As mid-August progresses, Bostonians are preparing for cooler temperatures, dropping into the 50s over the next couple of nights. This shift in weather comes alongside notable developments in the transportation and sports scenes of the area.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is making strides in expanding its ferry operations. With a focus on repairing the train system in recent years, this expansion has been quietly taking place. Dave Perry, the director of ferry operations, emphasized the potential for growth within the ferry service. “There’s a lot of untapped potential,” he said, highlighting a recent $1 million state grant from Governor Maura Healey’s administration intended to support a new ferry route in Boston Harbor.
The ease of expanding ferry routes, according to Perry, stands in stark contrast to the lengthy and expensive process involved in extending subway lines. “We don’t need to lay down tracks or a whole signal system. It’s all here. We need docks and boats. So, it’s not nothing, but it can be done,” Perry explained.
Recently, the MBTA has solidified seasonal ferry pilots to East Boston and Lynn into permanent routes. It has also added four new ferries to its fleet, including its largest vessel to date. Additionally, service routes to Quincy and Winthrop have been separated, a change that has reportedly tripled ridership this summer.
In a response to growing demand, the MBTA announced plans to extend ferry service hours, with several ferries scheduled to run later on Friday and Saturday nights starting this Sunday. Perry also indicated a willingness to consider making more routes available year-round as ridership increases, despite the challenges posed by maintenance needs during the off-season.
Currently, the Hingham/Hull and Charlestown ferries are the only ones operating year-round, while East Boston, Lynn, Quincy, and Winthrop services pause for the winter. The MBTA and MassDOT are exploring the feasibility of adding new routes to destinations like Gloucester and Salem. Notably, there already exists a ferry service operated by Boston Harbor Cruises from Boston to Salem; however, it charges $49 for a round trip, whereas a T ferry round trip is between $5 and $20.
This study, expected to conclude by early next year, will play a critical role in determining future routes for the MBTA based on potential ridership and demand.
In an interesting historical tidbit, the Charlestown ferry was actually Boston’s first public transit line, predating the subway by several centuries. Colonists operated this public ferry across Boston Harbor in the 17th century, charging pence per person for the crossing.
Meanwhile, the weather may soon impact the area as Hurricane Erin is expected to generate large swells and create dangerous rip currents along the Massachusetts coast. The National Weather Service has warned that these conditions could start as early as Wednesday and last until Friday. NWS meteorologist Tory Dooley urged beachgoers to exercise caution and to swim at guarded beaches due to anticipated high rip risks, particularly at southern-facing beaches.
Hurricane Erin has intensified into a Category 4 storm overnight, having already impacted the Turks and Caicos, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico with strong winds and heavy rainfall. Updates on the storm’s projected path off the East Coast are available online.
In local sports news, Braintree’s Little League team has exited the Little League World Series, but not without making headlines and creating a sense of pride in their hometown. After a challenging start, Braintree secured an elimination game victory against a Texas team, marking the first win for a Massachusetts team in Williamsport since 2009.
In their following game, Braintree faced a close loss against a Washington state team, finishing 3-2, which ultimately knocked them out of the competition. Throughout their time in the tournament, local fans rallied at Braintree’s Southside Tavern to support their team. “This might be like the ’04 Sox the way the atmosphere was,” commented Sean Conroy, co-owner of the restaurant.
For those looking for a new team to support, Fairfield, Connecticut, remains active in the tournament as the only New England team still competing. They are out of the ‘Metro’ region and have yet to face defeat in the series.
image source from：wbur
