Silver Line "Direct Connect" to South Station

                         
Transportation Secretary James A. Aloisi, Jr. and Mayor Thomas M. Menino today officially launched the addition of a new Silver Line route between Dudley Station and South Station to improve bus transportation service along the Silver Line Washington Street corridor.

The $1.7 million project funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act creates a new route, SL4, that will for the first time provide a direct connection between the Roxbury and South End neighborhoods and South Station, improving connections for residents and visitors to the Financial District, South Boston Waterfront, and Logan Airport. 

With cooperation from the City of Boston, the Executive Office of Transportation and the MBTA designed Silver Line Route SL4 in the direction of Downtown to serve the existing stops along the Washington street corridor, up to Chinatown Station.  Route SL4 then turns right onto Essex Street into a dedicated bus lane along Essex Street.  Outbound service will serve all stops from Tufts/New England Medical Center Station to Dudley Station. 

Visit the MBTA website for the SL4 schedule .  Learn more about Direct Connect.  More information after the jump.

Additional Direct Connect amenities include: new stone curbing and sidewalks with accessible ramps, and a state-of-the-art Mini Station at South Station complete with seating, new lights, heat, CharlieCard access, and trip countdowns to improve customers’ waiting experience. 

Silver Line Washington Street customers are now provided two options into downtown Boston where they can connect easily to their destinations, and other modes of the transit system.  The existing Silver Line service between Dudley Station and Downtown Crossing with stops at Temple Place and Boylston Street, has been renamed Route SL5.  Route SL5 frequency will not be reduced.  The recently added Route SL4 -  Dudley to South Station will operate every 10 minutes during the weekday morning and evening rush hour.  Daytime service on weekdays and weekends will operate every 15 minutes, and late evening service will operate every 20 minutes.  Note:  Silver Line Route SL4 does not make stops at Temple Place and Boylston Street. 

Silver Line ridership continues to grow with 29,670 boardings per weekday. There are 14,709 weekday boardings on Silver Line Route SL5 - Dudley to Temple Place.  There are 14,961 weekday boardings on Silver Line Waterfront Routes SL1 & SL2.