Route 62, the discrete bus route between the Veterans Affairs Hospital on Springs Road and Alewife Station in Cambridge, is scheduled to return on Dec. 20, at least during peak periods in the morning and afternoon.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority consolidated Route 62 with Route 76 more than a year ago in response to pandemic-related reprioritization. The 76 bus follows Route 2A to Hanscom Field, then retraces back to Wood Street to cover Lincoln Laboratory.
“The Route 62/76 combination can lead to long trips for Route 62 riders,” acknowledged Lisa Battison, the MBTA’s deputy press secretary. “The restoration of separate routes in peak periods provides a more direct option during times of day when ridership is heaviest.”
The official announcement from the MBTA reads, “On weekdays, Route 62 and Route 76 resumes separate service in the morning and afternoon.”
Charlie Ticotsky of the Bedford town manager’s staff said the office learned of the change last Tuesday. Local officials have been advocating for the restoration, including Town Manager Sarah Stanton and Select Board Chair Margot Fleischman, Bedford’s representative on the MBTA Advisory Board.
In its announcement of this and other upcoming service changes, the MBTA said, “Due to effects from COVID-19, the MBTA suspended some low ridership routes in order to reallocate service to transit critical communities.”
Battison pointed out that although the 62/76 consolidation includes several miles of overlap, “there are segments where the replacement service was beyond the reach of our customers.”
Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763
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