MBTA Reworks Bus Route Redesign Plan: What It Means For Melrose

MELROSE, MA — The MBTA released a new version of its proposed bus network overhaul on Thursday, adjusting planned changes following months of feedback and some criticism of a previous plan from the agency in May.

This week’s changes were far reaching, touching 85 of 133 total proposed bus routes, including several MBTA routes through Melrose.

The MBTA is restructuring its bus network with stated goals of increasing system-wide service by 25% while doubling the number of high frequency corridors, where buses arrive within 15 minutes of each other throughout service hours in daily seven-day schedules.

The agency’s initial redesign proposal drew frustration in places, though, trimming service on some bus routes while cutting other routes entirely.

The T said it fielded more than 20,000 comments on its May proposal. Officials said those comments shaped their new plan this week, which aims to improve access to hospitals, senior centers and other destinations. The plan looks to cut walking distances for seniors and other riders particularly in challenging topography areas.

The new plan, officials continued, aims to preserve “one-seat” rides to high traffic destinations while operating within the confines of available bus resources.

Here’s what it means for Melrose:

106 Bus

The 106 bus, which loops briefly through Melrose near Pine Banks Park will see a slight route change near Wellington Station. That route currently snakes south through Malden before entering Everett and terminating at Wellington in Medford.

131 Bus

The MBTA’s May proposal sought to add a new 133 bus route stretching across the center of Stoneham connecting to Woburn and Melrose. The route combined elements of the preexisting 131, 134 and 135 bus routes.

The 131 bus, which currently ends its service in Melrose, would have veered east toward Lynn under the May plan.

The MBTA’s new redesign erases the 133 route with plans to preserve route 131 bus service on its route between Malden Center and Melrose. The route now also extends to Stoneham and Woburn instead of Lynn, largely using a portion of the envisioned 133 route.

The 131 bus will operate with increased frequency under current plans.

132 Bus

The MBTA has called for extended service on the 132 route. Service is now set to run until 12 a.m.

The 132 bus runs Redstone Shopping Center in Stoneham south to Malden Center, passing through the Wyoming area of Melrose.

137 Bus

The 137 bus, which previously combined with the 136 bus to loop through downtown Reading, has been rerouted to run counterclockwise through its loose circle of Reading stops. The bus will now enter Reading from Wakefield at Salem Street before exiting back into Wakefield on Walkers Brook Drive.

While the route itself is not changing relative to the MBTA’s May proposal, this change has reversed the direction of the 137 bus’ loop in Reading. The bus will still make its regular stop at the T’s Reading Commuter Rail station.

May changes still in effect for the T's new proposal include a route extension to Quannapowitt Parkway, with two-way service on Pleasant Street and Lowell Street in Wakefield. The route will not serve Cordis Street or Vernon Street in Wakefield or the Wakefield MBTA Commuter Rail stop.

The 137 bus will continue to run out of Reading, south through Wakefield and into Melrose before ending service at the Malden Center station in Malden.

See the MBTA’s full summary of recent bus network redesign changes here.

With a new proposal in hand, MBTA personnel are set to move forward with bus network redesign plans next week with a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m.

The T will complete an equity analysis of the revised bus network in December, before holding another public meeting to discuss the equity analysis at some point this winter.

As the T pushes forward with bus network redesign goals, it is still grappling with a bus driver shortage that prompted it to cut service on some bus routes earlier this year.

The existing Melrose 137 route was impacted by that action, with service trimmed between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays through the MBTA’s current fall season schedule.