Buses

MBTA Holding Virtual Meeting on Redesigning Bus Network

By |

Charlie BreitroseAn MBTA bus in Watertown. The MBTA announced it will host a meeting about its Better Bus Project, which will redesign its bus network. MBTA officials sent out the following announcement:

Virtual Public Meeting on June 8th  

We’d like to remind you of the Bus Network Redesign virtual public meeting on Tuesday, June 8 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

What will I learn at the meeting and how can I contribute?  

At this meeting, we will be presenting an overview of the Bus Network Redesign and what we have found so far.  Following a presentation, the team will be available to take feedback and answer questions.   

The meeting will be held online, via Zoom. To pre-register, please click this link:  https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIsd-mvqjIiGNw-dx6bbtLcxMYYNGKrLG0w  

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Upon joining you will be prompted to share your first name, last name, and email address.

Transportation

MBTA Extends Five-Day Pass, Proposes Change to Youth Pass

By |

An MBTA bus in Watertown. The MBTA today announced updates to current fare pilots that include an extension of the Five-day Flex Pass on mTicket as well as upcoming fare change proposals that include improvements to the Youth Pass and converting all Outer Express Bus Routes to Inner Express Bus fares. These changes help to improve reduced fare programs and simplify complex fares for both customers and operations. “We’re pleased to temporarily extend the availability of the Five-day Flex Pass, which has been a popular fare option for our Commuter Rail riders as travel patterns have adjusted and evolved during the pandemic,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “We’re also excited about our upcoming fare proposals that make improvements to the Youth Pass and Express Bus Route fares.

Buses

Bus Service on Multiple MBTA Routes in Watertown to be Decreased

By |

An MBTA bus in Watertown. Several bus routes serving Watertown will see service decreased by the MBTA beginning on March 14. Among the routes affected by the service reduction are the 71 and 73 buses. The 70 and 57 buses will see increases at some times of day and decreases at other times. The Red, Green and Orange subway lines will also see significant reduction in frequency.

Government

MBTA Proposed Service Changes Could Impact Some Watertown Routes

By |

An MBTA bus in Watertown. With ridership significantly down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MBTA has proposed a series of changes to the system, including altering and consolidating bus routes, and reducing hours of service on subways and the Commuter Rail. The plan has been dubbed Forging Ahead by the MBTA. The T will host a series of online meetings where the changes will be discussed from mid-November to early December. The MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board will vote on the changes on Dec.

Around Town

Many Watertown Bus Routes Will See Service Changes in Fall

By |

The 71 bus will have increased service beginning Aug. 30. It is one of several MTBA routes serving Watertown that will see changes. Several bus routes serving Watertown will see changes in service beginning August 30, including increased service on the 70 and 71 buses. Other routes begin operating on a limited schedule, or route, one will have increased weekend service and one will continue to be suspended.

Transportation

Bus Schedule Changes Topic of Upcoming Online MBTA Meetings

By |

Buses 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 MBTA provided the following information:

The MBTA will host virtual meetings on Sunday, August 12, and Monday, August 13, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to present details on fall bus schedule details and changes. The virtual meeting on August 12 will be in Spanish and the virtual meeting on August 13 will be in English. These virtual meetings will be held on GoToWebinar, a video conferencing platform.

Around Town

Sen. Brownsberger Surveying Residents About COVID-19 and the MBTA

By |

State Sen. Will Brownsberger

State Sen. Will Brownsberger’s latest survey seeks to find out how the COVID-19 outbreak has impacted how people work and if they are using public transportation. Brownsberger, who represents Watertown Belmont and parts of Boston, posted the survey on his website on Tuesday evening. Questions include what people’s work situations are (working from home, going into work, unemployed), what people did before the outbreak and their plans for when the state reopens. Also, how much people are using the MBTA now, previously, and plans in the future. There are also questions about Massachusetts’ response to the Coronavirus and how financially secure people are feeling.

Transportation

MBTA Closing Green Line from Lechmere for One Year, Replacing with Buses

By |

The following announcement was provided by MassDOT:

Today the MBTA reminded customers that Green Line service between Lechmere and North Stations is replaced with shuttle buses every day beginning at the start of service on Sunday, May 24, for approximately one year to accomplish work as part of the Green Line Extension project (GLX) and the Green Line Transformation Program (GLT): the closure, relocation, and complete replacement of Lechmere Station and work to demolish, relocate, and reconstruct sections of the Lechmere Viaduct. During the Green Line diversion, GLX crews will remove the existing Lechmere Station, reconstructing a brand new Lechmere in a new location in Cambridge. The GLX team has also closely collaborated with the GLT team to close and replace the existing Lechmere Viaduct, which carries Green Line trains from Lechmere across the Charles River and into Downtown Boston. When complete, upgrades made to the Lechmere Viaduct will allow more trains to pass over the bridge, serving the new Lechmere Station and six new Green Line stations in Somerville and Medford constructed as part of GLX. Starting May 24, shuttle bus service will replace Green Line trains between Lechmere and North Stations every day, including weekdays and weekends.