BOSTON (WHDH) - Boston city leaders addressed concerns during a community meeting Wednesday night about the proposed bus lane that would be designated in a potential redesign of Blue Hill Avenue.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng both took questions on what is expected to be the largest investment into the busy stretch of road in decades – $124 million in local, state, and federal funding.
“It is not safe and it’s not realiable right now. We need our roadways in Boston to work for everyone,” Wu said.
The new design includes a center-running bus lane, which the City says would make the commute faster for the 40,000 people who ride the bus down Blue Hill Avenue every day. That amount is larger than those who use the MBTA’s Blue Line.
City leaders said the design is meant to cut the time it takes to get from Mattapan to Grove Hall in half, but the plan does not come without critics.
“Where we stand today my son has to leave home almost an hour early, just to travel up the street on the 28 to make it to school on time,” one resident said.
“There’s been no communication, and that lack of communication has been relevant in all of the meetings that I’ve attended and people have called. I was around since 28S so this sounds very familiar to me,” another resident said.
Eng addressed those concerns.
“The idea of a dedicated bus lane actually makes it better for people that want to traverse in their own personal cars,” Eng said.
In a few locations, including the front of Mother Caroline Academy, motorists would be down to one line should the redesign happen.
“The vast majority is two lanes to make sure that happens,” Wu said.
The City said the center-lane would also allow the former bus stops to turn into parking spaces. If the project is greenlit, construction would begin in 2028.
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