MBTA Proposes Changes to 66 Bus, But Lateness May Still be an Issue

The route 66 bus that runs through much of Brookline may not be riders' most beloved bus, but it is the second busiest route in the entire system. In an effort to make the infamously inconsistent route more efficient, MBTA officials fielded rider concerns and presented early plans to make over the bus route at a community meeting.

“It’s one of the most challenging routes in our system,” said Greg Strangeways, MBTA Senior Transportation Planner.

The 66 bus, which totes about 14,500 passengers each day, is one of 15 key bus routes that the MBTA plans to fix in the next two years. The bus runs from Harvard Square in Cambridge to Dudley Square in Roxbury, with service throughout Coolidge Corner and Brookline Village. Although the proposed changes may seem minor, the project serves as a chance for riders to speak out and suggest changes to the rerouting.

Work has already begun on some of the bus routes, but Brookline held a community meeting on Feb. 9 to open a forum after two cancellations due to weather. The plans for the 66 bus were supposed to start a month earlier.

Brian Kane of the Brookline Transportation Board said they have been communicating with the MBTA for about 15 months. They now have “preliminary recommendations.”

The MBTA’s goal in this project is to improve four flawed areas in the bus system: amenities, accessibility, reliability and timeliness.

Officials said the 66 bus runs every eight to 10 minutes, but meeting attendees said they often wait 20 to 30 minutes between busses.

The renovation would eliminate about ten stops, which officials said would speed up travel times on the route by 15 seconds per stop.

Several attendees argued that more should be done to improve timeliness, because the estimates show buses would only be more frequent by two minutes. But officials said improvements in accessibility could also mend time issues.

Other plans include making longer curbside spaces to accommodate parked buses, and eliminating obstructions in front of bus stops such as mailboxes, street lights, benches and mailboxes. Some bus stops will be moved to avoid these objects.

Bus stop signs will also be replaced with more attractive posts with arrival times and clearer labeling. The bus stops themselves will also become more rider-friendly, with additional shelters and benches.

Officials said fixes could improve the bus route's weekday on-time rate, which currently averages around 66 percent.

The project is funded entirely by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The MBTA plans to use $10 million in grants to fix their 15 busiest bus routes, including the 66 bus.

Officials could not say whether the construction of the new bus stops would cause delays.

The next community meeting to address concerns related to the 66 bus is on Feb. 28 at the town hall.