About A Better City

A Better City (ABC) is a nonprofit membership organization that provides the business and institutional leadership essential for ensuring progress and tangible results on transportation, land development, and public realm infrastructure investments that are vital to sustaining and improving the Boston area’s economy and quality of life.  

Building upon our successful work on the Central Artery/Tunnel (CA/T) Project, also known as the "Big Dig" - the largest and most technically challenging infrastructure project ever undertaken in the United States – ABC continues to work with private and public partners to advance the design, funding, and operation of a variety of transportation, land development, and public realm projects and issues. 

The ABC Board of Directors is comprised of leaders from over 100 major businesses and institutions in greater Boston and represents a broad range of industries, including financial services, real estate, legal services, construction, higher education, cultural institutions, life sciences, hospitality, utilities, and more.  The Board has an established history of civic engagement and is actively engaged in the work and issues that comprise ABC’s mission.

 

Our current priorities

Central Artery/Tunnel Project – With project contracts coming to an official close in December 2007, A Better City will continue to work with the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, Executive Office of Transportation, City of Boston and other partners to ensure the successful closure of any remaining elements of the Central Artery / Tunnel project, as well as the Stem-to-Stern safety review of the tunnels.

Rose Kennedy Greenway – A Better City partners with the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy and the City of Boston to help this important open space resource develop into the most beautiful and active park space in the world.

 

Urban Ring - The Urban Ring is a circumferential transit system that would support economic development and growth for key sectors of our economy, allow a more efficient use of our radial transit and commuter rail lines, and reduce congestion in the central subway system. 

Silver Line Phase III – Silver Line Phase III is the final segment of the seven-mile route from Dudley Square to South Boston. Upon completion, Phase III will reduce existing and anticipated traffic congestion, realize significant savings in travel time, and enable growth and mobility.

 

Crossroads Initiative -  An initiative of Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the Crossroads Initiative is a 7-10 year public realm project with the objective of making streetscape improvements to 12 public streets in downtown Boston.  This project is critical to realizing the full vision and potential of the Big Dig and the Rose Kennedy Greenway, and A Better City serves as the City of Boston’s non-profit partner.

 

Transportation finance and governance – ABC is an active member of the Transportation Investment Coalition, a group of environmental, planning, transportation, community, labor, industry and other business organizations committed to identifying and supporting solutions to help close the $15-19 billion transportation funding gap in the Commonwealth.

 

Life Sciences and economic stimulus – Our Connecting with our Economic Future: A Transportation Investment Strategy for the Life Sciences Cluster report examines the role of transportation infrastructure in creating stronger and better connections among the institutions and businesses in the life sciences sector, and includes a comprehensive set of transportation investment recommendations designed to maintain the Boston area’s competitive edge in the life sciences. 

 

Charles River Basin -  ABC supports the Executive Office of Transportation in the prioritization and coordination of several rehabilitation projects currently being studied in the Charles River Basin area, including the Storrow Drive Tunnel project.

 

South Boston Waterfront transportation and land development -  ABC works to shape transportation and land development opportunities that help realize the full economic development potential of the South Boston Waterfront by keeping members and other stakeholders engaged in efforts to improve transportation access.

 

Sustainability & Climate Change -  ABC is developing this initiative to educate and inform member businesses and institutions on and promote implementation of best practices in sustainability and climate change.

 

See our 2008 Work Plan for more details on any of these project priorities.

 

*Zakim Bridge photo by Caroline Crockett