Today, Newton loses two bus routes: 505 and 52. They’re marked as suspended, but when the MBTA suspends service, it rarely comes back.
Citing low-ridership and revenue shortfalls during the pandemic, the MBTA announced cuts for a long list of services last year. Most cuts are schedule changes that are likely to be revisited as we come out of the pandemic, but effective today, 20 low-ridership bus routes, including two in Newton, are eliminated. Route 505 served the Washington Street corridor where transit-oriented development has already begun. Route 52 ran by many institutions including the Caroll Center, UMass and several other schools, and provided connections to transit in Watertown, Newton Corner and Newton Centre for areas with no other public transit options. With the economy in recovery, the region coming out of the pandemic, and climate change increasing, we should have more public transit, not less.
Savings from all service cuts are reported to save $21 million. Since the cuts were announced, Federal pandemic assistance has started to funnel well over a billion dollars to the MBTA. The MBTA is putting most of those funds in the bank. This is wrong on so many levels. Local officials, including Mayor Fuller, have spoken out passionately against the service cuts. It’s time for our leaders to call this move out for the dirty trick it was. The MBTA has been eager to make these cuts in Newton for years, and they took advantage of the pandemic to do it.
North of the pike gets screwed over again… no surprises there
If you say TRANSIT oriented development enough times, you can fool yourself in believing its true.
@Bugek: First of all, those of us who live in the southernmost areas of Newton (Oak Hill, etc) were also screwed by the loss of the 52. Don’t forget about us!
Second, these cuts have absolutely nothing to do with transit oriented development. They have to do with a Republican governor who refuses to even take a single ride on public transit and is wholeheartedly committed to cutting service in a way that would make 1940s and 1950s car company owners proud (See the General Motors streetcar conspiracy – links below).
The problem isn’t ‘transit oriented developments’ The problem is that the governor has done little to expand, maintain, or improve public transit during his tenure.
http://www.vox.com/2015/5/7/8562007/streetcar-history-demise
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_streetcar_conspiracy
Ben,
If the commuter rail had a reasonable schedule then all would be forgiven…
Its been this way for decades so its not a republican/Democrat issue. The one constant is MBTA
I do agree that whomever is governor should put the hammer down on MBTA to do its job “provide access to public transportation to reduce car usage”
If you frame this as a republican vs democratic issue it will never be solved
Even if MA get a giant infrastructure stimulus check i’m not convinced we would see any NEW SERVICE. The existing service would just suck less
Bugek-
Good point – in recent decades, both the Rs and Ds in the MA state government have been on a scale from “relatively” to “utterly” useless in boosting funding for the MBTA or for improving the service! We are certainly in agreement there. Here’s hoping that we at least get to the point where the existing service starts sucking less 🙂
Ben, I have to take issue with your claims, Charlie has at least occasionally taken the Blue Line* and he is going to be on record as the governor who actually got the Green Line Extension done, and in the process rolling back a lot of the pork that had accumulated in the project. (I lived in Somerville for many years and watched this project spin it’s wheels under various governors)
As a former express bus regular, I am concerned he doesn’t understand the impact that would have on north sidewalk. But just wanted to give credit where credit is due.
* https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/09/02/metro/it-really-is-charlie-mbta/
Impact on north siders, I meant to write.
i used to take the 52 alot as a teenager with no car
Im surprised because the 505 used to have a lot of riders and I used to take the 52 often as a teenager to go from Newton Corner to Newton Center.
The State has also postponed improvements to the Newtonville Commuter Rail in its 2021 Capital Investment Plan.
And, at the same time, released a Clean Energy and Climate Plan that says the transportation sector is the largest source of GHG emissions, the only source that is growing, and unless we reduce vehicles miles traveled, will not improve.
The CECP’s plan to reduce transportation emissions – Smart Growth. Go figure.
I wonder if the state will fund more of the capital improvements now that it is getting money via the stimulus. I’m hoping someone will make the case for the Worcester line.
Used to ride the 52 pretty regularly. I met quite a few people over the years for whom the route was an integral part of their daily commute to/from work. Really wonder what they’re supposed to do now.
Don’t forget the 52 bus is how many students get to Oak Hill MS and NSHS. That means tons of additional cars and traffic once school gets back to normal in the fall and a huge inconvenience for parents just when they’re trying to get back to “normal” workdays.