View source for MBTA crosstown bus routes

{{short description|MBTA Crosstown bus system}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
[[File:Crosstown bus map.svg|thumb|right|300px|Geographic map of MBTA crosstown bus routes as originally introduced. The CT1 is colored aqua, the CT2 navy, and the CT3 peach.]]
The [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority]] (MBTA) operates two specially designated [[Cross-city route|crosstown bus routes]] in the [[Boston, Massachusetts]], United States area, called '''CT2''' and '''CT3''', and intended as [[limited-stop]] buses connecting major points. The two weekday-only routes largely parallel [[MBTA bus]] local routes, but with fewer stops to reduce travel times.

Three crosstown routes – CT1, CT2, and CT3 – were introduced in 1994.<ref name=netransit /> [[Urban Ring Project (MBTA)#Phase 1|Eight additional routes]] numbered CT4 through CT11 were proposed as part of an interim phase of the [[Urban Ring Project (MBTA)|Urban Ring Project]] to provide circumferential service bypassing the crowded downtown subway stations, but were never put in service.<ref>{{cite book |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011108040617/http://www.mbta.com/newsinfo/geninfo/projects/urbanring/ENFPart1.pdf |archive-date=November 8, 2001 |url=http://www.mbta.com/newsinfo/geninfo/projects/urbanring/ENFPart1.pdf |title=Circumferential Transit Improvements in the Urban Ring Corridor: Expanded Environmental Notification Form (ENF) |chapter=Attachment 2: Detailed Descriptions, Plans, and Schedule of the Proposed Project by Phase |date=July 2001 |pages=1–6 |publisher=Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority}}</ref> Route CT1 was merged with route {{MBTABus|1}} in 2019.<ref name=netransit>{{NETransit}}</ref> The Crosstown Routes will be phased out by 2028, according to current MBTA bus network redesign plans.

==CT1==
[[File:MBTA route CT1 bus at Central Square, April 2015.jpg|thumb|right|A southbound route CT1 bus at Central Square in August 2015]]
The '''CT1 Central Square, Cambridge–B.U. Medical Center/Boston Medical Center via M.I.T.''' (internally coded 701) ran between [[Central Square (Cambridge)|Central Square]] in [[Cambridge (MA)|Cambridge]] and the [[Boston University Medical Center|B.U. Medical Center]]/[[Boston Medical Center]], mostly along [[Massachusetts Avenue (Boston)|Massachusetts Avenue]]. The majority of its route was a limited-stop version of route {{MBTABus|1}}. Transfers to the 1 were possible at most of the stops. CT1 service was not substantially modified since its 1994 inception.<ref name=netransit /> Route CT1 was merged into route 1 in September 2019 to provide more frequent service and more consistent headways.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mbta.com/projects/better-bus-project/update/board-approves-36-bus-route-updates |title=Board Approves 36 Bus Route Updates |date=May 6, 2019 |publisher=Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority}}</ref>

===Station listing===
{| class="wikitable"
!Station
|-
|[[Central station (MBTA)|Central Square]]
|-
|Pearl Street
|-
|University Park
|-
|[[M.I.T.]]
|-
|[[Beacon Street (Boston)|Beacon Street]]
|-
|[[Hynes Convention Center station|Hynes Convention Center]]
|-
|[[Symphony station (MBTA)|Symphony]]/Westland Avenue
|-
|[[Massachusetts Avenue station]]
|-
|[[Massachusetts Avenue station (MBTA Silver Line)|Washington Street]]
|-
|Harrison Avenue
|-
|[[Boston University Medical Center|B.U. Medical Center]]
|-
|}

==CT2==
[[File:MBTA CT2 bus in Union Square.jpg|thumb|A route CT2 bus in Union Square in Somerville.]]

