T proceeds with plan to reduce stops on No. 1 bus route

In March the T proposed a 50-stop route and the current proposal reduces
the route’s 69 stops to 54. The route begins in Harvard Square and snakes down Massachusetts Avenue through the Back Bay and the South End to Dudley Station

Every eliminated stop shaves about 15 seconds off the route’s run time.

“Stack enough of those up and you’re able to save three to five minutes, transportation consultant Ralph DeNisco said, “which doesn’t sound like a lot but the whole run is only 30 minutes.”

But while the Columbus Avenue stop was saved in part by a lobbying effort by State Representative Byron Rushing, the nearby Shawmut stop, for example, didn’t receive as much support.

At Monday’s poorly attended meeting, Patricia Hayden of Dorchester argued that Shawmut is crucial to nearby senior housing even though the closest stop is 430 feet away.

“They think just because people don’t come out to meetings it’s OK to eliminate their stop,” she said. “You have to go out and talk to people before you eliminate it. You can’t please everybody but you at least have to be fair.”

Residents were disappointed to learn at Monday’s meeting that the latest round of bus stop improvements will not include fare vending machines similar to the ones on the Green Line’s D-Branch or countdown clocks similar to the ones on the Silver Line.

Improved signs, however, will clearly post the stops' unique number so riders can call the T’s customer service line to learn exactly when the bus will arrive.

The renovated and new stops will also increase accessibility for disabled riders. A 5-by-8 foot landing pad will line up where the front of the bus hits the sidewalk.

“The way to think about it is it’s enough space for someone with a wheelchair to get off and turn around,” DeNisco said.