Arlington Selects Final Bus Priority Pilot Design

ARLINGTON, MA – The Arlington Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) and our consultant, VHB, have finalized the bus priority pilot design following a presentation and vote at the Select Board’s September 12 meeting. DPCD will host a drop-in community open house on October 3, 2018, at the Fox Library located at 175 Massachusetts Avenue from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The pilot team will be on hand to answer questions, and an arts and craft activity will be provided for children.

The final design was developed in coordination with our partners: the City of Cambridge, the
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), and the Massachusetts Department of
Conservation and Recreation (DCR), with support from ITDP and Stantec and financial support from the
Barr Foundation.

Beginning on October 9, 2018, the bus priority pilot will occur on Massachusetts Avenue from Lake
Street to Alewife Brook Parkway for MBTA routes 77, 79, and 350. The pilot will only occur between 6:00
AM and 9:00 AM on weekday mornings in the eastbound direction.

The pilot area was divided into three sections: Massachusetts Avenue at Lake Street, Massachusetts
Avenue from Lake Street to Alewife Brook Parkway, and Massachusetts Avenue at Alewife Brook
Parkway. The pilot details include a relocated bus stop moving from the Capitol Theatre block to the far-
side of the intersection in front of Christo’s, a dedicated bus lane utilizing the parking lane on
Massachusetts Avenue from Varnum Street to Alewife Brook Parkway, and an exception for buses to use
the right turn lane at Alewife Brook Parkway to cross the intersection into Cambridge.

For additional information about the Arlington Bus Priority Pilot, please contact Ali Carter, Economic
Development Coordinator, at 781-316-3095 or acarter@town.arlington.ma.us , or visit
www.arlingtonma.gov.

Submitted by town of Arlington; Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch