Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Transportation Board
The Commonwealth has presented a unique opportunity to Brookline and all municipalities that
host key bus routes by making stimulus funding available to improve bus service. In order to
improve bus service is the Town of Brookline MBTA Working Group makes the following
suggestions for implementation by the Town, MassDOT and MBTA.
In General:
Consideraton to bus needs in the Gateway East/Village Green design with specific
attention to the Pearl Street bus stop.
Transit signal priority (TSP) treatment at intersection of Washington Street, Boylston
Street and High Street.
TSP treatment at the intersection of Kent, Washington, and Harvard Streets in Brookline
Village.
A bench at the Kent Street stop.
Elimination of the Linden Street bus stop.
TSP treatment for the intersection of Harvard Street, School Street, and Aspinwall
Avenue.
Permission and signage to allow buses to use the right hand lane between Homer Street
and Aspinwall Avenue during the PM peak when no parking is permitted.
A bus shelter at the Aspinwall Avenue stop.
Elimination of the stop opposite Auburn Street in front of the gas station.
TSP treatment for the intersection of Harvard Street, Verndale Street and the TJ Maxx
parking lot.
Relocation of the Verndale Street stop from the near (north) side to the far (south) side of
the intersection.
A bus shelter at the Verndale Street stop.
TSP treatment for the intersection of Harvard and Fuller Streets,
TSP treatment for the intersection of Harvard, Stedman, and Williams Streets.
Relocation of the Williams Street stop from the near (north) side of the intersection to the
far (south) side of Williams Street.
A bus shelter at the Williams Street stop.
Elimination of the Babcock Street stop.
The switching of places of the Beacon Street bus stop and the Beacon Street taxi stand.
Creation of a dedicated bus lane beginning at the Green Street crosswalk up to the
relocated taxi stand.
TSP treatment for the intersection of Harvard Street and the entrance to the Stop & Shop
supermarket parking lot.
A bench at the Harris Street stop.
TSP treatment for the intersection of Harvard Street, School Street, and Aspinwall
Avenue.
Relocation of the School Street stop from the near (north) side to the far (south) side of
the intersection.
A bus shelter at the new School Street stop.
Elimination of the Pierce Street stop.
A bench at the stop opposite Kent Street
The impact on the metered parking supply of Harvard Street is positive, with a possible increase
up to 3 metered spaces under these scenarios. The impact on parking in Coolidge Corner is net
0, meaning no metered spaces will be gained or lost. Passenger comfort will increased by the
addition of several shelters, and average bus speeds will also increase through TSP and stop
streamlining. The goal, however, of these changes is not to increase speed, but rather improve
service predictability and reliability.
A. Introduction:
Public transit in general, and the route 66 in
particular, are key components of Brookline’s
economic and environmental health, and our
way of life. The 2000 census shows that 31%
of Brookline residents (approximately 17,600
citizens) commute to work via public transit
each workday - the 25th highest percentage of
any municipality in the United States.1
Thousands of these Brookliners use the Green
Line, but thousands also take one of nine
MBTA bus routes that service our town - Figure 1: MBTA Route 66 Map
2
including the 66. MBTA composite data
shows that each weekday about 2,721 people board and 2,787 people alight from a 66 bus at a
Brookline bus stop.3 These are people who travel to and from their Brookline homes, jobs, and
retail destinations without the use of a car.
Organized, scheduled public transit has operated along parts of Harvard Street since 1889 or
earlier.4 The Route 66 bus is a tested, resilient technology that thousands of citizens choose
each day as their preferred means of travel. We have already built it, and they have already
B. Background:
The 66 is the second busiest MBTA bus route, carrying 14,676
people each weekday, 7,602 on Saturdays, and 4,745 on
Sundays.5 Weekday ridership has grown over 32% in the last
four years, from just over 11,000 in 2006 to just below 14,700 in
2010.6 The MBTA uses a fleet of modern forty-foot buses
accessible to persons with disabilities, equipped with automatic
stop announcement and automated vehicle locater technologies,
and designed to hold 57 passengers.7 These buses run on either
Figure 2: Brookline border (red), compressed natural gas (CNG) or ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD)
with 66’s route through town
(yellow). fuel. A 2007 report by consultants Booz Allen Hamilton and MJ
Bradley & Associates found no significant difference in emissions between these fuel types.8
The 66 operates every day of the year, with weekday service operating from 4:45AM to 1:05
AM. The schedule effective December 26, 2009 lists over 200 scheduled trips each weekday.
This route connects Dudley Square with Harvard Square via Roxbury Crossing, Brigham Circle,
Mission Hill, Brookline Village, Coolidge Corner, JFK Crossing, Lower Allston, Union Square
Allston, North Allston and the area around Harvard Stadium/Harvard Business School.
Transfers are possible with the orange and red lines, all branches of the green line, and bus routes
1, 8, 14, 15, 19, 22, 23, 25, 28, 29, 41, 42, 44, 45, 47, 57, 60, 64, 65, 68, 69, 70, 70A, 71, 72, 73,
74, 75, 77, 78, 86, 96, 170, and 171. Like the 66, routes 1, 15, 22, 23, 28, 39, 57, 71 and 73 are
also designated key routes. Outbound (northbound, towards Harvard) the 66 enters Brookline at
the Muddy River where Huntington Avenue turns into Washington Street/Route 9. Inbound
(southbound, towards Dudley) it enters Brookline where Harvard Avenue becomes Harvard
Street, near TJ Maxx.
The impetus for this initiative is a decision by the Patrick Administration and MassDOT to invest
$10 million in ARRA (stimulus) funds in MBTA key bus routes. While all key routes are
MassDOT also has its own parallel process ongoing to seek improvements to the 66 in Boston,
Brookline and Cambridge. It contracted with the Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS)
to seek initial recommendations to municipal infrastructure. The CTPS recommendations for
Brookline are detailed in section G.
The Working Group met 4 times in compliance with open meeting laws to craft this report. It is
hoped that these recommendations will be accepted as Brookline’s preferred local option for
improvements to the Route 66. The Working Group’s recommendations are detailed in section
H. Ultimate responsibility rests with the Board of Selectmen to speak for Brookline. The
Working Group considered each bus stop, intersection, and other factors while holding to these
guiding principles:
Examine international best practices to see what could work in Brookline (section D)
Be open, transparent, and public.
Be data driven and make decisions based on facts
Balance local conditions and needs with regional ones.
C. Funding
None of the recommendations contained in this report should cost the Town any capital or
unique operating funds. The Commonwealth’s key routes initiative has already paid for some
improvements such as increased service, new maps, more inspectors, etc. These are changes that
the MBTA had authority to make unilaterally. The next phase, encompassing changes to
physical conditions, municipal property, and capital infrastructure, requires the input and consent
of municipalities. The funds available for these initiatives are finite, and must be shared across
the greater Boston region. Brookline is well positioned to receive a respectable proportion of
such funding because it has organized this process to articulate its wants and needs.
D. Best Practices
International best practices offer examples of simple changes
cities and towns can make to improve transit. The Working
Group considered a number of treatments and their feasibility for
Brookline, including: dedicated bus lanes, transit signal priority
(TSP), off-board fare transactions, queue jumping, stop
streamlining, stop location optimization, bus shelters, curb
extensions, bus boxes, and pavement differentiation
Figure 4
Group recommends relocating several stops from the near side to the far side of intersections.
TSP is set off when an approaching bus triggers a series of calculations between a traffic light,
server, receiver, and on-board GPS. The traffic signal recognizes the approach of a bus,
performs a series of calculations, and may trigger a longer green light for the street the bus is on,
resulting in a longer red light for cross street. Route 66 buses can use the MBTA’s existing
The Working Group does not believe this is applicable anywhere in Brookline, because to
function properly, the queue jump lane must be several hundred feet long, decimating parking
along parts of Harvard Street. Instead, the Group favors far-side bus stops with TSP treatment.
A 2005 study of Portland Tri-Met operations indicates the value of consolidation on improving
bus performance. This most recent of many studies suggests that stop consolidation succeeds in
reducing the time lost from slowing down, loading and unloading passengers, and speeding back
up. Importantly, it also demonstrates that all this happens without the loss of many passengers.
It seems that instead of getting into cars, passengers usually walk to the next stop.16
Brookline’s Department of Public Works (DPW) uses a snow plow with a 4-foot blade on some
Harvard Street sidewalks. Standard shelters are 8 feet long, 4 feet wide and 9 feet tall, are set
back 2 feet from the curb line, and require a 3 foot underground foundation.17 This suggests that
any sidewalk hosting a shelter must be at least 11-12 feet wide. In addition, the minimum
number of boardings sufficient to merit a shelter is about 100 per weekday.18
Shelters require maintenance including the removal of taped up notices, graffiti abatement, snow
shoveling, trash emptying, repairs, and other forms of cleaning and upkeep. Three options for
shelter maintenance were discussed: private contractor (maintenance in return for advertising),
local sponsorship, and Brookline DPW management.
The MBTA has worked with Cemusa Boston, LLC to provide bus shelter maintenance in many
municipalities outside of Boston, including in Brookline at some Green Line C branch stops. In
return for building and maintaining shelters, Cemusa is allowed to sell advertising on them. The
MBTA’s contract stipulates that each shelter may contain 2 advertising panels, located back-to-
back with the possibility of an additional back-to-back panel on the shelter’s other end.19 Each
shelter also contains the MBTA logo, name of the bus stop, and an information panel for the
A variation of this model advocated by some Group members would see the Town pay Cemusa
(or another party) an annual fee to build and maintain the bus shelters advertisement-free.
Cemusa averages $2200-$3300 in its share of revenue under its current contracts. This suggests
a rough estimate of what Brookline might expect to pay per year to get shelters similar in quality
and year-round maintenance service. In lieu of advertisements, the walls could display
community posters, civic notices and calendars similar to existing kiosks in Brookline Village,
Washington Square and Coolidge Corner.
The second maintenance model discusses was local sponsorship- where a local business would
sponsor a shelter’s upkeep. In particular this model might work well is at the opposite Vernon
Street outbound stop, and the Harris Street inbound stop, near the Stop & Shop supermarket.
F. Existing Conditions
The following tables describe the bus’s average speed between specific points.25
Not all bus stops are used with the same frequency. The following tables detail boardings and
alightings for each Brookline route 66 stop.
OUTBOUND Weekdays Saturdays Sundays
(NB to Harvard) Ons Offs Total Ons Offs Total Ons Offs Total
Pearl St. 193 243 436 124 101 225 50 60 110
Kent St. 163 85 248 107 36 143 50 18 68
Linden St. 44 42 86 26 4 30 24 5 29
Aspinwall Ave. 156 44 200 101 12 113 35 9 44
opp Auburn St. 18 22 40 14 30 44 14 14 28
opp Vernon St. 102 83 185 61 41 102 21 18 39
Beacon St. 475 396 871 291 235 526 221 118 339
Babcock St. 196 89 285 114 50 164 96 24 120
Beals St. 48 58 106 37 23 60 16 14 30
Coolidge St. 76 81 157 49 27 76 25 15 40
opp Verndale St. 48 137 185 33 89 122 16 36 52
Table 3: Brookline Route 66 outbound bus stop boardings and alightings.
The following tables rank each stop by combined (boardings and alightings) use:
The average distance between Route 66 bus stops in Brookline is 0.146 miles (770 feet, 235
meters, 256 yards). The following tables describe the distances between the various outbound
and inbound route 66 stops in Brookline.
Figure 13: Kent Street outbound Saturdays (4/11 Brookline, 19/41 route), and 50
boardings and 8 alightings on Sundays (4/11 Brookline, 21/42 Sundays).29 It is 0.166 miles (876
feet, 267 meters, 292 yards) from its predecessor at Pearl Street, and 0.117 miles (618 feet, 188
meters, 206 yards) from its successor at Linden Street. The sidewalk at this location is 9 feet
wide, and hosts several utility poles, traffic signals, bus stop signs, mail collection and relay
boxes, and trees. The stop itself is 57 feet long.30
meters, 407 yards) from its predecessor opposite Vernon Street, and 0.163 miles (867 feet, 262
meters, 287 yards) from its successor at Babcock Street.44 The sidewalk’s width tapers from 8.5
Figure 24: Coolidge Street inbound 17 board and 37 alight on Sundays (8/11
Brookline, 26/44 route).62 The stop is 0.153 miles (808 feet, 246 meters, 269 yards) from its
predecessor at Verndale Street, and 0.132 miles (697 feet, 212 meters, 232 yards) from its
successor at Williams Street.63 The sidewalk is 12 feet wide, and hosts a bench, fire hydrant,
multiple trees, signs and light poles. The bus stop itself is 61 feet long.64
Sundays (10/11 Brookline, 31/44 route).65 The stop is 0.13 miles (697 feet, 212 meters, 232
yards) from its predecessor at Coolidge Street, and 0.117 miles (618 feet, 188 meters, 206 yards)
from its successor opposite Babcock Street (322 Harvard).66 The sidewalk is 10.9 feet wide, and
hosts a fire hydrant, several poles, a trash barrel, and two large planters. The bus stop is 56 feet
long.67
miles (618 feet, 188 meters, 206 yards) from its predecessor at Williams Street, and 0.185 miles
(977 feet, 298 meters, 326 yards) from its successor at Beacon Street.69 The sidewalk is 10 feet
wide and hosts a bench, numerous signs, trees, and trash barrels. The stop itself is 60 feet long,
and is headed by a curb-extension leading to one of two crosswalks that bisect Harvard Street.70
The authors of the CTPS study performed on board observations of how busses operated along
the route and noted delays, stops and other factors that delayed service, and disrupted schedule
adherence. Of particular note, it the observation that during the AM peak, the largest inbound
delay was at Route 9 between Washington Street and South Huntington Avenue, including a
very long delay at the signal at Brookline Avenue. Noticeable delays were also observed at
Coolidge Corner, Brookline Village, and at the Route intersection.93 Stop-by-stop, the specific
State recommendations for Brookline are:
G1-b: Kent Street: CTPS recommends moving this stop from the far (north) side to the near
(south) side of the intersection of Kent and
Harvard, TSP treatment for the traffic signal,
and creation of a queue jump bus lane where the
parking lane currently exists between Andem
Place and Kent Street.94 This would result in the
loss of 2 parking spots in front of Baja Betty’s,
Serenade Chocolatiers, and the Smokehouse.
Figure 34: Washington Street between Andem The sidewalk is 9 feet wide, although it is wider
Place and Kent Street at Andem Place where there is a bulb-out.95
Conceivably, eliminated stops could be replaced at the existing stop location for no net loss.
G1-c: Linden Street: CTPS recommends eliminating the Linden Street stop.96 Were this to
happen, the distance between the existing Kent Street and Aspinwall Avenue stops would be
0.233 miles (1230 feet, 375 meters, 410 yards).97
G1-d: Aspinwall Avenue: The CTPS report makes no recommendations for this stop.
G1-e: Opposite Auburn Street: CTPS suggests that this stop in front of the gas station be
eliminated. Were this to happen, the Aspinwall Avenue stop would be 0.154 miles (813 feet,
248 meters, 271 yards) from its successor opposite Vernon Street.
G1-f: Opposite Vernon Street: “Appropriately designed and situated in a comfortable wide
sidewalk area, which should be preserved” is how the CTPS report describes this stop serving the
Stop & Shop supermarket.98
G1-g: Sewall Avenue/Stearns Road: The distance between the opposite Vernon Street stop
and its successor on the near side of Beacon Street is 0.231 miles (1120 feet, 372 meters, 407
yards), and if the Beacon Street stop is moved to the far side of the intersection, this distance will
approximately 0.160 miles (845 feet, 322 Figure 35: Intersection of Harvard Street & Sewall
Avenue/Stearns Road
meters, 352 yards) from its successor opposite
Vernon Street, and 0.140 miles (739 feet, 225 meters, 246 yards) from the proposed new stop
location on the far side of Beacon Street.99 The sidewalk at this location bulbs out considerably
and host 3 trees. Placing a stop here would eliminate 2-3 metered parking spaces.
