CTPS Study of Brookline's Route 66 Bus Line

CTPS CENTRAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING STAFF
Staff to the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization
MEMORANDUM
DATE: January 15, 2010
TO: Project Files
FROM: Mark Abbott, Eric Howard, and Chen-Yuan Wang

Traffic Analysis and Design
Robert S. Guptill
Transit Service Planning
RE: Key Bus Routes Study: Route 66
MBTA Bus Route 66, running between Harvard Square and Dudley Station, is one of the key
bus routes that are being examined for potential improvement measures, especially transit signal
priority (TSP) treatments. This memorandum describes Route 66, summarizes data collection
and field observations that indicate the problems faced by the route, and proposes potential
improvements for the route. These improvements include various forms of transit signal priority
(TSP) as well as stop consolidation, elimination, and relocation.
This memorandum contains four sections. The first section describes the locations of existing
stops and traffic signals. The second section examines average speeds by segment on the route
based on MBTA AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location) data and a few on-board field observations
on inbound and outbound trips. The third section discusses how proposed stop locations might
potentially work in combination with dedicated bus-only rights-of-way and TSP at intersections
to improve the route running time. The final section summarizes the analysis and presents
recommendations for next steps.
The recommendations contained herein were based on a review of available data, such as AVL
data and CTPS ridership reports, and field observations of the route via a limited number of bus
and bicycle rides. These recommendations solely represent the thoughts and opinions of the
authors, and receive neither the support nor opposition of MBTA or any other organization.
Route Description
The route has 43 stops in the inbound direction (from Harvard Square to Dudley Station) and 41
stops in the outbound direction (from Dudley Station to Harvard Square). Most of these stops are
located near roadway intersections and maintain a pull-out area for the buses on the outside
travel or parking lane next to a sidewalk curb. Figures 1 and 2 shows the locations of these stops
in the inbound and in the outbound direction respectively, including the terminal stops.
State Transportation Building • Ten Park Plaza, Suite 2150 • Boston, MA 02116-3968 • (617) 973-7100 • Fax (617) 973-8855 • TTY (617) 973-7089 • ctps@ctps.org
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Bus Route 66 4 January 15, 2010
The route goes through 39 traffic signals in the inbound direction from Cambridge to Roxbury.
Table 1 lists these signals sequentially with a notation of whether a bus stop is located at the near
side or far side of the traffic signal (“near side” refers to the approach to an intersection while
“far side” refers to the departure). Note that no stop is noted for signalized intersections without
a nearby stop. Two exceptions are the stops located mid-block at the Madson Park High School
and the John D. O’Bryant School. Most signals are equipped with pedestrian signal heads and
push buttons. Four signals are intended solely for pedestrian crossings. They are located on
North Harvard Street about 100 feet north of Coolidge Road, on Huntington Avenue at
Fernwood Road, on Tremont Street at Carmel Street, and on New Dudley Street about 200 feet
west of Roxbury Street.
Table 1 Locations of Traffic Signals and Adjacent Bus Stops (Inbound)
In the outbound direction from Roxbury to Cambridge, the route goes through 38 traffic signals.
Table 2 lists these signals sequentially with the notation of their adjacent bus stops. Note that no
stop is noted for signalized intersections without a nearby stop. The locations of the signals are
the same as the inbound route, except that the outbound route does not go through the
intersections of Dudley Street at Warren Street in Roxbury and Eliot Street at Bennett Street in
Cambridge but does go through the signal on J. F. Kennedy Street at Mount Auburn Street.
Table 2 Locations of Traffic Signals and Adjacent Bus Stops (Outbound)
The location of adjacent bus stops is one of the factors in considering the potential for queue-
jump or other TSP operations. For TSP applications that advance or extend the green light for
buses as they approach a traffic signal, the only stop location that would be inadvisable would be
the near side of the intersection, as this would prevent buses from utilizing TSP. For queue jumps,
however, it is desirable for a bus to stop at the near side of a traffic signal. This allows buses to
serve a stop, pull forward, and activate the exclusive advance signal for the queue-jump lane.
Another application of the queue-jump concept involves the conversion of the parking lane to a
shared right-turn/bus lane without the use of an exclusive advance signal. Under this
arrangement, the stop location would be at the far side of the intersection. Buses would use the
shared lane to advance to the front of the queue at the intersection. All vehicles would depart the
intersection at the same time using the same signal. Buses would stay in the right-hand lane to
serve a stop at the far side of the intersection before merging back into traffic. In the absence of
TSP applications, far-side or mid-block stop locations are generally recognized as preferable, as
buses can more easily merge back into traffic from a curbside stop. Bus stop locations are also
often based on other factors including traffic patterns, the proximity to major trip generators, and
physical limitations such as sufficient shelter space and ADA considerations.
Problem Description
AVL Data
Based on the recent bus travel time data from the MBTA AVL system, CTPS estimated average
speed along the route between mid-route timepoints. The list of timepoints and their AVL
sample size are provided in Table 3.
Table 3 Locations and Sample Sizes of AVL Timepoints
Figures 3 through 6 are based on Route 66 AVL data for the entire month of May 2009. The
figures represent, by route segment, the average speed for inbound and outbound trips by AM
and PM peak period. Peak period represents the time period with the greatest amount of travel.
Average speed includes both the travel time and the dwell time (the respective times when buses
are traveling between stops and when buses are stationary and serving a stop). Red indicates
average speeds between 0 and 10 miles per hour (mph). Yellow indicates average speeds
between 10 mph and 20 mph, and green indicates average speeds greater than 20 mph.
Figure 3 shows the average speed by route segment in the AM peak period (6:00-10:00) in the
inbound direction. The slowest speeds occurred upon leaving Union Square to Harvard Avenue
at Commonwealth Avenue and between Coolidge Corner and Brigham Circle. The average
inbound speed for the entire route in the AM peak period was 11.73 mph.
Figure 4 shows the average speed by route segment in the AM peak period in the outbound
direction. The slowest speeds occurred on Tremont Street between Roxbury Crossing Station and
Brigham Circle and north of Union Square to Harvard Square. The average outbound speed for
the entire route in the AM peak period was 10.01 mph.
Figure 5 shows the average speed by route segment in the PM peak period (3:00-7:00) in the
inbound direction. As in the AM peak period, the slowest speeds occurred upon leaving Union
Square to Harvard Avenue at Commonwealth Avenue and between Coolidge Corner and
Brigham Circle. Average speeds below 10 mph also occurred from Brigham Circle to Dudley
Station. The average inbound speed for the entire route in the PM peak period was 5.87 mph.
Figure 6 shows the average speed by route segment in the PM peak period in the outbound
direction. All route segments have average speeds below 10 mph, with the slowest occurring in
the first half of Route 66 before Coolidge Corner, particularly between Dudley and Roxbury
Crossing Stations. The average outbound speed for the entire route in the PM peak period was
6.85 mph.
In summary, Route 66 experienced significantly slower travel speeds in the PM peak period
compared to the AM peak period and slightly slower travel speeds in the outbound direction
compared to the inbound direction in the AM peak period with the reverse being true in the PM
peak period. Segments in and around the Union Square commercial district consistently had
some of the slowest travel speeds of any route segment in both directions and peak periods. Each
route segment between Roxbury Crossing Station and Coolidge Corner also had relatively slow
speeds.
Bus Travel Time Runs
To sample delays potentially related to traffic signals, CTPS performed on-board manual travel
time runs. Although observations were made on only two days, they provide a general idea of the
types of problems buses encounter on this route. Along the route, the times were recorded when
the bus arrived at the stop line of a traffic signal and when the bus passed that stop line. If a
traffic queue was formed at a signal, the arrival time was recorded when the bus reached the
queue. The number of vehicles in the queue was also recorded.
Table 4 shows the average recorded number of queuing vehicles and duration of the queue at the
signal locations from two inbound rides the mornings of September 17, 2009, and September 22,
2009. The inbound recording started when the bus left Dawes Island (Cambridge Common) and
ended when the bus passed the signal on Dudley Street at Warren Street. In the first of these runs
from 8:05 to 8:52, it was observed that the section of Route 9 (Boylston Street/Huntington
Avenue) between Washington Street and South Huntington Avenue was congested, with signal
delays at Brookline Avenue and at South Huntington Avenue (about three minutes of delay). In
addition, noticeable signal delays (delay over one minute) were observed at the intersections of
Harvard Street at Brighton Avenue and at Commonwealth Avenue. At these two locations,
queuing vehicles and on-street parked vehicles delay buses from accessing stops at the near side
of the intersection.
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Estimated Travel Speed: 9.56mph (N=627) Roxbury Crossing CTPS

