UPDATE: The MBTA’s Better Bus Project held a virtual meeting November 2 at 6PM to present its Revised Bus Network (see Flyer for more details). A recording of the meeting will be posted on the event page.
The MBTA has released a revised bus map — as well as an interactive map that enables panning, zooming, and detailed route information — incorporating changes in response to community input. These changes, if approved by the MBTA board in December, will be implemented over the next few years. They include new routing, restoring existing routes, addition or subtraction of proposed routes, route extensions, and modifications to route schedules in order to:
- Respond to public feedback received on the draft bus network proposal.
- Improve access to hospitals, senior centers, and other destinations.
- Reduce walk distances for seniors and other riders and in locations with challenging topography.
- Preserve existing one-seat rides to many destinations.
- Balance resources and stay within the limit of buses available during peak times, and within the overall service limit of 25% more service above the existing network.
Among all the changes from the previously proposed map are these changes for routes in Newton:
- Route 52 (VA Hospital West Roxbury to Watertown Yard via Newton Center) is changed to weekday service only.
- Route 53 starts at Market Place Drive instead of Waltham Center and goes to Woodland/Newton-Wellesley Hospital instead of Riverside. (Transfer to new Route 56 for Waltham Center.)
- New Route 56 goes from Market Place Drive to Watertown Square via Waltham Center, Waltham Street, and Crafts Street.
- New Route 58 goes from Market Place Drive to Watertown via Waltham and West Newton.
- Route 59 between Walnut Street and Watertown Street runs along Washington Street and Adams Street instead of Walnut Street.
- Route 60 (Newton Common to Kenmore via Brookline Village and Longwood Medical Area) ends at Chestnut Hill Mall instead of continuing to Newton Centre.
- Route 61 ends at Market Place Drive in Waltham, not continuing into Newton. (Newton service is somewhat replaced by the new Route 56.)
- Express Route 505 extends along Lexington Street, Commonwealth Avenue, and Washington Street instead of River Street and Elm Street.
The MBTA invites comments via this Comment Form and comments/questions by email to BetterBusProject@mbta.com. You may also sign up to receive updates.
