MBTA reports mixed operational impacts but strong rider uptake for Revere Better Bus pilot

The MBTA and Revere’s Department of Planning and Community Development on April 17 presented interim results of a Better Bus pilot launched Dec. 15, 2024, reporting higher daily ridership and hundreds of daily transfers while noting modest increases in intersection delay during peak hours. The Revere City Traffic Commission voted to move the pilot package to a public hearing in May for a final decision.

The MBTA’s Olivia Mobade, project manager for the Better Bus Project team, told the commission the pilot consolidated several stops and routes to create two frequent routes and to shorten transfer distances for riders. She said the pilot eliminated the need for an 800‑foot walk for many transfers by consolidating four earlier stops into two and by adding bus queue jump lanes and transit signal heads that activate for buses.

"We consolidated 4 stops into 2 to allow for that transfer for riders," Mobade said. "Instead of them having to walk 800 feet to transfer from bus to bus, they now have to walk 0 feet." She said the pilot has been running for about four months and the MBTA is preparing a multi‑factor detection system in May that will limit the transit signal activations to buses operating on the north‑south frequent routes.

Mobade reported the following key findings from the pilot’s evaluation: about 5,000 passengers use the corridor daily; roughly 255 people make the new transfers the MBTA prioritized; and about 580 total boardings occur at the new two consolidated stops. Transit signal activations occurred in roughly 6% of all signal cycles overall, rising to about 12% during peak periods; the maximum observed activations in a single hour were seven on Central and 11 on Park. Traffic delay at the Broadway/Park intersection increased from about 69 seconds to about 79 seconds (a 10‑second increase) during the 3 p.m. peak and from about 32 seconds to about 49 seconds during the 6 p.m. peak.

Mobade told commissioners the MBTA will reduce unintended activations by about 34% with the new detection logic and will lengthen the transit signal green period by one second to ensure buses clear the intersection safely. She said the change will raise the signal cycle by about 10% but will reduce unnecessary activations while increasing the time a bus has to clear the intersection.

MBTA and city staff also described operational adjustments the agency recommends if the pilot is made permanent. The MBTA proposed reconstructing sidewalks and adding ADA‑compliant boarding areas at the new stops between Park and Central on Broadway, with plans and property‑owner agreements already prepared. The MBTA also proposed shifting a nearby stop pair south of Mountain Avenue to even out stop spacing (to roughly 600–700 feet between stops) and said the change would produce a net increase of two parking spaces along the Broadway corridor outside the morning bus lane.

Commissioners raised concerns about tight turning radii for buses turning from Broadway to Park and Broadway to Central. The MBTA proposed moving stop bars back an additional 10 feet (the agency said it could move them up to 15 feet without changing signal timing) and adding clear pavement markings to discourage drivers from stopping beyond the stop bar. Commissioners asked MBTA staff to examine a smaller compromise (for example, a 5‑foot shift) and requested an on‑site inspection before a definitive striping plan is adopted.

Julie DeMorrow, director of the Department of Planning and Community Development, said the MBTA had been responsive to city requests and recommended the commission move the pilot to a May public hearing so the MBTA could return with final construction plans and any necessary signal‑timing adjustments. The motion to move the pilot to a public hearing carried on voice vote.

Mobade said MBTA maintenance for shelters is contracted; she said the MBTA would provide contact information for the shelter maintenance contractor and that the agency would repair or replace shelters when notified.

The commission’s May hearing will consider making the pilot permanent and will review MBTA‑proposed striping, signal adjustments and sidewalk reconstruction plans.