Over the coming years, many of the core bus routes through Cambridge and Somerville will see big changes, including new routes, schedules and stops. In just two weeks, the first of these changes will hit the streets, altering a couple high-use routes through both cities.
For residents and commuters, the changes ideally mean that buses are moving quicker and coming more often, cutting down on overall travel times.
The network redesign, part of the MBTA’s Better Bus Project, will roll out the first phase of changes Dec. 15, changing six bus routes. The start dates of future phases have yet to be announced, but the plans are available for the public to view.
One of the most substantial routes affected in Cambridge is the 86, which previously ran from Cleveland Circle in Brighton to Sullivan Square in Somerville. Now that route will be cut short, with the 86 ending at its midpoint in Harvard Square.
For travelers continuing on past Harvard, the 109 route will pick up where the 86 leaves off: The 109, which originates in Malden’s Linden Square, will extend past Sullivan Square and into Harvard via Union Square.
Critically, the 109 route will be among those considered “high-frequency” – that means the MBTA will try to get a bus through every 15 minutes or less during peak hours. During off-peak hours, wait times are expected decrease dramatically, to 20 minutes from 30 minutes on the 86, and to 15 minutes from 30 minutes on the 109. Similarly, the design will try to cut weekend wait times nearly in half.
So while the changes to the 86 and 109 will add a connection for some riders who didn’t require one, the MBTA is betting that increased frequency will still cut down on overall travel times, even with a transfer.
Somerville will lose one transit connection: bus 104, from Sullivan Square to Malden Center. The 104 will now provide an airport connection for Malden and Everett residents.
Changes further down
More than 100 routes throughout the MBTA’s system will be altered in future phases, with no set start date. A little over a dozen of these will affect Cambridge and Somerville.
Route 47, one the key river-crossing routes through Cambridge, currently connects Boston Medical Center and Central Square via Boston University. Under the MBTA’s current plans, the route would end at Ruggles, near Northeastern, and extend all the way up to Union Square in Somerville, while also improving its frequency.
Route 64, from Brighton’s Oak Square, will extend past Central to Kendall Square. Likewise, the T70 from Waltham will extend from Central to Kendall.
The new route 85 would connect Assembly Row to Ruggles via Union Square and Kendall, rather than connecting Spring Hill and Kendall. The new route 89 would end in Davis Square instead of Clarendon, while the new 90 would connect Clarendon to Assembly Row via Highland Avenue.
Several other bus lines will get frequency increases, small route changes or be eliminated due to duplicated service.
The entire redesigned map can be found on the MBTA’s website, though routes are still subject to change and most do not yet have a planned start date.
Community feedback
Over the past several weeks, the T has hosted information sessions on the redesign and tried to make public outreach efforts at key bus stops.
Mass Senior Action brought together members of the Cambridge and Somerville community for their own information session Nov. 25. The group was able to provide direct feedback to an MBTA representative in attendance.
Several state legislators also attended, including state Reps. Erika Uyterhoeven and Mike Connolly. Connolly started off the meeting by praising the MBTA’s removal of speed restrictions on the red line subway line and expressing hope about the Bus Network Redesign.
“The T really is starting to round the corner,” Connolly said.
Seniors in attendance also expressed optimism about pieces of the bus redesign, especially the planned extension of Route 47, but emphasized that it works only if the buses come on time.
“If they can adequately time them correctly, the 47 is going to be a great thing,” resident Trudi Goodman said.
Several seniors also bemoaned the lack of quality bus shelters at some stops, as wait times become more difficult when there’s nowhere to sit.
Likewise, one resident said the bus signs should be improved, especially given the changing routes, to increase clarity.
MBTA representative Olivia Mobayed said the agency is working to upgrade bus signs during the network redesign to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and double-sided.
The impending changes to the 86 and 109, in just two weeks, generated some negative feedback from several seniors who would soon need to make a bus transfer for a trip that was previously direct.
Mobayed said the T has thought a lot about this route, deciding ultimately that the transfer was a necessary tradeoff that would help improve frequency along both routes. Ideally, average travel times will be shorter regardless of the bus transfer.
Transportation advocacy group TransitMatters will watch this route in particular to see if the changes really improve frequency, executive director Jarred Johnson said.
Johnson shared a similar concern: “Bus service only works if the street isn’t overcrowded.” And while bus lanes can help, they’re harder to implement in dense traffic. Johnson said suburban bus service will need to improve in later phases of the network redesign for these changes to be effective.
This post was updated Dec. 3, 2024, to clarify that the 86 bus route will not be “high frequency.”
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Improved bus service benefits all, particularly seniors. Dedicated lanes ensure punctuality and efficiency, even in heavy traffic. This approach offers a very cost-effective transportation solution.