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Estimated Travel Speed: 8.08mph (N=741) S OU T

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Dudley Station
The second run from 7:45 to 8:27 was performed in a somewhat less congested period than the
previous run. The bus encountered noticeable delays at the intersections of North Harvard Street
at Western Avenue, Cambridge Street at Brighton Avenue/North Beacon Street, Harvard Street
at Beacon Street (Coolidge Corner), Washington Street at Harvard Street/Kent Street, Boylston
Street at Washington Street/High Street, Huntington Avenue at Tremont Street/Francis Street,
and New Dudley Street at Shawmut Avenue. No extensive delays at traffic signals were
observed in this run.
Table 4 Sample Average AM Inbound Traffic Signal Delays

Table 5 shows the average recorded number of queuing vehicles and duration of the queue at the
signal locations from two outbound rides the evenings of October 14, 2009, and October 15,
2009. The outbound recording started when the bus left Dudley Station and ended when the bus
stopped at Johnson Gate on Massachusetts Avenue before Garden Street. In the first of these runs
from 3:20 to 4:10, no extensive delays at signals were observed. The noticeable delays (delay
over one minute) the bus encountered were at the intersections of Harvard Avenue at
Commonwealth Avenue, Harvard Avenue at Brighton Avenue, Brighton Avenue at Cambridge
Street/North Beacon Street, and Cambridge Street at North Harvard Street.
Table 5 Sample Average PM Outbound Traffic Signal Delays

