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Committee holds decision on removing Boylston Street bus stop after residents raise safety concerns
Summary
The Worcester Traffic & Parking Committee held a petition to remove a bus stop on Boylston Street after a resident described the site as an "open air drug distribution site," while staff cautioned the stop serves about 61 daily riders and recommended further coordination with WRTA and public-safety teams.
The Worcester City Traffic & Parking Committee voted to hold a petition to remove a bus stop located between Chino Avenue and 12 Boylston Street so staff can coordinate further with the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA), police and the city’s quality-of-life team.
A resident who identified himself only as Joe told the committee the stopped location has “become, an open air drug distribution site and consumption zone.” He said the stop also has associated violence and police incidents, but cautioned that removing the stop would likely displace those activities rather than resolve them. “Are we actually addressing the root issues, or are we just moving them 300 feet up the street?” he asked.
Councilor Tony Economo said he shared neighborhood concerns and favors eliminating the stop “at this juncture,” while also leaving the option to reintroduce it later if conditions change. City transportation staff said WRTA records show “on average about 61 riders a day” use the stop, and that the opposite curb has a corresponding stop but lacks a safe crosswalk across the four-lane street.
Commissioner Raleigh asked more time to consult the WRTA, police, and the quality-of-life team and proposed bringing the item back to the committee at the end of August. The committee voted to hold the item for further study and coordination rather than move immediately to removal or approval.
The hold means staff will return with more information on ridership impacts, enforcement activity, and any engineering or signage changes that could reduce public-safety risks without removing service. A vote on the petition is expected at the committee’s late-August meeting.
