The town of Arlington, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the MBTA, local officials, civic organizations, and Arlington residents celebrated the official launch of ArlBRT, a month-long bus priority pilot that will test elements of bus rapid transit (BRT) along MBTA routes 77, 79, and 350. Featuring the work of five local artists at bus shelters along the Massachusetts Avenue corridor, the pilot aims to bring more efficient and reliable service while also enhancing the entire bus experience for more than 10,000 daily bus riders.
The ArlBRT pilot, funded by the Barr Foundation’s mobility initiative, aims to improve transportation through elements of BRT that will benefit bus riders, drivers, and bicyclists alike:
- A dedicated bus lane will take buses out of the car congestion along Massachusetts Avenue from Varnum Street to Alewife Brook Parkway;
- An inbound “queue jump” will give buses priority at the intersection of Lake Street and Alewife Brook Parkway; and
- Transit signal priority (TSP) at four key intersections will give buses more green light time at intersections while improving traffic flow overall.
"Piloting BRT in Arlington is truly about making human scale improvements to the quality of life of our residents," said Adam Chapdelaine, Arlington town manager. "Through this pilot, we are working to improve the commute of many of our residents while simultaneously infusing the streetscape with vibrancy via the installation of public art along the bus route. We are thankful to the Barr Foundation for their financial support, ITDP, Stantec and VHB for their technical expertise and to the Planning & Community Development Department for leading a robust community engagement process that led to the launch of the pilot.”
“I want to thank the town of Arlington and the Barr Foundation for partnering with the MBTA on this pilot, which seeks to advance our shared goal of improving mobility,” said MBTA General Manager Luis Manual Ramírez. “Our hope is that collective efforts like this demonstrate that we can deliver an enhanced service in a more efficient and sustainable manner for our bus customers, who represent approximately 30 percent of the T’s ridership on a given day.”
“We applaud the Town of Arlington for recognizing the importance of creative placemaking and incorporating vibrant public art as they test these bus rapid transit elements,” said Mary Skelton Roberts, co-director for climate at the Barr Foundation. “The ArlBRT pilot will give people an actual experience of how much better buses can be while improving street conditions for all modes. By thinking holistically about their streets, municipalities can make the move to go from transportation being a pain point to a bright spot in our day.”
Five bus stops along the route will be decorated with designs from local artists Eileen DeRosas, Johnny Lapham, James Weinberg, Sneha “Imagine” Shrestha, Claudia Ravaschiere and Michael Moss, commissioned by Arlington Public Arts to enhance the experience of waiting for the bus and complement the BRT elements that improve the ride itself.
"Each shelter will be unique; some artists are choosing to celebrate nature, since public transportation is so critical to environmental sustainability. Others use colorful patterns, unexpected materials or playful interaction to engage riders. All seek to transform the ordinary experience of waiting for the bus into a moment of magic," said Cecily Miller, curator for Arlington Public Art.
This is the second bus pilot in a series funded by the Barr Foundation. In July, the city of Everett built on its rush hour bus-only lane on Broadway by adding TSP and platform-level boarding at two bus stops in Everett Square. Later this month, the city of Cambridge and Town of Watertown will implement a dedicated bus lane along Mount Auburn Street, speeding rides along the MBTA 71 and 73 routes.
