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. . . for the purpose of discussing with representatives of the MBTA the issues of bus shelters, bus service and advertising in bus shelters. |
July 11, 2006Committee Report #3 TRANSPORTATION, TRAFFIC AND In City Council October 16, 2006
The Transportation, Traffic and Parking. Committee held a public meeting on July 11, 2006, beginning at five o’clock and thirty-three minutes P.M. in the Sullivan Chamber. The meeting was held for the purpose of discussing with representatives of the MBTA the issues of bus shelters, bus service and advertising in bus shelters. Present at the meeting were Councillor Craig Kelley, Chair of the Committee, Councillor Michael A. Sullivan, Councillor Brian Murphy, City Clerk D. Margaret Drury and Kathy Watkins, Transportation and Environmental Planning, Community Development (CDD). Present from the MBTA were Glen Ringdahl, Superintendent of Bus Service for the district which services Cambridge routes, Maureen Shirkus, Chief of Red Line Operations, Dave Barker, Service Planner, Maureen Trainor, MBTA and Eric Scheier, MBTA Program Planner and contact person for the bus shelter program. Councillor Kelley convened the meeting and explained the purpose. He welcomed those in attendance and started the meeting with public comment. Helen Kobek, 16 Gore Street, requested bus shelters at bus stops on Cambridge Street between Inman Square and Lechmere Station. There are fewer shelters there and there is a heavy population of senior citizens. In addition, at Lechmere Station, the benches for the 87 and 88 buses were removed. Some people sit on the benches on the other side of the street and miss the bus. She said she would like to see a bus route going directly from Lechmere Station to Central Square. Kathy Podgers, 148 Pearl Street, stated that when she lived in China even the buses for routes several miles out from Shanghai ran every two minutes, but people had to fight to get on. She complimented the MBTA for the water shuttle between Boston and Charlestown and for the frequency of its service. She said it runs more frequently than the No. 47 bus. Regarding the No. 47 bus, she asked why not run smaller buses twice as often and also a smaller bus that runs a shorter loop from Central Square to Cambridgeport during rush hour. She noted that these issues are repeatedly raised at meetings but there is no discussion. Regarding senior citizens, 40 percent have trouble riding buses because they are persons with disabilities. She related problems with trying to bring her service dog on public transportation. She said that the third issue she wants to raise is the bus driver who assaulted her. You cannot call the Cambridge Police, just the MBTA Police so as a result they cannot identify the driver. There is a problem with the control of the behavior of some drivers. Councillor Kelley invited questions and comments from other members of the City Council. There were none. He then directed questions to the MBTA officials. He said he had questions about the crowded T stations, buses that do not pull over to let people off, and how the MBTA is handling escalator maintenance. Mr. Ringdahl said that MBTA Standard Operation Regulations require that buses pull up to the curb. A forty-foot bus requires eighty feet to pull into the stop. Often there are parked cars in the bus stops that prevent the buses from pulling all the way into the stop. A bus that does not pull in all the way creates a hazard when it pulls out. The MBTA rule is that if the driver cannot pull all the way in, he or she must stop three to four feet away from the curb. He said that MBTA buses have a big problem with tour buses at Holyoke Gate in Harvard Square. He said that his staff is working with drivers to emphasize to them the importance of pulling into the curb whenever possible. Councillor Kelley stated that buses sometimes run in “packs” and right behind one another. Is there a way of regulating the timing better? Mr. Ringdahl said that MBTA is in the process of converting to a two-way radio system to enable radio operators to track the buses and radio them and ask them to pull over and wait. This new system should solve this problem of buses crowding up. Councillor Kelley asked if the MBTA is planning to put up “next bus five minutes” signs. Mr. Ringdahl said that they use this type of sign on the Silver Line. Mr. Barker said that at this time there are not plans to install these signs on other routes. Councillor Murphy said that it sounds like Cambridge can help by strict enforcement of the prohibition of cars parking in bus stops and tour buses at Holyoke Gate. He asked if there is anything else Cambridge could do to help the MBTA serve its Cambridge customers. Mr. Ringdahl said that enforcing the no parking in bus stops would be the most helpful step, especially enforcement by towing, not just ticketing. Councillor Murphy made the following motion: ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to confer with the Cambridge Police Commissioner and the Director of Traffic, Parking and Transportation Department with the view in mind of stepped up enforcement of the prohibition on cars parking in bus stops, and tour buses parking at Holyoke Gate. The order passed on a voice vote without objection. Councillor Kelley asked Ms. Watkins if all bus stops are 80 feet. Ms Watkins said the length tends to vary. They are 60 to 80 feet in general. Some midblock bus stops are 120 feet. Ms. Watkins said that Cambridge has also done some curb extension bus stops. These can be shorter because buses do not have to pull up and pull out. Councillor Kelley asked Ms. Watkins if Cambridge paints the curb at bus stops. Ms. Watkins said that Cambridge does not because of winter maintenance. Ms. Shirkus, Chief of Red Line Operations, then addressed Councillor Kelley’s questions about crowded subway station stops. She said that on the Red Line, ridership is down at the present. There are some crowding issues if there is