Harvard commuters are one step closer to leaving their vehicles at home. The town requested and received a quote from the Montachusett Regional Transit Authority for a shuttle service from two “drop-and-ride” locations in Harvard to the commuter rail station in Littleton. The cost to Harvard would be about $17,000 annually, which would be covered by the yearly assessment the town pays to the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. There would be no new cost to the town, and no cost to riders. The Select Board voted unanimously at its Sept. 5 meeting to accept MART’s proposal.
The town’s request specified Hildreth House and the new senior center at 16 Lancaster County Road as pickup and drop-off points. No parking would be provided at either location. It also requested morning pickups in time to meet the 7:01 a.m. and 8:01 a.m. trains, and evening pick-ups for the 5:27 p.m. and 6:27 p.m. trains. Those times are not definite, since the MBTA changes its schedule in September, and the new schedule is not yet available.
Two members of the Transportation Advisory Committee, Chair Gabe Medjanis and Stacia Donahue, the Planning Board representative, attended the Select Board meeting and recommended the town accept the proposal. Both, however, expressed concern that the ridership may be too low for MART to maintain the service, although the proposal did not include a minimum number of riders. Medjanis said the town could probably sign up for a six-month or one-year trial to determine interest, and Donahue said MART might provide some marketing support to advertise the service as it has done in other towns.
Will lack of parking deter riders?
Select Board members Kara Minar and Erin McBee questioned whether the lack of parking might deter potential riders. Donahue said the committee would like to start the service first, and if there is enough interest, it could investigate possible parking options. She added that lack of parking prevented the town from starting this service in the past because MART used to require designated parking at the pickup and drop-off locations. That requirement has been dropped. Town Administrator Tim Bragan mentioned the parking lot at the Rollstone Bank plaza and the lot next to the bowling alley as two possible parking options.
Member Don Ludwig said he worried that riders might start parking at either Hildreth House or the new senior center, creating a problem. Donahue said she was more worried about lower ridership, and Ludwig countered that a lack of parking could result in low ridership. Minar said the town should look at both parking lot options, and McBee agreed, saying, “Who’s going to make the call?” There was no response to that question. No one mentioned the option of installing bicycle racks at either location.
When the Transportation Advisory Committee met Sept. 11, members agreed to move forward with the proposal as a drop-and-ride service for now, although member Bruce Leicher mentioned the six open parking spots in the lower lot at Hildreth House as a possible parking option for that location. The town owns that lot, and using it as a parking area for the MART shuttle service would require approval from town officials.
The committee is waiting for the new MBTA schedule so it can adjust the proposed pickup and drop-off times if necessary, and it will then inform MART that the town would like to begin the service. Donahue said the proposal does not include a start date.
