Key MBTA Bus Routes

[TheBostonian]

I've been giving some thought to the MBTA bus system, possibly in anticipation of a GIS project, and put this on my little website.

http://_________.googlepages.com/keymbtabusroutes

I've heard it mentioned that the MBTA has considered adding a handful of key bus routes to its subway map. In a sense it has done this by adding the Silver Line Washington route to the map, though that is planned to be connected via an exclusive tunnel to the already partially underground Silver Line Waterfront service. It might be time for the MBTA to revisit this idea as one element of a broader plan to promote bus ridership. The recent fare increase and restructuring did away with the subway-only pass, forcing commuters to purchase a subway and bus LinkPass. And subway to bus transfers are now free. The MBTA has a number or routes that run at least every twenty minutes or more frequently even off-peak.


1 - Harvard - Dudley
15 - Kane Sq./Fields Corner - Ruggles
22 - Ashmont - Ruggles
23 - Ashmont - Ruggles
28 - Mattapan - Ruggles
31 - Mattapan - Forest Hills
32 - Wolcott/Cleary - Forest Hills
39 - Forest Hills - Back Bay
43 - Ruggles - Park & Tremont
57 - Watertown - Kenmore
66 - Harvard - Dudley
70 - Cedarwood/Waltham - Central
71 - Watertown - Harvard
73 - Waverly - Harvard
77 - Arlington - Harvard
111 - Broadway/Woodlawn - Haymarket


There are also places where two or more less frequent lines converge, so that a commuter can take one of several lines to get to a particular destination. Examples include the 131/136/137 trio through Main Street Melrose, the eight routes through Dudley, Roxbury Crossing and Ruggles, nine routes between Roslindale and Forest Hills, four or more routes between Alewife and Park Circle, among several other converging lines. The MBTA should changle their nomenclature so that converging routes share the same number. For example, routes 71 and 73 could be just 71 with branches A and B. In the case of the routes through Melrose, there would be one line, say 131, with branches A, B and C. A simplified schedule could then be published that shows the higher frequency of service where the three lines converge, which is through most of Melrose. Then a commuter traveling from many points in Melrose could look at one schedule, rather than the three that apply using the current system. It would be much like the Silver Line Waterfront, with SL1, SL2 and SL3, and the Green Line with its four branches.

The MBTA bus system is underrated and underutilized. The recent elimination of subway-only passes and the introduction of free subway to bus transfers brings the system to a crossroads in which this asset could be exploited by rail and automobile riders who for whatever reason avoid hopping on a bus.

 

[Arlington]

The MBTA has updated its Key Bus Routes project page for May 2013.

So how is it going out there in the field? Have you seen any of the construction (combining stops, making stops physically longer and better marked to easy in/out, shelters, seats)?


I revived this thread pre-dates the 2009 Stimulus spending that funded the studies needed to make the project "go". The MBTA Page hadn't been updated since late 2012. It can be found at:

http://www.mbta.com/keybusroutes

The 15 Key Bus Routes to be improved as part of this Program are: Routes 1, 15, 22, 23, 28, 32, 39, 57, 66, 71, 73, 77, 111, 116, and 117.

So how is it going out there in the field?

 

[Arlington]

Here the MBTA's project map of today's designated key bus routes:

 

[Ron Newman]

I would consider the Roslindale-Forest Hills part of Washington Street a "key" bus route segment even though it is shared by 6 or 7 separately numbered bus routes.

 

[Matthew]

I noticed that page had been "updated" but I haven't seen jack squat on the 57 or 66.

 

[Arlington]

I would consider the Roslindale-Forest Hills part of Washington Street a "key" bus route segment even though it is shared by 6 or 7 separately numbered bus routes.

They have clearly made some simplifying assumptions in setting up the key bus program--like requiring that it be a single route--in order to simplify both the analysis and the marketing (these were also lines they want(ed) to put on Rapid Transit maps)

 

[underground]

Sullivan Square to both Union and up through Somerville are also multi-route corridors that sort of act as de facto key routes. I guess the issue is, you want to direct people to it, but how do you label it? I guess there's probably also some politics involved since some of those routes could probably stand some consolidation, but no one wants to give up the stop in front of their home.

I've also not seen anything on the 57. I've definitely noticed a few runs dropped here and there and random "A" runs added.

 

[HenryAlan]

I would consider the Roslindale-Forest Hills part of Washington Street a "key" bus route segment even though it is shared by 6 or 7 separately numbered bus routes.

It's that distinction between route and line that New York's MTA understands so well, but the MBTA can't acknowledge.

