MBTA May Route Buses Into Tunnel

The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority may reroute all buses currently stopping in Harvard Square to an underground terminal.

Alan McClennen '38, Cambridge Planning Director, told the City Council yesterday that the MBTA favored the idea of using a tunnel that runs under the Square from in front of Littauer Center to Brattle Square.

"They're 100 per cent for it. They have every reason in the world to run the buses under the surface," he said. Buses running on electric power already use the tunnel as their Harvard Square station.

Councillor Thomas H. D. Mahoney said yesterday that rerouting the buses underground would improve traffic conditions in the Square "appreciably." He declared that the large number of buses that currently make stops in the Square constitute "a danger to pedestrians and drivers alike."

The chief hurdle to the underground plan appears to be the State Department of public Utility which must approve all MBTA route changes. A hearing before the DPU will be held next Monday at 11:30 a.m.

A bill has been filed in the state legislature that would order the MBTA to run its busses into the tunnel and there by probably deprive the DPU of its jurisdiction, according to McClennen.

Problem Solved

One potential problem of running the buses underground has already been solved. Last January the State Department of Public Health approved the installation of catalytic mufflers on the diesel-powered buses. The special mufflers would prevent exhaust of noxious gases while the buses are underground.

Yesterday McCleannen cleared the underground plan with officials from Belmont and Arlington. Residents from both communities use buses to and from Harvard Square.

Also yesterday, the City Council met for nearly two hours in closed session with Daniel J. Brennan, chief of police, and John J. Curry '19, the city manager, to discuss police matters.

After the meeting, Councillor Daniel J. Hayes, Jr. said he would introduce an order to add 12 officers to the Cambridge police force. At last week's meeting, Hayes said that he thought that a greater number of foot patrolmen in the City would help reduce petty crime.