Dedicated Bus-Lane Pilot Program Set to Launch at the End of October

A dedicated MBTA bus lane pilot program that will run from Revere Street to the Revere-Chelsea line, is projected to be launched by the end of the month.

The Revere Traffic Commission approved the bus lane pilot program at its Sept. 10 meeting, setting a start date of Sept. 30, 2020 and a completion date of Dec. 31, 2020.

The start was delayed, but officials this week said that a late-October launch is now the goal.

“The City is working on finalizing the plans and agreements with the MBTA,” said Julie DeMauro, On The Move Acting Living coordinator and City of Revere transportation manager. “Officials from both organizations hope to launch the Bus Only Lane Pilot Program by the end of October.”

The program has worked successfully in Everett where a lane on Broadway is dedicated to buses in the early morning hours.

The bus lane would run southbound (toward Chelsea) from the intersection of Revere until the final stop on Broadway near the Cassasso Overpass. The lane would be in operation Monday to Friday, from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Revere Fire Chief Chris Bright, a member of the Traffic Commission, said he expects to see lines painted the street denoting the new bus lane in the next week or so. He said the Commission spoke with Everett officials about the program.

“Everett has a dedicated bus lane and officials there determined that it was very helpful in reducing traffic and increasing MBTA bus ridership,” said Bright. “This [Broadway Revere Bus Routes 116 and 117) is one of the busiest bus routes in the Greater Boston area. I think it’s the second or third business overall in the system.

“The Commission worked out the concerns of the Fire Department and emergency vehicles for the lane,” said Bright.

The chief noted that The Revere Fire Department will be able to use the dedicated bus lane during fire emergencies and “supposedly we’re going to be able to control the traffic lights with emergency transponders so we can supersede the buses and whatever their situation is.”

Bright said parking concerns were addressed at Traffic Commission meetings “to minimize any hardship on the businesses” during the bus lane’s hours of operation.

The Bus Lane Pilot Program is being launched as the City starts its Residential Parking Sticker Program this week.