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V. 1. West Corridor Bus Service Study

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V. 1. West Corridor Bus Service Study West Bus Service Study Corridor ©Produced for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority by the Central Transportation Planning Staff. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/westcorridorbuss01metr West Corridor Bus Service Study WESTBus Authors Geoff Slater - Project Manager Erik Holst-Roness Contributing Analysts Karl H. Quackenbush Webb Sussman Graphics David B. Lewis Mary Kean Caroline Ryan The preparation of this document was supported by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation through technical study grant MA-90-0030, and by state and local matching funds. Central Transportation Planning Staff Directed by the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), which comprises: Executive Office of Transportation and Construction, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Advisory Board Massachusetts Department of Public Works Massachusetts Port Authority Metropolitan Area Planning Council April 1990 Abstract This report summarizes the results of a detailed examination of eleven bus routes that operate primarily in Newton, Waltham, and Watertown, including express service to and from downtown Boston. The study had four major objectives: (1) to ensure that service was as responsive to user needs as possible, (2) to identify changes that could attract new ridership, (3) to determine whether MBTA resources were being used as effectively as possible, and (4) to identify ridership and performance characteristics of each route. For each route, the report includes a description of the route, an assessment of the existing service, identification and evaluation of service alternatives, and conclusions and recommendations. Included in the recommendations are changes with respect to route alignments, service levels, schedules, and reliability, and other changes within the corridor that would affect ridership. The report also includes a market analysis that examined overall travel and development patterns within the corridor. This analysis determined which segments of the overall market are served by the existing routes, identified major trip attractors and generators not being served, and determined the implications of development for existing and future bus service. CENTRAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING STAFF Ten Park Plaza, Suite 2150 Boston, Mass. 02116-3968 Copies of this report may be obtained from the State Transportation Library, Ten Park Plaza, Boston, Mass. 02116 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY E-l L INTRODUCTION 1 OVERVIEW 1 STUDY PROCESS 3 Data Collection 3 Market Analysis /Assessment of Existing Service 4 Identification and Evaluation of Alternatives for Improved Service 4 Conclusions/Recommendations 5 ORGANIZATION/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 5 2. MARKET ANALYSIS 7 GENERAL STUDY AREA CHARACTERISTICS 7 Population/Employment 7 SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS 10 EXISTING TRANSPORTATION USE/PATTERNS 11 LATENT DEMAND 17 Local Service 17 Express Routes 22 Overlap between Local and Express Routes 24 IMPACT OF NEW DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE WESTBUS AREA. .24 SUMMARY/OUTLOOK 29 3. ROUTE 52 (Dedham Mall/Charles River - Watertown Square) 31 ROUTE PROFILE 31 SERVICE COVERAGE 33 Overall Assessment 33 Improved Connections to Downtown Boston 35 Through-Routing of Route 52 with Route 304.1 to Downtown Boston 36 Express Service from Newton Centre to Downtown Boston 37 Changes to Route Variations 40 Community Center Variations 41 Dedham Mall Service 41 LEVEL OF SERVICE 42 RELIABILITY 43 4. ROUTE 53 (Brandeis/Roberts - Newton Corner) and ROUTE 54 (Waverley - Newton Corner) 45 ROUTE PROFILES 45 iii iv SERVICE COVERAGE 49 Overall Assessment 49 Improved Service Coverage within Waltham - New Routes A and B 51 Replacement of Route 53 or 54 with Route 58 Re-Routed to Brandeis/ Roberts or Waverley 57 Service to Army Corp of Engineers, Fernald School and Hospitals along Trapelo Road 59 LEVEL OF SERVICE 67 AM Peak 67 PM Peak 69 RELIABILITY 69 Route 53 69 Route 54 70 5. ROUTE 56 (Waltham Highlands - Newton Corner) 71 ROUTE PROFILE 71 SERVICE COVERAGE 74 Overall Assessment 74 Service Beyond Waltham Center 74 Through-Routing of All Trips with Route 304.1 75 LEVEL OF SERVICE 75 AM Peak 76 PM Peak 76 Base and School Periods 76 RELIABILITY 77 6. ROUTE 58 (Auburndale - Newton Corner) 79 ROUTE PROFILE 79 SERVICE COVERAGE 81 Overall Assessment 81 Elimination of Route 58 Service Beyond Waltham Center 83 Direct Service Between Auburndale and Newton Corner 85 Relocation of Inner Terminal to Watertown Square/ Through-Routing of All Trips to Boston 87 LEVEL OF SERVICE 89 Existing Service 89 Alternative Service 89 RELIABILITY 