Fourth of July: What's Open/Closed and MBTA Schedule

A partial list of what's open and closed this holiday—if you know more, help out your neighbors by telling everyone what's open in the comments section.

Looking for what's allowed to be open and what will be closed this holiday? Here's a partial list to help you out: Melrose businesses—if you're open today, let everyone know by posting your hours in the comments below. The MBTA subway and bus lines are operating on a Sunday schedule today. The commuter rail is operating on a Saturday schedule today. If you're heading into Boston today, the Haverhill commuter train 1225, scheduled to depart at 11:30 p.m., will instead have a delayed departure at 11:45 p.m. to accomodate customers attending Fourth of July events. Bicycles are not allowed on any subway lines, all day, on the Fourth of July. Bicycles are not allowed on inbound Commuter Rail trains from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM or on outbound trains…

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Bus Replaces Orange Line Oak Grove to Sullivan Square This Weekend

Track work all weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 9-10, means it'll be a bus trip between Oak Grove and Sullivan Square for the next two days.

Buses will replace Orange Line service from Oak Grove Station to Sullivan Square Station all weekend, Saturday and Sunday, June 9-10, according to an advisory on the MBTA website. The buses will make stops at all stations between Oak Grove and Sullivan Square. All shuttle bus stops are accessible for persons with disabilities. This service change, according to the MBTA, is in place in order for necessary Orange Line track work. Melrose Patch reported last month that construction on the new Assembly Square Orange Line stop in Somerville, which has already begun, will lead to periodic bus diversions on the subway line beginning in June and lasting until the station is complete in fall of 2014. For more information, contact the MBTA Customer …

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UPDATE: Missing 10-Year-Old Found

The MBTA Transit Police was looking for a 10-year-old girl, four feet tall, weighing 70 pounds with long brown hair, green hazel eyes, black jeans, a black and white hoodie and turquoise high tops.

UPDATE 1:54 P.M.: The missing girl has been "found safe and sound," the MBTA reported through the See Say app. Original article below. ---------------------- The MBTA is looking for a missing 10-year-old girl who boarded a 136 or 137 bus this morning at 7:30 at the Melrose/Saugus line heading towards Oak Grove, according to a message sent through the T's See Say app. Destiny is four feet tall, weighing 70 pounds with long brown hair, green hazel eyes, black jeans, a black and white hoodie and turquoise high tops. From Oak Grove, the girl was supposed to board the Orange Line, to the Blue Line and to a school at Beachmont. If you see this girl, contact a station offical or Transit Police immediately at 617-222-1212.

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Melrose MBTA Bus, Commuter Rail Service Spared In Latest Plan

Fares will increase by 23 percent next year under the MBTA's latest plan to fill next year's budget deficit.

Editor's note: This article was updated at 12:35 p.m. The MBTA announced a new plan to tackle next year's budget deficit that would increase fares by 23 percent and make $15 million in service cuts—but none affecting Melrose's bus or commuter rail service. According to a press release from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) emailed Wednesday morning, the MBTA would eliminate four bus routes and modify 14 others, but the five bus routes with stops in Melrose—106, 131, 132, 136 and 137—would all remain unchanged, according to the MBTA. (PDF of proposed bus route cuts attached.) Melrose's weekend commuter rail service would remain intact; it would be eliminated on the Kingston-Plymouth, Needham and Greenbush lines. …

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MBTA Chooses Neither Scenario; MAPC Issues Warning

The official public comment period on the proposed fare hikes and service cuts ended last night, but the Metropolitan Area Planning Council still has a point to make.

After months of debate over the MBTA's two proposed scenarios for cutting services and raising fares to meet their projected $161 million budget deficit, the period of public comment ended last night at the MBTA's final public hearing, held at a senior center in Brighton. In a Boston Globe article on the meeting, MBTA GM Jonathan Davis explained how they were going to move forward.  According to him and the Globe, "neither of the two previously released scenarios will be selected by the agency’s board," but, "Instead, the committee that drafted those two proposals will take testimony from all of the hearings’ speakers and feedback from more than 5,600 e-mails and draft new recommendations." The decision comes with little surprise. …

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Daniel DeMaina

3:48 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The MBTA has released an open letter from MassDOT Secretary Richard Davey and MBTA Acting General Manager Jonathan Davis. It's available here: http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/news_events/?id=24023&month=&year= ... here are some key outtakes: "Since January, nearly 6,000 of you attended our 31 public meetings, with nearly 2,000 individuals offering public comment. In addition, we received 5,850…   more ›

Nearly 400 Turn Out Against MBTA Cuts in Malden

Seniors, students and commuters all came out to make their voices heard.

