Proposed MBTA Weekend Service Whack Worries North Shore

BEVERLY, MA — The potential elimination of weekend commuter rail service to the North Shore — and its effect on tourism next spring and summer as conoranvirus concerns possibly ease due to vaccines and other therapies — was a main debate topic at the MBTA's "Forging Ahead" virtual public meeting Tuesday night to discuss drastic proposed budget-related cuts to the region's services.

Both Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem) and Rep. Brad Hill (R-Ipswich) both also asked if some of the proposed cuts could be modified in the short term to include at least one route per weekend day and one later-night service for workers who have no other way to get in and out of Boston with the current proposal to stop weeknight service at 9 p.m.

Several people offering comment worried those looking to get out and about in the nicer weather months from now will bypass the North Shore without weekend rail service.

"As you know the North Shore heavily, heavily depends on its tourism industry for its economy," Hill said. "And, if the weekend service is completely cut and is not restored in a timely fashion, our economy here on the North Shore would just be horrible.

"Without (weekend service) in the spring and summer we will be in dire straits."

The discussion included some back and forth with MBTA officials with other public comments said to be taken into consideration. Officials said the comments on the proposed cuts will be considered for a proposal to be presented at a Dec. 7 presentation to the Fiscal and Management Control Board — with final decisions to be announced by Dec. 14.

"Most of the service changes are not intended to be permanent," said Jeff Gonneville, MBTA Deputy General Manager. "We will bring back higher levels of service when ridership, demand and travel patterns change, and there is durable revenue to support."

But those providing comment in the meeting voiced concern about how restored demand for weekend and late-night commuter rail service to Rockport and Newburyport can be gauged when those services are not available next spring and summer.

"I am hearing concerns from constituents about completely eliminating weekend service and service after 9 o'clock on weekdays," Lovely said. "I am not sure if one of the daytime stops can be eliminated to have at least one weekend trip to and from the North Shore to Boston for those workers who rely on the commuter rail to get to work on the weekends primarily."

Officials said they are facing a $579 million deficit due to lower ridership since the onset of the pandemic in March. Officials said efforts were made to maintain the services with the most current ridership and services for communities with fewer alternative modes of transportation that need them most.

"Using limited resources to operate nearly empty trains, ferries and buses is not a responsible use of the funding provided by riders, communities and taxpayers," Gonneville said. "And does not help support the transportation needs of our region. Saving resources now by reducing underutilized, non-essential services will help ensure the MBTA has the resources to bring back service in a sustainable and prudent manor in response to ridership demands after the pandemic has faded."

According to the MBTA, the current commuter rail ridership is at 13 percent of capacity, and has remained relatively stable since September, but the MBTA has been maintaining the same level of service since March despite only about 25 percent of passengers overall.

"Even though we see the (commuter rail) ridership is significantly less — likely because most workers are working from home at the moment," Lovely argued, "(there should be) consideration to have at least one trip on the weekend — maybe on both days, or Saturday — as well as one last trip out of Boston after 9 o'clock."

"I, too, am very concerned, and am hearing from my constituents about the eliminating of weekend service," Hill said. "I have a lot of commuters — and, I say 'a lot,' a few — employees in Boston who do not have any way to get into Boston to get to their jobs. I think the last thing we want to do right now is take a job away from somebody when we are aiming to get the economy back up and running — especially our medical and public safety personnel, who are needed so badly through this pandemic.

"We need to have at least a train bringing them into Boston, and bringing them home after. I hope you can reconsider the weekend service part of the elimination proposal that has been put forth."

Officials said their research shows ridership is not expected to reach pre-pandemic levels on any mode until June 2022.

The new commuter rail cuts will go into effort in January with weekend service elimination and the remainder of additional services cut back in March, with bus reductions going into effect in June.

The proposed cuts in service include six bus routes on the North Shore — including four serving Salem — and the closing of the Beverly Prides Crossing commuter rail station. The Prides Crossing station was judged to have "extremely low ridership" compared to before the pandemic and that the closing will be mitigated with the Beverly Farms station one mile away with parking.

Lovely said she understands the desire to close Prides Crossing.

Under the proposal, bus routes 428, 434, 451, 456 and 465 would be eliminated. Officials did not give an indication when, or if, eliminated routes will be restored. Routes 451 connects Salem to Beverly, 465 connects Salem to Danvers and 456 connects Salem to Lynn.

"In some cases, with non-essential bus service and commuter rail changes from pre-COVID service might be recommended to match post-COVID changes to commuting and other travel patterns," Gonneville allowed.

Rep.-Elect Sally Kerans (D-Danvers) said she hopes the routes in Danvers and Peabody can be reconfigured to take residents from the downtown areas directly to commuter rail stops in Beverly and Salem so they no longer follow circuitous routes through the mall parking lots.

The Suburban Subsidy Program that funds additional services in Beverly would also be eliminated under the current proposal. Officials said those services are serving less than 200 riders.

RIDE services will not lose service, according to officials, but schedules may change and reservation windows may extend from 30 to 40 minutes.

Officials said they will look to restore service on the commuter rail and bus routes with service reductions. at regular intervals that are scheduled for quarterly or twice a year starting in 2021.

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