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After successful pilot, MBTA wants to green-light new tech to speed up bus rides
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted six more weeks of winter, but Quentin the Quahog, Massachusetts’ undersea weather predictor, says otherwise.
While you’re mulling over which creature’s advice to take, let’s get to the news:
It’s not all in your head: The MBTA’s 57 and 66 bus commutes through Allston and Brighton are actually quicker. Both routes, which go along Brighton Avenue, have received a little boost in speed thanks to a new traffic tech program piloted in the area. Here’s how it works.
- The system, called “Transit Signal Priority,” cuts down the amount of time buses need to wait at an intersection by having sensors send a signal to traffic cameras as buses drive down the road. “So, it’s going to hold that green for just a few more seconds to allow that bus to get through,” Wes Edwards, deputy chief of operations and strategy for the T, told WBUR’s Dan Guzman. The time buses spent waiting at red lights was reduced by 21% during the pilot, which officially began in July 2024, according to Jay Jackson, the program’s senior technical manager.
- What’s next: The T and the City of Boston want to expand the program beyond just the intersections of Harvard, Linden and Allston streets along Brighton Avenue. The hope is that faster bus rides will incentivize drivers to ditch their cars. With the pilot complete, “we can now scale this out to hundreds of intersections moving forward” Jackson said. The next rollout locations have yet to be revealed, but Edwards said conversations are “ongoing.”
Steward Health Care finalized the sale of its Massachusetts hospitals last fall. But because the transfer of ownership was rushed amid the national health care chain’s bankruptcy, the new owners of the six former Steward hospitals continue to pay Steward for processes like billing, medical records and other internal technologies. However, now Steward has raised its fee by more than 30% and is threatening to cut off support, unless buyers can flip the bill — which is millions of dollars. (The Boston Globe has a good breakdown of the costs here.)
- What’s next: In a joint filing into Steward’s bankruptcy case, Boston Medical Center, Lawrence General Hospital and Brown University Health said “patient lives will be at risk” if Steward cuts off services, and it could lead some hospitals to close. They’re demanding Steward uphold its end of the deal by providing services until their IT system integrations are complete (a process that usually takes around six to 12 months, on average). A hearing on the dispute is scheduled for no later than Feb. 14.
A push for affordable housing: Massachusetts homeowners interested in converting their garage, basement or yard space into a small apartment may do so now, thanks to a new law effective today. Accessory dwelling units — aka houses on a homeowner’s property with a separate entrance, kitchen and plumbing — are now permitted in Massachusetts. They just need to be at least half the size of the primary residence or 900 square feet — whichever is smaller. (Boston has its own regulations, so check their rules before you start building.)
- Zoom in: The hope is that seniors, young adults and people with disabilities may benefit from this more affordable housing option, Jesse Kanson-Benanav, the executive director for Abundant Housing Massachusetts, told WBUR’s Amy Sokolow. The Healey administration predicts the state could have around 10,000 ADUs in the next five years.
Signs of the season: Sure, you may have woken up to a blanket of snow on the ground. But signs that spring is nearly here are already starting at Fenway Park. Today is “Truck Day,” which officially marks the beginning of Red Sox spring training season. The team’s equipment truck — loaded up with baseballs, bats, gloves and cases of sunflower seeds — is scheduled to depart from Van Ness Street at 1 p.m. today. It’ll stop at Polar Park in Worcester before making the long journey down to Fort Meyers, Florida. Spring training officially kicks off Feb. 12.
P.S. — If you’re a family in Boston looking to get a jump on summer plans, registration for Boston’s free summer sports programming opens today at 12 p.m. It’s open to kids ages 7 to 14, and ranges from 1 week long to the entire summer. Find out more and register here.
