The city last week heard nothing but disapproval from transportation officials, who oppose the removal of a bus stop on Main Street in Medford Square.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) told the Medford City Council it opposes removing the bus stop in front of 21 Main St., a move the body has been mulling over for months.
Those supporting the removal argue it’s become a public safety hazard and a burden on businesses that deal with trash, loitering and other problems.
Opponents of the move say the stop is too important to lose because the elderly and disabled depend on it.
Removing the stop would affect three bus lines — the 95 and 101, which travel to Sullivan Square, and the 96, which goes to Harvard Square.
Councilors discussed the proposal during a Committee of the Whole meeting on March 13, where Councilor Robert Penta suggested moving the stop from its current location to Riverside Avenue near CVS in order to help boost sales for businesses on that side of the Square.
However, MBTA officials told the council if they remove the stop, they should do so assuming the bus routes will not be changed. While the council has sole authority to designate bus stops in the city, only the MBTA can change routes.
“Please assume as you make these changes that the buses will not be rerouted,” MBTA planner Greg Strangeways told the council.
With reconstruction of the Cradock Bridge set to start in 2013 or later, City Council President Robert Maiocco insisted the bus stop will eventually need to be removed.
“Even if we determine that bus stop needs to be removed temporarily, we’d like to see it returned to its spot on Main Street,” Strangeways told the council.
The MBTA planner added bridge construction would already cause some delay for those bus routes. Looping the buses around the Square would only further the delay.
“Do you make your decisions based on time or public safety?” asked Ralph Quinn, co-owner of the ERA Andrew building at 12 High St.
Strangeways responded while safety is a concern for the MBTA, they have not experienced safety issues at the bus stop in question.
Still, Quinn called the intersection unsafe, pointing out how buses stop abruptly around the corner as cars race by to beat stoplights and pass by them.
“Our building has been hit six times in the last five years,” Quinn said. “It’s a matter of time before someone gets severely hurt.”
Medford resident James Mapstone argued removing the bus stop would cause serious hardship for the disabled community. Mapstone, who depends on a scooter for mobility and is married to blind resident Barry Cramm, collected more than 100 signatures for a petition to oppose the stop’s removal.
Maury Carroll, co-owner of the new restaurant, Carroll’s, at 21 Main St., questioned Mapstone’s credibility on the issue. Carroll called attention to a flyer Mapstone was distributing in Medford Square that accused the restaurant owner of discriminating against public transit riders and against disabled people.
“I’ve given each councilor what I call a total slanderous piece of literature they’ve been handing people in Medford Square,” Carroll said. “They have as much credibility to speak on this as the man on the moon.”
Carroll noted how his wife and son are both public transit riders and flashed his handicap permit to disprove accusations he is prejudice against the disabled.
Carroll said he personally witnessed Mapstone aggressively tugging at peoples’ shirts in the Square to get them to sign his petition. Mapstone denied the accusations.
“I did not pull on anyone’s coattails,” Mapstone said. “I did not intimidate anyone.”
Diane McLeod, director of Medford’s Office of Human Diversity and Compliance, said she received several calls and e-mails from residents concerned about losing the bus stop. McLeod suggested the council look at other options, such as adding more trash barrels to the area, before removing the stop.
“There’s a lot of different options I would appreciate,” said McLeod. “Let’s look at those first. I feel like it’s throwing the baby out with the bathwater here.”
Medford resident and bus rider Ken Krause said the overriding concerns seem to center around behavior and he thinks steps could be taken to address those issues. Adding a shelter, public restroom and more trash barrels could help, he said.
Krause also pointed out the Medford Square Master Plan prepared by Sasaki Associates in 2005 recommended moving the bus stop south onto the Cradock Bridge with a pull-out lane to minimize traffic congestion.
“I’ve attended all three meetings on the issue, and moving the stop slightly south seems to be the most sensible improvement for all concerned,” Krause said.
Councilor Frederick Dello Russo Jr. suggested both the Office of Community Development and McLeod gather more information in order for the council to make an informed decision.
McLeod said she would look at a way to distribute a survey or questionnaire at the Main Street bus stop to gather feedback before coming back to the council.
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Article source: http://www.wickedlocal.com/medford/news/x1623008223/Medford-officials-residents-debate-removal-of-Medford-Square-bus-stop