-Eliminate 448/449 variants and Vinnin Square/Central Square short turns and simplify service by merging resources to provide more short turn service to a new location: Ocean St (near Lynn/Swampscott line), where the bulk of the boardings in Lynn start, and adding more full length trips to Marblehead from the former 448/449 trips.
-Increasing stop spacing between Ocean St and Silsbee St. (some stops before were very close to each other)
-Skipping the Point of Pines deviation during rush hour in the peak direction for full length trips to Marblehead (the Ocean St. short turns still deviate). If someone wants to get on/off at the Point of Pines on a bus that skips the stop they are asked to walk to the nearby stop on North Shore Road (1A) at John St.
These changes helped in making these routes better, but these bus routes still have some issues that could be improved on. Here are what I think some of the issues that hold these routes back from reaching their full potential:
1. The inbound Central Square "loop".
Currently, on the inbound runs of these routes, they deviate to provide direct access to the Lynn Busway. The only problem is that the loop that is made to provide direct access to the busway puts an extra 5 minutes onto the run times of these routes, as they have to pull into the busway, unload/take passengers, and have to go through 2 lights again (the one at Broad and Union across from North Shore and the Broad and Market intersections). To solve this issue and still provide close access to Lynn Station, I have come up with this idea:
Put a new inbound stop just for the 441/442 on Broad Street next to the All Care Hospice Services building. Sure, a bus shelter would be nice, but it doesn't even need that, just a sign and a small area so the bus can pull up. This would require some coordination with the city of Lynn, as those short term street parking spaces that are currently there would be lost, but people who used to park there can park in the nearby garage instead. People who need to transfer at Central Square to other bus routes in the busway or bus drivers coming from the busway to start their shift on these buses that are en route (driver swaps) are only steps away from this new stop location. Once the bus is ready to leave, it can proceed straight onto the Lynnway. This would allow for run times to go down as much as 5 minutes.This stop would look similar to the nearby Market Street at Commuter Rail stop, which 455 buses use when going inbound so they can still provide access to Central Square while staying on the route.
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| The inbound route is in pink, it currently loops to access the Central Square busway. The outbound route is in blue, and the red box is where a potential inbound stop could be located so the buses don't have to loop. |
2. Point of Pines Deviation
This has always been an issue in improving performance that has been brought up many times before. They solved some of the problems for Better Bus, but the Point of Pines issues somewhat remain. Currently, all off peak trips and short turn rush hour trips serve this stop. However, to serve this stop, buses have to deviate off of North Shore Road onto a residential street to reach the stop, which is in its own loop, and then get back on North Shore Road again.This adds about 3-5 minutes onto the run time. Most of the times I have been on this route, there is almost nobody getting on or off here. Maybe during rush hour it gets used. I would go as far to say that they should eliminate this stop, as people who live in this neighborhood are close enough to the North Shore Road at John Ave stop, but political pressure in Revere will probably make sure that there is always some sort of direct service at the Point of Pines. Considering this, I have come up with two ideas:
Whenever the short turns run (5am-9am and 3pm-end of service), ALL full length runs to/from Marblehead in BOTH directions during this period of time should be skipping this stop. The short turns are already providing service to Point of Pines in 20 minute or less intervals, there is no need for full length trips to further add time to their run, especially if a short turn trip was just there a few minutes ago or is coming soon. I don't think most people are going from Point of Pines to Swampscott or Marblehead, and if they are, they can walk to nearby North Shore Road for service. Most of the people who use Point of Pines are going to stops provided by the short turn services (either somewhere in Lynn or Wonderland).
During off peak (midday/night/weekend) service, have only ONE of the two routes stop here, preferably the 441. (Night service runs to Marblehead all run as 442, all other nighttime trips are short turns to and from Ocean St., Lynn, which run in 20 minute intervals). To make things consistent, since the 442 would be skipping this stop the most, at nighttime and at rush hour, have the 441 off peak always stop here in addition to the 441/442 short turns when they are running. The 442, however, would never stop here (similar to the 439). This would provide lifeline service to the Point of Pines off peak (once an hour) while giving them 20 minute service when the short turns run.
3. 441 routing to approach Vinnin Square
Currently, the 441 and 442 run together on Humphrey St. until getting to Salem St. in Swampscott before these routes split up into their own segments and rejoin again in Lynn. The separation point however, should not be there, but at Humphrey St./Tedesco St. and Maple St. (next to the Glover School). The 441 having to go all the way down just to come back up again to reach Vinnin Square instead of running straight down Tedesco St. puts an extra 3 minute run time onto the route. I have made a map of where the 441 should go and the new stops it would serve.
The red stops would be the ones that would completely lose service, and the yellow stops are existing stops that serve both routes but under this idea would change to 442 service only. The pink stops are the new 441 stops on the new route. In practice, though, only the area near the current split would now only have a choice of 442 only when they could pick both routes before. The Tedesco St. region would in fact gain service. Most people would just have to walk to the other end of the streets at the stops listed for service. The before and after approximation of the comparison of service options at stops include:
Salem St. at Sunbeam Ln. (back of Vinnin Sq.) > Moved to Vinnin St. across from Staples
212 Salem St > No replacement
Tedesco Golf Course (rear) > Direct access to golf course entrance on Tedesco St.
Salem St. at Stanley Rd. > No replacement
Salem St. at Humphrey St. (441 location) > Go to 442 stop for service
Humphrey St. at Stanley Rd. > 442 only service
Humphrey St. at Crossman Ave. > 442 only service
Humphrey St. at Winthrop Ave. > 442 only service
Humphrey St. at West St. and Humphrey St. at Ruby Ave. > 442 only service at those locations, for 441 service walk up the street to a new stop at Tedesco St. at West St.
Humphrey St. at Tufts St. > 442 service only, for 441 service walk up the street to a new stop at Tedesco St. at Tufts St.
Humphrey St. at Palmer Rd. and Humphrey St. at Charlotte Rd. > 442 only service at those locations, for 441 service walk up the street to a new stop at Tedesco St. at Charlotte Rd.
Humphrey St. at Glendale Rd. > 442 only service at this location, for 441 service go to the intersection near the Glover School and walk across the street for service at Tedesco St.
To sum it up, 2 stops would lose service completely, and 4 stops would only see 442 service afterwards. Most people would still have their choice of routes in the area but relocated a little bit. This idea is the least likely to happen, however, as people and the T don't like route alignment changes, even if it is for short distances and most service staying the same.
If these ideas were implemented, they would provide faster service to people getting from Marblehead to Wonderland. These small fixes would potentially shave off up to 10 minutes of bus run times, making a 50 minute run time into 40 minutes. Hopefully, some of these changes can be implemented in the future.
