BCAT News

Burlington town officials are urging residents to contact the MBTA in regards to proposed route changes the transportation authority is proposing as part of a system-wide redesign of its bus network. 

The MBTA is calling the program the Bus Network Redesign which is part of the broader $8 billion Better Bus Project and says the new proposed routes, based on surveys and studies it has conducted, are designed to keep up with the times and offer the best service.

“Greater Boston has changed significantly in recent years, with shifting demographics, emerging employment districts, increasing traffic congestion, and changing travel patterns,” it says on its website. “The Bus Network Redesign completely reimagines the MBTA’s bus network to reflect these changes and create a better experience for current and future bus riders.”

According to the MTBA, the route redesign will provide commuters with 25 percent more bus service and 70 percent more weekend service. It also states 275,000 more residents would be near high-frequency service (buses running every 15 minutes or better, 5 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days a week) and that 115,000 residents of color and 40,000 low-income households would gain access to high-frequency service. 

However, the changes will impact different places in unique ways and the MBTA is seeking feedback from riders who will be impacted. For example in Burlington the proposed route changes include removing Bus 354 and making alterations to the route of Bus 350. It also includes adding a route of Bus 94 to cover parts of town along Middlesex Turnpike. Click Here to view the regional route proposals. 

The MBTA is holding a series of online public meetings to provide information about the changes and solicit feedback from residents. There is one scheduled for June 28 about the Burlington and area routes. Click Here to see the list of upcoming events and how to register. 

There is also an online survey residents can fill out by answering questions about their bus riding routines and needs for service. Click Here to fill it out. The MBTA said it will collect feedback through the summer and start to finalize the new routes in the fall. The changes are expected to be implemented starting in spring of 2023 but some won’t be in effect until as late as 2028. 

During a discussion of the route changes at Monday night’s Select Board meeting, board members and other town officials said they think it would be good if Burlington residents shared their thoughts of the proposed routes with the MBTA. 

“I think what’s most important about this is that these are proposals right now and there is an opportunity for residents to provide feedback,” Town Administrator Paul Sagarino said. “They are being contemplated so I’d urge residents to take a look at these routes and provide feedback.” 

Board Chair Nick Priest said he thought the approach the MBTA is taking by basing the new routes on data and gathering input from riders was a good one. 

“It’s nice to see they’re at least taking their time and not just throwing something together,” he said. “They are truly trying to rethink the network as it exists and what it could truly be. That at least inspires hope.”

Click Here for the MBTA’s Bus Network Redesign’s main webpage.