a signal system problem, but in general, capacity is not a problem with the Red Line. Councillor Kelley asked if the Park Street and Downtown Crossing stations can handle more people. Ms. Shirkus said that with the current mix and flow, capacity is fine; the only problem is with backups. Councillor Kelley asked if the system could handle another 5,000 Cambridge residents in the system. Ms. Shirkus answered in the affirmative. Councillor Kelley asked how the Charlie Card is working. Ms. Shirkus said that overall it is going very well. A lot of learning is required. Mr. Scheier, MBTA Program Planner, then addressed the questions about elevators and escalators. He said that the MBTA has been focusing on this issue because of their settlement of a lawsuit with Boston Center for Independent Living. The settlement includes $22 million for escalators and elevators, and includes Cambridge stations. There are new elevators at the Harvard Square and Porter Square stations. The MBTA has hired a new company to handle maintenance with an improved and tighter schedule for maintenance. Much of the equipment is still old, but the MBTA is updating its equipment. Councillor Kelley asked how often the website that lists elevators that are not working is updated and how often signs go up. Mr. Scheier said that postings at booths are updated several times a day and at least every three hours, which is a big improvement over last year. As of next year, there will be signs at every elevator on how to get service if the elevator is broken. Sometimes it will include calling Customer Service, but the Customer Service number will be answered. Mr. Ringdahl said that the MBTA is phasing out its small buses (35 feet); all will be 40-60 feet. Ms. Trainor said that the MBTA does not currently have a fleet of small vehicles. Councillor Kelley asked for any data that the MBTA has regarding the number of Cambridge people on particular routes. Mr. Barker said that the No. 47 and No. 2 buses carry approximately 2,850 Cambridge residents on any give weekday. Councillor Murphy asked whether the MBTA has any plan to expand the parking at the Alewife Garage. Ms. Shirkus said that there are plans to make improvements. She said many of the complaints she hears are about the problems getting out of the garage, which is basically a problem of synchronizing traffic lights. In response to a question, she said that the five-story garage’s capacity is 2,595 cars. Councillor Kelley suggested trying to get people to come in to the garage by offering cheaper parking rates for people who come together in high occupancy vehicles (HOV). Ms Shirkus said that she would pass this idea on. Councillor Kelley then asked how much it costs to park a car in the Alewife Garage. Ms. Shirkus said that the cost is $5.00 per day. The MBTA sets the rates. Some others are $3.00 to $3.50, but all are going up to $5.00. Councillor Kelley asked about bus shelters, their distribution around the City, and whether there are plans to analyze gaps and fill them in. He also added that some seem to be positioned in such a way as to block views and/or accessibility. He said that he also has questions about the advertising that is on these bus shelters. Ms. Watkins, CDD, distributed a map of the locations of bus shelters (on file at the City Clerk’s Office). She discussed the bus shelter program. MBTA contracted with the Samoosa Company to install and maintain the shelters in Cambridge. To date they have been very responsive. Samoosa is responsible for cleaning the snow. With regard to location, they looked at several factors, including high volume location and proximity to senior centers. In selecting locations, the City looked at bus stops that had 100 or more boardings per day, unless there was an MBTA shelter there before the street construction. In that case the shelter was put back even if there were fewer than 100 boardings per day. There is also an issue of sidewalk space. Councillor Kelley asked if there are criteria regarding sidewalk space. For example, the shelter at Massachusetts Avenue and Route 16 looks like it is directly in the path pedestrians would choose. Ms. Watkins said there must be a minimum of four feet for walking but there can be a “pinch point” of 36 inches. In some other locations, there were issues with newspaper boxes or trash receptacles. The City has relocated some of these. Ms. Watkins said that the City approves all of the locations. The ideal placement is at the back of the sidewalk because it leaves the most space. If you are not going to put it at the back the goal is to have an accessible path at the front and back. Councillor Kelley asked if the shelters can be moved. Ms. Watkins said it is a big deal to move a shelter and a lot of work is involved, but they can look at it to see what could make it look better. She noted that there is always a balance between the competition for tight sidewalk space and the desire to make transit comfortable. Councillor Kelley asked if the City puts up a shelter in a spot where the company has not placed one. Ms. Watkins said the City has done this occasionally. Councillor Kelley asked how could residents who want more shelters on Cambridge Street get more shelters put there. Ms. Watkins said that they are doing an inspection walk on Cambridge Street quite soon. She stated that on Cambridge Street there are either shelters or benches at all of the bus stops. Councillor Kelley asked about the advertising, what is permitted? Ms. Watkins said that the City does not approve or review the advertising. All is regulated by the MBTA’s policies. Tobacco is not allowed. To date she has not heard any specific concerns about particular ads with respect to profanity, etc. Councillor Kelley asked about the missing benches at Lechmere Station. Mr. Ringdahl said he will check and get back to city officials. He thinks it might have been done in connection with installation of the automatic fare collection, that they might have inadvertently failed to replace