Opponents of Blue Hill Avenue bus lane proposal express frustration at city meeting

Some Blue Hill Avenue residents are protesting the city of Boston's proposed new bus lanes down the busy street. 

The project would put designated bus lanes down the middle of the 3-mile stretch of road, costing the city more than $160 million. The lanes would be accessible to MBTA buses, school buses and emergency vehicles. 

Some residents told WBZ-TV they are concerned about pedestrian safety, a reduction to parking spots and traffic being reduced to one lane in some sections. 

"I'm just worried about how safe it's going to be," Cynthia Grant Carter said. "What about the businesses losing money?" 

The city hosted a town hall public input session on Wednesday at the Albert D. Holland School of Technology in Dorchester. Protesters against the project gathered ahead of the meeting before entering the town hall. 

Protesters were vocal in their opposition to the project and their disappointment that a proposed Orange Line extension has not been completed. 

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng attempted to reassure the public about the proposal during the meeting. 

"We want to invest in this community, we want to invest in you, and we want to invest in your families," Eng said. 

"We need our roadways in Boston to work for everyone, and particularly in neighborhoods that have experienced the most disinvestment," Wu said. "That is where our dollars should be going." 

Frustration at the meeting grew as more than half of the time was taken up by presentations over questions from the community. 

Eng declined to comment on the project when approached by WBZ-TV.   

"It sounds to me like it's done deal," Rowena Hall of Dorchester said. "But if it is, we need to be able to put our 2 cents in."

Another town hall meeting is set for November. If all goes according to schedule, construction would begin in 2028.