Around Town

Meetings Planned on Proposed Changes to MBTA’s 57 Bus Route

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The following information about the MBTA’s 57 bus, which runs out of Watertown Yard and goes down Galen Street toward Newton, Brighton, Allston, and ends up in Kenmore Square, was provided by the City of Watertown:

The City of Boston Transportation Department is working with the MBTA to plan improvements to the Route 57 bus corridor and will hold public engagement events this summer to collect community feedback, before implementing changes in 2023 or 2024. The Route 57 Transit Priority Corridor project will improve the Route 57 corridor in Brighton and Allston to reduce transit delay, enhance safety, and improve accessibility for those who live, work, and travel throughout the corridor. Improvements could include new bus lanes, changes to bus stops, or changes to how traffic operates at intersections. 

In the coming weeks, the project team will conduct outreach to raise awareness of the project and share initial design concepts. We will be tabling at community events, bus stops, and other locations leading up to the following two larger events:

August 2, 2023 In-Person Open House

Wednesday, August 2 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Jackson Mann Community Center, 500 Cambridge St, Allston, MA 02134.  

At this open house, City of Boston and MBTA staff will be available to answer questions about the project and listen to your feedback.

Around Town

T Offers Marathon Monday Pass, Info on Race Day Service

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The MBTA announced service information and a special Commuter Rail fare for the day of the 2023 Boston Marathon. To find the best Marathon viewing location on the T, customers are encouraged to visit the MBTA’s Boston Marathon Guide at mbta.com/Marathon, which highlights MBTA stations closest to the Marathon route and includes helpful information on purchasing fares, parking, and more. $15 Commuter Rail Marathon Pass:

On April 17, the MBTA will offer a special $15 Marathon Pass valid for all-day, unlimited travel on all Commuter Rail lines through all zones. This special $15 Marathon Pass is available for purchase beginning April 10 through April 17 on the mTicket app and from ticket offices at North, South, and Back Bay Stations. The $15 Marathon Pass is also available aboard trains via cash or credit card on April 17 only.

Around Town

MBTA Holding Meeting on Bus Network Redesign, Breakout for Watertown Area

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Charlie BreitroseAn MBTA 71 bus. The following information was provided by the MBTA:

Due to overwhelming interest in the November 2 Bus Network Redesign meeting, we will be holding a subsequent meeting to accommodate those who were not able to attend. The additional public meeting will be Monday, November 14 at 6:00 PM. 

We encourage attendees to view the November 2 recordings in advance of the meeting as the breakout room presentations will be shortened to allow for more time for questions. You can view the main presentation here. Breakout room recordings are also available for the following regions:

Breakout 1: Beverly, Chelsea, Danvers, East Boston, Everett, Lynn, Lynnfield, Malden, Marblehead, Melrose, Nahant, Peabody, Reading, Revere, Salem, Saugus, Stoneham, Swampscott, Wakefield, Winthrop

Breakout 2: Arlington, Bedford, Burlington, Cambridge, Lexington, Medford, Somerville, Winchester, Woburn

Breakout 3: Boston, Brookline

Breakout 4: Belmont, Needham, Newton, Waltham, Watertown

Breakout 5: Avon, Braintree, Brockton, Canton, Dedham, Hingham, Holbrook, Hull, Milton, Norwood, Quincy, Randolph, Walpole, Westwood, Weymouth

The meeting will be held online, via Zoom.

Around Town

MBTA’s Releases Revised Bus Network, Holding Public Meeting This Week

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Charlie BreitroseA 71 bus run by the MBTA. The following information was provided by MassDOT:

The Bus Network Redesign project has released a Revised Bus Network map. The map can be found on the project website. In May 2022, the Bus Network Redesign project released a Draft Bus Network Map and sought public feedback. Over the spring and summer, we received over 20,000 comments on the Draft Bus Network Map.

70 Bus

Some MBTA Buses Running Less Often Starting Aug. 28, Long Term Planning Survey

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Charlie BreitroseBuses in Watertown including the 71 bus will run less frequently starting the fall of 2022. Changes to the MBTA schedule and service will begin on Aug. 28, and some routes in Watertown will be impacted. Three bus routes in Watertown — the 70, 71, and 73 buses — will run less often. The changes will impact the 70 (which runs from Waltham to Central Square/University Park in Cambridge via Main Street and Arsenal Street) on weekdays.

Complete Streets

City, MBTA Work Together to Make Crosswalk Improvements on Main Street

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A crossing on a busy stretch of Main Street in Watertown will be improved after the City of Watertown entered an agreement with the MBTA to share responsibility for the project. Improvements will be be made in the area of Main Street and Whites Avenue (near the corner of Salstonstall Park), including making bus stop more accessible, upgrading the crosswalk with sidewalk bump outs, and rectangular flashing beacons, said Acting Deputy City Manager Steve Magoon. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, which the City Council approved at its July 12 meeting, the MBTA will fund and perform the design of the project. The City will fund and perform the construction, Magoon said. Public Works Superintendent Greg St.

Around Town

MBTA Hosting In-Person & Virtual Meeting on Bus System Redesign

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Charlie BreitroseBuses like this one on the 71 bus will get priority heading toward Harvard Square on Mt. Auburn Street in the new Cambridge-Watertown Bus Priority Pilot program. The following information was provided by MassDOT:

Bus Network Redesign’s proposed bus network map is now available for your review at MBTA.com/BNRD. This proposal for bus service will create a more equitable network with more frequent service, better connections, and more all-day service every day. You can view the full proposal here.