Dedicated Bus Lane In Brookline Village Edges Forward

BROOKLINE, MA — Brookline's Transportation Board on Monday approved a controversial move to test bus lanes on Route 9 in Brookline Village near Gateway East.

After hours of back and forth at its Jan. 28 meeting, the board unanimously approved the bus lanes providing town staff and the MBTA create a rubric to measure the pilot's success before it begins.

"Faster trips for riders of the MBTA's 66, 65, and 60 buses took a big step forward," Brookline Transportation Board Chair Chris Dempsey posted to Twitter about the vote.

The proposal now goes to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Highway Division for approval. If approved, look for crews to begin painting the lanes sometime this spring.

Those opposed to the project worried taking away a lane for cars and giving it to the buses would create worse traffic in the already congested area, discourage renters in nearby apartment buildings or buyers of new condos, others worried it would hurt commuters from out of town.

Read more>> Brookline Letter: Route 9 Bus Lane Would Mean More Traffic

But those for the project said it would promote and improve public transit, and create "transit equality."

More than 16,000 bus riders head through the area, many of them low income or people of color, according to the MBTA's Andrew McFarland. They are also among the riders who have some of the longest commute times in the region.

Read more>> Brookline Commentary: Bus Lanes Will Benefit Town

Transportation Board officials said they heard the concerns and would take them seriously as they tested the lanes.

Gateway East makeover

As anyone who has driven through knows: Gateway East, the area along Route 9 from the Brookline Village fire station to the Boston town line, has been getting a revamp for the last decade.

But as that work is slated to wrap by next summer, the town's transportation said they realized the bus lane and some signal prioritization would help commuters and came up with some recommendations with the help of the Gateway East consultant.

"The dramatic proliferation of bus lanes across Greater Boston over the last four or five years [was] not something that we ever expected," Brookline Transportation Board Chair Chris Dempsey said when planning for the project began about 10 years ago.

The Gateway East project has been in process for about decade and has included a pedestrian crossing to help make crossing Route 9 for bikers and pedestrians using the Muddy River Path on the Emerald Necklace safer.

The dedicated bus lane would stretch from Washington Street between Station Street and the Boston border. Boston, Cambridge, Watertown and Arlington already use similar bus lanes with success, according to MBTA officials.

Before they finalized plans the board held a handful of meetings to get nearby residents to weigh in. More than 80 attendees showed up to the first meeting, and it only grew from there.

Previously: Brookline Eyes Adding Bus Lane To Brookline Village

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.