MBTA crosstown bus routes

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) operates two specially designated crosstown bus routes in the Boston, Massachusetts, United States area, called CT2 and CT3, and intended as limited-stop buses connecting major points. The two weekday-only routes largely parallel MBTA bus local routes, but with fewer stops to reduce travel times.

Geographic map of MBTA crosstown bus routes as originally introduced. The CT1 is colored aqua, the CT2 navy, and the CT3 peach.

Three crosstown routes – CT1, CT2, and CT3 – were introduced in 1994.[1] Eight additional routes numbered CT4 through CT11 were proposed as part of an interim phase of the Urban Ring Project to provide circumferential service bypassing the crowded downtown subway stations, but were never put in service.[2] Route CT1 was merged with route 1 in 2019.[1] The Crosstown Routes will be phased out by 2028, according to current MBTA bus network redesign plans.

CT1
A southbound route CT1 bus at Central Square in August 2015

The CT1 Central Square, Cambridge–B.U. Medical Center/Boston Medical Center via M.I.T. (internally coded 701) ran between Central Square in Cambridge and the B.U. Medical Center/Boston Medical Center, mostly along Massachusetts Avenue. The majority of its route was a limited-stop version of route 1. Transfers to the 1 were possible at most of the stops. CT1 service was not substantially modified since its 1994 inception.[1] Route CT1 was merged into route 1 in September 2019 to provide more frequent service and more consistent headways.[3]

Station listing
Station
Central Square
Pearl Street
University Park
M.I.T.
Beacon Street
Hynes Convention Center
Symphony/Westland Avenue
Massachusetts Avenue station
Washington Street
Harrison Avenue
B.U. Medical Center

CT2
MBTA #0276 in crosstown bus branding on the CT2 line at Sullivan Square

The CT2 Sullivan Square station–Ruggles station (internally coded 747) connects Sullivan Square in Charlestown with Ruggles in Roxbury via Kendall Square in Cambridge. The southern part of the route roughly parallels the 47. The route was created as a Ruggles–Kendall route in September 1994. In September 2000, the route was extended to Sullivan via Union Square.[1]

As of February 2022, the route has 25-minute headways on weekday morning peaks, 40-minute headways on weekday afternoon peaks, and 60-minute headways middays. It does not have evening or weekend service.[4] In May 2022, the MBTA released a draft plan for a systemwide network redesign. The draft called for route CT2 to be discontinued. Portions of the route would be covered by extensions of routes 109 and 39 with higher frequency.[5] A revised proposal in November 2022 again called for route CT2 to be discontinued, though the route 39 extension would be replaced with a more frequent route 47.[6][7]

Station listing
Station Transfers and notes
Sullivan Square Orange Line, 86, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 95, 101, 104, 105, 109
Cobble Hill 86, 91
McGrath Highway 80, 86, 88, 90, 91, Green Line E branch
Union Square 85, 86, 87, 91, Green Line D branch
Cambridge Street 69, 85
Portland Street 85
Kendall/MIT Red Line, 64, 68, 85
Massachusetts Avenue CT1, 1
Memorial Drive —
Boston University Green Line B branch, 47
Park and Beacon Streets Green Line C branch, 47
Fenway Station Green Line D branch, 47
Beth Israel Hospital CT3, 8, 19, 47, 60, 65
Children's Hospital CT3, 8, 19, 47
Longwood Avenue Green Line E branch, 39
Huntington Avenue Green Line E branch, CT3, 8, 19, 39, 47
Ruggles Orange Line, MBTA Commuter Rail, CT3, 8, 15, 19, 22, 23, 28, 43, 44, 45, 47

CT3
A route CT3 bus on Brookline Avenue in September 2012

The CT3 Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Andrew Station (internally coded 708) connects the Longwood Medical Area to Andrew Square and runs entirely within the city of Boston. The route roughly parallels the 8.

The CT3 route started as Beth Israel–Andrew, but it was extended to Logan Airport in December 1998. The extension (internally coded 709) was dropped due to low ridership in March 2002. A few early morning trips were kept as the 171, running from Dudley to Logan.[1] In January 2005, some rush hour service was rerouted to serve Newmarket Square.[1]

As of February 2022, the route has 20–22 minute headways at peak hours, 30-minute headways in the early afternoon, and 80-minute headways midday. It does not have evening or weekend service.[4] The May 2022 draft network plan called for route CT3 to be discontinued. It would be largely replaced by a new Brookline Village–Courthouse route running via Huntington Avenue, Ruggles station, Andrew station, and D Street.[5] The November 2022 revised plan rerouted the replacement route Brookline Avenue, Roxbury Crossing station, and Nubian station.[6][7]

Station listing
Station Transfers and notes
Avenue Louis Pasteur 8, 19, 47
(part of a one-way loop)
Children's Hospital CT2, 8, 19, 47
(part of a one-way loop)
Beth Israel Hospital CT2, 8, 19, 47, 60, 65
(part of a one-way loop)
Ruggles Street/Huntington Avenue Green Line E branch, CT2, 8, 19, 39, 47
Ruggles Orange Line, MBTA Commuter Rail, CT2, 8, 15, 19, 22, 23, 28, 43, 44, 45, 47
Washington Street Silver Line, 1, 8, 19, 47, 170
Boston Medical Center CT1, 1, 8, 47, 171
B.U. Medical Center CT1, 8, 10, 47, 171
1010 Massachusetts Avenue 8, 10, 171
(only some trips)
Andrew station Red Line, 10, 16, 17, 18, 171

See also

References
Template:Attached KML/MBTA crosstown bus routes
KML is from Wikidata
  1. Belcher, Jonathan. "Changes to Transit Service in the MBTA district" (PDF). Boston Street Railway Association.
  2. "Attachment 2: Detailed Descriptions, Plans, and Schedule of the Proposed Project by Phase". Circumferential Transit Improvements in the Urban Ring Corridor: Expanded Environmental Notification Form (ENF) (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. July 2001. pp. 1–6. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 8, 2001.
  3. "Board Approves 36 Bus Route Updates". Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. May 6, 2019.
  4. Belcher, Jonathan (January–February 2022). "MBTA Vehicle Inventory as of February 28, 2022". Rollsign. Vol. 59, no. 1–2. Boston Street Railway Association. p. 27.
  5. "Draft Bus Network Redesign Map" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. May 2022.
  6. "What we changed from the May 2022 Proposal" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. November 7, 2022.
  7. "Revised Bus Network Fall 2022" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. November 3, 2022.
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