Boston to Launch Five Free Link Bus Community Routes with $11.5 Million in Federal Funding
Boston is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. The City of Boston has announced five free community shuttle routes under the 'Link Bus' name, serving Mattapan, Roxbury, Allston-Brighton, Charlestown and the Lower Mystic, and the South Boston Waterfront, connecting residents to subway and commuter-rail stations and major job centers.
The service is funded with about $11.5 million from the Federal Highway Administration's congestion-mitigation program, administered through MassDOT. The money is part of a $21.6 million 'LINKUP Greater Boston' award, of which roughly $10 million will expand the Bluebikes bike-share and e-bike network. Federal funding covers the first three years of operations; the city says it will evaluate ridership and the long-term sustainability of the service during that period.
The mayor's office said the five routes prioritize neighborhoods with comparatively weak transit service and long commutes, with shuttle schedules timed to MBTA trains and stops chosen with community input. Specific launch dates for each route have not yet been announced; the city plans a phased rollout as vehicles and drivers are ready.
Transit advocates welcomed the free shuttles while urging the city to plan early for funding beyond year three so the routes do not disappear when federal money runs out.
Source: City of Boston (Boston.gov)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 波士顿 MBTA 公交车，CC BY 4.0，摄影：4300streetcar（Wikimedia Commons）
