The city of Boston and the MBTA have released an updated design for the controversial Blue Hill Avenue bus lane project. The city shared the renderings ahead of public meetings scheduled for this month.
The new design includes 42 more parking spaces than are currently available in the project area, plus 200 new trees, six miles of rebuilt sidewalks and a sidewalk-level bike path. The design establishes two lanes of traffic in both directions.
It also keeps the center-running bus lane, which has been a core concern for residents and some elected leaders, including Boston City Councilor Miniard Culpepper, who question its safety and accessibility.
Mayor Michelle Wu said the new design incorporates feedback from the community on safety, beautification and parking from past public meetings about the project.
“These are all amenities that the community has been hoping for, for a very long time,” Wu said, adding that the city looks forward to getting public input on the new design.
“We still need the detailed feedback from everyone, block by block, in order to make sure that the design actually would meet and reach those goals and expectations,” she said.
According to the mayor, the new design would cut travel time in half for about 40,000 bus riders who use the corridor daily, and would allow MBTA buses to run at three- to six-minute intervals. She said travel times for drivers will be shorter because the design aims to reduce congestion.
Some details of the design, like where businesses would receive deliveries and if there will be metered parking spots are still being discussed by transit and city leaders.
”We’re making good progress,” Wu said. “We’re not all the way there yet, and this is a point where it really is about getting public feedback from everyone who knows and uses this roadway.”
The city and the T will host four community meetings this month, to take feedback on the design. The first meeting takes place at Morning Star Baptist Church in Mattapan on Sept. 10.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