G1-h: Beacon Street: The report notes that the current placement of the bus stop on the near
side of Beacon Street is bad for both the bus and
for general traffic flow (a double negative for the
bus). “The near side stop at Beacon Street
[outbound] creates significant delays for buses.
Due to the limited space at the approach, the bus
stop has to share the right side lane with general
traffic. In the PM peak period, stopped buses
affect the intersection performance as all general
Figure 36: Far side of Beacon & Harvard Sts.
traffic vehicles are forced into the only available
left-side travel lane, or they must queue behind the bus. In addition, buses often themselves face
delays accessing the stop when general traffic completely occupies the right-side lane.”100 The
report recommends moving the outbound stop to the far side of the intersection where the taxi
stand used to be located (vicinity of Berry Freeze, Crossroads Trade, and Body Works). This
location is approximately 250 feet from the current stop location. A 60 foot lane is currently
available, and will continue to be even under new traffic configurations under consideration by
the Town. The sidewalk at this location is 10 feet wide.101
G1-k: Beals Street: As discussed above, CTPS recommends consolidating the Beals Street
stop with its predecessor at a new location opposite Shailer Street.
G1-l: Coolidge Street: The CTPS report recommends extending the length of the existing
bus stop, resulting in the elimination of at least 1 metered parking space.104
G1-m: Opposite Verndale Street: As with its predecessor, CTPS report recommends
extending the length of the existing bus stop, resulting in the elimination of at least one metered
parking space105
G2: INBOUND
G2-a: Verndale Street: CTPS suggests a more prominent yield sign at this location.106
G2-b: Coolidge Street: The report makes no recommendations for this stop.
G2-d: Shailer Street: This new stop would be 0.220 miles (1162 feet, 354 meters, 387 yards)
from its predecessor at Coolidge Street, and
0.182 miles (961 feet, 293 meters, 320 yards)
from its successor at Beacon Street.108 At least 3
parking spaces would be lost under this scenario,
although some of these could be compensated
for at the current stop locations. The new stop
would serve the Coolidge Corner north area and,
Figure 38: Far side of Shailer Street if the boarding data for both stops is combined,
would be the 3rd busiest inbound stop in
Brookline on weekdays.109 The proposed new Coolidge Corner north stop is approximately 0.06
miles (317 feet, 97 meters, 106 yards) from the existing Williams Street stop, and 0.08 miles
(422 feet, 129 meters, 141 yards) from the existing stop opposite Babcock Street (322
Harvard).110 The sidewalk at this location is 8 feet wide.111
G2-f: Opposite Babcock Street (322 Harvard Street): As stated above, CTPS
recommends consolidating this stop with its predecessor and locating the new stop on the far
(south) side of Shailer Street. This new location would be approximately 0.08 miles (422 feet,
129 meters, 141 yards) from the existing stop opposite Babcock Street (322 Harvard).112
G2-g: Beacon Street: The CTPS report notes that “The queue from Beacon Street often backs
up well beyond the entrance to the bus stop, causing buses to wait at the queue through one or
sometimes multiple signal cycles. Buses also usually lose an additional cycle waiting for
passengers to board and alight once they finally reach the stop.”113 It recommends the taxi stand
at this location be moved behind (north of) the Green Street crosswalk and that entire right-hand
lane between the crosswalk and Beacon Street become a dedicated bus lane. This would result in
G2-h: Marion Street: The CTPS report recommends consolidating this stop with its
predecessor at Auburn Street, and relocating this new stop opposite Alton Place just before
Foster Street.114 Given the requirements for buffer zones near crosswalks and driveways, it is
unlikely that any new metered parking spaces could be added at the existing Marion Street
location, if it is consolidated. This new location would be approximately 0.05 miles (264 feet,
80 meters, 88 yards) from the current Marion Street stop.
predecessor at Beacon Street and 0.232 miles Figure 39: Near side of Foster Street
(1225 feet, 373 meters, 408 yards) from its
successor at School Street.115 If the load data for both Harris & Marion Streets were combined,
this new stop would rank as the 3rd busiest one on weekdays, and 2nd busiest on Saturdays and
Sundays.116 The sidewalk at this location is 8 feet wide.117
G2-j: Harris Street: As discussed, CTPS recommends consolidating this stop with its
predecessor at a new location at Foster Street. This new location would be approximately 0.09
miles (475 feet, 145 meters, 158 yards) from the existing Harris Street stop.
G2-k: School Street: The CTPS report recommends a queue jump treatment for this
location.118 Given that the bus stop already backs up to a driveway, it is possible that no metered
parking need be taken for this. However, depending on the length of the queue-jump lane, some
spaces could be lost under this scenario.
G2-m: Opposite Kent Street: The CTPS report notes that notable delays were observed at
this location, and recommends a queue jump treatment for this location.119 This would require
changes to the traffic signal system. Better pavement markings and enforcement will be
essential if this moves forward.
G2-n: Walnut Street: Major delays were also noted by CTPS at the intersection of
Washington, East Boylston and High streets.120 It recommends better bus stop markings on the
pavement.121
If each of these recommendations were implemented the overall impact on the parking supply is
positive and could increase the number of up to 3 metered spaces on Harvard Street. The impact
on metered parking in Coolidge Corner is net 0: no spaces will be gained or lost in this area.
