A Transit Disappointment

MassDOT has formally revealed its intention to delay construction of the new West Station in Allston, frustrating hopes for the rapid introduction of additional commuting options from congested Allston, Brighton and Brookline and further lowering expectations for transformational new urban rail service.

Dedicating Asphalt to Bus Lanes

The MBTA’s recent call to create more dedicated bus lanes reflects a fundamental reality: in many congested road segments, a large share of the people are hidden away in buses, many of them standing. Where the data prove high bus ridership, it is common sense to shift road resources towards the buses.

Public Meetings: Allston I-90 Interchange Project

From MassDOT: As many of you are aware, MassDOT’s project team for the I-90 Allston Interchange Improvement Project has been working  to assemble the project’s Draft Environmental Impact Report or DEIR.  The DEIR will be filed at the end of November and will be officially noticed in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs’ …

Mount Auburn Street Corridor Public Meeting: Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017

From DCR:  The Department of Conservation and Recreation invites you to attend a public meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 13, 2017, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the Russell Youth Community Center, located at 680 Huron Avenue, Cambridge, to present and obtain comments on a preliminary design for a short-term alternative (primarily focused at the …

Making buses move through traffic faster

The MBTA has working for several years on “transit signal priority”, which utilizes GPS technology to help buses and surface light rail improve reliability and reduce delays. Now that the system is being tested, I’m hopeful that its rollout can include crowded bus routes in my district, particularly the 71 (Watertown) and 73 (Waverley) buses.