 and today reflects the Project proponent’s 

willingness to address concerns at the local level. Some of the most challenging design issues occurred 

in Milton, but have been successfully addressed. Milton’s participation has been strengthened by the 

leadership of its Police Chief, who sees the Project as an opportunity to provide low impact/highly 

effective bicycle patrols. 

e. Results of Benefit-Cost Analysis 

If awarded a TIGER grant this Project would generate quantifiable benefits, estimated to exceed 

costs under all sensitivity tests and alternative assumptions. The approach used to estimate benefits 

is outlined in the Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) National Cooperative Highway Research 

Program (NCHRP) Report 552: Guidelines for Analysis of Investments in Bicycle Facilities and other 

sources. These guidelines stem from research in new bicycle facility investments that show direct 

benefits to users of the trails as well as indirect benefits to society. The direct user benefits include 

the new and existing commuter mobility benefits, recreation benefits and health benefits. Nonuser 

benefits derive from reduced automobile usage and include emissions reduction, congestion 


25 


eduction and accident reduction, as well as an increase 

in property values for those residential properties 

surrounding the trail. Additional details on benefits, data, 

assumptions and calculations can be found in the Benefit- 

Cost Analysis Technical Appendix. As shown below, the 

Net Present Value of this Project would be $59.4 million 

with a Benefit-Cost Ratio of 4.9. This is strong evidence of 

a project with a large estimated return on investment - 

importantly, with all sensitivity tests conducted, benefits 

always exceed costs. 

Figure 20: The MBTA has recently invested in installing 

bike racks in numerous trains on the commuter rail lines. 

Photo: www.cityphile.com 

The total capital cost in 2012 dollars for the Project is $16.831 million for the completion of 4.2 miles of 

bikeway trail in three segments, as well as modifications to the associated small buildings. The present 

value of these costs, discounted at 7%, is $15.1 million. Annual operating and maintenance (O&M) 

costs primarily consist of maintaining the streetscape surrounding such trails at a cost of $7,252 per 

mile, or a total of $25,746 per year for this Project. Over 30 years, the present value of these O&M costs 

is $268,566. The total present value for capital and O&M costs at a 7% discount rate is $15.1 million. 

A comparison of costs and benefits in total, and by Project segment, are shown in Table F below. 

Benefits for each segment begin to accrue as soon as it is complete. Discounted benefits exceed costs 

by 4.9 to 1 and generate net social welfare valued at $74.5 million (in present value). Benefits have 

been estimated for new and existing commuters who will benefit from the completion of the path, as 

well as new and existing recreational users. Of these net benefits, the largest sources of benefits are 

associated with livability in the form of mobility improvements for commuters and benefits to new 

recreational users. 

TABLE F: Benefit Cost Analysis Results By Segment 

Total Discounted 

Benefits ($M) 

Total Discounted Capital & 

Operating Costs ($M) 

Net Present Value 

($M) 

Benefit Cost 

Ratio 

Segment I $ 9.0 $ 1.7 $ 7.3 5.20 

Segment II $ 22.3 $ 8.7 $ 13.6 2.56 

Segment III $ 43.2 $ 4.6 $ 38.5 9.28 

TOTAL $ 74.5 $ 15.1 $ 59.4 4.93 

The categories of benefits considered in the analysis include direct mobility and safety benefits to 

existing users, both commuter and recreational, which generates a total non-discounted benefit of 

$104.2 million over 30 years, as well as benefits to new users, both commuter and recreational, totaling 

$60.1 million over 30 years. Almost 60% percent of these benefits to new users are estimated to accrue 

to commuter trips. New bicycle and pedestrian activity due to the Project also generates health 


26 


enefits estimated to be $19.1 million over 30 years. In addition, due to the increased connectivity and 

safety of the path, some of these new users may be diverted from using their automobiles to reach 

their destination, thus saving them operating costs. Indirect benefits include reduction in congestion, 

pavement maintenance, emissions and accidents due to fewer automobiles on the road, totaling $8.8 

million. The final benefit is an estimated increase in the value of residential properties surrounding the 

trail (over and above mobility benefits), totaling $41.6 million. These results can be seen in Table G. 

