Councilors seek answers to bus stop route changes

  Revere City Councilors are done with the MBTA changes to bus routes and bus stops that negatively impact residents.

  The council approved a motion from Councilors Keefe, Novoselsky and Powers that the mayor request an MBTA rep to provide an update on bus route and bus stop changes in Revere that will adversely affect the city’s senior population.

  “I have been disgusted with the way the MBTA is treating our people,” said Councilor John Powers who, along with Keefe and Novoselsky, met with residents of the Jack Satter house last week to protest the MBTA plan to move the bus stop down North Shore Road. Councilors pointed out that many residents at the Jack Satter house use walkers and canes and it’s unfair to expect them to walk and cross a busy street where there have been serious traffic accidents.

“It’s completely ridiculous,” added Powers.

  “The MBTA is taking the all-business route and saying not enough riders are using this route. I think we need to stand up the MBTA, enough is enough, we can’t keep bending over and letting them impact our residents this way. These people need the bus, it’s as simple as that,” said Councilor Patrick Keefe.

  Councilor Novoselsky, who has been working on an issue with the 411 bus, said he and Powers have been disgusted with the way the MBTA is treating Revere residents citywide.

  “They have already eliminated all the bus stops along Ocean Avenue up to Beach Street. They expect people to walk an additional 1500 feet or 800 feet to get to a bus stop that they wanted to redesign for their purposes, not for ours. They have never been good to us, and we’ve been good to them, they have not shown any respect for us” said Novoselsky.

  Like other members of the council, Councilor Dan Rizzo pointed out that Revere pays a lot of money to support the MBTA. And the city has approved bus lanes that take up half of city streets for the benefit of two buses. Rizzo said the state delegation needs to step in to help since the MBTA does not listen to the Revere City Council.

  Novoselsky said there is a public zoom meeting scheduled for Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. to discuss bus network redesign and an equity analysis. Novoselsky said there will be more information coming on how residents can participate and voice their questions and concerns.

  “We need to let the MBTA know we’re not going to take it anymore. We are going to do what we have to do to protect our folks,” he said.