Brookline residents in Coolidge Corner and Washington Square could get free shuttle connections to neighboring transit hubs under Boston's planned Link Bus program, set to launch in early 2027.
Mayor Michelle Wu announced the program in a city press release, describing five free bus routes across Boston funded by approximately $11.5 million from the Federal Highway Administration's Congestion Relief Program. The city identified Allston-Brighton as one of five service areas, alongside Mattapan, Roxbury, Charlestown and the Lower Mystic, and the South Boston Waterfront.
Two of the Allston-Brighton routes would cross into Brookline territory. One would run east-west from Coolidge Corner to Oak Square. The other would connect Harvard Square to Washington Square on a north-south line, according to Rock 92.9, which attributed the route details to the Boston Globe. The Coolidge Corner route could also include a stop at the Boston Landing commuter rail station, Deep Arrival reported, also citing the Globe.
The federal grant, part of a broader $21.6 million LINKUP Greater Boston award, will fund three years of operations, according to the city. Boston plans to evaluate ridership during that period to determine whether the service continues beyond the pilot.
"We're looking to really add services to areas of the city that haven't traditionally had a lot of good transit, either because there hasn't been development there or because they've been historically underinvested in," Matt Moran, a director within the Boston Transportation Department, said at a Boston Planning and Development Agency meeting, as reported by the Globe via Rock 92.9.
Chris Osgood, Boston's interim chief of streets, said in the city's announcement that the Link Bus services will complement the MBTA by filling first-mile and last-mile gaps and connecting riders more directly to the regional transit network.
Final stops, schedules and frequencies for the Allston-Brighton routes have not been confirmed. The city said community engagement and detailed service planning will continue in the months ahead. Cross-municipal service raises questions about stop approvals, curb space and coordination among Boston, Brookline, Cambridge and transportation partners.
The program is separate from Brookline's own shuttle feasibility study, which is collecting resident input through Oct. 31.
A Better City, a transportation management association, will help operate the Allston-Brighton service. The city's Economic Development and Industrial Corporation of Boston authorized acceptance of the Link Bus funding at its Sept. 17 meeting.
Once routes are finalized, the city said schedules and stop locations will be posted on Boston's website. No public meetings specific to the Allston-Brighton routes have been announced.
