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Proposal to move stop bar on Beach Street tabled so staff can consult MBTA and return with specifics
Summary
Councilor requested moving the stop bar on Beach Street (westbound) back to improve bus-turning clearance; the commission tabled the item to allow staff to consult the MBTA and determine an appropriate setback before scheduling a hearing.
A request to move a westbound stop bar on Beach Street back toward 641 Beach Street so buses could make safer turns onto North Shore Road was tabled at the June 12 meeting pending consultation with the MBTA.
Councilor Novosulski described buses mounting the sidewalk while turning and proposed moving the stop bar roughly the length of a bus (discussion referenced a 30-to-40-foot shift, with concerns about making it so far back that drivers might ignore the bar). Commissioners asked staff to speak with MBTA operations to determine the exact setback needed. The commission expressed support for consulting MBTA and then placing the item on a public hearing agenda once the MBTA’s preferred geometry is known.
A staff speaker noted the MBTA had requested a change earlier, and the city had given permission for the MBTA to move a lane back upon request; the commission agreed to table the item until staff reported on the MBTA recommendation and on the operational tradeoffs of moving the stop bar.
