MBTA Announces Proposed Route Changes for the Better Bus Project, Schedules Open Houses, and Announces Comment Period
Posted on January 28, 2019
The MBTA has shared 47 cost-neutral proposals to update and modernize 63 existing bus routes. These proposals lay the foundation for a bus network with more frequent, reliable service that provides better connectivity in Greater Boston. The Better Bus Project marks the beginning of a long-range planning effort by the MBTA.
In the near term, these proposals, along with the release of a State of the System Report, Market Analysis Report, and Route Profiles that describe each MBTA bus route in detail, will inform a series of new schedules and bus routes that may be implemented as early as fall of 2019. These documents can all be found on the project website at mbta.com/betterbus. In addition, the MBTA will begin discussing a multi-year investment strategy with our board to determine how the Authority should invest in bus service in the future.
Taken together, this package of cost-neutral proposals lays the foundation for a bus network with more frequent, reliable service that provides better connectivity in Greater Boston. If they take effect as proposed, we estimate that there will be:
- At least 30,000 – 45,000 weekday bus riders positively affected by these proposals
- 14,000 weekday bus riders will have a faster trip
- 32,500 weekday bus riders affected by these proposals will have a shorter wait time
- A small subset of riders will be inconvenienced by these proposals
- 786 weekday bus riders (only 0.2%) will be further than ½ mile from bus or other MBTA transit service
- 3,000 weekday bus riders who didn’t transfer before will now have to
The proposals can be found at mbta.com/betterbus. They include a description of each proposed change by route number, a map of the change, and the data supporting the change along with the trade-offs.
Better Bus Project Open Houses
The Better Bus Project includes an extensive public engagement plan to get feedback on these proposals, including hosting a series of Open Houses over the next several weeks, starting at Boston City Hall Plaza and different bus stations around the region.
Bus riders can stop by any time during our Open Houses to talk to MBTA staff.
| Location | Date | Time | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Boston City Hall Plaza | Date | Thursday, January 31 | Time | 12 PM – 2 PM |
| Location | Wonderland Station | Date | Tuesday, February 5 | Time | 4 PM – 6 PM |
| Location | Haymarket Station | Date | Wednesday, February 6 | Time | 1 PM – 3 PM |
| Location | Ashmont Station | Date | Wednesday, February 13 | Time | 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM |
| Location | Sullivan Square Station | Date | Tuesday, February 19 | Time | 8 AM – 10 AM |
| Location | Forest Hills Station | Date | Wednesday, February 27 | Time | 3 PM – 5 PM |
| Location | Malden Center Station | Date | Monday, March 4 | Time | 4 PM – 6 PM |
MBTA Community Meetings
The Better Bus Project team will also be at upcoming MBTA Community Meetings.
At these meetings, attendees can learn about and offer feedback on the Better Bus Project and Automated Fare Collection 2.0. At the same meetings, attendees can also learn about and share their views about the proposed fare increase.
The list of meetings is below:
| Location | Bus Hub | Date | Time | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building | Bus Hub | Dudley Square | Date | Monday, February 4 | Time | 6 PM – 8 PM |
| Location | North Shore Community College | Bus Hub | Lynn Central Square | Date | Thursday, February 7 | Time | 6 PM – 8 PM |
| Location | Watertown Free Public Library | Bus Hub | Watertown Square | Date | Tuesday, February 12 | Time | 6 PM – 8 PM |
| Location | Thomas Crane Public Library | Bus Hub | Quincy Center | Date | Wednesday, February 20 | Time | 6 PM – 8 PM |
| Location | Cambridge Rindge & Latin School | Bus Hub | Harvard Square | Date | Tuesday, February 26 | Time | 6 PM – 8 PM |
| Location | State Transportation Building | Bus Hub | Downtown Boston | Date | Thursday, March 7 | Time | 6 PM – 8 PM |
Feedback
The MBTA also invites bus riders and other interested parties to share their feedback online, through the feedback form (mbta.com/BBPfeedback). The form is available in 8 languages.
The comment period will close on March 13, 2019.
More Information
Media Contact Information
For all queries and comments, please contact: