There's a new push to save a controversial bus lane in Boston.
Mayor Michelle Wu announced last month that the city would be removing the lane on Boylston Street, which was first installed during the Orange Lane shutdown in 2022 to accommodate the shuttle buses that were replacing service.
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It was finalized in July 2024 as a permanent change as part of a larger plan to improve traffic flows in the area, but Wu said it has become problematic.
“Allocation of space just for a bus lane hasn’t been justified between the loading that’s needed for businesses, between seniors and others trying to get into the library and other spaces. We have heard from community members that this needs to be changed,” the mayor told WGBH Radio.
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The advocacy group TransitMatters is now asking riders to sign a petition to keep it a designated bus lane. The group says it serves about 20,000 people per day.
The lane benefits the MBTA's 39, 55 and 9 buses, allowing them to bypass traffic through busy Copley Square.
But Wu cites a lack of space as one of the main reasons for removing the lane. Cars and trucks were often seen riding or parking in it.
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According to MBTA data obtained by TransitMatters, the bus lane performed well, showing a 40% drop in trip times during peak hours.
"A lot of these riders are low income and transit dependent meaning that they need the bus more than a lot of other riders and this really important piece of infrastructure is producing time savings for them, and we really don't want to see it removed," said Katie Calandriello, interim executive director of TransitMatters.
The petition has about 400 signatures so far.
NBC10 Boston reached out to the mayor's office, but has not yet heard back.
Leading up to Wu's announcement, there had been many complaints of clogged streets, bicyclist safety issues and double parking in the area due to the changes.
The bike lane that was also part of the long-term plan will remain, Wu said.
