Starting April 21, the new Silver Line Gateway (SL-3) will begin service in Chelsea and East Boston, according to announcements from MassDOT and the MBTA. The service will connect Chelsea residents to Boston Logan Airport, the Seaport District, and South Station, with an anticipated 30-minute trip time between Mystic Mall Station and South Station.
“Silver Line 3-Chelsea relates well to the Baker-Polito Administration’s economic development goals,” Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack stated. “Silver Line 3-Chelsea is consistent with the notion that if the MBTA can offer an efficient, fully accessible, one-seat ride between key destinations then more people will use mass transit and the service will spur transit-oriented development.”
According to MBTA General Manager Luis Manuel Ramirez, the new line will streamline commutes for thousands traveling to and from Boston.
“The MBTA is excited to bring this new service to Chelsea, East Boston, and the surrounding communities,” Ramírez explained. “We believe the SL3-Chelsea will simplify the commutes of many of our customers in these neighborhoods.”
Chelsea’s City Manager Tom Ambrosino believes the service will enhance the city’s appeal to both current and prospective residents.
“The City is very excited about the opening of the new Silver Line,” Ambrosino noted. “It has been a long time in the making. We feel it will substantially improve transportation options for our residents and make Chelsea and even more desirable place to live and work.”
Maria Belen Power, representing GreenRoots—a Chelsea-based organization advocating for improved public transportation—views the Silver Line as beneficial for residents in a city with high transit dependence and no existing subway access.
“We are excited for service on the silver line to start in Chelsea, as it will provide another line of access from Chelsea to Boston,” Power stated. “As a community highly dependent on public transit with no subway stop, bus services, including bus rapid transit, are key for our community to thrive. While this is a great and necessary improvement in service, Chelsea still has the three busiest bus lines in the entire MBTA system. We will continue to hold the MBTA accountable to improve public transit in Chelsea for all of our residents.”
State Rep. RoseLee Vincent expressed hope that the Silver Line’s arrival will help alleviate bus congestion in the area.
“This new and expanded public transportation route will help to reduce overcrowding on MBTA buses that serve Chelsea, as well as provide residents of Chelsea an alternative and more direct route to subway routes and downtown Boston,” Vincent said.
Riders will pay $2.25 per trip using a CharlieCard, or $84.50 monthly for a Linkpass. Student and senior passes are available for $30, and children under 12 ride free.
Free transfers are available at:
- Blue Line at Airport Station.
- Red Line at South Station.
- Bus Rapid Transit lines SL-1 (Logan to South Station), SL-2 (South Boston Design Center to South Station), SL-4 (Dudley Square to South Station).
- Local Bus Routes 111, 112, 116 and 117.
MBTA officials expect that approximately 7,000 daily bus customers from Revere and Chelsea currently experiencing crowding on Routes 111, 112, 114, 116, and 117 will benefit significantly. The SL3-Chelsea will provide direct connections to the Blue Line at Airport Station and the Red Line at South Station, as well as access to the South Boston Waterfront, addressing a transportation gap for residents seeking employment in downtown areas.
Many commuters on these routes currently require multiple transfers to reach downtown destinations from Chelsea and East Boston. The SL3-Chelsea offers a direct alternative, eliminating this inefficiency and improving access to Seaport District jobs.
Each of the five affected routes will connect directly or nearby to new SL3-Chelsea stations, facilitating easy transfers. Route 111 connects at Bellingham Square Station, Route 112 stops approximately 50 yards from Bellingham Square Station, Route 114’s City Hall Avenue stop is three to five blocks from both Bellingham Square and Box District Stations, and Routes 116 and 117 connect at Box District Station.
The SL3-Chelsea will operate 60-foot, high-capacity buses through four new stations via dedicated bus-only lanes in Chelsea and the Coughlin Bypass in East Boston.
Service frequency will be approximately every 10 minutes, with travel time between Chelsea and South Stations estimated at 20 to 30 minutes.
This marks the first new MBTA service introduced since the Greenbush Commuter Rail Line launched in 2007. Construction began in March 2015 and involved building dedicated busways and four stations. The $49-million project was managed by MassDOT’s Highway Division and funded jointly by the MBTA (approximately $42.1 million) and MassDOT ($7.6 million).
MBTA officials will host two public meetings this month to present details about schedules, routes, and stops. Spanish language interpreters will be provided at both sessions.
- March 19, 2018
6:30 p.m.
East Boston High Auditorium
86 White Street, East Boston
- March 21, 2018
6:30 p.m.
Chelsea City Hall
500 Broadway, Chelsea