A lot of interesting info here and a host of interesting links at the end. Please think about registering your support for North-South rail connection! Ruth
From: Cambridge Community Development Department <etp@cambridgema.gov> Date: July 31, 2019 at 5:14:39 PM EDT To: rryals@comcast.net Subject: Transit Bulletin | August TAC meeting cancelled & transit news Reply-To: areker@cambridgema.gov
Cancelled: August Transit Advisory Committee August TAC meeting - Cancelled
The TAC and City staff have cancelled the August TAC meeting scheduled for August 7. We look forward to seeing you at TAC meetings in September and October. Upcoming TAC meetings
Transit Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public. We welcome comments from the public during two public comment periods at the beginning and end of every TAC meeting.
September 4, 2019 at 5:30 PM October 2, 2019 at 5:30 PM
Transit service updates Update! - More rush hour service on Red Line today, return to regular service on August 15 As a result of a Red Line derailment in early June, the MBTA is running fewer trains per hour than typical. On July 19, the MBTA stated that they are currently operating about 10 trains every hour, about a train every 6 minutes in Cambridge, with more service during the AM and PM peak hours. Prior to the derailment, the MBTA ran 14 Red Line trains per hour in peak hours, about a train every 4 to 5 minutes in Cambridge. The MBTA also stated that they expect the Red Line to return to regular service by Thursday, August 15. Harvard busway reconstruction - stop locations shifted & busway closures As of June 23rd, the MBTA has shutdown one level of the Harvard station busway for a reconstruction project. The reconstruction began with the upper level of the busway and will be followed by the lower level.
Bus riders on Routes 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 79, 86, and 96 should pay attention to changing bus stop locations throughout the project.
Routes 71 and 73 Riders on Routes 71 and 73 now board and exit passengers at temporary bus stops on Mount Auburn Street near Brattle Square. Buses do not travel into the busway or serve the Mass Ave at Waterhouse Street stop.
At the Waterhouse Street stop, passengers can board any route 72, 74, 75, 77, 78, or 96 bus to Harvard Square to the Eliot St stop then walk to Mount Auburn at Story St to connect to routes 71 or 73.
Routes 72, 74, 75, 72/75, 77, 78, and 96 Riders travelling away from Harvard Square on Massachusetts and Concord Avenues now board buses on the lower level of the Harvard busway tunnel.
Riders travelling to Harvard Square now exit buses at temporary bus stops on Brattle Street.
Route 86 Riders travelling toward Sullivan Square now board and exit buses on the lower level of the tunnel. As construction progresses, pay attention to changing bus berth locations.
Riders travelling toward Reservoir board and exit buses at street level on Massachusetts Avenue, Brattle and Eliot Streets.
Routes 1, 66, 68, 69 Riders travelling on these routes will see no changes to boarding locations; however, riders should pay attention to changes in boarding locations for trips with connections to other bus routes. Go to MBTA's Harvard Busway Project Page Escalator and elevator closures The MBTA has closed the following escalator: Central - Up from the Alewife platform to street level for maintenance *New* Harvard - Down from Harvard Square to mezzanine
The MBTA has closed the following elevators: Central - #861 - between the Ashmont/Braintree platform and street level - through summer 2019 for replacement Harvard - #973 - between the main lobby and street level - through end of 2019 for replacement Alewife - #813 - between the platform and main lobby - through summer 2019 for replacement Visit the MBTA's accessibility alerts page MBTA launches one-stop webpage for weekend service changes
The MBTA now has a website devoted for information on weekend service changes that result from repairs and upgrades. Visit the MBTA weekend service changes website
Actions & events Vacancies on several city commissions and boards
The City seeks members of the Cambridge community to participate in several boards and commissions. The following commissions and and boards are accepting applications: Commission on Immigrant Rights and Citizenship Human Rights Commission Open Data Review Board Apply to city boards and commissions Safe Streets High School Video Competition
MassDOT invites all Massachusetts High School students to write and produce a one minute video with a call to action for what you, your friends, your family, and/or your local community need to do in order to see a world where there are no pedestrian or bicyclist injuries or fatalities. The contest features two entry categories – a freshman/sophomore category and a junior/senior category. A grand prize and runner-up will be selected in each category.
View the full submission guidelines and prizes. The deadline to submit entries is October 4. Winning videos from previous year’s contests can be found at https://www.mass.gov/service-details/roadway-safety-video-previous-winners.
Lunchtime Walks
Join the Community Development Department & the Women’s Commission for lunchtime walks this summer! All walks start at 12 PM and last approximately 45 minutes.
August 7: Community Development in Cambridge. Meet at City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Avenue.
Join staff from our Environmental & Transportation Planning Division for a walk through Central Square to learn about the Western Avenue Cycle Track, River Street Reconstruction, the MLK / Putnam Ave Upper School green building, the cycling ordinance, separated bike lanes on Mass Ave & Mount Auburn Street, and the new green building at Mass Ave & Clinton Street!
