Recent Streetsblog MASS posts about Traffic congestion

Google Street View imagery of Main Street in Reading shows the street before (from 2019) and after (from 2020) a road diet that reduced the number of vehicle lanes on the roadway. Images courtesy of Google.

A Reading Road Diet Moves From Pilot to Permanent

By Christian MilNeil | Aug 31, 2021 | No Comments

According MassDOT data, the removal of one traffic lane from Route 28 did not affect travel times or traffic volumes on other streets nearby, and early data suggest that fewer drivers are causing crashes.

A double-parked Lyft driver waits outside of the South Station bus terminal on Thursday, August 8, 2019.

As Uber and Lyft Pivot to Deliveries, Customers Face Longer Waits, Higher Prices

By Christian MilNeil | Aug 19, 2021 | No Comments

Passenger rides are down, but evidence suggests that the apps' drivers are still on the roads, delivering takeout and packages instead of riders.

A quick-build protected bike lane on State Street in downtown Boston, pictured in October 2020. Courtesy of the City of Boston.

Report: Workplace Parking Subsidies Could Drive A Return to Gridlock

By Christian MilNeil | Jun 22, 2021 | No Comments

"Boston and other municipalities should accelerate the reconfiguration of roadways for the highest and best use of that space," the report urges.

The Massachusetts State House in downtown Boston.

Senate Budget Raises Fees on Uber/Lyft, But It’s No Lifeline for the T

By Christian MilNeil | Nov 19, 2020 | No Comments

The Massachusetts Senate has unanimously passed a $46 billion budget for the current fiscal year, but while the final legislation includes an amendment that will raise fees on Uber, Lyft, and other app-based ride-hailing companies, those additional funds are unlikely to help the MBTA, which faces a severe deficit and is planning a dramatic suite […]

Chelsea bus lane installation on Broadway

Legal Settlement Will Restore Carpool Lane and Add New Bus Lane on Tobin Bridge

By Christian MilNeil | Nov 19, 2020 | No Comments

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has committed to establishing a new bus lanes on the Tobin Bridge and I-93 as part of a legal settlement over its decision to eliminate a carpool lane on I-93 in the spring of 2019. The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), a Boston-based environmental group, filed an intent to sue MassDOT […]

Two Green Line trains meet at the Mission Park stop of the E Branch on Huntington Ave. in Boston. This segment of the Green Line is one of the last remaining areas where trains must share a lane with car and truck traffic, and stations lack dedicated platforms where riders can board and disembark. Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Pi.1415926535, used with permission under a Creative Commons license.

The Tracks Are New, But the Green Line’s E Branch Still Gets Stuck in Traffic

By Christian MilNeil | Sep 10, 2020 | No Comments

Last week, the E Branch of the Green Line reopened to riders after a month-long construction project to replace tracks on Huntington Avenue. But, as we noted in our coverage of the reopening, the project did not address one of the biggest challenges that the E branch faces: the fact that cars and trucks are […]

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