Also, when considering placement of a bus shelter the group used the standard of a stop hosting
about 100 boardings per weekday, and the Town requested standard of at least 12 foot-wide
sidewalks.
In addition to the stop specific recommendations, the Working Group also suggests:
H1: OUTBOUND
Traffic congestion along the westbound segment of Route 9 between Riverway/Jamaicaway and
High/East Boylston/Washington streets, including the intersection of Route 9 (Washington
Street) and Brookline Avenue is an area of particular concern; to drivers, bicyclists,pedestrians,
and passengers of bus routes 66, 65 and 60.122 The CTPS report makes several positive
recommendations to improve the 66’s run along Huntington Avenue, including more clearly
marking the Riverway bus stop under the Jamaicaway overpass.123 If the City of Boston agrees,
and these changes take effect, Brookline should do its part to ensure a smoother, more reliable
run for the bus in this area. Changes to this area’s streetscape are complicated, however, by
ongoing planning for the Village Green/Gateway East, which includes, among other things, the
elimination of the Pearl Street stop busway and creation of a new signal at Washington and Pearl
streets. The Working Group urges planners and developers to consider the transit implications
when making any changes, and suggests that the newly established public transportation
advisory committee adopt this segment as one of its first areas of focus. The group calls upon
the planning department and developers to address bus needs in its designs.
Many people have suggested that the Linden Street Stop and its pair at Pierce Street are
important for parishioners and students of St. Mary’s Church and School. While it is impossible
to know exactly how many St. Mary’s stakeholders use the bus without surveying them, it is
possible to infer from the boarding data just when these stops are used. St. Mary’s holds Mass
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 7:30 AM, and Monday – Friday at 12:10 PM.126 On
weekdays 1 person (from a bus with 25 passengers) alights at the Linden Street stop at 7:14 AM,
8 (from a bus with 56 passengers) alight at 7:22 AM, and 1 (from a bus with 47 passengers)
alights at 7:29 AM. 127 No one alights within an hour of the 12:30 PM Mass.128 Mass is also
offered on Saturdays at 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM. On Saturdays, 1 person (from a bus with 21
passengers) alights at 7:30 AM. The next alighting takes place at 10:00 AM. At 3:45 PM 1
person alightings from a bus with 36 other passengers.129 On Sundays Mass is held at 8:00 AM,
9:30 AM and 11:30 AM. The earliest observed alighting on Sundays was at noon.130
The Working Group believes that eliminating this stop will improve reliability and predictability
along the entire route and reduce passenger frustrations. While it makes no recommendation for
the use of the pavement if and when the stop is eliminated, possible uses include: Pierce School
teacher permit parking, up to 3 metered parking spaces, a loading zone, and/or dedicated parking
for persons with disabilities, including St. Mary’s parishioners.
In addition, Brookline traffic regulations should be amended to allow buses to use the right hand
lane between Homer Street and Aspinwall Avenue during the PM peak when this lane is right-
turn only. Furthermore, the MBTA should examine its placement of bus stop signs and limit
their placement to stop areas only.
In addition, and on a minor note, a bus stop sign is in place on the far side of the northern-most
exit from the Stop & Shop parking lot, in front of the apartment building at 171 Harvard St. The
placement of this sign may confuse those waiting for the bus, and it is recommended that it be
removed. This sign is right next to a fire hydrant, so no increase in the parking supply is possible
at this spot.
The Working Group also suggests TSP treatment for the signals at the intersection of Harvard
Street and the Stop & Shop parking lot to extend the green light for all traffic if a bus
approaches, or reduce the red time for all traffic if a bus joins the queue. Further traffic
engineering would be required if this moves forward.
This location is situated between the Marion Street crosswalk and the driveway for the medical
building. The area where the crosswalk meets the sidewalk is bulbed-out to a width that appears
to be about 20 feet. 2 metered parking spaces would be eliminated to make room for the bus
stop. The stop itself would be 58 feet long, although the presence of the driveway would allow
for a longer span de facto.133 If space is available using the bulbed-out sidewalk, then the Group
also suggests a shelter for this stop.
H1-h: Beacon Street: The Working Group agrees with the CTPS recommendation to move
the Coolidge Corner bus stop to the far (north) side of Beacon Street. The delay for northbound
vehicles crossing Beacon Street is notorious, and is not improved by the presence of the bus stop
on the near side of the intersection. Moving the stop will improve both bus performance, and
overall traffic flow for northbound traffic through Coolidge Corner. Furthermore, this move will
not affect the metered parking supply of the area.
This proposed bus stop location is approximately 0.18 miles (942 feet, 287 meters, 314 yards)
from its proposed predecessor opposite Marion Street, and approximately 0.23 miles (1229 feet,
373 meters, 407 yards) from its proposed successor on the far side of Stedman Street.134
Enforcement of the bus stop area for buses only is a concern. In addition to proper signage, the
Town, MassDOT and MBTA should consider a program to paint or otherwise differentiate bus
stops in congested areas such as this. Given the costs involved for installation and maintenance,
it is unlikely that any municipality would do this alone, but especially at the busiest stops on the
busiest routes, MassDOT should consider some sort of cost-sharing program to protect bus stops
from interlopers and allow for better ADA compliance. The Brookline Police Department’s
Traffic Division is also requested to pay special attention to this bus stop. A few $100 citations
will go a long way towards encouraging voluntary compliance.