 

[Ron Newman]

Sullivan Square to both Union and up through Somerville are also multi-route corridors that sort of act as de facto key routes.

No part of that has more than two concurrent bus routes. It is not comparable to the Forest Hills-Roslindale segment in passenger volume or sheer number of buses.

 

[underground]

Sure, it's not the exact same volume, but the headways are still comparable to the key bus routes. Only problem is return trip back to Sullivan where you have to do a little walking depending on which route is coming first.

 

[cozzyd]

No part of that has more than two concurrent bus routes. It is not comparable to the Forest Hills-Roslindale segment in passenger volume or sheer number of buses.

I think he means the 91/86/CT2 concurrency between Union and Sullivan?

 

[Ron Newman]

CT2 runs only weekday daytime. 91 and 86 are not nearly as frequent as the whole list of buses that run Rozzie-Forest Hills. Maybe they should be, but they aren't right now.

 

[underground]

The degree of difference between Forest Hills and Sullivan is besides the point. Both of them operate around the Key Route frequency, and if the point of the key bus routes is to make people think, "wait a minute, I never realized the bus was so convenient over there," wouldn't it be worthwhile to figure out a way to include they and similar routes in the key route map?

 

[elemenoh]

So how is it going out there in the field? Have you seen any of the construction (combining stops, making stops physically longer and better marked to easy in/out, shelters, seats)?
So how is it going out there in the field?

I've been riding the 39 a lot lately and have been looking forward to the reduction in stops that is supposed to be a product of this project. According to the Jamaica Plain Gazette:

Route 39 improvement project to begin
April 26, 2013
By Peter Shanley
The repeatedly delayed Route 39 bus improvement project is set to begin soon, according to MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo.

The project calls for several “bump-out” curb extensions, including at the Perkins Street, Roseway Street and Seaverns Avenue stops.

Pesaturo said in an email to the Gazette on April 11 that the project should start “within 30 days or so.” He said that the MBTA staff has worked closely with the Boston Transportation Department, so “no significant traffic impacts are anticipated.” The work is expected to be completed in September.

The project, which will also affect several other bus routes that use the same stops, has been postponed several times. The latest delay was when the MBTA pushed the start of construction from last winter to this spring.

The Route 39 bus is slated to undergo several changes, including the consolidation of some stops and improved amenities like new shelters and benches and “bump-out” curb extensions. The project is meant to speed service and improve accessibility.

We're past the "30 days or so" milestone, so I'm just hoping this gets done during the summer rather than delayed into the fall or next year.

 

[Arlington]

The degree of difference between Forest Hills and Sullivan is besides the point. Both of them operate around the Key Route frequency, and if the point of the key bus routes is to make people think, "wait a minute, I never realized the bus was so convenient over there," wouldn't it be worthwhile to figure out a way to include they and similar routes in the key route map?

Folks seem to be advocating for a Key Streets or Key Corridor program--a great idea, but not what Key Bus is about.

Key Bus is "better" than Key Corridor because it has additional transit-mapping, newbie-helping, and way-finding advantages because the Bus and the Corridor are synonymous

Someone else said it well too: people's attachment to their little branches off their local Key Corridor has frustrated attempts to further concentrate and combine the buses on busy streets into a single, high-frequency service. There are a whole bunch of buses in the 80s, 90s, and 100s that should have been concentrated a long time ago to create bus services worth walking a few extra blocks to get to (the way people from Medford will walk to the 77 in Arlington!)

Want Key Bus treatment? Convince your neighbors on your Key Corridor to give up their lame buses and combine them into a Key Bus.

 

[BostonUrbEx]

I have yet to notice anything that looks new/changed on the 39 where I ride it. It would be great if they could remove one of the two stops at Brigham Circle Station. Ridiculous.

 

[jass]

Timeline:

In 2009/2010, the MBTA was awared SHOVEL READY stimulus money to improve the bus routes.

Goal: 2011.

Its now 2013 and the process to move signs (and thats all it is folks, moving signs) has STILL not been done.

The route 39 curb extension thing? That was a separate project: Implementation date of 2006.

And you folks thought Kenmore was bad...

 

[Arborway]

Other U.S. cities have built entire transit lines in the time it has taken for Boston to pour some sidewalks.

 

[Matthew]

Well this just showed up in my inbox:

Sorry for the delayed response. The good news is that we have contractors on board now and we expect construction on all 15 key bus routes to commence in June and be completed by September. We will be providing periodic updates on the MBTA website.

 

[Arlington]

^ THat would be really good....to get it all built this summer (is that an answer for all lines or just a line you asked about?)