The second run from 4:15 to 5:15 was performed in more congested conditions than the previous
run. The bus encountered nearly two minutes of delay at the intersection of Tremont Street at
Huntington Avenue and over two minutes of delay at the intersection of Cambridge Street at
North Harvard Street. The bus also encountered noticeable delays at the intersections of
Huntington Avenue at Parker Hill Avenue, Huntington Avenue at South Huntington Avenue,
Washington Street at Brookline Street, Harvard Avenue at Commonwealth Avenue, and J. F.
Kennedy Street at Memorial Drive.
These few bus travel time runs are quick samples of the existing conditions. Due to limited time
and resources, inbound travel time runs were not performed in the evening and outbound travel
time runs were not performed in the morning.
Overall, these runs indicate that traffic in the periods was congested on all the streets from
Brigham Circle to Commonwealth Avenue and in the narrow section of Cambridge Street from
Brighton Avenue to Harvard Avenue. However, extensive signal delays were observed at only a
few locations. Onboard observations indicate that frequent bus stops also increased the bus
running time. Each stop is a sequence of operations for the buses, including slowing down,
moving into the stop, waiting for passenger alighting and boarding, moving out of the stop, and
returning to traffic stream. Such a sequence could easily take from a half to over one minute,
depending on the number of passengers and the prevailing traffic conditions.
Improvement Concepts
This section presents a conceptual vision for improved Route 66 bus service. It includes
recommendations for stop consolidation, elimination, and relocation. It also recommends
potential applications of TSP treatments through red truncation and green extension or queue
jumps at traffic signals. The concepts presented in this section attempt to respond to the problems
identified in the previous section of bus delay, long travel times, and poor schedule adherence.
Stop Consolidation, Elimination, and Relocation
Stops targeted for elimination are typically those that lie within one-fifth of a mile from another
stop and have lower daily boarding and alighting totals. Stops targeted for consolidation typically
include two subsequent stops that both lie less within one-fifth of a mile from another stop but
for which the elimination of both would result in too large a distance between stops. Generally, a
new consolidated stop location somewhere between the two subsequent stops is chosen. Stops
may be targeted for relocation to balance the distance between stops or to improve the ability of
buses to access the curb. For instance, under current conditions, bus stops located on the near
side of a major intersection are often characterized by buses being unable to access the stop in
one traffic signal cycle due to queuing at the intersection. Another difficult location for a bus is a
stop at the near side of a major intersection followed by a left turn at the subsequent intersection.
This situation often requires buses to quickly maneuver through one or two lanes of traffic into
the left-turn lane in order to turn left.
It should also be noted that all stops are recommended for general improvements such as striping
the pavement to indicate a dedicated bus-only area, providing more substantial shelters or
stations, allowing passengers to pre-pay their fares off-board either through fare vending
machines, retail sales terminals, or fare validators, and lengthening stops to allow buses to pull
up flush with the curb.
Tables 6 and 7 list for the inbound and outbound directions, respectively, the existing location in
terms of both the stop name and the location relative to the nearest intersection (near-side, far-
side, or mid-block), the distance to the next stop, and weekday boardings and alightings by stop
for Route 66. Note that these tables are organized by stop location, and not signalized
intersection, unlike previous tables. The “BOL Dummy” stop name represents the number of
passengers on the bus before the first listed stop while the “EOL Dummy” stop name represents
the number of passengers on the bus after the last listed stop. Stops with strikethrough text are
those recommended for elimination. Stops with bold and italicized text are those recommended
for relocation. Stops with bold and italicized text are those recommended for consolidation.
The following section will show the new proposed stop locations in the context of potential TSP
treatments.
TSP Applications
In a common application of TSP, as a bus approaches an intersection, the signal registers that
approach through a sensor placed before the intersection (the placement depends on the assumed
speed of the bus and the distance to the intersection) and grants directional priority by advancing
or extending the green light. Based on various set TSP strategies, a truncated red or green
extension of the signal phase is provided in the direction of the approaching bus, thereby
permitting it through the intersection with little or no delay. Another method of granting
directional priority uses radio signals and CAD/AVL (computer-aided dispatching/automatic
vehicle location) technology on buses to remotely trigger the signal priority as the bus
approaches the intersection.
These applications also serve to improve general traffic flow in the direction of the buses.
However, the potential application of TSP must also consider the effect on side-street traffic
flows. Note that priority differs from preemption. Whereas the former attempts to allocate the
green light to the selected direction given the traffic conditions of the cross street and the stage in
the signal phasing, the latter grants the green light regardless of other conditions. In addition,
existing TSP applications grant priority only to vehicles that are running behind schedule, since
making an early bus even earlier is a detriment to service rather than an improvement. Because
this technology can be targeted at buses running behind schedule, TSP can be seen as a tool to
improve reliability as much as a tool to make service faster.
Implementing a TSP strategy of directional priority for buses would require significant inter-
agency coordination. The City of Boston already has a priority system in place for the Silver
Line Washington Street. Adding other bus routes to this system would necessitate a similar level
of investment. This would involve upgrades to traffic signal priority controllers and intersection
signals. However, once a central link between the MBTA and the Boston Transportation
Department (BTD) traffic control center is established, many of Boston’s intersections will be
candidates for TSP at low to moderate cost since no additional hardware would be required on
the buses or at the intersections. Buses request TSP through the MBTA’s existing radio and
CAD/AVL system for intersections that are connected to BTD’s traffic control center.
Intersections not connected would not be candidates for TSP. If the City and the MBTA agreed
on a plan, the following work would be required: conducting traffic studies to set parameters that
balance the transit benefit and auto impact of TSP at each intersection; calibrating TSP to ensure
that the buses made and cancelled their requests at the right time as they approach and depart the
intersection; and moving some bus stops from one side of an intersection to another so they
would not interfere with TSP. Expansion to other municipalities would require inter-agency
coordination to allow additional connections to their traffic control centers and/or work at their
intersections, depending on how their traffic signals are operated.
Signal priority can also be used in conjunction with segregated rights-of-way such as queue-
jump lanes. As a large portion of travel delay often occurs in the queue leading to an intersection,
queue-jump lanes can be dedicated to buses, allowing them to advance to the front of the queue.
Queue jumps can be interspersed with parking using the same lane, thus reducing the required
roadway width. The queue jump is used to both avoid intersection queues and put the bus at the
front of a vehicle cohort leaving an intersection, such that it will be the first to arrive at the
subsequent intersection.
The desirable length for a queue jump lane varies depending on the traffic volume of the cross
street. Queue-jump lanes of 200 feet (about double the length of bus stops) are likely adequate
for intersections with smaller cross streets. Lengths of 300 feet would generally ensure that a bus
is not prevented from entering the queue-jump lane by a long queue in the general traffic lane. A
greater queue-jump distance is desirable when high traffic volume on the cross street demands
significant green time, thus leading to longer queues on the primary street. Greater queue-jump
lengths result in greater losses in parking capacity.
After the queue jump ushers a bus to the front of the queue at an intersection, sensors register the
bus’s arrival at the intersection and grant lane priority. Priority is given to an exclusive signal for
the bus lane, turning the signal green several seconds in advance of the other lanes when all lanes
are queued with vehicles waiting for a green light. This ensures that the bus can cross back into
the general-traffic lane without conflict and at the front of the cohort of vehicles departing the
intersection.
Cross Street
General traffic lane General traffic lane
Parking Stop Location Queue Jump Parking

