Traffic Commission Makes B’way Bus Lane Permanent for Morning Rush Hours

The Revere Traffic Commission held its regular meeting last Thursday, August 18, in the City Councilor Joseph A. Del Grosso Council Chambers of Revere City Hall.

City Engineer Paul Argenzio chaired the meeting that was attended by fellow members Police Chief David Callahan and Fire Chief Chris Bright.

Prior to the start of the meeting, Argenzio acknowledged the looming retirement of Police Sgt. Chis Giannino, who is a regular attendee at the Traffic Commission hearings and for whom this was his last meeting.

Giannino received a well-deserved standing round of applause from those in attendance.

Argenzio then introduced Lori Delossantos, the Records Clerk for the Police Dept., who will be replacing Giannino at the meetings.

The agenda consisted of public hearings on various proposals to amend the city’s traffic ordinances.

The principal business before the commission was the first item on the agenda, which was a public hearing regarding the creation of a permanent, dedicated Bus Lane on the southbound side of Broadway during the morning rush hour. The Bus Lane has been operating on a pilot basis for the past few months.

The exact language for this agenda item, an amendment that delved into the minutiae of the traffic ordinances, was as follows:

“Request for a public hearing to convert the Broadway Bus Only Lane Pilot to a permanent program on the southerly side of Broadway beginning from 730 Broadway southerly towards 80 Broadway onward to the Revere-Chelsea City Line. The bus lane will operate during the hours of 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Parking will be prohibited during the hours of 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. during the operating hours of the bus lane on the southbound side of Broadway. A parking penalty of $100.00 will be imposed by the Revere Parking Department for vehicles parked in the bus lane during the bus lane operating hours of 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

“Public hearing to amend the City of Revere Ordinance Title 10 Vehicles and Traffic to include bus lane (s) and the operations of within in the following sections of the City of Revere Ordinance Chapter 10 Vehicles and Traffic: Title 10 Vehicles and Traffic Chapter 10.04.010 Definitions of the General Provisions section to include ‘Bus Lane’.

“Bus Lane or bus only lane: A lane restricted and marked for buses only.

“Title 10 Vehicles and Traffic Chapter 10.32.150- Misuse of bus stops and taxicab stands to include bus lanes

“Title 10 Vehicles and Traffic Chapter 10.08.050 Designation of bus stops and other special zones to include bus lanes

“Schedule XIV of Title 10 Bus Stops to include Bus Lanes

“Bus Lane Broadway southerly beginning from 730 Broadway southerly towards 80 Broadway onward to the Revere-Chelsea City Line

“To operate Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 4: a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

“Section 10.48.160 Title 10, Section 1 Parking Penalties to include bus lane:

“GROUP E FINE – $100 EACH

“Schedule 8 of Title 10 Parking Restrictions Generally to include No Parking on Broadway South Side from Revere Street to Route 16 from 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for the purpose of the bus lane.”

Speaking in favor of the amendment was Julie DeMauro from the city’s Department of Planning and Development.

“This initially was a lot to get off the ground for the pilot program, but once we got it going, it seemed to be doing okay,” said DeMauro. “In terms of travel time, the bus lane has saved commuters at least three minutes traveling from Revere St. to the Chelsea line.”

She also noted that the striping will be paid for by the MBTA.

Ward 3 City Councilor Anthony Cogliandro, who has a business on Broadway, said he has seen no issues with the bus lane. His lone suggestion to the commission was to reduce the fine from $100 to $50.

Zach Babo, the city’s Director of Parking, also spoke in support of the bus lane, but requested a couple of “adjustments.” He echoed Cogliandro’s call to reduce the amount of the fine. He also suggested that perhaps the bus lane should not be in effect from 8:00-9:00 a.m. because “this is the busiest time of the morning for traffic in the city.”

Babbo also asked whether the city or the MBTA would be responsible for maintaining the striping for the bus lane.

DeMauro said that the $100 fine is in keeping with the present fine for parking at a bus stop. She also noted that the present striping, which has been wearing off, used only temporary striping materials, but that the permanent striping material would last 3-5 years.

Ward 6 City Councillor Richard Serino spoke in opposition to the bus lane. Serino said that the bus lane on Route 60 in Malden has created a chaotic situation.

“My concern is that we will be opening the floodgates to more bus lanes in the future,” said Serino. “As a commuter who drives his car into Boston, we now have a bus lane on the Tobin Bridge taking up one entire lane of the three and it is backing up traffic into Rt. 1 South in Revere.

“Although I am not opposed to this particular bus lane, I am concerned that this will set a precedent, and therefore I am opposed,” said Serino.

Wayne Rose, a Revere citizen who lives on Thorndike St., questioned the time savings, which he asserted principally benefits out-of-town residents who park at lots in the city and take the bus.

“This is not fair to the businesses and people of Revere,” Rose said.

Gina Castiello Salamone, a lifelong resident, also spoke against the proposal. “I strongly oppose this,” she said. “I think this is going to hurt small businesses on Broadway and certainly going to hurt Excise Tax-paying citizens of our community. I think it is designed to hurt small businesses because it supports the sustainable development agenda 2030. I am strongly, personally against ruining our community totally.”

Sophia Durbano, a Wood St. resident, also spoke against the bus lane.

“What are they going to do to provide parking for those small businesses? How does this benefit the taxpayers or do we always get the back end of every deal, which is more and more traffic?”

DeMauro pointed out that parking presently is prohibited on Broadway from 4-9 a.m., so that there is no loss of parking to any business on Broadway. She also noted that deliveries still will be permitted for small businesses during the bus lane hours.

She also emphasized that the bus lane will not be taking up a travel lane, but will be using the parking lane, which, as noted, presently is not in use from 4-9 a.m.

Fire Chief Bright proposed an amendment to reduce the fine to $50 .

The commissioners unanimously approved the motion with Bright’s amendment.