MBTA Says Cuts To Subway, Bus To Take Effect Today

Arlington MA

14 March, 2021

5:09 PM

Description

Your Arlington Last Updated: 14 March 2021 Written by Boston.com After putting into effect the first of its planned cuts to commuter rail and ferry service because of the Covid-19 pandemic in January, the MBTA is moving forward with additional service reductions to its core system later this month. Boston.com reported that the agency announced Friday, March 5, that cuts to subway and bus service will take effect Sunday, March 14, as part of its plan to save money following the drastic drop in ridership during the pandemic. State officials, including Gov. Charlie Baker, have defended the unpopular and controversial cuts, which were scaled back slightly from the agency's original plan but take affect ahead of plans to reopen schools and further ease other Covid-19 restrictions. The MBTA recently received several million dollars in additional federal relief funds, but plans to use the vast majority of the money to cover capital investments and fill other budget holes created by the pandemic. T officials say they plan to bring back service as ridership increases and that the changes are intended to prioritize service for communities that most depend on public transit. Here's a look at the changes on March 14: Bus service changes: Suspended routes: 18 — recommended alternative service: Red Line 52 — recommended alternative service: Seek alternate service with the MBTA's trip planner 55 — recommended alternative service: Routes 8, 19, 60, 65, and/or the Green Line 68 — recommended alternative service: Routes 64, 69, or the Red Line 79 — recommended alternative service: Red Line and/or Route 77 212 — recommended alternative service: Route 217 service operates via Billings Rd 221 — recommended alternative service: Routes 220 or 222 465 — recommended alternative service: Seek alternate service with the MBTA's trip planner 710 — recommended alternative service: Routes 99, 100, 101, or 134 Consolidated routes: 24 — Extended to Ashmont, replaces Route 27 27 — Replaced by Route 24 at all stops and times of day 136 — Replaced by a modified Route 137 137 — Serves Oak Grove between 7-9 a.m. and 4-6:30 p.m. on weekdays, running in a one-way loop around Lake Quannapowitt. Serves Malden Center at all other times. 214/216 — Nearly all service on Routes 214 and 216 is combined to serve both Germantown and Hough's Neck. 217 — Operates via Billings Road only. Weekday schedule changes throughout the day. Routes with increased frequency: Route 236 will have more service throughout the day Routes with decreased frequency: 10 —Weekday frequency decreases throughout the day 11 — Weekday frequency decreases in the morning and afternoon 21 — Weekday frequency decreases in the midday 29 — Weekday frequency decreases throughout the day 31 — Weekday frequency decreases throughout the day 39 — Weekday frequency decreases in the midday and late evening 47 — Weekday frequency decreases in the peak. Short trips between Central Square and Longwood are suspended. 61 — Weekday frequency decreases in the morning and afternoon 71 — Weekday, Saturday, and Sunday frequency decreases throughout the day 73 — Weekday, Saturday, and Sunday frequency decreases throughout the day 77 — Weekday, Saturday, and Sunday frequency decreases throughout the day 89 —Weekday frequency decreases throughout the day 93 — Weekday frequency decreases throughout the day 96 — Weekday frequency decreases throughout the day 101 — Weekday frequency decreases throughout the day 112 — Weekday frequency decreases throughout the day 134 — Short trips between Playstead Road and Wellington only operate after 7:00 PM 220 — Weekday frequency decreases in the morning and afternoon 222 — Weekday frequency decreases in the morning, afternoon, and evening 225 — Short trips between Shaw Street and Quincy Center no longer operate 501 — Weekday frequency decreases in the morning, afternoon, and evening 504 — Weekday frequency decreases in the morning, afternoon, and evening Routes with periods of both increased frequency and decreased frequency: 1 — Weekday frequency increases in the midday and decreases in the morning, afternoon, and evening 16 — Weekday frequency increases between Andrew and Forest Hills and decreases between UMass and Andrew throughout the day 32 — Weekday frequency decreases throughout the day. All trips operate to/from Wolcott Square 57 — Weekday frequency increases in the afternoon and decreases throughout the rest of the day 70 — Weekday frequency increases in the midday and decreases in the morning and afternoon Subway service: No changes in the hours of operation or any elimination or consolidation of any subway routes. Around a 20 percent service reduction on the Red, Orange and Green Lines. Officials the cuts would equate to average waits of five-and-a-half minutes between trains on the Red Line during rush hour, eight-and-a-half minute rush hour headways on the Orange Line, and nine-and-a-half minute rush hour headways on the Green Line. Up to a 5-percent service reduction on the Blue Line, which has seen higher ridership than the other lines during the pandemic. More details on other bus service changes, including routes with hours reductions and trip changes, are on the MBTA's website. YourArlington.com has provided news and opinion about Arlington, Mass., since 2006. Publisher Bob Sprague is a former editor at The Boston Globe, Boston Herald and Arlington Advocate. Read more at https://www.yourarlington.com/about.