Table 6 Inbound Stops and Load Profiles

Table 7 Outbound Stops and Load Profiles

Another application of the queue-jump concept involves the use of the queue-jump lane as a
shared right-turn/bus lane without the use of an exclusive advance signal. Under this
arrangement, the stop location would be at the far side of the intersection. Buses would use the
shared lane to advance to the front of the queue at the intersection, and all vehicles would depart
the intersection at the same time using the same signal. Buses would stay in the right-hand lane
to serve a stop at the far side of the intersection before merging back into traffic. This application
has the benefit of requiring significantly less capital cost, and while it does assist buses in
advancing to the front of a queue at the intersection, the location of the bus stop at the far side of
the intersection means that, unlike the concept with near-side stops, buses will not leave the
intersection before the vehicle cohort in the queue. Indeed, buses will repeatedly fall behind the
same cohort of vehicles at the queue at the following intersection since buses need to stop and
serve the far-side stop and wait until traffic clears before merging back into the travel lane.
Different applications of TSP can complement one another. For instance, a bus enters a queue-
jump lane, moves to the front of the queue at a red light, and is released from the intersection
several seconds before the rest of the vehicle cohort. This allows the bus to easily pull back into
the general-traffic lane. As the bus travels in this lane, it triggers a sensor midway through the
block that alerts the upcoming signal to prioritize green in the bus’s direction, thus allowing the
bus and the cohort of vehicles traveling with the bus to pass through this intersection without
stopping.
Tables 8 and 9 summarize the proposed location, distance to the next stop, and assumed weekday
boardings and alightings by stop by direction resulting from the recommendations for stop
elimination or relocation and TSP treatments. Stops where a queue-jump treatment is
recommended are highlighted in gray. Stops with bold and italicized text are those recommended
for relocation. Stop with underlined and italicized text are those recommended for consolidation.
With the recommendations, the average distance between stops in the inbound direction
increases from 0.147 miles to 0.213 miles and the average distance between stops in the
outbound direction increases from 0.154 miles to 0.205 miles.
Table 8 Proposed Locations for Inbound Stops

