MBTA Adding Buses To Overcrowded South Boston Routes
BOSTON (CBS) - Remember these photos?
They made the rounds of social media back in October.
They show the bus stop at N and Broadway in South Boston, where overcrowding is common and up to 100 people gather at one stop.
This week the MBTA and MassDOT announced they will use $2.1 million to fund seven additional buses and ten operators for routes 7 and 9.
The MBTA will also partner up with Massport to convert the City Point Bus Layover Facility on East First Street, turning it into a passenger pick up and drop off location with platforms, sidewalks, benches and more lighting.
State Senator Linda Dorcena Forry and State Rep. Nick Collins have advocated for the extra resources for the last year-and-a-half.
The improvements are needed now more than ever.
The MBTA says ridership has increased by 84-percent on bus route 7 and 54-percent on route 9.
Additional buses and operators will go into effect this September.