Next summer, travelers heading to Boston Logan International Airport from MetroWest will be able to skip those long airport security lines, thanks to the installation of a temporary "remote terminal" at the Logan Express station in Framingham.
The Massachusetts Port Authority, which operates Logan Airport, plans to run a pilot program, from June to August 2026, that would allow travelers to go through security in Framingham before taking a bus to the airport, the agency told the Daily News.
The remote terminal would be inside a temporary building that will be placed in a parking lot at 19 Flutie Pass, officials said. The Framingham Planning Board on Thursday, Sept. 18, unanimously approved the structure, which will primarily be built off-site.
The temporary building will be removed at the conclusion of the pilot program, Amy Korte, president of Arrowstreet, a Boston architecture and design firm, said during the Sept. 18 Planning Board meeting.
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"This lot was picked because of its smaller size, making it well suited for the three-month pilot program," said Liz Yusem, project manager at MassPort, during the meeting. According to Korte, it's not yet known where a permanent location would be built once the pilot program is complete.
"It truly will be an exciting program for the City of Framingham to participate in," Yusem said. "There's a lot of stakeholder engagement at many levels within MassPort and everybody is very excited to try to make this happen."
Buses will undergo security sweeps
When travelers enter the Framingham remote terminal next summer, they will find a small lounge, ticket counters and baggage check before proceeding to the TSA checkpoint. Their luggage will be screened, and they will go through security just as they would at the airport. Afterward, passengers will wait in a post-security lounge until their bus arrives.
Before passengers board, buses will undergo security sweeps, then enter the sally port area, Korte said during the meeting. Once the bus arrives at Logan, passengers will be dropped off at one of two airside locations in Terminals A and C, MassPort told the Daily News.
Because it's a pilot program, passengers must buy tickets specifically for this service so as to limit the number of people testing the remote terminal. Riders will be surveyed after using the service and be asked to share feedback on how the program could be improved before becoming permanent.
"People will know that they will have this as their service package when they buy a ticket for the Logan Express," Korte said. "That is the current thinking, (although) that may change."
Framingham officials optimistic about the program
District 7 City Councillor Leora Mallach thinks the remote terminal will make traveling to and from Logan significantly easier. She told the Daily News there are early discussions about developing the surrounding area to offer more amenities to benefit travelers using the Logan Express.
"There is a hope for more commercial space, hopefully some residences, adding some green space and community space to the area," Mallach said. "It will be interesting to see whether it (the remote terminal) increases usage."
Mallach pointed to the ongoing Logan Express expansion to add 1,000 parking spaces to the garage as evidence of its strong demand, and said the remote terminal will build on that.
Sarkis Sarkisian, Framingham's director of planning and development, said he hopes the program will continue to increase use of Logan Express.
"I think this is going to be successful," he said during the Planning Board meeting. "I think you can see there is already 20% increase with the Logan Express."
"As a regular user of Logan Express, I think this is a great idea," added Planning Board member Joseph Norton.