Table 9 Proposed Locations for Outbound Stops

Recommendations
Improvements in bus operations, as measured by better schedule reliability, faster average speeds,
and fewer stopping opportunities, are the primary object of the analysis on which the following
recommendations are based. Other issues, such as ease of boarding, neighborhood accessibility,
and road capacity and parking impacts, will be considered in a subsequent detailed technical
analysis.
The proposed improvement concepts are described below by the route section and direction.
They include a discussion of general bus stop improvements; stop consolidation, elimination, and
relocation; and possible TSP applications.
Roxbury Crossing Station – Shawmut Avenue
Inbound
The stop at the Roxbury Crossing Station could be painted between the end of the parking lane to
the curb cut (approximately 125 feet) to indicate a bus-only area. At King Street, the stop could
be painted and lengthened an additional 60 feet so that buses do not block the intersection.
Opposite the Madison Park and O’Bryant High Schools, the two stops could be consolidated
with the new stop located to the far side of the crosswalk. Approaching Shawmut Avenue, the
stop could be painted and lengthened to 200 feet and a dedicated queue-jump signal could be
installed to allow buses advanced access into the intersection.
Outbound
The existing stop location just past Shawmut Avenue is sufficient. The stop at O’Bryant High
School could be eliminated, as the existing stop at Madison Park High School serves both
locations sufficiently. The stop at Tremont Street could be painted for the approximate 200-foot
length. Similarly, the stop opposite Roxbury Crossing Station could also be painted for its entire
length.
Huntington Avenue – Roxbury Crossing Station
Inbound
The stop after Huntington Avenue on Tremont Street opposite Wigglesworth Street could be
painted to indicate a bus-only area. The next stop at Whitney Street is recommended for
elimination as it lies 0.114 miles from the previous stop. The existing stop location at Carmel
Street is satisfactory, though it could be painted and lengthened to include the entire block
between Pontiac Street and Carmel Street. This lane could also be turned into a queue jump. The
following two stops at Burney Street and Parker Street are recommended for elimination due to
low ridership and small distances between stops. The resulting distance between the stops at
Carmel Street and Roxbury Crossing Station would be 0.246 miles. TSP treatment through red
truncation and green extension is recommended for the signal at Parker Street.
Outbound
Similar to the inbound direction, the stops at Parker Street and the Tobin Community Center are
recommended for elimination due to low rider volume and the small distances between stops,
and TSP treatment through red truncation and green extension is recommended for the signal at
Parker Street. It is recommended that the stop at Mission Church be moved back slightly to the
entrance of the playground. The parking in front of the playground would be moved to the front
of Mission Church, the bus stop could be painted and lengthened to about 100 feet, and a
dedicated bus light for queue jumps could be installed at the traffic signal.
The next two stops at Worthington Street and Huntington Avenue are recommended for
consolidation. The stop at Worthington Street has a low volume of daily passengers, the two
stops are separated by approximately one-tenth of a mile, and the stop at Huntington Avenue is
difficult to serve in its current location. Queues often extend back from Huntington Avenue
beyond the parking lane, limiting the capacity of Tremont Street, preventing right-turning
vehicles from accessing the right-turn lane, and preventing buses from easily accessing the stop
at the corner. It often takes one or sometimes multiple signal cycles before enough of the queue
clears to allow the bus to access the stop. Buses then usually lose another cycle as riders board
and alight. The consolidated stop could be located at the far side of Wigglesworth Street and
lengthened to approximately 150 feet. All the parking between Wigglesworth Street and
Huntington Avenue could be eliminated if this recommendation were implemented.
Consolidating these stops and permitting all vehicles to use the resulting available road capacity
on Tremont Street at Huntington Avenue could improve the intersection performance while
moving buses through the intersection much more quickly.
Another alternative could be to insert a queue-jump lane at the existing stop on Tremont Street at
Huntington Avenue. This alternative would similarly necessitate the elimination of parking for
the entire block to ensure that vehicle queues would not block the entry to the queue-jump lane.
However, this alternative is not recommended as it would reduce the capacity of Tremont Street
down to one lane. In addition, since buses are turning left onto Huntington Avenue, the queue-
jump signal would need to be extended to allow for the additional time required for buses to turn
left and cross the entire intersection. This would reduce the vehicle processing capacity of the
intersection.
Riverway/Jamaicaway – Tremont Street
Inbound
The recommendations for this section generally call for bus service to mirror Green Line E
service. Therefore, the existing stop at Mission Street, due to low rider volume, a small distance
to the next stop, and the absence of a Green Line stop, is recommended for elimination. The stop
underneath the overpass at the Jamaicaway could be clearly marked, as could the general traffic
lanes under the overpass. The stops at Parker Hill Avenue and opposite Fenwood Road are
appropriate for queue jumps. The elimination of parking between the bus stop opposite Fenwood
Road and Calumet Street for use as a dedicated bus-only queue-jump lane could also be
considered. Such a queue jump would dramatically assist inbound buses on Routes 66 and 39 in
passing through Brigham Circle in a timely fashion.
Outbound
As in the inbound direction, the elimination of parking between Francis Street and Fenwood
Road for use as a dedicated bus-only lane could expedite bus travel through Brigham Circle for
Routes 66 and 39. The current stop location on the far side of Fenwood Road is likely
appropriate, as the Route 39 stop for Brigham Circle lies just to the near side of the intersection
with Tremont Street. The stop opposite Parker Hill Avenue could be appropriate for a queue
jump. The Riverway stop underneath the overpass and the general traffic lanes, as with the
inbound direction, could be clearly marked.
Coolidge Corner – Brookline Village
Inbound
The stop on Harvard Street at Coolidge Corner presents one of the traditional difficulties with
near-side stops at busy intersections. The queue from Beacon Street often backs up well beyond
the entrance to the bus stop, causing buses to wait in the queue through one or sometimes
multiple signal cycles. Buses also usually lose an additional signal cycle waiting for passengers
to board and alight once they finally reach the stop. However, the more important issue is getting
buses to the stop without having to wait in the general traffic queue. As such, it is recommended
that the taxi lane between Beacon Street and opposite Green Street be moved back to before
Green Street in order to allow the conversion of that lane to a dedicated bus lane. Given the
length of Beacon Street, buses should be able to merge back into the travel lane before the end of
the intersection without the assistance of a queue-jump light.
Between Coolidge Corner and Brookline Village, there are several opportunities for stop
elimination or consolidation, given the small distances between stops. The stop at Marion Street
has a total daily passenger volume of less than 100 and lies 0.185 miles from the stop at the near
side of Beacon Street. Eliminating this stop entirely would result in a distance of 0.372 miles to
the next stop at Auburn Street. However, consolidating the two stops to a point in between would
result in consistent distances between stops. Locating the stop opposite Alton Place just before
Foster Street would result in a distance from Beacon Street of 0.233 miles. The distance between
the new stop and the existing stop at School Street would then be 0.232 miles. The next stop at
Pierce Street lies 0.133 miles from School Street. Eliminating the Pierce Street stop would result
in a distance of 0.238 miles to the next stop at Washington Street. The following stop at Walnut
Street lies 0.186 miles from Washington Street and both of these stop have total daily passenger
volumes above 200. The stops at Alton Place and Walnut Street are not close to any traffic
signals, so clearly marking the bus stops are likely all that is needed. However, the stops at
School Street and Washington Street are both close to signals and would be appropriate for
queue jumps.
Outbound
The stop at Pearl Street, serving the Brookline Village Green Line D station, already acts as a
bus-only lane. The next stop at Kent Street could be moved to the near side and the block
between Kent Street and Andem Place turned into a queue-jump lane. The following stop at
Linden Street is recommended for elimination, resulting in a total distance between Kent Street
and Aspinwall Avenue of 0.233 miles. The following two stops opposite Auburn Street and
opposite Vernon Street are very close. The one opposite Vernon Street in front the Stop & Shop
entrance is appropriately designed and situated in a comfortable wide sidewalk area, which
should be preserved. The one opposite Auburn Street is recommended for elimination.
As in the inbound direction, the near side stop at Beacon Street creates significant delays for
buses. Due to the limited space at the approach, the bus stop has to share the right-side lane with
general traffic. In the PM peak period, stopped buses affect the intersection performance as all
general traffic vehicles are forced into the only available left-side travel lane, or they must queue
behind the bus. In addition, buses often themselves face delays accessing the stop when general
traffic completely occupies the right-side lane.
Moving the outbound stop to the far side of the intersection could improve intersection
performance. The far side stop could replace the taxi lane as well as eliminate several parking
