Sustainable Arlington and the East Arlington Livable Streets (EALS) Coalition support the placement of bus shelters in Arlington to encourage the use of public transportation and reduce the Town’s overall carbon footprint.  It is our groups’ understanding that the Town has secured funding from the State, as part of the Mass. Ave redesign, to provide up to seven bus shelters along Mass. Ave. in East Arlington and we wish to weigh in on this issue that is important to our membership. According to the MBTA, Arlington is served by 11 MBTA routes with over 7,100 people boarding T buses here each day.  There are 163 bus stops in Town but only five (3%) currently have shelters. In East Arlington, dozens of people wait every weekday for each of the morning rush-hour buses but there is not a single place to remain dry or sit down along Broadway or Mass Avenue. More shelters would provide an important public service.

Providing a place to sit with a roof overhead is a simple amenity that bus riders in Arlington deserve, especially the elderly, those with disabilities, and families with young children.  Shelters should be well lit as well. In Boston and elsewhere, shelters funded by the MBTA have solar panels to power their lights.  We see this as a free and visible opportunity to educate the public about the viability of solar power as a source of renewable energy. The shelters are cleaned with 100% organic products which is another plus.

Our groups support the installation of bus shelters without a change in the law that prohibits free-standing advertising.  Among other things, it would mean quicker installation and probably less contention from the community. However, if a change in this policy turns out to be necessary, we request that the Planning Department recommend to the Arlington Redevelopment Board a change in the Zoning Bylaw to permit freestanding advertising exclusively on bus shelters.  Unlike billboards which serve only to advertise, bus shelters provide the public with an important service and should be considered differently.  In addition, as indicated, use of solar panels on the shelters would be educational.

We understand that there are bus shelters in the budget for the redesign of Mass. Ave. in East Arlington, but these would be paid for and maintained by the Town at an added expense.  Use of a private vendor would save the Town both installation and maintenance costs, allowing the funds to be used for other worthy projects. Boston, Cambridge and Watertown, among others, have shelters installed, paid for, and maintained by a company called Cemusa. Jeff Rosenblum of Cambridge’s Community Development Department reports that they are very pleased with Cemusa’s shelters which are well-maintained, clean and well lit by solar-powered lighting.  Cemusa would return some percent of the price of its advertising to the Town, adding much needed revenue. If engaged in a contract, Cemusa would be able to install bus shelters much sooner than if we wait until the Town is able to put its plan into effect. (Please note that neither group has investments or other ties to this company. Therefore we have no conflict of interest.)

Thank you for your consideration.  We hope that it will be possible to find an efficient way to provide some of Arlington’s bus routes with shelters.