The need for more transportation options to accommodate the growing number of South Boston residents and workers became clear at a meeting of the area’s stakeholders earlier this month. In response to that need, the city of Boston, Massachusetts Port Authority, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority and A Better City are jointly working on the development of a transportation plan to service the expanding needs of the South Boston waterfront area.

While some measures to more efficiently move these commuters and residents and to reduce congestion during peak periods have been implemented, longer-term strategies – including ways to increase transit capacity – are essential to the future of the Innovation District.

Expansion of the water transportation network is key. In 2012, the Boston Redevelopment Authority received a $1.28 million federal grant for the purchase of ferries to link South Boston and East Boston, with service scheduled to begin in 2015. For the 1,300 Vertex Pharmaceuticals employees now at the Fan Pier, and for existing residents and those soon to be living at the Portside waterfront project in East Boston, the new service will be a welcome alternative to existing, heavily-used commuter options.

With the development of the West End area by North Station, water transportation linking the North Station and South Station areas will be much in demand. Next year, residences will open at Lovejoy Wharf, joining hundreds of other new residential units that have come on line in the past three years. The relocation of Converse’s corporate headquarters from North Andover to Lovejoy Wharf will add 400 new employees to the area in 2015, with thousands more living and working in The Boston Garden project by the end of the decade.

Even casino proponents understand the importance of water transportation for their guests and patrons. Wynn Everett, if approved for a gaming license, is proposing a robust water transportation system, with specially designed boats to get under bridges during high tide. While its Revere site is not directly on the water, Mohegan Sun Massachusetts has indicated that water transportation is an important element of the region’s transportation network and is looking at ways to provide a combined water ferry/bus shuttle option for guests if granted a gaming license.

Two advocacy organizations, The Boston Harbor Association and the Boston Harbor Island Alliance, are working together to develop a longer-term water transportation plan for residents, workers, and visitors to the Boston Harbor Islands.

Improving What We’ve Got

Water transportation should be treated like other transit options. The MBTA is proposing fare increases effective on July 1, 2014. Proposed fare increases for ferries are among the highest. They should be more consistent with other transit modes. While the average fare increase is 5 percent, the proposed fare increase on the Inner Harbor Ferry is 8.3 percent, with a proposed 7.1 percent increase for a monthly ferry pass.

Since its last fare increase in 2012, the MBTA noted that countdown clocks alerting passengers to the arrival time of the next train have been installed on the Red, Orange, and Blue lines, and such clocks will be installed at major bus stations by the summer. The MBTA should begin a similar program for major water transportation hubs this summer.

Another problem is that users of water transportation cannot get routes or schedules from a single website. The MBTA site only lists its subsidized water transit routes, with no links or information on water transportation to the harbor islands or other destinations, or connections to water taxis. A more unified water transportation website needs to be developed. Likewise, better signage, both seasonal and permanent, should be installed at docks and in key locations.

As part of the commonwealth’s Chapter 91 licensing process, waterfront developers are often required to help subsidize water transportation. As more and more waterfront projects secure certificates of occupancy, additional funds will become available. These funds should be distributed in a timely and strategic fashion to support expanded water transportation service.

The renaissance of Boston’s waterfront will be further enhanced with a robust water transportation system in our region. Working together, we can make this a reality in the not-too-distant future. 

Vivien Li is president of The Boston Harbor Association, www.tbha.org. Email: vli@tbha.org