[[Image:MBTA Crosstown Bus 0276.jpg|thumb|A Route CT2 bus with ''crosstown bus'' branding at {{bts|Sullivan Square}} in 2007. These [[Rapid Transit Series|RTS]] buses have since been retired, and no current MBTA buses have crosstown bus branding.]]
The '''CT2 Sullivan Square station–Ruggles station''' (internally coded 747) connects [[Sullivan Square (Boston)|Sullivan Square]] in [[Charlestown (Boston)|Charlestown]] with [[Ruggles (MBTA station)|Ruggles]] in [[Roxbury (Boston)|Roxbury]] via [[Kendall Square (Cambridge)|Kendall Square]] in [[Cambridge (MA)|Cambridge]]. The southern part of the route roughly parallels the {{MBTABus|47}}. The route was created as a Ruggles–Kendall route in September 1994. In September 2000, the route was extended to Sullivan via Union Square.<ref name=netransit />

{{As of|February 2022}}, the route has 25-minute headways on weekday morning peaks, 40-minute headways on weekday afternoon peaks, and 60-minute headways middays. It does not have evening or weekend service.<ref name=feb2022>{{cite magazine |magazine=Rollsign |publisher=[[Boston Street Railway Association]] |date=January–February 2022 |issue=1–2 |volume=59 |title=MBTA Vehicle Inventory as of February 28, 2022 |first=Jonathan |last=Belcher |page=27}}</ref> In May 2022, the MBTA released a draft plan for a systemwide network redesign. The draft called for route CT2 to be discontinued. Portions of the route would be covered by extensions of routes {{MBTABus|109}} and {{MBTABus|39}} with higher frequency.<ref name=draftmap>{{cite web |url=https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/files/2022-05/2022-05-12-bnrd-proposed-regional-map.pdf|title=Draft Bus Network Redesign Map |date=May 2022 |publisher=Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority}}</ref> A revised proposal in November 2022 again called for route CT2 to be discontinued, though the route 39 extension would be replaced with a more frequent route 47.<ref name=nov2022changes>{{cite web |url=https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/files/2022-11/2022-11-7-bnrd-summary-of-changes-english-accessible.pdf |title=What we changed from the May 2022 Proposal |date=November 7, 2022 |publisher=Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority}}</ref><ref name=nov2022map>{{cite web |url=https://cdn.mbta.com/sites/default/files/2022-11/2022-11-3-bnrd-revised-bus-network-map-7-mb.pdf |title=Revised Bus Network Fall 2022 |date=November 3, 2022 |publisher=Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority}}</ref>

===Station listing===
{| class="wikitable"
!Station
!Transfers and notes
|-
|{{bts|Sullivan Square}}
|[[Orange Line (MBTA)|Orange Line]], {{MBTA bus links|CT2 Sullivan Square}}
|-
|Cobble Hill
|{{MBTA bus links|CT2 Cobble Hill}}
|-
|[[East Somerville station|McGrath Highway]]
|[[Green Line E branch]], {{MBTA bus links|CT2 McGrath}}
|-
|[[Union Square (Somerville)|Union Square]]
|[[Green Line D branch]], {{MBTA bus links|CT2 Union Square}}
|-
|Cambridge Street
|{{MBTA bus links|CT2 Cambridge Street}}
|-
|Portland Street
|{{MBTA bus links|CT2 Portland Street}}
|-
|[[Kendall/MIT station|Kendall Square]]
|[[Red Line (MBTA)|Red Line]], {{MBTA bus links|CT2 Kendall Square}}
|-
|[[Massachusetts Avenue (Cambridge)|Massachusetts Avenue]]
|{{MBTA bus links|CT2 Massachusetts Avenue}}
|-
|[[Memorial Drive (Cambridge)|Memorial Drive]]
| —
|-
|[[Boston University Central station|Boston University]]
|[[Green Line B branch]], {{MBTA bus links|CT2 Boston University}}
|-
|[[Saint Mary's Street station|Park and Beacon Streets]]
|[[Green Line C branch]], {{MBTA bus links|CT2 Beacon Street}}
|-
|[[Fenway station|Fenway Station]]
|[[Green Line D branch]], {{MBTA bus links|CT2 Fenway}}
|-
|[[Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center|Beth Israel Hospital]]
|{{MBTA bus links|CT2 Beth Israel}}
|-
|[[Children's Hospital Boston|Children's Hospital]]
|{{MBTA bus links|CT2 Children's Hospital}}
|-
|[[Longwood Medical Area station|Longwood Avenue]]
|[[Green Line E branch]], {{MBTA bus links|CT2 Longwood Avenue}}
|-
|[[Museum of Fine Arts station (MBTA)|Huntington Avenue]]
|Green Line E branch, {{MBTA bus links|CT2 Huntington Avenue}}
|-
|[[Ruggles station|Ruggles]]
|[[Orange Line (MBTA)|Orange Line]], [[MBTA Commuter Rail]], {{MBTA bus links|CT2 Ruggles}}
|}

