T to ramp up parking at 128, nowhere else
To its credit, the MBTA has scheduled extra runs next week on some trains and commuter boats south of Boston to help move folks during the Democratic National Convention at the FleetCenter. The additional services should help, since travel on Interstate 93 will be restricted during the four-day event beginning Monday, with I-93's arteries also expected to be clogged.
But, what if you decide to take the T and can't find parking at the terminal? That's the scenario some commuters say they don't want to face next week.
Phyllis of Westwood, who regularly parks in the garage at the Route 128 station, said she asked a T employee at the payment counter last week whether the fourth level of the facility would be open to automobiles during the DNC and was firmly told no.
''Can you please verify if this is indeed the case?" asked Phyllis. ''The garage is already almost two-thirds full on a regular commuting day. If they don't open up the fourth level, you can bet the garage will be totally full by 6 a.m., and any extra MBTA train service will be basically useless. I expect a parking nightmare at South Shore commuter rail stops during the DNC. The garage at 128 is about the largest on the South Shore, and lots of people who normally drive into Boston will utilize it."
There's good news and not-so-good news, Phyllis.
Initially, an MBTA spokesman said that, under an agreement with towns around the Route 128 station, the roof-level parking area of the garage cannot be opened until the state completes a new ramp from Route 128 to Interstate 95.
Spokesman Joe Pesaturo quickly did a 180, saying: ''The roof-level parking area of the Route 128 garage will be opened during the week of the DNC if the rest of the garage is full."
That's the good news. Unfortunately, it looks like parking availability will remain the same at other area terminals or be tighter due to increased demand when Beantown plays host to thousands of Democratic delegates, politicians, and media types in the first national political convention to take place since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. (Hence the security measures, forcing the travel restrictions.)
No doubt some commuters will be tempted to leave their vehicles in the street or in the parking lots of nearby establishments. At Quincy Adams on the Red Line, for example, we've seen people slinking into the subway station after leaving their car outside the
But beware: We would not be surprised if some exasperated business owners decide to call for the tow truck.
ROAD WORRIER -- If you must drive, remember that the 6 miles of I-93 (aka, the Southeast Expressway) closest to the FleetCenter will be shut down from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. each day of the convention.
During those same hours, northbound traffic from the Braintree split to the Frontage Road/Mass. Pike exit in Boston will be limited to two lanes; if bottlenecks develop at the final exits, the State Police may force vehicles to leave the highway farther from Boston.
Which brings us to MassRIDES, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's new ''travel options program" that last week invited state residents to call its 1-888-4COMMUTE number for information on ''alternative travel modes" during the convention.
''We offer bilingual customer service, our toll-free number offers round-the-clock services in English and Spanish," wrote Jennifer Walsh Carroll, a spokeswoman for the service funded by the state Highway Department and Federal Highway Administration. ''We offer assistance with establishing a carpool or vanpool through our rideshare database system, as well as information on transit options, bicycling and walking, flextime hours, and teleworking."
We can't vouch for MassRIDES's services, but we can point you to www.commute.com.
EXTRA! EXTRA! -- To provide additional service and carrying capacity for area commuters during the convention, the MBTA has made several schedule changes for next Monday through Thursday. The following information was good effective last week; for updates, go to www.mbta.com or to www.boston04.com. Information is also aplenty at the Globe's website, www.boston.com.
Attleboro/Stoughton: #811, the 2:15 p.m. departure from Boston for South Attleboro, will extend service to Providence, arriving at approximately 3:23 p.m.
#818, the scheduled 3:25 p.m. departure from South Attleboro, will originate from Providence, departing at 3:33 p.m. and arrive in Boston approximately 25 minutes late.
#813, the 3:45 p.m. departure from Boston to Providence, will make a station stop at Route 128 at approximately 4:06 p.m. to discharge passengers.
#977, the 3:55 p.m. departure from Boston to Canton Center, will be extended to Stoughton, arriving at 4:34 p.m.
#978, the 4:40 p.m. scheduled departure from Canton Center, will operate approximately 15 minutes late from Canton Center to Boston.
Route 128 shuttles: Depart South Station at 12:50 p.m., Back Bay at 12:55 p.m., arrive at Route 128 at 1:10 p.m.
Depart South Station at 1:50 p.m., Back Bay at 1:55 p.m., arrive at Route 128 at 2:10 p.m.
Depart South Station at 2:50 p.m., Back Bay at 2:55 p.m., arrive at Route 128 at 3:10 p.m.
Franklin: One additional train to
Middleborough/Lakeville: Extra service to Middleborough/Lakeville will be provided via a 3:15 p.m. train departing Braintree. Passengers wishing to connect to this train from South Station or JFK UMass will board train #067 (2:45 p.m. departure from Boston), or take the Red Line and change at Braintree to the Middleborough/Lakeville train.
Kingston: Extra service to Kingston will be provided via train #067, the 2:45 p.m. departure from Boston to Plymouth. This train will make a stop at Kingston, and will arrive in Plymouth 20 minutes late.
Commuter boats (effective next Monday through Friday):
Scheduled departure and arrival times for route F1 from Hingham Shipyard to Boston (Rowes Wharf) will remain unchanged. One additional vessel will depart at 2:30 p.m. from Boston (Rowes Wharf) to the Hingham Shipyard.
Scheduled departure and arrival times for routes F2 and F2H will remain unchanged. One additional vessel will depart at 2:40 p.m. from Boston (Long Wharf) to Hull.
Starts & Stops/South runs every other Thursday. Your feedback and questions on transportation topics -- from road to rail, planes to pedestrians -- are welcome. Contact us at starts@globe.com or at Starts & Stops, 1165 Washington St., Hanover, MA 02339. Please tell us your first name and hometown.
