Institute considers rerouting Saferides
Somerville pilot seen as successful; Cambridge West may be replaced
Students should watch for changes to the Saferide schedule this year as the MIT Office of Parking and Transportation works with various student groups to finalize and implement new shuttle routes.
Over the summer, the MIT Office of Parking and Transportation sent out a series of recommendations for changes to the Saferide shuttle lines, looking for feedback from student groups. The GSC, IFC, and Panhellenic Association reviewed the proposal and, after discussions among student leaders and within the community, created a counterproposal that built on and modified MIT’s proposal.
The Office of Parking and Transportation is still communicating with student groups, and while no changes have been finalized yet, schedule and route changes to each of the Saferide Shuttle lines are under consideration.
Cambridge West
The proposal by MIT Parking and Transportation replaces the Cambridge West Saferide with a Saferide Tech Shuttle following a route identical to the daytime Tech Shuttle’s, with one change — rather than continuing along Vassar Street to the Stata Center, the Saferide Tech Shuttle will turn left at the intersection of Vassar and Mass. Ave., continue down Albany Street, and return to Main Street and Kendall via Pacific Street and Sidney Street.
Cambridge East
After the successful trial of a Somerville shuttle last fall, MIT’s proposal expands Cambridge East to incorporate Somerville stops as part of a new Somerville/Cambridge East route. The shuttle will stop along Beacon Street and continue down Washington Street, First Street, and back to Cambridge Street. The shuttle would also serve the Kendall area with a stop at the intersection of Main Street and Ames Street.
Boston West
The student-proposed Boston West shuttle would begin at Mass. Ave. and then take Vassar Street and Audrey Street to arrive at the Boston University Bridge. In Boston, it would continue down Pleasant Street with stops at Manchester Road, serving Zeta Beta Tau, and at Paul Street, serving Epsilon Theta. After crossing back over the Boston University Bridge, the shuttle would return to campus via Brookline Street, Putnam Avenue, and Magazine Street. The stop at 32 Hereford, currently part of the Boston West Route, would be moved to Boston East.
Boston East
MIT Parking and Transportation has proposed running two buses along this route from 6 to 10 p.m., noting significantly higher ridership than the other shuttles.
The MIT proposal moved the stop at 32 Hereford (previously along Boston West) to the second stop after the Boston East Shuttle crosses Harvard Bridge. The student counterproposal reorganized the stops, making Hereford the last stop before the shuttle returns to campus.
An additional stop has been proposed at Silber Way to service the student population along Baystate Road and around Kenmore.