H1-j: Stedman Street: The Working Group disagrees with the CTPS suggestion to cite a new
Coolidge Corner north stop opposite Shailer Street to replace the Babcock and Beals Street stops.
Instead, the group recommends locating the new stop on the far side of Stedman Street in the
vicinity of 367 Harvard Street and Irvings Toy & Gift Shop. This location is on the same block
as the existing Beals Street stop. Siting a bus stop here will result in the loss of 3 metered
parking spaces. 2 of these spots, however, could be replaced at the existing Beals Street stop
location, meaning a net loss of 1 spot on this block.
This proposed location is approximately 0.23 Figure 41: Far side of Stedman Street, proposed
site of new Coolidge Corner north stop.
miles (1229 feet, 373 meters, 407 yards) from its
predecessor on the far side of Beacon Street, and
approximately 0.15 miles (768 feet, 234 meters,
256 yards) from its successor at Coolidge
Street.135 This location is appropriately located
on the far side of a signalized intersection with a
bulbed-out crosswalk directly behind it. The
sidewalk is 12 feet wide, and will have sufficient boardings to meet the standards for a bus
shelter.136
The signal at Harvard/Stedman/Williams is also recommended for TSP treatment. This would
extend green time for all traffic on Harvard Street if a bus approached, or reduce red time if a bus
joined the queue.
H1-k: Coolidge Street: The Working Group makes no recommendation for the Coolidge
Street stop, other than for a bench on the sidewalk. TSP treatment is recommended for the Fuller
Street traffic signal. This would extend green time for all traffic on Harvard Street if a bus
approached, or reduce red time if a bus joined the queue. In addition, a bench is requested for
this stop.
H1-l: Opposite Verndale Street: The group suggests moving the opposite Verndale Street
stop from the near (south) side to the far (north) side of intersection of Harvard/Verndale/TJ
Maxx parking lot. The proposed location is directly in front of the TJ Maxx entrance and
package store at 525 Harvard Street. 2 metered parking spaces would be eliminated, but 2 would
be added in the existing stop location. The new bus stop would be 60 feet long. The sidewalk
here is 13.7 feet wide and already hosts numerous benches, trash barrels, trees, poles and other
amenities.137 This stop will lie approximately 185 feet from the existing location, and
approximately 0.210 miles (1109 feet, 338 meters, 370 yards) from its predecessor at Coolidge
Street, and 0.136 miles (718 feet, 219 meters, 239 yards) from its successor on the near (south)
side of Commonwealth Avenue.138 The overhang at the entrance to the stores at this location
will help shelter passengers.
TSP treatment is also recommended for the signal at this intersection. This would extend green
time for all traffic on Harvard Street if a bus approached, or reduce red time if a bus joined the
queue.
H2: INBOUND
The 66 inbound enters Brookline where Harvard Avenue becomes Harvard Street, immediately
after the very busy Commonwealth Avenue bus stop.
H2-b: Coolidge Street: As with its outbound partner, the group makes no specific
recommendations for this stop, other than to suggest a community dialog around changing the
name of the stop to “JFK Crossing”.
H2-c: Williams Street: The Working Group disagrees with the CTPS suggestion to
consolidate the Williams and Babcock Street stops in a new location at Shailer Street. Instead,
the Group recommends moving the stop from the near (north) side of the intersection to the far
(south) side of Williams Street in front of the Health Stop building at 358 Harvard Street and
Salamoff Dental Associates at 364 Harvard Street.. This new location is approximately 140 feet
from the current location, and will be approximately 0.159 miles (840 feet, 256 meters, 280
yards) from its predecessor at Coolidge Street, and 0.21 miles (1109 feet, 338 meters, 370 yards)
from its proposed successor at Beacon Street.141 This move will result in the elimination of 3
metered parking spots; however 2 of these spots can be replaced at the existing stop location for
a net loss of 1 space. Discussions with officials from the Kehillath Israel Synagogue suggest a
need for more dedicated parking for persons with disabilities in this area. The sidewalk behind
the proposed stop location is bulbed-out, suggesting sufficient width to host a bus shelter. The
sidewalk itself is 8 feet wide.142 If a shelter could be placed on or near the bulb-out, the group
recommends a shelter for this stop as well.
The signal at Harvard/Williams/Stedman is recommended for TSP treatment. This would extend
green time for all traffic on Harvard Street if a bus approached, or reduce red time if a bus joined
the queue. TSP treatment is also recommended for the preceding signalized intersection at
Harvard and Fuller Streets.
H2-e: Beacon Street: The CTPS report notes that “The queue from Beacon Street often backs
up well beyond the entrance to the bus stop, causing buses to wait at the queue through one of
sometimes multiple signal cycles. Buses also usually lose an additional cycle waiting for
passengers to board and alight once they finally reach the stop.”143 While their analysis of the
problem is correct, the Working Group disagrees with their proposed solution to move the taxi
stand at this location behind the Green Street crosswalk and eliminate 3-4 metered parking
spaces.
