December 12, 2017

Public transportation and public libraries


Friends, the bus routes in Amherst may be changing. The MA Department of Transportation wants to hear from you. Please take this survey and let the DOT know what you think about their proposed changes.

Here is a message from the Town Planning Director about the proposed changes:

Hello everyone,

The Town of Amherst has been following the progress of a Massachusetts Department of Transportation project for improvements to the Route 9 corridor between Northampton and Amherst.  As part of this project MassDOT is exploring changes to the bus route of the B43 bus, which serves Northampton, Hadley and Amherst, including Smith College, UMass and Amherst College and businesses along Route 9, including the malls in Hadley.  The proposed changes are intended to improve traffic congestion and decrease travel time for bus riders between Northampton and UMass. 

However, the proposed changes would have a significant impact on Downtown Amherst, Amherst College, and businesses and institutions along University Drive.  See attached map for proposed route changes.  The red dots indicate the elimination of bus stops.

Consultants for MassDOT (Toole Design Group of Boston) are circulating a preference survey for riders of public transit and other travelers along the Route 9 corridor, to seek input on the preferences of people who travel along Route 9 between Northampton, Hadley and Amherst.  It is important that they hear from as many people as possible, especially people who currently ride the B43 bus.  

Please forward this link to those whom you think would be interested, including your employees, staff, students, administrators, board and committee members and residents. 

The current deadline for submission of responses is December 22nd, but we have requested an extension of this deadline.

Thank you for your help and participation in this important project.

Christine Brestrup

In case it helps, here's the actual survey link: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4015199/Route9. Please share this with friends, neighbors, colleagues...