Transportation

MBTA Starting Better Bus Project to Improve Existing Bus Network

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The MBTA announced the launch of the Better Bus Project, a program focused on making improvements to the existing bus network through operational changes, targeted capital investments, and stakeholder partnerships. Throughout 2018 and 2019, the Better Bus team will identify improvements in bus service that would have a positive impact on nearly 450,000 people in 50 communities who rely on MBTA bus service every weekday. In early 2017, the MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board adopted a set of standards and goals for bus-service delivery. The MBTA collected riders’ comments and feedback for over two years, which were integrated into the policy. With the policy in place, the Better Bus Project is focused on closing the gap between current service delivery and the adopted policy standards.

Government

MBTA Officials Discuss Ways to Improve the 70 Bus, Other Transporation

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The MBTA may change to bus routes in Watertown, adding new routes and improving all routes by making changes to fare collection, but all these moves will take some time. Wednesday night representatives from the MBTA and other transportation officials spoke to the Town Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Transportation. They also went into some options that had not previously been discussed in Watertown. The focus of the meeting was on the 70/70A bus, which runs through Watertown on Main Street and Arsenal Street and goes from Waltham to Cambridge. The route is one of the longest in the MBTA system, said Melissa Dullea, director of Planning and Schedules for the MTBA.

Arsenal Street Corridor

Town Council Supports Projects in MassDOT’s Plan, Asks for Additions

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation included a couple of projects in Watertown in its draft 2018-22 Capital Improvement Plan, which the Town Council supported in a letter to state officials. They also asked for a few more. 

During the report about the Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Transportation during the March 14 Town Council meeting, Councilor Aaron Dushku said the MassDOT plan includes improvements to the Watertown Square Transportation hub and creating a multi-use path through the center of Watertown. He noted that these projects made the proposed funded list, but were not actually requested by the Town or local legislators. The Watertown Square improvements include redesigning the Watertown Delta and improving signage on Galen Street. “While it was unclear how this project (Project ID 1972) got on the list, it was agreed by most in attendance that the combination of new developments on Arsenal and Pleasant Streets plus the cut-through traffic from I-90 all warranted more investment in this bottleneck area and our letter should mention it,” Dushku said.

Transportation

The MBTA May Be Privatizing Some Watertown Bus Routes

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MBTA officials have proposed to privatize some of the T’s express buses and the less-used suburban bus routes – including several in Watertown. The proposal calls for privatizing 32 routes, and removing 93 buses and their drivers, according to a report by the State House News Service run by WBUR. The routes on the privatization list fall into three categories – low ridership, express and late-night service. The routes in Watertown that would be impacted, and category are:

52 (Watertown to Dedham) – low ridership
7oA (Waltham to Cambridge) – low ridership
502 (Watertown to Copley Square) – express bus
504 (Watertown to Downtown Boston) – express bus
57 (Watertown to Kenmore Square) – late night service

Joe Levendusky, chairman of the Watertown Public Transit Task Force said he worries about the loss of quality and of middle class jobs if the MBTA privatizes the routes, in a story in on Wicked Local Watertown (click here to read more). The bus routes with fewer passengers have a net subsidy of $3.51 per ride and the routes cost $8.9 million annually while they bring in only $1.9 million in revenue annually, according to the MBTA.

Around Town

MBTA Severely Cuts Service Monday Night & Tuesday

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The MBTA announced Monday that public transportation in and around Boston will be suspended starting Monday night and continue through Tuesday.All trolley, subway and commuter rail service will stop at 7 p.m. Monday so that snow and ice can be removed from tracks, reported Boston.com. Bus service available, but routes operating on narrow streets and hills may be operating on “snow routes.” Check the MBTA site for more information and updates – http://www.mbta.com/winter/

Government

MBTA Officials Looking For Ways to Improve Watertown Transit

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With crowded buses in Watertown and new developments the MBTA is looking for ways to improve public transportation. Mass. Department of Transportation and MBTA officials discussed possible ways to improve public transportation in town at a meeting held in December a the Arsenal Center for the Arts. Around a dozen bus routes serve Watertown, but the most heavily used ones are the 57 from Watertown to Kenmore Square (more than 12,000 riders a day), the 70/70A along Main and Arsenal streets (7,357 a day), the 73 down Belmont Street to Harvard Square (6,424), and the 71 down Mt. Auburn Street to Harvard Square (5,548).

Government

Town Council Will Prod MBTA About Transportation Improvements

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The Town Council wants to make sure that the MBTA has not forgotten about the transportation problems and needs in Watertown. 

In May, transportation advocates and elected officials invited MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott to town. She came to tour the town and speak with residents about the problems with the 71 and 73 buses, as well as other services – such as the 70 and 57 buses. (Read about her visit here). She talked about ways to make improvements in the short and long term. Along with improvements to the heavily used routes to Harvard Square – the 71 and 73 buses – a group of elected officials, business owners and advocate groups requested a study of improvements to the 70/70A line that operates along Arsenal Street – an area expected to have multiple new large development projects.

Government

See Highlights from the MBTA GM’s Visit to Watertown

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Beverley Scott, the general manager of the MBTA, got the full Watertown experience this week when she toured the town and spoke with residents and the Town Council. Residents had plenty to say – some complaints and some requests – for Scott. The head of the T rode the 71 bus into town. Then Town Councilor Aaron Dushku picked her up and along with State Rep. Jonathan Hecht and resident Joe Levendusky, they visited Arsenal Street. The group tried to get over to the other booming area – Pleasant Street – but traffic and time did not allow, Dushku said.