==CT3==
[[File:MBTA route CT3 bus on Brookline Avenue, September 2012.JPG|thumb|right|A route CT3 bus on Brookline Avenue in September 2012]]
The CT3 '''Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Andrew Station''' (internally coded 708) connects the [[Longwood Medical Area]] to [[Andrew (MBTA station)|Andrew Square]] and runs entirely within the city of Boston. The route roughly parallels the {{MBTABus|8}}. The stops at Avenue Louis Pasteur, Children's Hospital, and Beth Israel Hospital are on a one-way loop.

The CT3 route started as Beth Israel–Andrew, but it was extended to [[Logan Airport]] in December 1998. The extension (internally coded 709) was dropped due to low ridership in March 2002. A few early morning trips were kept as the {{MBTABus|171}}, running from {{bts|Dudley}} to Logan.<ref name=netransit /> In January 2005, some rush hour service was rerouted to serve [[Newmarket (MBTA station)|Newmarket Square]].<ref name=netransit />

{{As of|February 2022}}, the route has 20–22 minute headways at peak hours, 30-minute headways in the early afternoon, and 80-minute headways midday. It does not have evening or weekend service.<ref name=feb2022 /> The May 2022 draft network plan called for route CT3 to be discontinued. It would be largely replaced by a new {{bts|Brookline Village}}–{{bts|Courthouse}} route running via Huntington Avenue, Ruggles station, Andrew station, and D Street.<ref name=draftmap /> The November 2022 revised plan rerouted the replacement route via Brookline Avenue, [[Roxbury Crossing station]], and [[Nubian station]].<ref name=nov2022changes /><ref name=nov2022map />

===Station listing===
{| class="wikitable"
!Station
!Transfers and notes
|-
|[[Boston Latin School|Avenue Louis Pasteur]]
|{{MBTA bus links|CT3 Avenue Louis Pasteur}}
|-
|[[Children's Hospital Boston|Children's Hospital]]
|{{MBTA bus links|CT3 Children's Hospital}}
|-
|[[Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center|Beth Israel Hospital]]
|{{MBTA bus links|CT3 Beth Israel}}
|-
|[[Museum of Fine Arts station (MBTA)|Ruggles Street/Huntington Avenue]]
|[[Green Line E branch]], {{MBTA bus links|CT3 Huntington Avenue}}
|-
|[[Ruggles (MBTA station)|Ruggles]]
|[[Orange Line (MBTA)|Orange Line]], [[MBTA Commuter Rail]], {{MBTA bus links|CT3 Ruggles}}
|-
|[[Melnea Cass Boulevard (MBTA station)|Washington Street]]
|[[Silver Line (MBTA)|Silver Line]] ({{MBTABus|SL4}} and {{MBTABus|SL5}}), {{MBTA bus links|CT3 Washington Street}}
|-
|Harrison Street ([[Boston Medical Center]]
|{{MBTA bus links|CT3 Harrison Street}}
|-
|[[Boston University Medical Center|BU Medical Center]]
|{{MBTA bus links|CT3 BU Medical Center}}
|-
|Albany Street (Boston Medical Center)
|{{MBTA bus links|CT3 Albany Street}}
|-
|Magazine Street (limited service)
|{{MBTA bus links|CT3 Magazine Street}}
|-
|{{bts|Andrew}}
|[[Red Line (MBTA)|Red Line]], {{MBTA bus links|CT3 Andrew}}
|}

==See also==
*[[List of MBTA bus routes]]
*[[List of key MBTA bus routes]]

==References==
{{Attached KML}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline}}
*MBTA – {{MBTA bus EL|747|text=CT2}} and {{MBTA bus EL|708|text=CT3}}

{{MBTA}}

[[Category:MBTA bus routes]]