Shuttle on Charles Explored

As the planned depression of the Central Artery brings the threat of in creased gridlock to Boston, area authorities are seeking new commuter passageways--and may have found one in the Charles River.

The Metropolitan District Commission is exploring a proposal for a commuter shuttle that would run along the Charles from Watertown to downtown Boston, Commissioner M. Ilyas Bhatti said yesterday.

The proposed shuttle could stop at the Cambridgeside Galleria and travel through the locks to Boston's financial center, converging at several points with MBTA trains.

But logistical difficulties could prevent the proposed water taxi from materializing. One concern, Bhatti said is that the river itself is already too congested with crew shells from Harvard and other area schools.

Morning and afternoon rush hour periods are already high-traffic times on the river, said Robert Zimmerman, executive director of the Charles River Watershed Association. Because crew practices are scheduled not to conflict with mid-day college classes, he said,"you've got a lot of crews out training" from suchschools as Harvard, Boston University,Northeastern University and Boston College,

But Zimmerman said that boat buildup is "not aninsurmountable problem." All in all, he said theproposal is "not a bad idea."

The idea of a water shuttle has been informallydiscussed by those in the commission for sometime, Bhatti said. The concept gained recent mediaand public attention this summer when two Newtonleaders--Alderperson Robert E. Gerst and civicactivist Terry O'Hallerin--proposed it to thecommission.

Gerst said Newton leaders first developed theconcept of a water bus a year and a half ago, whenthe Newton Corner Neighborhood Association soughtways to curb street congestion.

The boat, Gerst said, would help alleviate themammoth traffic that clogs Newton Centre. Thatarea, he said, "is a kind of a regional hubwithout any spokes."

Gerst said he is seeking an entrepreneur whowill be willing to engage in a "public-privatepartnership" for river transport. He hopes toutilize the tax advantages offered for providingnonpollutive transportation.

Bhatti said the commission still has toconsider safety concerns and logistical issuessuch as the heights of area bridges and congestionon the river. In addition, he said, he wants toensure that the proposed water shuttle has aminimal environmental impact on the river.

"We don't want to push the river back into itsposition of utter pollution and neglect," he said.

Still, Zimmerman said the boat would affect theenvironment positively, with few drawbacks. "Anytime you can get people out of single occupancyvehicles...you've just done something good for theenvironment," he said.

Whether the boat would be more efficient forcommuters, Zimmerman said, is another story. Thespeed limit on the Charles is currently six milesper hour, he said. At the pace, it would take atlest an hour to traverse the proposed route. "Youcan almost walk from Watertown to Cambridge orBoston in that time," Zimmerman said.

But Gerst said there are may be ways to bypassthe speed limit, which was designed to decreasethe size of boats' wakes.

A shallow-bottomedtourist boat, he said, produces a small wake athigh speeds, and carries 80 to 100 people.

Cold winter weather, which frequently freezesthe Charles' surface, might also impede a watershuttle. But Zimmerman said a bubbler apparatus,such as those used on upstate New York's LakeChamplain, would keep the water open.

The impending construction for the CentralArtery/Tunnel project, Gerst said, provided theimpetus to consider plans for a water shuttle now.

"We feel that the Central Artery project kindof behooves all of us in the city to develop otherways of getting around," he said.

Bhatti said he would like to hold a publicmeeting to consider the pros and cons of a watertaxi

But Zimmerman said that boat buildup is "not aninsurmountable problem." All in all, he said theproposal is "not a bad idea."

The idea of a water shuttle has been informallydiscussed by those in the commission for sometime, Bhatti said. The concept gained recent mediaand public attention this summer when two Newtonleaders--Alderperson Robert E. Gerst and civicactivist Terry O'Hallerin--proposed it to thecommission.

Gerst said Newton leaders first developed theconcept of a water bus a year and a half ago, whenthe Newton Corner Neighborhood Association soughtways to curb street congestion.

The boat, Gerst said, would help alleviate themammoth traffic that clogs Newton Centre. Thatarea, he said, "is a kind of a regional hubwithout any spokes."

Gerst said he is seeking an entrepreneur whowill be willing to engage in a "public-privatepartnership" for river transport. He hopes toutilize the tax advantages offered for providingnonpollutive transportation.

Bhatti said the commission still has toconsider safety concerns and logistical issuessuch as the heights of area bridges and congestionon the river. In addition, he said, he wants toensure that the proposed water shuttle has aminimal environmental impact on the river.

"We don't want to push the river back into itsposition of utter pollution and neglect," he said.

Still, Zimmerman said the boat would affect theenvironment positively, with few drawbacks. "Anytime you can get people out of single occupancyvehicles...you've just done something good for theenvironment," he said.

Whether the boat would be more efficient forcommuters, Zimmerman said, is another story. Thespeed limit on the Charles is currently six milesper hour, he said. At the pace, it would take atlest an hour to traverse the proposed route. "Youcan almost walk from Watertown to Cambridge orBoston in that time," Zimmerman said.

But Gerst said there are may be ways to bypassthe speed limit, which was designed to decreasethe size of boats' wakes.

A shallow-bottomedtourist boat, he said, produces a small wake athigh speeds, and carries 80 to 100 people.

Cold winter weather, which frequently freezesthe Charles' surface, might also impede a watershuttle. But Zimmerman said a bubbler apparatus,such as those used on upstate New York's LakeChamplain, would keep the water open.

The impending construction for the CentralArtery/Tunnel project, Gerst said, provided theimpetus to consider plans for a water shuttle now.

"We feel that the Central Artery project kindof behooves all of us in the city to develop otherways of getting around," he said.

Bhatti said he would like to hold a publicmeeting to consider the pros and cons of a watertaxi