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Transportation

Call to Action on Potential MBTA Service Cuts

The LWVN Board of Directors is joining with other civic organizations  to sign on to Transitisessential.org, which is urging the MBTA to make the following commitments:

  1. Make no permanent or long-term decisions regarding service, especially potential cuts, before the legislature concludes its current session.
  2. Advance affordability for all transit riders.
  3. Ensure critical transformative capital investments, climate justice, and air quality improvements move forward in 2020 and 2021.
  4. Sustainably fund transit in the short-term and long-term.

Cuts to transit service could not be coming at a worse time, and the damage caused by service reductions could take years to reverse.

We encourage you to contact members of our state delegation using the link above.  Many voices are needed for this important effort to save public transportation.

Comment on Changes to MBTA Bus Routes

This notice came from the Newton-Needham Regional Chamber.

The MBTA is considering a number of changes to bus routes system-wide, including to routes connecting Newton, Needham, Watertown and Dedham.

Some of the T’s Better Bus plan will be seen as beneficial but others could represent a significant loss of service for some. We urge you to review the links below and provide input by March 13 to these proposals before any decisions are finalized.

  • Among the changes that would impact both Newton – as well as Needham – is a reworking of the No. 59 bus route, which travels from Watertown across Newton and on to Needham Junction. This proposal would double the bus frequency on Needham Street but also eliminate the Eliot Street/Lincoln Street part of the route.
  • Another big change would impact riders who take the No. 52 bus from Watertown to Wells Ave, the JCC or the Newton Community Farm because it would eliminate stops on Winchester St. and Nahanton St. as it travels between Watertown and Dedham.
  • The T is also proposing a shorter route for the No. 60 bus from Kenmore Square, which would remove a stop at the Chestnut Hill Mall and terminate at Chestnut Hill Square, instead of Langley Road.
  • Finally, service of 501-504 buses will be changed, resulting in the loss of frequency and mid-day and weekend service. In addition, passengers boarding or exiting at Newton Corner, would be required to navigate the challenging walk over the Mass Pike Bridge because of a plan to eliminate stops on both sides of the circle.

The MBTA is accepting feedback until March 13, 2019 here. 

Participate in the planning for Washington Street this week

This information is courtesy of Marcia Johnson & Tamara Bliss, Hello Washington Street Community Connectors

Below is a list of events  in which you are encouraged  to actively participate:

  • First and very important, please complete the Washington Street Survey. 
  • Second please participate in the following key events, see attached postcard for full details,:
  1. The “Kick-off”  session  – June 5th at NNHS from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
  2. Key events at 1239 Washington Street in West Newton:
    • Drop into the “Pop up Workspace” to see how the design work is progressing. From 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 pm from June 7th  to June 12th. This is an opportunity for each of us to add our own thoughts and react to comments of others.
    • Participate in Critical Topic sessions:
      • Housing Diversity & Affordability – Thursday June 7th at 8:30 am
      • Walk, Bike, Ride, and Drive – Friday June 8th at 9:00 am
      • Understanding form-based codes & zoning – Saturday June 9th at 3:00 pm
  3. Lastly and very importantly join the Presentation & Conversation, Tuesday, June 12th  from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the former Aquinas College, 150 Jackson Road.  

Hello Washington Street (pdf)