the benches. Councillor Kelley asked about the possibility of additional bus lines, for example, Lechmere to Central Square. Mr. Barker said that the MBTA goes through a public process every two years. They invite public input at meetings and hearings. The MBTA Board of Directors is very close to approving the 2006 plan. At any time, you can contact the MBTA with suggestions for new routes or route changes, and the suggestions will be considered at the next review. Councillor Kelley asked if the MBTA works with other shuttle services. Ms. Trainor said that MBTA staff meets with people who run the shuttles from the Longwood Medical area and the EZ Rides. Their transportation management associations are active. Councillor Kelley asked about enforcement on buses when there are problematic passengers and also about enforcement of buses running red lights. Mr. Ringdahl said that the MBTA Police have the full police power over the general public and the MBTA authority. MBTA Police and local police can do traffic law enforcement. There is also an aggressive disciplinary policy for supervisors who witness failure to follow the rules of the road without taking action. Councillor Kelley asked about the Pit area in Harvard Square. Ms. Watkins said that the Pit area at street level is City property, and the MBTA property starts at the stairs. But like any other private property, the Cambridge Police have every right to enforce the law on MBTA property. Councillor Kelley asked for a description of the MBTA policies on pets and service animals. Mr. Ringdahl said that pet policies do not apply to service animals and service animals do not need to be identified. He also described the MBTA’s ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) training for operators. Councillor Kelley said that he hears often from senior citizens who complain about bus drivers who pull out and start up before seniors have had a chance to sit down. Mr. Ringdahl said that he would send out a memo to all drivers. If there are specific cases, he can deal with them. Councillor Kelley asked about the procedure if someone has a complaint. Mr. Ringdahl said that on the website there is a customer service program. A customer can click on the route and register a complaint. The complaint should include the bus number and the time of day. The number is on the inside at the front above the driver and on the outside. He also stated that drivers are required to provide their badge number if requested. Councillor Kelley asked about the turnaround at Russell Field. Mr. Ringdahl said that until very recently, the MBTA had not been notified that buses could resume use of the turnaround. The contractor had not notified them because there was still a punch list of outstanding items to be completed. But now the contractor has okayed its use and all buses should be using it. Councillor Kelley asked if the MBTA is actually using the suggestion box. Ms. Shirkus said yes. She added that the best way to contact the MBTA about red line issues is redline@mbta.com. Mr. Rindahl said the best way to offer suggestions is through the “Write to the Top Program.” Councillor Kelley asked if there is any plan to use the variable signage for the no smoking signs in the Porter Square commuter rail. Ms. Shirkus said that she did not know but that she would ask about it. Councillor Kelley asked how Cambridge could best make the case for service changes. Mr. Barker replied that analysis and statistics are most persuasive. Councillor Kelley invited public comment for anyone who had not spoken previously. Robert LaTremouille, 875 Massachusetts Avenue, said that looking at the map of bus shelters, Riverside stands out as a place that is lacking in shelters, along with the Huron Avenue area covered by the No. 72 bus route. The “Next Train” signs at Alewife have not worked for ten years. He expressed concern about bicycles, they are dangerous on escalators and when carried up stairs. They should be allowed on escalators, not prohibited. The stained glass mural at the Harvard Station T station should have lights behind it so it can be seen. Councillor Kelley asked about the MBTA’s plans for bike racks on buses. Mr. Ringdahl said that the MBTA started this summer and plans to equip 40 percent of its buses with bicycle racks. The routes will be posted on the website. The MBTA has identified high priority routes based on recommendations from the bicycle community. The rack is on the front of the bus and is very easy to use. Helen Kobeck said that she was pleased to hear that there is training for drivers assisting persons with disabilities. She is legally blind. Most times drivers are fine, but there are times when she asks “what bus is this” and drivers respond negatively, not knowing that she cannot see, and not considering that she might be disabled. Kathy Podgers asked about the “Writing to the Top Program”. She said that it has not been communicated to her. Ms. Podgers also asked about what is the MBTA’s policy on citizens taking photographs. Ms. Shirkus said that since 9/11, you need to get a permit to take photos in subway stations and the policy is on the website. Ms. Podgers said that curbing the bus is a major issue and that Cambridge Police have refused to respond; when she has complained about bus drivers, Cambridge Police told her that it was the responsibility of the MBTA Police. She said, with regard to the service issue, everyone needs training to deal with hidden disabilities. She emphasized the importance of making sure drivers know that owners do not have to have a sign on their service animals. Councillor Kelley asked if the MBTA has a subgroup that deals with handicapped issues. Mr. Ringdahl responded in the affirmative. Councillor Kelley thanked those present for their participation and especially thanked the MBTA staff for coming to Cambridge and for their information. The meeting was adjourned at seven o’clock and fifteen minutes P. M. For the Committee, Councillor Craig Kelley, Chair |