Some Revere bus routes will see changes in service

  The MBTA’s spring service changes will see some Revere bus routes affected, but there will be no changes in the Blue Line schedule. The MBTA held a virtual meeting last Tuesday to outline spring changes for rapid transit, the commuter rail and bus routes. Several bus routes that run through Revere will see increased weekday service during the day, while several that are still operating at lower capacity will see some decreases in bus frequency.

  The 116, 117 and 450 bus routes will see increased frequency during the days on weekdays, according to Melissa Dullea, senior director of service planning at the MBTA. The 450 runs from Salem Depot through Chelsea to Haymarket Station in Boston, while the 116 and 117 routes run between Maverick and Wonderland Stations through Chelsea.

  While some bus routes will see decreases in service as many commuters continue to work from home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dullea said, those three routes through Chelsea have seen steady ridership of people who need to commute to in-person jobs. “Most routes are at 60 to 70 percent of their pre-COVID service levels, but some routes where we have a lot more work from home commuters or folks who have more hybrid schedules have seen more drop offs in ridership, whereas folks who have more in-person work, we’ve seen ridership that is more durable,” said Dullea.

  Dullea said the 116 and the 117 are routes that have seen the more durable ridership, while the 450 that runs to Salem Depot is seeing an increase in frequency in part because of a need for more travel time due to congestion along the route. The increased bus route frequency schedule for those routes will go into effect on Monday, March 15.

  The bus routes that will see a dip in service due to more commuters still working from home or a hybrid schedule include the 442 between Wonderland and Marblehead and the 455 between Wonderland Station and Salem Depot.

  As for rapid transit, Dullea said there will be some subway changes on the Green Line associated with the Green Line Extension project to Somerville and Medford. The Green Line’s C Branch will see one additional trip per day in the spring, while there are no other scheduled changes for the other lines.

  Effective March 21, Union Square Station will join the Green Line as part of the Green Line Extension, and the Lechmere and Science Park/West End Stations, which had been closed, will reopen.