The city of Boston and MBTA will hold the fourth and final meeting in a September series on the proposed reconstruction of Blue Hill Avenue tonight (Sept. 30) in Dorchester, with both opponents and supporters of the project mobilizing ahead of the event.
The town hall is scheduled for 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Albert D. Holland School of Technology (formerly Burke High), 60 Washington St. in Dorchester.
City and MBTA officials are expected to present the latest block-by-block design for the three-mile corridor between Mattapan Square and Grove Hall and take questions and comments from residents.
Opponents of the Blue Hill Ave. center-bus lane project rallied on Sept. 10 in Mattapan. Seth Daniel photo
Opponents of the proposal’s center-running bus lanes are planning a protest and march beginning at 5 p.m. at Grove Hall Mecca. Organizers say participants will then walk to Holland Tech for the town hall.
The first town hall held on Sept. 10 drew a large audience to Morning Star Baptist Church in Mattapan, where Mayor Wu and MBTA GM and state transportation Secretary Philip Eng appeared personally to promote the lastest plans for the controversial project.
The revised design unveiled by the city and MBTA last month retains center-running bus lanes but includes substantially more general traffic capacity and parking than earlier versions. More than 70 percent of the corridor would have at least two general-purpose travel lanes in each direction.
The plan also calls for reconstructed sidewalks, nearly 200 new trees, new street lighting, roughly 200 accessible curb ramps and additional signalized crossings.
City officials say the dedicated bus lanes could cut travel time on the Route 28 between Mattapan Square and Grove Hall by 10 to 15 minutes. Ten bus routes serve the corridor, carrying roughly 40,000 riders daily, according to the city. Construction is currently anticipated to begin in 2028.
A coalition of transportation, environmental and community organizations issued a joint statement this week urging officials not to abandon the project or jeopardize federal transportation funding.
The coalition includes groups like Alternatives for Community & Environment, Bikes Not Bombs, Boston Cyclists Union, LivableStreets Alliance, TransitMatters, and the Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition, said unsafe conditions on Blue Hill Avenue “must be addressed as soon as possible” and called for improvements serving bus riders, pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and people with disabilities.
The advocates also said improvements to bus service should not preclude a future rail project.
“Improving bus service and pursuing an Orange Line extension are not mutually exclusive,” the groups said, adding that they support efforts to find funding for a rail extension while arguing that immediate bus and safety improvements are still needed.
The coalition also called for stronger protections against displacement and construction-related harm, including housing assistance, local hiring, and a “Disruption Impact Fund” to help businesses cope with prolonged construction and reduced access.
Tonight’s session concludes the city’s scheduled September meetings, which began Sept. 10 at Morning Star and included open houses at the Perkins Community Center and Mattapan Branch Library.
City officials have said the design remains under development and that public feedback collected during the meetings will help shape the next phase.
Copyright © 2026 Boston Neighborhood News, Inc. This content may not be re-published or re-used without written permission.
