IN THE 1970s there was a plan to extend the Red Line from Harvard Square and have it go through Arlington to the border of Lexington. But opposition was so strong in Arlington – a bill was approved by the Legislature in 1976 prohibiting the construction of any mass transit facility within 75 yards of Arlington Catholic High School – that the plan was abandoned and the Red Line ended at Alewife.
Paul Schlichtman, the chair of the Arlington School Committee, came to a meeting of the MBTA board of directors on Thursday and during the public comment period pleaded for better bus service, and possibly even a subway line through his community.
Schlichtman said students in Arlington have been riding MBTA buses since 1955, but service has deteriorated of late.
“It’s to the point where for the first time this year we were forced to run parallel west-bound school bus service on Mass Ave because our students weren’t getting to school,” Schlichtman told the board. “We have been patient. We’ve been understanding. However, this is wearing thin.”
He said the T has also inexplicably cut bus service on some lines that run out of Arlington and failed to connect the municipality with the terminus of the Green Line extension at Tufts University in Medford.
Schlichtman said twice over the last year the town has approved resolutions calling for better bus service and sent a request for a meeting to General Manager Phillip Eng and even Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt. He said T officials and Tibbits-Nutt never responded.
He noted Arlington’s annual contribution to the MBTA is $3.4 million, but it is not getting its money’s worth. He said New Bedford and Fall River, communities that pay nothing to the T, are getting a commuter rail connection to Boston costing more than $1 billion this year.
“Arlington would also like a train,” he said, adding that the T should dust off plans to run the Red Line to Arlington Heights.
“Here’s the bottom line. For $3.4 million a year, we shouldn’t be ignored. We deserve a seat at the table,” Schlichtman said. “If we don’t get adequate transit, we’re just going to suffer from a horrible case of car constipation, so let’s get started on a Red Line extension.”
Tom Glynn, the chair of the MBTA board, reminded Schlichtman how hard Arlington fought the T in the 1970s.
“This is a very different town,” Schlichtman said, noting legislation has been filed to repeal the 1976 law prohibiting any transit facility near Arlington Catholic High School.
MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng promised he and his team would sit down with Arlington officials to discuss their concerns about bus service. He made no promises on extending the Red Line.
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