Bus Stop
Instead, the Working Group suggests that the
Taxi Stand
Driveway current design of the right lane be reconfigured to
Meter Space
improve bus and general traffic flow. Currently,
there is a 20 foot buffer zone on either side of the
10-foot-wide Green Street crosswalk. Just beyond
(south) the far-side buffer zone there is one 20-foot
long metered parking space. Beyond (south) this is
a 40 foot buffer zone at the entrance to the
Figure 42: Current Beacon Street bus stop area
driveway behind the SS Pierce Building. Beyond
this is a 50 foot taxi stand, followed by a 62 foot bus stop, and then a 9 foot buffer zone between
the bus stop and the stop line for the signal at Beacon Street. Beyond this is the crosswalk
bisecting Harvard Street at Beacon Street. Not counting the Beacon Street crosswalk, this
represents a 200+ foot long stretch of pavement that the Working Group believes is not ideally
designated to ideally move buses, taxis, and private vehicles through this area.
The Working Group suggests a redesign of this area to improve the traffic flow of the entire area
by switching the locations of the bus stop and taxi stand. One of the principle frustrations of this
stop is the difficulty the bus encounters getting to the stop at the corner of Beacon and Harvard.
Congestion in the area forces the bus to often wait several cycles to get to the stop, where it often
misses another cycle processing passengers. However, by moving the bus stop back behind the
Some concern has been expressed about the loss of the one metered space in front of Float.
However, this space is an orphan, surrounded by buffer zones, not well connected to the
streetscape, and confusing to use. The group does not believe that its loss will materially impact
the overall parking, feeling, or conditions of Coolidge Corner to any significant degree. This
concept was presented to the February 2010 meeting of the Coolidge Corner Merchants
Association and no opposition was stated by the assembled members.144 Further outreach is
required and will be undertaken.
As with its outbound twin, the Working Group suggests that the Town, MassDOT and MBTA
collaborate on better and more proper signage for this bus lane/stop and to also consider some
form of pavement differentiation. While it is clear that Brookline alone cannot afford to apply
and maintain pavement paint, if MassDOT embarks on a program for key stops along key routes,
the Town should seek to include both Beacon Street stops in this program. In addition, more and
better enforcement by the Brookline Police is required. Encroachment by taxis, cars illegally
standing, and delivery vehicles have and will present problems to the bus lane. As stated earlier,
a few $100 citations will go a long way towards encouraged more voluntary compliance.
As the redesign of Beacon Street southbound is still under consideration, the timing of this
change is now unknown. Civic leaders, consultants, and stakeholders are urged to keep the
needs of bus passengers in mind when making changes.
H2-f: Marion Street: The Working Group disagrees with the CTPS suggestion to consolidate
the Marion and Harris Street stops into a new stop at Foster Street. Harris Street is too important
a stop for Stop & shop customers to be moved any farther away than it already is.
H2-g: Harris Street: As stated, the group rejects the CTPS suggestion to consolidate the
Marion and Harris Street stops at a new location at Foster Street. The MBTA data refers to the
Harris Street Stop as Auburn Street. The Working Group recommends that the MBTA correct
this error. In addition, the group suggested the installation of a bench at this stop.
As in the case with this stop’s outbound twin opposite Vernon Street, TSP treatment is
recommended for the intersection of Harvard, and the Stop & Shop parking lot entrance. This
would extend green time for all traffic on Harvard Street if a bus approached, or reduce red time
if a bus joined the queue. Further traffic engineering study is required if this moves forward.
H2-i: Pierce Street: The Working Group agrees with the CTPS recommendation to eliminate
the Pierce Street Stop. This is the least used weekend stop, and second to least used weekday
stop in Brookline.147 The facts, conditions and evidence to support the elimination of this stop is
substantially similar to that of Linden Street (outbound). Possible uses for the existing stop
location include: 3-4 metered parking, Pierce School teacher permit parking, a loading zone,
and/or parking for persons with disabilities.
H2-j: Opposite Kent Street: The existing location of this bus stop is adequate, and better
than any alternatives in the area. TSP treatments for this intersection, as discussed in the Kent
Street inbound section are recommended, although further traffic engineering studies are needed
to better understand what impact this will have on congestion in Brookline Village. The
pavement containing the bus stop and loading zone requires better marking and should be striped
(ideally painted) from the loading zone to the stop line. A bus box may also work well in this
area. Its hope is that better markings and TSP will help the bus, and traffic in general, better
flow through this area. No shelter is recommended for this stop as the sidewalk is too narrow. A
bench, however, is suggested.
MassDOT will also conduct its own public meetings on proposed changes to the route 66 both in
Brookline and along its entire length. The Working Group asks the Transportation Board to
submit its recommendations to MassDOT as the preferred location options. This way if and
when it conducts public meetings it must consider these recommendations either in place of or in
tandem with the CTPS suggestions. Members of the Working Group will continue to lobby and
organize to improve the 66 and its operations both in Brookline and elsewhere.
1
US Census data compiled at: http://www.bikesatwork.com/carfree/census-
lookup.php?state_select=ALL_STATES&lower_pop=1000&upper_pop=999999999&sort_num=3&show_rows=25&first_row=
0 Data is for all census designated places with populations greater than 1,000.
2
MBTA “Service District: Bus Routes servicing Member Communities” April 2009. The T considers the following routes as
servicing Brookline: 47, 51, 57, 60, 65, 66, 86, 193, CT2
3
MBTA bus ridership data for January 2010. To be published as part of MBTA 2010 Blue Book. Weekday and Saturday counts
conducted fall 2009, Sunday counts winter 2007.
4
History of the MBTA: http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/history/?id=960
5
MBTA bus ridership data for January 2010. To be published as part of MBTA 2010 Blue Book. Weekday and Saturday counts
conducted fall 2009, Sunday counts winter 2007.
