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Transportation

Membership Approves Consensus Study Committee on Zoning

Newton zoning map

At its Annual Meeting held on June 12, 2022, the membership approved the formation of a Consensus Study Committee to Update Zoning Positions.

More information about this study and the reasons for it are described below.  This will be an intensive study of local zoning, and membership interest in welcome and encouraged.  Anyone interested in participating in this committee should Contact Us.

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Transportation and Climate Initiative – May 20th at 4:00PM

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Join League members from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island for this special, tri-state League sponsored event to learn how we can all help reduce pollution that causes respiratory diseases such as asthma while investing equitably in modern, clean, regional transportation solutions.

When: Thursday, May 20th, 2021 from 4:00-5:00pm

RSVP at: tinyURL.com/lwv2021tci

Cosponsors: League of Women Voters of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, Transportation Team of LWV US Climate Interest Group, The Acadia Center, Ceres, Green Energy Consumer Alliance, and Transportation for Massachusetts

 

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.