91 7. ROUTE 59 (Needham Junction - Watertown Square) 93 ROUTE PROFILE 93 SERVICE COVERAGE 96 Overall Assessment 96 Elimination of Route 59.1 Variation 97 Improved Connections to Boston 97 Coordination with Commuter Rail Service 98 LEVEL OF SERVICE 100 V RELIABILITY 101 8. ROUTE 300 (Riverside - Downtown Boston) 103 ROUTE PROFILE 103 SERVICE COVERAGE 106 Overall Assessment 106 Route Variations to Provide Increased Access Along Outer End of Route 106 Expanded Service Coverage in Boston to the Back Bay, Park Square and Beacon Hill 109 LEVEL OF SERVICE 112 AM Peak 112 PMPeak 113 RELIABILITY 114 9. ROUTE 301 (Brighton Center - Downtown Boston) 117 ROUTE PROFILE 117 SERVICE COVERAGE 120 Overall Assessment 120 Expanded Service Coverage in Boston to the Back Bay, Park Square and Beacon Hill 121 Operation of Variation 301.1 Trips as Variation 301.0 123 RELIABILITY 125 10. ROUTE 302 (Watertown Square - Copley Square) and ROUTE 304 (Watertown Square - Downtown Boston) 127 ROUTE PROFILES 127 Route 302 127 Route 304 129 SERVICE COVERAGE 132 Overall Assessment 132 Boston Extensions of Route 302 133 Through-Routing of Route 302 at Watertown Square 142 Through-Routing of Routes 304.0 and 304.1 at Watertown Square and Newton Corner 144 Additional Parking at Newton Corner 145 Extension of Route 304.0 to Waverley 146 LEVEL OF SERVICE 146 Route 302 146 Route 304 148 RELIABILITY 153 Route 302 153 Route 304 154 11. ROUTE 305 (Waltham Center - Downtown Boston) 157 ROUTE PROFILE 157 SERVICE COVERAGE 159 Overall Assessment 159 Improved Coordination/Integration of Route 305 Service vi with Local Routes that are Through-Routed to Boston 160 Local Trips on Route 305 165 LEVEL OF SERVICE 166 RELIABILITY 167 12. IMPROVED INTEGRATION OF LOCAL AND EXPRESS ROUTES 169 CHANGES REQUIRED 170 Service at Waltham Center 171 Integration of Service at Newton Corner and Watertown Square 175 SERVICE AND RIDERSHIP IMPACTS 181 Ridership Impacts, by Route 184 13. SUMMARY/RECOMMENDATIONS 189 COORDINATION OF SERVICE AT WALTHAM CENTER/ INCREASED USE OF LOCAL SERVICE TO CARRY TRIPS TO AND FROM BOSTON 195 Route 53 195 Routes 54 and 58 195 Route 56 197 Route 302 197 Route 305 197 IMPROVED SERVICE FROM NEWTON CORNER/ WATERTOWN SQUARE 198 Route 59 198 Route 302 198 Route 304.0 199 Route 304.1 199 OTHER ROUTE CHANGES 200 Route 52 200 Route 300 201 Route 301 201 TECHNICAL SUPPLEMENT 1 (BOUND SEPARATELY) A ROUTE INFORMATION 1. Route Maps 2. Winter 1988 Schedules 3. Stoplists 4. Bus Stop Inventory B RIDERSHIP, SERVICE AND PERFORMANCE DATA 1. Ridership, Service and Service Statistic Summaries • Summaries of Ridership and Performance Statistics • Ridership and Service Statistics by Time Period 2. Trip Summaries 3. Load Profiles C FPNANCIAL STATISTICS 1. Annual Operating Cost and Revenue Statistics 2. Weekday Operating Cost and Revenue Statistics vii TECHNICAL SUPPLEMENT 1 (Continued) 3. Weekday Fare Revenue by Fare Type 4. Saturday Operating Cost and Revenue Statistics TECHNICAL SUPPLEMENT 2 (BOUND SEPARATELY) D SURVEY RESULTS 1. Summary of Survey Results 2. Survey Form E SCHEDULE STATISTICS 1. Weekday Schedule Statistics 2. Comparison of Observed Running Times to MBTA Book Times 3. Description of Time Points Used in Calculation of Running Time Statistics 4. Current MBTA Book Times Compared to Estimated Book Times 5. Vehicle Trip Time Summaries 6. Assumed Schedules Used in Chapters 12 and 13 to Coordinate Service at Waltham Center, Watertown Square and Newton Corner F 1980 US CENSUS JOURNEY-TO-WORK DATA 1. Population and Employment Characteristics of the WESTBus Area 2. 1980 Journey-to-Work Trips Between WESTBus Subareas, Including Trips to and from Boston 3. 1980 Journey-to Work Trips Between Areas Directly Served by Individual Routes viii List of Figures and Tables Figures 1- 1 Map of WESTBus Routes 2 2- 1 Map of WESTBus Area 8 2-2 Boston Subdivisions 9 2-3 Major Work Trip Destinations of WESTBus Area Residents 13 2-4 Areas within One-Quarter Mile of WESTBus Routes 23 2-5 Proposed Development 26 3- 1 Map of Route 52 (Dedham Mall /Charles River - Watertown Square) 32 4- 1 Map of Route 53 (Brandeis/Roberts - Newton Corner) 46 4-2 Map of Route 54 (Waverley Square - Newton Corner) 47 4-3 Re-alignment of Routes 53 and 54 into Routes A and B 52 4-4 Re-alignment of Routes 53 and 54 into Routes E and F 58 4-5 Route 54 Re-Routed to Corps of Engineers /Hospital Area 62 4-6 Extension of Route 73 to Middlesex County Hospital 64 4-7 Re-Routing of Route 61 through Corps of Engineers /Hospital Area. ...65 5- 1 Map of Route 56 (Waltham Highlands - Newton Corner) 72 6- 1 Map of Route 58 (Auburndale - Newton Corner) 80 6-2 Map of Route C (Auburndale - Newton Corner via Washington Street) 86 6-3 Re-Routing of Route 58 through Watertown Square 88 7- 1 Map of Route 59 (Needham Junction - Watertown Square) 94 7-2 Connections between Route 59 and Commuter Rail 99 8- 1 Map of Route
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