spaces. The taxi lane could be moved further up Harvard Street between the bus stop and John
Street. The resulting distance between a new proposed stop at Sewall Avenue and the moved
stop at Beacon Street would be approximately 0.128 miles. The new Beacon Street stop would
require the elimination of several on-street parking spaces as the taxi lane is moved north.
Moreover, moving the stop location from the near side to the far side of the intersection might
inconvenience passengers wishing to travel to attractions south of Beacon Street. Adding a new
stop at Sewall Avenue could serve some of these passengers.
Commonwealth Avenue – Coolidge Corner
Inbound
The existing near side stop on Harvard Avenue at Commonwealth Avenue suffers the same
problems as the near side stop on Harvard Street at Beacon Street. Specifically, several signal
cycles often pass while buses are stuck in the general traffic queue and as passengers board and
alight at the stop once buses finally reach it. Similar to the recommendation for Beacon Street,
therefore, the recommendation for Commonwealth Avenue is to eliminate parking between
Glenville Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue for use as a dedicated bus-only lane. If removing
all the parking is not possible, an alternative is to remove three parking spaces from the mid-
block driveway to the bus stop and designate the section as a bus-only travel lane. Given the
length of Commonwealth Avenue, buses should be able to merge back into the travel lane before
the end of the intersection without the assistance of a queue-jump light.
South of Commonwealth Avenue, the existing stops at Verndale Street and Coolidge Street lie at
sufficient distances from each other. The yield sign at Verndale Street could be made more
prominent. The stops at Coolidge Street and the following street, Williams Street, both have total
daily ridership volumes below 100. The stop at Williams Street also lies 0.153 miles from the
stop at Coolidge Street. In addition, the next stop at 322 Harvard Street lies 0.132 miles from the
stop at Williams Street. This stop also only lies 0.117 miles from the stop at Beacon Street. As
such, it is recommended that the stops at Williams Street and 322 Harvard Street be consolidated.
The proposed new stop would be located to the far side of Shailer Street, a 0.220-mile distance
from Coolidge Street and a 0.182-mile distance to Beacon Street.
Outbound
North of Beacon Street, the stops at Babcock Street and Beals Street, as in the inbound direction,
are recommended for consolidation with the proposed new stop location opposite Shailer Street.
This stop would lie 0.197 miles from Beacon Street and 0.194 miles to the next stop at Coolidge
Street. The locations of the stops at Coolidge Street and Verndale Street are appropriate. The
only recommended change is to lengthen the stops.
On-street parking between the Dunkin’ Donuts on Harvard Street and Commonwealth Avenue
could be eliminated. This would prevent traffic queues from hindering bus access to the stop at
the corner and the resulting space could be used as a queue-jump lane or a shared traffic lane
pending further traffic analysis.
North Harvard Street – Commonwealth Avenue
Inbound
The inbound stop on Cambridge Street just after the turn from North Harvard Street could be
lengthened and striped, and a shelter could be added at this location. TSP could also be applied
to this signal to grant buses red truncation and green extension priority. The next inbound stop
opposite Linden Street is very lightly used (a daily passenger volume of less than 50) and lies in
an extremely inhospitable location for a bus stop. Despite the fact that it lies 0.264 miles from
the stop at North Harvard Street, it lies only 0.081 miles from the next stop at Franklin Street.
Given the Linden Street stop’s poor location and low ridership, it is recommended that this stop
be eliminated. Moreover, the stop at Franklin Street, which currently lies to the near side of the
intersection with Harvard Avenue in another inhospitable location, could be moved to the far
side of that intersection, replacing the parking there for approximately 100 feet.
Another alternative is to construct a queue jump at the existing near-side location for the stop at
Franklin Street. The dedicated bus light could work in concert with the westbound left-turn
traffic light. However, as the intersection is tight, one or two on-street parking spaces on the far
side might need to be removed to facilitate the bus’ return to the general-travel lane.
Union Square has several bus stops within close proximity to each other. The next stop at Hano
Street lies 0.227 miles from Franklin Street, and the following stop lies 0.141 miles away in
driving distance (but less in walking distance) on the other side of the intersection, after the bus
turns onto Brighton Avenue. The stop at Hano Street is also problematic for Route 66 buses as,
after serving the stop, buses have approximately 200 feet to quickly navigate over to the left-turn
lane. It is recommended, therefore, that the stop at Hano Street be relocated to the near side of
Emery Street. The resulting distance from Franklin Street would then be 0.156 miles and the
distance to the next stop on Brighton Avenue just after Cambridge Street would be 0.195 miles.
The following stop at Allston Street lies less than one-tenth of a mile from the Cambridge Street
stop and thus could be eliminated. The resulting distance between the stops at Cambridge Street
and Harvard Avenue would be 0.188 miles. TSP through red truncation and green extension
could be applied to the intersection of Cambridge Street and Brighton Avenue.
At the approach to Harvard Avenue on Brighton Avenue, the parking lane between Parkvale
Avenue and Harvard Street (approximately 280 feet) could be replaced by a bus-only queue-
jump lane. If that is not possible, removing two to three parking spaces near the stop during the
AM and PM peak periods would be highly beneficial for bus operations.
Outbound
The near side stop on Harvard Avenue at Brighton Avenue is a difficult location for bus
operations, as they must turn left onto Brighton Avenue after picking up and dropping off
passengers on Harvard Avenue. As such, it is recommended that this stop be moved to the far
side of Brighton Avenue and replace parking there. This would free up capacity for motor
vehicles coming north on Harvard Avenue by freeing the right-hand lane of stopped buses and
eliminating bus left-turn movements from the right-hand lane.
Another potential idea could be to construct a queue-jump lane on Harvard Avenue, eliminate
several parking spaces, and provide a dedicated left-turn bus-only signal. Such a signal would
need to be several seconds greater than other queue-jump applications, as it would take buses
longer to turn left across the intersection than going straight. In addition to the dedicated light, a
practical improvement measure is to strongly enforce parking prohibition during the peak hours
near the stop.
In moving this stop to Brighton Avenue, the next stop opposite Quint Avenue, which would lie
approximately 375 feet from the new proposed stop, could be eliminated, resulting in a distance
of 0.188 miles to the stop on the far side of Craftsman Street. The following stop in the outbound
direction lies on the other side of the block, after Route 66 turns right onto Cambridge Street.
However, this stop also serves Route 64 and provides access to the east side of Union Square. As
such, despite the small distance between the two stops on each end of Craftsman Street, it is
recommended that both stops remain in their current location.
The next outbound stop at Harvard Avenue could be moved to the near side of the intersection,
painted, and lengthened slightly so that queues do not prevent buses from accessing the stop.
Currently, the stop sits opposite Wilton Street with parking between the end of the bus stop and
the intersection. This forces buses to merge back into the one general traffic lane. Buses could
then receive an advance signal at the traffic light to jump the queue.
The next stop at Linden Street lies only 0.087 miles from Harvard Avenue and could be
eliminated. Outbound Route 66 buses then would not stop until the turn onto North Harvard
Street at Empire Street.
Cambridge Street – Harvard Square
Inbound
There is likely little that could be done with the stops in Harvard Square besides painting them to
distinguish bus-only stopping areas. A similar treatment is recommended for the stops along
North Harvard Street between Soldiers Field Road and Western Avenue. The only major
recommended change would be the elimination of the stop opposite 175 North Harvard Street.
The daily passenger volume at this stop is less than 100 and the distance between this stop and
the subsequent stop at Western Avenue is only 0.108 miles.
Between Western Avenue and Cambridge Street, stops in the inbound direction lie at an average
distance of 0.116 miles from each other. Therefore, it is recommended that the stops at Franklin
Street and Coolidge Street be consolidated, with the proposed new location on the far side of
Bayard Street. In addition, given the 0.073-mile distance between the stops at Hooker Street and
the first stop on Cambridge Street, it is recommended that the stop at Hooker Street be
eliminated. The resulting distances from Western Avenue to Bayard Street and from Bayard
Street to Cambridge Street would be 0.186 miles and 0.278 miles, respectively.
Outbound
The recommendations in the outbound direction for this segment of Route 66 mirror those of the
inbound direction. Specifically, the two stops at Oxford Street and Kingsley Street are
recommended for consolidation with the proposed new location on the near side of Rena Street.
This new stop would lie approximately 0.238 miles from the stop at Empire Street. The distance
to the next stop at Western Avenue would be approximately 0.213 miles. As with the inbound
direction, the stop opposite 175 North Harvard Street is recommended for elimination. The daily
passenger volume is less than 100 and the stop lies 0.110 miles from the stop at Western Avenue.
The remaining stops could be painted and perhaps lengthened.
One potential recommendation in Cambridge would be addition of a dedicated bus-only lane in

