Shuttle buses used during February T shutdowns doubled the time it took to get from Alewife to Harvard during rush hour compared with the subway.

A half-fare program for lower-income riders on the struggling MBTA could roll out this spring and summer if approved in a vote set for the end of this month.

The MBTA is preparing to launch its long-delayed, billion-dollar fare collection system – and with it, a crew of “fare engagement officials” who will check whether subway and bus riders have paid their fares and cite those who have not.

A fifth MBTA red line train shutdown for Cambridge and Somerville has been scheduled for 2024 – the second coming in February – and officials are doing everything they can to keep commuters from putting more private cars on the road when they can’t take their usual mass transit.

There was supposed to be a fleet of new MBTA red line cars by now. But as the company charged with making those cars continues to fall behind in production, Massachusetts’ transit agency looks to extend the life of its already-30-year-old cars by another 15 years.

The MBTA red line in Cambridge and Somerville will see shutdowns four times in 2024 from February to December, the longest lasting for 15 days.

Three changes to housing in Somerville were passed by the City Council last month, including two that could add to the number of available homes.

Public meetings this week look at the outcome of a street-cleaning test and proposed changes to Cambridge Street and Massachusetts Avenue, ways to get gas cars off city streets and a proposed rooftop garden for the high school.

When we need to get from Point A to Point B by subway, streetcar or bus, there’s only one option, and it’s not pretty. What’s to be done with the MBTA?

More than 60 percent of Somerville land would be put under MBTA Communities zoning that cuts affordable-housing construction requirements in half.