TABLE G: Benefit Cost Results by Category 

7% Discount Rate 

BENEFITS Millions of 2012$ 

Benefits to Existing Commuters $ 63.3 

Benefits to Existing Recreational Users $ 40.9 

Benefits to New Commuters $ 35.9 

Benefits to New Recreational Users $ 24.2 

Accident Reduction $ 0.6 

Reduced Auto Use $ 8.2 

Health Benefits $ 19.1 

Property Value Premium $ 41.6 

TOTAL BENEFITS $ 233.8 

PV of Total Benefits $ 74.5 

COSTS 

Operating & Maintenance Costs $ 0.3 

Capital Costs $ 16.8 

TOTAL COSTS $ 17.1 

PV of Total Costs $ 15.1 

Net Present Value (NPV) $ 59.4 

Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) 4.9 

Sensitivity analyses were also performed on key parameters and assumptions. The following scenarios 

were examined: 

• Excluding pedestrian benefits to strictly follow the NCHRP Guidelines; 

• Alternative assumptions (lower and higher) for bicycle trip demand based on NCHRP 

guidance; 


27 


• Exclusion of property value and reduced vehicle usage; and 

• Using a 3% discount rate, which results in a benefit-cost ratio of 8.3. 

The results of these analyses yield Net Present Values ranging from $28.0 million to $187.3 million. 

Details of these results can be found in the Benefit-Cost Analysis Technical Appendix. 

V. Project Readiness and NEPA 

A Preliminary Determination of Eligibility for Categorical Exclusion/Checklist has been prepared 

to demonstrate that the proposed Project is able to satisfy the requirements of the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as an Automatic Categorical Exclusion or a Programmatic Categorical 

Exclusion. Since NEPA is triggered only by the grant, filing will be made in conjunction with a 

preliminary award notice. The Project will also be added to the State Transportation Improvement 

Program (STIP) at that point. No permits are required for Segment I, which is anticipated to be ready 

for bid shortly after final grant award and which will be built by June 2013. No significant permitting 

issues are expected for the other segments and no unusual technological challenges are presented by 

this project. As noted earlier, construction of Segment II will begin in March 2013 and be completed 

June 2014; Segment III will start construction and will be completed by April 2014. 

VI. Federal Wage Rate Certification 

MassDOT will comply with the requirements of Subchapter IV of Chapter 31 of Title 40, USC (Federal 

Wage Rate requirements) as required by the FY2011 Continuing Appropriations Act. The signed 

certification is included as Figure 22 on Page 30. 

VII. Application Changes 

There have been no significant changes since the submission of the pre-application although we have 

slightly reduced the total cost and increased the state match. 

VIII. Contact Information 

For further information please visit the project website http://www.env.state.ma.us/Neponset_River_Greenway_ 

Corridor/home.htm or contact either of: Guy Bresnahan, MassDOT Office of Transportation and Planning 

guy.bresnahan@state.ma.us, 617-973-7884; Jack Murray, DCR Deputy Commissioner; jack.murray@state. 

ma.us, 617-626-1250. 

List of Appendices 

Benefit-Cost Analysis Technical Appendix 

Letters of Support for the Project 

The Values of all Land Transfers 


28 


March 15, 2012 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Application for TIGER IV Grant Funds, Commonwealth of Massachusetts-Department of 

Conservation and Recreation and Department of Transportation, Neponset River Greenway Corridor 

Completion Project 

Dear Secretary LaHood: 

The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Massachusetts 

Department of Transportation (MassDOT) are pleased to submit their TIGER IV grant application for 

the Neponset River Greenway Corridor Completion Project. This project will finalize an innovative 

ten (10) mile bicycle and pedestrian route that links urban and suburban communities with transit 

connections from Boston Harbor to the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton. The Project includes three 

(3) segments. Two existing sections of the Neponset River Greenway Corridor will be lengthened and 

improved, a new middle section will be added to “fill the gap” and leverage the existing investments 

that have been made throughout the Greenway Corridor at the federal, state and local level. 

The DCR and MassDOT are seeking a total $12,222,031 in TIGER IV funding out of a total project 

cost of $16,821,031. More that 27% of the state and local matching funds of $4,599,000 will come 

from five (5) separate sources: 

Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (project co-applicant) - $3,052,000 

Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) (project lead applicant) - $591,500 

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) – $377,500 

National Grid (major gas utility company) - $378,000 

Stop and Shop Supermarket Company - $200,000 

Thank you for your support and consideration of this project. 

Sincerely, 

Edward M. Lambert, Jr. 

Commissioner 

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS · EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS 

Department of Conservation and Recreation 

251 Causeway Street, Suite 600 

Boston MA 02114-2119 

617-626-1250 617-626-1351 Fax 

www.mass.gov/dcr 

Figure 21: DCR Letter 

Deval L. Patrick 

Governor 

Timothy P. Murray 

Lt. Governor 


29 

http://www.env.state.ma.us/Neponset_River_Greenway_Corridor/home.htm 

Richard K. Sullivan Jr., Secretary 

Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs 

Edward M. Lambert Jr., Commissioner 

Department of Conservation & Recreation

Figure 22: MassDOT Federal Wage Certification Letter 


30 


Neponset River Greenway Corridor 

Completion Project TIGER Applicationv 

For more information and images visit:

Neponset River Greenway Corridor Completion Project TIGER

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