Sports

See When World Cup Train Tickets Will Go on Sale

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An MBTA Commuter Rail train. (Source: MBTA)

The following announcement was provided by the MBTA:

The MBTA announced service information during this summer’s seven World Cup matches in June and July, including expanded Commuter Rail service and special Boston Stadium Train tickets to help fans travel across the region. 

Roundtrip Boston Stadium Train tickets between South Station and Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium) will be $80, sold exclusively on mTicket, and are good for travel on the entire Commuter Rail network on match days, allowing visitors more flexibility and options in choosing where to stay to attend World Cup matches. Tickets for the first five matches will go on sale beginning at 11 AM on Wednesday, April 8, with tickets for the Round 32 and Quarter-Final matches on sale closer to the match dates. Full information can be found at MBTA.com/WorldCup. 

Compared to driving, parking, and event-day traffic delays, Commuter Rail provides a predictable and more affordable way to travel to and from matches. The MBTA has been planning for over a year to support the 2026 World Cup matches held at Boston Stadium and to welcome soccer fans from around the globe to Massachusetts this summer. The agency has coordinated closely with Boston26, the Healey-Driscoll Administration, local municipalities, and Gillette Stadium/The Kraft Group to prepare for increased ridership and ensure a safe, reliable travel experience. “The MBTA is proud to have the opportunity to enable football fans from near and far to travel the Commonwealth, and we are ready to deliver unprecedented transit services to the seven World Cup matches held at Boston Stadium.

Government

See the Date for the Next Newton Corner Long-Term Planning Study Meeting

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Please be advised the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will host the fourth Working Group meeting of the Newton Corner Long-Term Planning Study virtually via Zoom on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

The Newton Corner I-90 Exit 127 (formerly Exit 17) Interchange is a major local and regional connecting point in Greater Boston’s transportation network. The interchange is known for frequent, severe congestion, and is designated a high crash location. MassDOT’s Office of Transportation Planning is carrying out this long-term planning study to develop and evaluate future travel conditions and alternatives for the interchange and its environs. 

At this meeting, the study team will review feedback from the second Public Information Meeting, present draft alternatives, and discuss the evaluation criteria for alternatives analysis. This will include a discussion with members of the Working Group. The meeting materials will be available after the meeting on the study website. 

While this is a Working Group meeting and will be conducted as such, per open meeting law this meeting is also open to the public. 

For more information, please visit the study’s website: https://www.mass.gov/newton-corner-long-term-planning-study . These meetings are accessible to people with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency. Accessibility accommodations and language services will be provided free of charge, upon request, as available.

Transportation

MBTA Announces Service Information During Upcoming Winter Storm

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Charlie BreitroseAn MBTA 71 bus. The following announcement was provided by the MBTA:

The MBTA provided riders with service information in advance of the upcoming winter storm, including that Commuter Rail Storm Schedules will be implemented this Monday. With frigid temperatures, wind gusts, and snowy conditions predicted this weekend, the MBTA also urges riders to be safe, plan ahead, and allow for some extra time if traveling on the T this weekend. While crews will be working hard to clear snow and ice throughout the transit system, MBTA riders are reminded to use caution on platforms, at bus stops, when boarding/alighting trains, accessing stations, and approaching railroad crossings. Riders are encouraged to subscribe to T-Alerts, download the MBTA Go app, and follow the MBTA on X @MBTA, @MBTA_CR, and @MBTA_CR_Alerts for up-to-date service information. Check the MBTA’s Winter Weather Guide at www.MBTA.com/Winter for tips on how to stay connected and what to expect on the T during extreme winter weather, including how to report bus stops in need of snow removal.

Government

Watertown Renegotiating Contract for BlueBikes, Looks to Get More Beneficial Deal

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Arsenal YardsThe Bluebikes station outside Arsenal Yards. With Watertown’s contract with the Bluebikes bicycle share company expiring, City officials hope to sign a more favorable agreement. The contract ends in early 2026, and City Manager George Proakis told the City Council he hopes to sign a several year agreement. “This particular contract is a five year agreement with two optional two year renewals for a maximum term of nine years, which is designed to enhance service delivery, strengthen the sponsorship system, to make the system work better and support continued operations and stability in the bikeshare system here in Watertown,” Proakis said. Because the contract is longer than three years, the City Council had to vote to allow the City staff to enter into an agreement.

Letters

OP-ED: Trip to Seaport Shows Big Holes in MBTA Service

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An MBTA Bus at the Watertown Yard. By Mark Pickering

MBTA service in Watertown has been in decline for years – even as neighboring communities have seen theirs maintained or even improved. Watertown has the worst MBTA service of any community bordering it and all of Boston’s neighborhoods. One of the latest blows is the elimination of the so-called “Express” bus to South Station. The result: It took me and hour and a half to get to my former Boston Herald offices in the Seaport.

Transportation

Watertown Shuttle to Open New Route to Public, Watertown TMA Looking for Transportation Improvements

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A WATConnector shuttle bus. These shuttles run down Pleasant Street, and similar ones serve Arsenal Street.(Courtesy of Watertown TMA)

For several years, the City of Watertown has been looking for ways to supplement the MBTA’s bus service in town and provide more options for people to get around town and commute. The most visible ones are the two shuttle routes that connect to Harvard Square. One runs along Pleasant Street and is open to the public, and another along Arsenal Street, which is only open to offices and residential buildings that are supporters of the shuttle — but that will change in the near future. The City of Watertown is part of the Watertown Transportation Management Association (TMA).

Transportation

State Awards Watertown TMA Grant to Analyze Data, Develop New Mobility Alternatives

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The Watertown Transportation Management Association (TMA) received a grant of $159,469   from the Mass Department of Transportation to analyze data on travel patterns and use findings to inform development of new mobility alternatives, all in an attempt to reduce single occupancy vehicle commuting.  See details about the program provided by MassDOT, below. The Healey-Driscoll Administration is announcing the awarding of $3 million in funding for 13 Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), one TMA membership association, and one consulting firm, to support 19 projects which encourage transportation alternatives and expand transportation options in communities across Massachusetts. Awards include funding to operate and publicize shuttles, improve bus stop infrastructure, expand ferry service, and more. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) TMA Grant Program first launched in Fiscal Year 2025 and is now in its second year.  The goals of this grant program are to reduce single occupancy vehicle (SOV) travel, reduce emissions, encourage mode shift, and expand mobility.  

“Our investments in community transportation are about connecting people to jobs, schools, and services today and into the future,” said Transportation Secretary & CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “The projects supported through the TMA Program are vital to building a more reliable, resilient, and accessible transportation network.