MBTA Bus Stop Changes Coming July 2

By Adam Swift

Due to safety concerns, there will be a change to the MBTA bus stops in town effective July 2, with the bus stops on Herman Street moving to Walden Street.

Town Council President James Letterie said the decision to move the bus stop is Town Manager Tony Marino’s call, but a move that he supports.

“We have seen, unfortunately, something that has happened on Herman Street, and I know, during the past couple of weeks driving to Town Hall almost every day, there is a situation where you have to back up,” said Letterie.

Letterie noted that the width of Walden Street is about 11 feet wider than Herman Street, and that there is a better turning radius at each end of the street.

“There will be a bus stop at the crosswalk on Walden Street where the basketball courts are,” said Letterie. “There will be a bus stop at the corner of Lincoln and Pauline on the tennis court side.”

Marino reviewed the new bus stop plan with the police chief and the head of public works, said Letterie.

“I think it is very hard to argue that it doesn’t seem to be a safer route,” said Letterie. “If we are all wrong, we change it back, but we don’t know if we don’t try. I just feel that the incidents we’ve had over the past year, and just the congestion in general, warrants this type of change.”

Precinct 5 Councilor Joseph Aiello said it was sensible to try the change, given the restrictions on Herman Street. However, he added that he agreed with some concerns raised that the Walden Street bus stop would be further from some residences than the one on Herman Street.

Aiello said he believed it was critical that the MBTA provide bus shelters on Walden Street, and urged the town to keep the pressure on the MBTA to provide the shelters for the town.

Council Vice President Stephen Ruggiero said he agreed that the changes were necessary because of the safety concerns.