front of the Kirkland House in the approach to South Street. The stop at Eliot Street could be
moved back to the near side of the intersection and a queue-jump signal could be used. The bus-
only lane would improve bus travel times into Harvard Square. However, it would reduce
intersection capacity for general traffic in the already congested approach and is not highly
recommended.
Summary of TSP Recommendations
As discussed above, TSP operations are an effective option to improve the bus running time.
This bus route serves many high-density neighborhoods via several major streets, including State
Routes 9 and 20, such that traffic is highly congested during peak periods. A smooth traffic flow
on these streets is most beneficial to bus operations. In addition, TSP operations would assist
buses in passing congested intersections faster than other vehicles.
Based on recommendations from the previous section, the following locations in the inbound
direction are considered potential for TSP operations:
• North Harvard Street at Cambridge Street (red truncation/green extension)

• Cambridge Street at Harvard Avenue (queue jump)
• Cambridge Street at Brighton Avenue/North Beacon Street (red truncation/green
extension)
• Brighton Avenue at Harvard Avenue (queue jump)
• Harvard Avenue at Commonwealth Avenue (queue jump)
• Harvard Street at Beacon Street (queue jump)
• Harvard Street at School Street/Aspinwall Street (queue jump)
• Harvard Street at Washington Street/Kent Street (queue jump)
• Huntington Avenue at Parker Hill Avenue (queue jump)
• Huntington Avenue at Fernwood Street (queue jump)

• Huntington Avenue at Tremont Street (queue jump)
• Tremont Street at Carmel Street (queue jump)
• Tremont Street at Parker Street (red truncation/green extension)
• New Dudley Street at Shawmut Avenue (queue jump)
Table 10 shows the potential inbound locations for TSP operations with a quick qualitative
assessment of potential benefit to bus operations and potential impact to other traffic.
Table 10 Potential TSP Treatments and Impacts for Inbound Intersections

Queue jumps are indicated by “Q-Jump” and red truncation/green extension is indicated by “G-
Ext.” All the signalized locations on the inbound route are listed for easy references. Presumably,
all the selected locations would not need any major expansion or modifications. Figure 7
presents a graphical summary of the various recommendations for TSP and stop location.
In the outbound direction, the following locations are considered potential for TSP operations:
• Tremont Street at Parker Street (red truncation/green extension)

