Meghan O’Connor • May 26, 2026 • 3 minute read
In 2025, the MBTA debuted a seasonal pilot bus program modifying the MBTA’s 716 bus to run from Mattapan Station to Houghton’s Pond in the Blue Hills Reservation, allowing visitors to easily access the area for a range of summer recreational activities, including swimming, hiking, biking, and more. Earlier this year, the MBTA announced that an additional year of seasonal service to Houghton’s Pond would begin at the end of May and run through October. Starting May 23, with funding support from the MPO, service will expand to both weekend days.
The MPO has allocated $1,875,000 in 2026 to support the continuation of this seasonal service and other modifications to the 714 and 716 routes.
Last September, a celebratory trip marked the launch of the pilot service, with several staff boarding the 716 bus at Mattapan Station to enjoy the day at Houghton’s Pond. Joined by community partners, the group took in the tranquil site and discussed the bus pilot, which was implemented based on a recommendation from a 2022 MPO study and funded through the MPO’s Transportation Improvement Program. To cap off the day, the group did a short hike around Houghton’s Pond, sharing helpful commentary and insights about the Blue Hills Reservation.
The event celebrated more than four years of cooperation between MPO staff and a coalition of advocacy organizations, who proposed a study to evaluate and recommend alternative routes to connect highly transit-dependent areas of Boston, such as Dorchester, Hyde Park, Mattapan, and Roxbury, to the Blue Hills.
Community engagement was central to this work, and the project emphasized the importance of community participation in improving equitable access to essential destinations in the Boston region.
On Saturday, May 30, staff will once again join our partners, Mattapan Food & Fitness, Friends of the Blue Hills, Brookwood Community Farm, and the MBTA to celebrate the second year of the MBTA’s summer bus service, and another year of transit access to this incredible public space!
Blue Hills Advisory Group:
Friends of the Blue Hills
Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition
Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum
Brookwood Community Farm
Blue Hills Community Health Alliance
LivableStreets
Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)
Town of Milton
