This page describes transit priority projects in Greater Boston as studied, constructed or planned by MBTA, MassDOT and other municipal agencies. Such projects are most frequently bus lanes, but can be of other forms, such as signal priority.
This page is part of the “Official Projects” series.
Last updated: April 20, 2024 (added crosslink on Sweetser Circle)
Bus Priority Vision and Toolkit
As part of the Bus Network Redesign (BNRD), MBTA provided a Bus Priority Vision and Toolkit. They are blueprints that specify corridors for which bus priority (such as dedicated bus lanes) is desired, as well as different types of bus priority that the MBTA hopes to achieve.
While the two documents (especially the toolkit) are primarily for municipal planners, they are also valuable educational resources for transit fans on the possible kinds of bus priority and MBTA’s plans on where they will likely be implemented.
Downtown Boston and Seaport
Summer St Bus Lanes Pilot (Seaport)
Status: Operational, as pilot program
TBC
North Station to Seaport Multimodal Corridor
Status: Planning
This is a proposed bus priority corridor in downtown Boston connecting North Station, South Station and Seaport. Most of its route will likely use Congress St and Summer St, but sections of the route in the Financial District are not yet finalized. The corridor will be used for the proposed 7 bus route under the Bus Network Redesign (BNRD).
- City of Boston project page
- StreetBlogMASS article (April 2022)
Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan
Columbus Ave Center-Running Bus Lanes Phase 2
Status: 30% Design (as of Mar 1, 2024)
This two-part project aims to implement center-running bus lanes on Columbus Ave, a major bus corridor in southwest Boston. Phase 1, between Jackson Square and Walnut Ave, has already been completed as the first center-running bus lanes in New England.
This section focuses on Columbus Ave Phase 2, extending center-running bus lanes to the section between Jackson Square and Ruggles stations, along Columbus Ave and Tremont St paralleling the Orange Line. The bus lanes will be used by bus routes 15, 22, 23, 28, 44 and 45 (or, in the BNRD: 15, 19, 22, 23, 45). The project also includes a pair of bus stops in front of Roxbury Crossing station with bus lanes, benefitting bus route 66 (and 12, 22, 28 in the BNRD).
Phase 2 is currently expected to be completed in 2025.
- MBTA project page
- Fact Sheet (with full designs)
- Corridor Plan: Overview, South, Center, North
- City of Boston project page for Phase 1
Blue Hill Ave Redesign and Center-Running Bus Lanes
Status: Planning
TBC
Cambridge, Somerville and Charlestown
River St Redesign and Bus Lanes (Cambridge)
Status: Under construction
TBC
Rutherford Ave Redesign and Bus Lanes
Status: Planning
TBC
Everett and Malden
Possible Sweetser Circle Dedicated Busways [Crosslink]
Status: “Possibility” in consideration by the City of Everett within a broader project (federal grant awarded for planning), no official acknowledgment from MBTA (as of Mar 2024)
In March 2024, the City of Everett was rewarded the RCN grant for its proposal, “Uniting Neighborhoods and Transit Opportunities”. Among other changes, one proposed improvement as mentioned by a StreetBlogMASS article is “potential dedicated busways” through Sweetser Circle.
Main discussion for the Sweetser Circle proposal is here in the “Official Projects: Stations” page (including a potential commuter rail infill station).
Lynn
Lynnway Multimodal Corridor
Status: Federal capital grant awarded, planning status unknown (as of Apr 13, 2024)
This is a proposed bus priority corridor in Lynn along Lynnway, one of the major arteries connecting the city, between Saugus River and Market St. The project includes center-running bus lanes with signal priority, along with a separated bidirectional bicycle path and pedestrian safety improvements.
The corridor is currently used by bus routes 439, 441 and 442, connecting Lynn and points north to Wonderland and the Blue Line. Under BNRD, it will be part of a frequent bus corridor used by the proposed routes 442 and 455, with buses running every 15 minutes or better all day, coordinated between the two routes. The corridor will therefore be used as the primary connection between Lynn and the rest of Boston.
In August 2022, the proposal was awarded the Rebuilding America Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) capital grant for the fiscal year 2022, with a funding of $20.25 million. The estimated project cost at the time was $27 million.