• Tremont Street at Carmel Street (queue jump)
• Huntington Avenue at Parker Hill Avenue (queue jump)
• Washington Street at Harvard Street/Kent Street (queue jump)
• Harvard Avenue at Commonwealth Avenue (queue jump)
• Cambridge Street at Harvard Avenue (queue jump)
• Cambridge Street at North Harvard Street (red truncation/green extension)
• J. F. Kennedy Street at Eliot Street (queue jump)
Table 11 shows the potential outbound locations for TSP operations with a quick qualitative
assessment of potential benefit to bus operations and potential impact to other traffic. Queue
jumps are indicated by “Q-Jump” and red truncation/green extension is indicated by “G-Ext.” All
the signalized locations on the outbound route are listed for easy references. All the selected
locations would not need any major expansion or modifications. However, the stops at Tremont
Street and Mission Church, Washington Street and Kent Street, at Harvard Street and Eliot Street
would need to be moved to the near side of the intersections. Figure 8 presents a graphical
summary of the various recommendations for TSP and stop location.
It should be noted that these selections are based on brief field observations and review of
intersection layouts. They need to be further examined under the prevailing traffic patterns and
volumes with the existing and potential traffic signal settings.
Conclusion and Next Steps
As mentioned earlier, the purpose of this analysis is to examine at a conceptual level where stop
elimination or relocation, bus route improvements, and bus priority treatments at signalized
intersections may be appropriate to implement in order to improve travel time and reduce delays
for buses. To accurately determine the type of treatment by intersection location and the
associated benefits, costs, and other impacts, this analysis level should be followed by a thorough
technical analysis at each location. Regardless of the priority strategy – queue jump, red
truncation, or green extension – such an analysis would determine queue impacts on side streets
and other approaches, traffic signal phase design, the necessary length of the queue-jump lane,
and parking impacts. Other opportunities for improved operational efficiencies at the traffic
signals, not associated with bus priority strategies, would also be identified as part of this
analysis, in order to mitigate potential inefficiencies that may conflict or impede priority.
Apart from this technical analysis, and perhaps more important, is the early interaction between
the implementing agency, MassDOT or the MBTA, and the city or town where the route is
located. There has already been a positive example of such coordination between the MBTA and
the City of Boston on the priority system in place for the Silver Line along Washington Street. In
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this simple priority system, Silver Line vehicles that are running behind schedule request priority
permission from the City’s traffic control center via a roadside kiosk and through the MBTA bus
operations center. If permission is granted, the green phase of the signal facing the bus is
extended, or the red phase truncated, and the Silver Line vehicle, along with other traffic on that
lane/approach, gets the priority and proceeds through the intersection.
Table 11 Proposed Outbound Locations for TSP Operations
This model of interaction and coordination has been tested and it may be a good one to follow
for green phase extensions or red phase truncations at key bus route traffic signal locations. It
may also be a good model to follow with other cities and towns, although no other municipality
currently has a traffic control center as the City of Boston does and other similar models may
have to be adopted.
However, the queue-jump strategy has not been tested yet with the City or other cities and towns
in this metropolitan area. As the queue-jump strategy requires, in most cases, the elimination of
some parking spaces, it can be a very sensitive proposition to municipal and citizens/owners of
commercial properties alike. For this reason, jurisdictional interactions, coordination, and public
education must happen immediately following the release of this conceptual analysis and,
possibly, before the additional detailed technical analysis begins. The form of interaction can
begin with public meetings about the sought improvements and their likely benefits and impacts,
including the likely roadway width and traffic signal design requirements for the recommended
priority strategy at each location.
Stop relocation and elimination are also potentially contentious issues that would require
significant inter-agency coordination on issues of shelter and bench location, curb parking,
signage, accessibility, etc. In addition, the MBTA would need to conduct a substantial public
process sensitive to the various concerns of the public with regard to stop location.
As a result of this discussion above, it may be best for the implementation of improvements
along a key bus route to be performed in a phased manner as follows (or a similar variation):
1. Solicit public feedback and raise awareness, including meetings with city and town
public officials, about bus stop consolidation, relocation, and elimination, as well as the
implementation of TSP and queue jumps.
2. Implement bus stop changes and TSP as agreed with cities and towns.
3. Explore a pilot program in which one location per key bus route is selected for queue-
jump treatment. This would allow for careful monitoring before the program is expanded
to other locations.
4. Implement additional queue-jump strategies along each route, according to agreed-upon
criteria.

CTPS Study of Brookline&#39;s Route 66 Bus Line

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CTPS Study of Brookline&#39;s Route 66 Bus Line

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CTPS CENTRAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING STAFF

Staff to the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization

DATE: January 15, 2010

TO: Project Files

FROM: Mark Abbott, Eric Howard, and Chen-Yuan Wang

RE: Key Bus Routes Study: Route 66

Brighton Ave @ Cambridge Br ig hto ST O

CAMBRIDGE 0 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

Cambridge St @ Harvard Ave

Harvard St @ opp Auburn St E

Table 1 Locations of Traffic Signals and Adjacent Bus Stops (Inbound)

Table 2 Locations of Traffic Signals and Adjacent Bus Stops (Outbound)

Table 3 Locations and Sample Sizes of AVL Timepoints

Bus Travel Time Runs

Union Square Estimated Travel Speed: 9.93mph (N=594)

Estimated Travel Speed: 9.56mph (N=627) Roxbury Crossing CTPS

Estimated Travel Speed: 8.08mph (N=741) S OU T

Estimated Travel Speed: 10.96mph (N=695)

Estimated Travel Speed: 8.71mph (N=624) Roxbury Crossing CTPS

Estimated Travel Speed: 6.36mph (N=624) Roxbury Crossing CTPS

Table 4 Sample Average AM Inbound Traffic Signal Delays

Table 5 Sample Average PM Outbound Traffic Signal Delays

Stop Consolidation, Elimination, and Relocation

General traffic lane General traffic lane

Parking Stop Location Queue Jump Parking

Table 6 Inbound Stops and Load Profiles

Table 7 Outbound Stops and Load Profiles

Table 8 Proposed Locations for Inbound Stops

Table 9 Proposed Locations for Outbound Stops

Roxbury Crossing Station – Shawmut Avenue

Huntington Avenue – Roxbury Crossing Station

Riverway/Jamaicaway – Tremont Street

Coolidge Corner – Brookline Village

Commonwealth Avenue – Coolidge Corner

North Harvard Street – Commonwealth Avenue

Cambridge Street – Harvard Square

One potential recommendation in Cambridge would be addition of a dedicated bus-only lane in

Summary of TSP Recommendations

• North Harvard Street at Cambridge Street (red truncation/green extension)

• Huntington Avenue at Fernwood Street (queue jump)

Table 10 Potential TSP Treatments and Impacts for Inbound Intersections

• Tremont Street at Parker Street (red truncation/green extension)

Conclusion and Next Steps

B EA Cambridge St @ Harvard Ave ST

Harvard St @ Brighton Ave

Harvard St @ opp Vernon St AV

Table 11 Proposed Outbound Locations for TSP Operations

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CTPS Study of Brookline's Route 66 Bus Line

CTPS Study of Brookline's Route 66 Bus Line