6
Comparison of MBTA 2009 Service Plan data, which did manual counts in 2006, with the most recent count from Jan. 2010.
7
MBTA 2008 vehicle inventory
8
Booz Allen Hamilton & MJ Bradley Associates: “An Analysis of MBTA’s Emission-Controlled Diesel Buses and CNG-fueled
Buses” August 30, 2007 (revision 1)
9
MBTA “Green Line Surface Ridership Typical Weekday Boarding Counts, Both Directions” based on 2006 counts.
10
MBTA bus ridership data for January 2010. To be published as part of MBTA 2010 Blue Book. Weekday and Saturday
counts conducted fall 2009, Sunday counts winter 2007
11
CTPS “Key Bus Routes Study: Route 66” Jan. 15, 2010, p. 16
12
History of the MBTA: http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/history/?id=960
13
For example, see Furth P. and Rahbee, A., “Optimal bus stop spacing through dynamic programming and geographic
modeling. Transportation Research Recor: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, No. 1731, 2000 15-22. Other articles
exist as well, which are cited in this article’s works cited section.
14
CTPS Report “Key Bus Route Study: Route 66” January 15, 2010
15
CTPS Report “Key Bus Route Study: Route 66” January 15, 2010 pages 17-18.
16
El-Geneidy, A., Strathman, J., Kimpel, T., Crout, D., “The Effects of Bus stop Consolidation on Passenger Activity and Transit
Operations” Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Volume 1971, October 17, 2005
17
MBTA contract with Cemusa Boston, LLC, Dec. 14, 2004, section 7.3, part B, subsection 2, p. 17
18
MBTA contract with Cemusa Boston, LLC, Dec. 14, 2004
19
MBTA contract with Cemusa Boston, LLC, Dec. 14, 2004, section 7.3, part B, subsection 8, p. 18.
20
MBTA contract with Cemusa Boston, LLC, Dec. 14, 2004, section 7.3, part D, subsections 1&2, p. 19.
21
MBTA contract with Cemusa Boston, LLC, Dec. 14, 2004, exhibit E, p. 33-34.
22
MBTA contract with Cemusa Boston, LLC, Dec. 14, 2004, section 2.2, p. 2.
23
Kendall O’Halloran, GM Cemusa Boston, LLC- phone discussion 01/26/2010
24
Email from Mary Ainsley, Director of Silver Line Design and Construction, 2/9/10
25
CTPS “Key Bus Routes Study: Route 66” Jan. 15, 2010, based on MBTA AVL study conducted May, 2009
26
CTPS “Key Bus Routes Study: Route 66” Jan. 15, 2010, p. 14
27
MBTA bus ridership data for January 2010. To be published as part of MBTA 2010 Blue Book. Weekday and Saturday
counts conducted fall 2009, Sunday counts winter 2007.
28
CTPS “Key Bus Routes Study: Route 66” Jan. 15, 2010, p. 18
29
MBTA bus ridership data for January 2010. To be published as part of MBTA 2010 Blue Book. Weekday and Saturday
counts conducted fall 2009, Sunday counts winter 2007.
30
Town of Brookline Engineering Department “Rt 66 Bus @ Harvard St.” 2010
31
MBTA bus ridership data for January 2010. To be published as part of MBTA 2010 Blue Book. Weekday and Saturday
counts conducted fall 2009, Sunday counts winter 2007
32
CTPS “Key Bus Routes Study: Route 66” Jan. 15, 2010, p. 18
33
Town of Brookline Engineering Department “Rt 66 Bus @ Harvard St.” 2010
34
CTPS “Key Bus Routes Study: Route 66” Jan. 15, 2010, p. 18
35
Town of Brookline Engineering Department “Rt 66 Bus @ Harvard St.” 2010
36
MBTA bus ridership data for January 2010. To be published as part of MBTA 2010 Blue Book. Weekday and Saturday
counts conducted fall 2009, Sunday counts winter 2007
37
CTPS “Key Bus Routes Study: Route 66” Jan. 15, 2010, p. 18
38
Town of Brookline Engineering Department “Rt 66 Bus @ Harvard St.” 2010
39
MBTA bus ridership data for January 2010. To be published as part of MBTA 2010 Blue Book. Weekday and Saturday
counts conducted fall 2009, Sunday counts winter 2007
40
CTPS “Key Bus Routes Study: Route 66” Jan. 15, 2010, p. 18
41
Town of Brookline Engineering Department “Rt 66 Bus @ Harvard St.” 2010
42
Town of Brookline Engineering Department “Rt 66 Bus @ Harvard St.” 2010
Image Credits
Figure 1: MBTA
Figure 2: Drawing by B. Kane using Google Earth
Figure 3: Rutgers University
Figure 4: King County Metro, Seattle, WA
Figure 5: MBTA
Figure 6: CTPS “Key Routes Study: Route 66” January 15, 2010
Figure 7: Photo by B. Kane
Figure 8: Cemusa Boston LLC
Figure 9: streetsblog.org
Figure 10: Designed by Monica G. Tibbits
Figure 11 bostonist
Tables 1-2: CTPS based on MBTA AVL data
Tables 3-6: MBTA weekday & Saturday counts conducted fall 2009, Sunday counts winter 2007
Tables 7-8: CTPS “Key Routes Study: Route 66” January 15, 2010
Figures 12-44 Photos by B. Kane
Figures 45-46 Design by B. Kane using Google Earth
Figure 47: Photo by B. Kane