With growing attention to reducing carbon-based emissions caused by the nation’s transportation system, there is impetus across the board to transition to electric-powered vehicles. Transit is no exception. Increasing the use of electric vehicles for transit contributes greatly to the goal of reducing carbon emissions because transit, in moving greater numbers of people per vehicle, provides more carbon-efficient transportation than personal automobiles. In addition, unlike diesel, hybrid diesel, and compressed natural gas buses, electric transit vehicles produce no point-of-service tailpipe emissions, thereby improving the air quality in neighborhoods that transit serves. Green Line streetcars for the proposed Hyde Square extension are electric and will promote neighborhood air quality. Extending high capacity, high frequency, clean urban electric transit is also an effective way of meeting national climate action goals.

Our proposal to extend Green Line service to Hyde Square will utilize a “complete streets” design. According to the Complete Streets Coalition, “Complete Streets are streets that work for all users, not just those using a car.” Designing a “complete street,” therefore, means that the entire roadway is viewed and built as a multi-modal avenue that provides travelers with a variety of transportation choices that are safe and convenient regardless of travel mode. Such new visioning of urban streets requires, for example, sidewalks of ample width, clearly marked bicycle lanes or separated bicycle tracks, and segregated bus and streetcar lanes. In keeping with this road sharing concept, the U.S. Department of Transportation encourages cities to adopt complete streets policies that change the way transportation decisions are made and streets are designed. Visit the Complete Streets Coalition athttp://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets.

Our proposed Green Line extension to Hyde Square will serve an Environmental Justice (EJ) neighborhood. In designing and constructing transportation projects, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requires cities and states to promote Environmental Justice. EJ seeks “to avoid, minimize, or mitigate disproportionately high and adverse human health and environmental effects, including social and economic effects, on minority populations and low-income populations; to ensure the full and fair participation by all potentially affected communities in the transportation decision-making process; [and] to prevent the denial of, reduction in, or significant delay in the receipt of benefits by minority and low-income populations.” For example, transit agencies applying for federal grants to fund transit projects are required by DOT to assess a project’s impact on the health and environment of low income and minority populations. This assessment focuses on impacts during the planning, construction, and ultimate operation of the transit project. For more on EJ, visit DOT at:https://www.transportation.gov/transportation-policy/environmental-justice.