Senior CharlieCard Registration
Friday, August 16, 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM Cambridge Citywide Senior Center, 806 Massachusetts Avenue
Register for a discounted Senior CharlieCard. You must be 65 or older to register. Please bring a picture ID showing your date of birth. The MBTA will send you a discounted CharlieCard by mail in 6 to 8 weeks. More information.
Reduced Senior CharlieCard fares are: Bus - $0.85 per one-way trip Subway - $1.10 per one-way trip LinkPass - $30 per monthly pass Ferry & Commuter Rail - 50% off regular distance-based fares and passes
Transit news MBTA Red Line derailment continues to impact commutes with delays, political frustration After a derailment on the Red Line in June, the MBTA aims to restore full service by mid-August. Municipal politicians have expressed strong desires for change at the MBTA. MBTA has video of Red Line train derailment [7/3] Globe Riders to MBTA: 'Stop lying to us!' [7/9] Herald Boston Mayor Marty Walsh: 'We deserve better' from MBTA [7/16] MassLive MBTA provides Red Line update one month after JFK/UMass derailment [7/16] WCVB5 ABC (Boston Mayor) Walsh questions functionality of MBTA [7/17] WGBH (Boston Concillor) Wu: MBTA headed toward 'total shutdown' [7/17] Herald (Boston) Mayor Walsh to meet with MBTA officials [7/18] NECN/NBC 10 MBTA releases dramatic video footage of June Red Line derailment [7/19] Globe Cambridge, Boston Mayors call on MBTA to invest $9mn for improved Red Line service [7/31] Wicked Local Cambridge Advocates call for reduced fare for low-income population Advocates continued a call for a low-income fare after the July 1 fare increase. MBTA protestors call for low-income fare [7/22] Globe General Court holding hearings with Governor proposing legislation to improve Commonwealth's transportation In July, the General Court, governor and state transportation officials have been evaluating policies and programs to improve transportation with problems at both the MBTA and Registry of Motor Vehicles providing an impetus for hearings and proposed legislation. In late July, the governor proposed an $18 billion bond bill with $5.7 billion dedicated to MBTA projects.
House leaders parlay on transpo legislation [7/10] CommonWealth MBTA, MassDOT eyed in capital spending meeting [7/23] WCVB 5 ABC Baker to announce transportation bill [7/25] WCVB 5 ABC Press Release: Baker-Polito Administration Files $18 Billion Transportation Bond Bill Office of Governor Baker & Lt. Governor Polito. Baker's Remarks, as prepared [7/25] CommonWealth Baker offers telecommute tax credit, increased MBTA funding to fight congestion [7/25] CBS4 [Video] Baker pushes telecommuter tax credit [7/25] CommonWealth
Current projects Video: Wu calls for overhaul to MBTA oversight board [7/1] WGBH T cautious on biz-funded management initiative [7/10] CommonWealth Sometimes a Mr. Fix-it needs to get under the hood [7/12] CommonWealth Riders give T worst marks yet in June performance review [7/17] CommonWealth T has extra $1.2bn: how would you spend it? [7/21] CommonWealth T notes: Workforce slated to grow 10.5% this year [7/22] CommonWealth T notes: Capital spending reaches $1billion [7/23] CommonWealth Long-term planning Commuter rail network upgrade with South Station expansion could cost $30Bn + [7/23] BisNow Supporters of North-South rail link rally, testify before (Boston) City Council [7/29] Globe Developers as key ingredient in several multibillion-dollar transit plans [7/30] BisNow How developers are remaking Boston's transit system [7/31] Next City Opinions and letters Walker: Who should own the failings of the Registry and the MBTA? [7/2] Globe Lucas: Beleagured MBTA has no savior [7/2] Herald Editorial: The MBTA says it has enough money. Now it has to figure out how to spend it faster [7/8] Globe Opinion: Talk of new transportation revenues premature [7/14] CommonWealth Life on the T in Boston [7/15] Marty Walsh on Medium Opinion: Before the T derailed, its funding got on the wrong track [7/16] CommonWealth Opinion: Fixing Kendall Square's mobility challenges [7/20] CommonWealth Opinion: Traffic congestion is a health hazard [7/21] CommonWealth Opinion: Why is off-peak Red Line service being cut? [7/24] CommonWealth Rooney: Time to capitalize on momentum for the MBTA's capital investment plan [7/28] Banker & Tradesman Leung: Is Baker's $18bn bond bill a game changer for commuters? [7/30] Globe
August meetings Planning Board Meeting 8/6/2019, 6:30 PM 2F Conference Room, 344 Broadway
MBTA Fiscal Management and Control Board 8/12/2019, 12:00 PM Board Room, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
Planning Board Meeting 8/13/2019, 6:30 PM 2F Conference Room, 344 Broadway
Collins Library Family Bike Night 8/15/2019, 2:00 PM Collins Branch, 64 Aberdeen
Senior CharlieCard Registration Event 8/16/2019, 9:30 AM Citywide Senior Center, 806 Mass. Ave.
Cambridge Redevelopment Authority Board Meeting 8/21/2019, 5:30 PM 125 Sixth St
Note: No Transit Advisory, Pedestrian, or Bicycle committee meetings this month View more meetings
CambridgeMA.gov/CDD
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