No protesters interrupted the MBTA's 20th public meeting on proposed cuts for next year's budget, though transportation officials still got an earful from angry commuters Thursday night. During the meeting, 137 speakers took to the podium on behalf of students, seniors, the handicapped, the ill and more, with a common message to MBTA General Manager Jonathan Davis: these proposals are unacceptable. Officials say a mixture of service cuts and fare hikes are necessary to close a $161 million deficit in next year's operating budget, with one proposed scenario eliminating all bus routes in Melrose. “I don't know what the answer is to the MBTA deficit, but I know in my heart it's not what's being proposed tonight,” Malden Mayor Gary Christenson…

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New Proposal Would Avoid Service Cuts on MBTA

The MBTA Advisory Board proposed a plan that would raise fares by 25 percent, shift some costs to other state agencies and institute some thought-provoking fees and changes.

The MBTA Advisory Board, which provides public oversight of the MBTA, has presented a new plan—some might call it a third option—for dealing with the MBTA's $161 million budget shortfall in fiscal year 2013. The plan comes amid public outcry over two proposals put forth by the MBTA that would substantially raise fares and cut service on Boston's public transportation network. In recent weeks, thousands of angry T riders have attended public hearings around the Boston area to protest those proposals. The closest hearing to Melrose will be held tonight at 6 p.m. in the Malden City Council Chambers, 200 Pleasant St. Under the advisory board's plan, there would be no service cuts, and the fare increase would be less than with the MBTA's two …

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Letters to the Editor

Letter: Dolan Says MBTA Proposals Would Have 'Severe Negative Impact'

Mayor Rob Dolan writes to the acting General Manager of the MBTA about the proposed commuter rail and bus service cuts.

Editor's note: The Mayor's Office provided a copy of this letter to Melrose Patch. January 30, 2012 Jonathan R. Davis Acting General Manager Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority 10 Park Plaza, Suite 3910 Boston, MA 02116 Dear Mr. Davis, I am respectfully writing to express my deep concern relative to the recent proposals put forth by the MBTA for decreases in service for the upcoming fiscal year. These proposed measures would have a severe negative impact for the City of Melrose. As Mayor of a city with three commuter rail stations and multiple bus routes, I see firsthand the important role public transportation plays into the daily lives of many of my residents and businesses. Accessible and convenient MBTA services are part of what makes …

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Your Turn: Cut All MBTA Bus Service to Melrose, Weekend Commuter Rail?

The MBTA unveiled two possible approaches to handling the agency's $161 million deficit, and under one scenario, the five bus routes that have stops in Melrose would all be eliminated, along with weekend commuter rail service.

Melrose could face the elimination of all five MBTA bus routes that the stop in the city and weekend commuter rail service, along with higher fares and increased Oak Grove station parking rates, under proposals unveiled by the MBTA this week. Facing a $161 million deficit and fares that have not been increased since Jan. 1, 2007, the MBTA released two scenarios along with an impact analysis that details the specific impact of each scenario. The first scenario would stave off the most severe service cuts, but require steeper fare increases. Under this scenario, bus 136 would eliminate Saturday and Sunday routes, while bus 137 would eliminate Sunday routes. Both buses have stops in Melrose. The second scenario would have less severe fare …

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Bob Bell

9:01 am on Tuesday, January 10, 2012

It is axiomatic that the intellectual innovation spawned by the Boston area universities, which are global leaders, distinguishes the Boston area from most other metro-US cities. Retention of graduates is our key to success. Transportation convenience and costs are key factors in residential decision making. The state supports "smart growth" and transportation oriented development. Decimating our…   more ›