All Things Travel: Massport Considers Raising Parking Rates At Logan Airport
BOSTON (CBS) - Logan Airport has a good thing going. There are too many travelers using the airport garages which are filled to over capacity this month.
The result is that Massport, which runs the airport, is considering raising parking rates by $2 or $3 a day starting July 1 of this year and adding another increase in 2016.
Massport was quick to point out that the one-hour rate of $6 would not be raised in the near future. Drivers coming to the airport to meet arriving passengers use that rate.
The increase in the garages close to the terminals could be increased to a maximum of $30 a day and $23 a day, if a $3 increase is voted by the Massport Board. A hearing will be held on April 14 at the Logan Office Center for people wanting to speak. Written comments can be sent to communications@massport.com.
Logan Airport parking charges would still be below those charges at other major airports across the country. Massport is also about to begin a $30 million new garage at the Logan Express in Framingham. Its free Silver Line service from the airport to South Station continues to gain passenger traffic.
At today's Massport Board Meeting, the directors approved spending $2,510,000 over two years to start a new express shuttle from downtown Boston to Logan while the MBTA station at Government Center is closed for modernization. That station will close on Saturday and is a major connection from the Green Line to the Blue Line.
The start-up date for the new service has not been finalized, but it will not begin before the Boston Marathon takes place on April 21.
The new shuttle will cost $5 for non-stop buses to Logan. It will leave from two stops for passengers at the Hynes Convention Center and the Boston Public Library and will stop at every terminal at Logan Airport. MBTA pass holders will ride for free.
The service is expected to take less than 30 minutes in non-rush hour periods. Buses will roll starting at 5 a.m. in the Back Bay throughout the day till 9 p.m.
40 percent of passengers using Logan Airport go by bus and other public transportation including taxi or scheduled van. The Boston airport ranks number one among U.S. airports for high occupancy vehicle use coming to the airport.
Bob Weiss reports on business travel on Mondays at 5:55 a.m. on WBZ NewsRadio 1030.
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