From the city's PDF, word for word.
CITY OF WORCESTER
PUBLIC SERVICE AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE · Thursday, July 23, 2026 · Worcester Senior Center · Convened: 5:37 P.M. · Adjourned: 6:42 P.M. · MAYOR
Joseph M. Petty
COMMITTEE MEMBERS · CLERK OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Chairperson Robert A Bilotta · Nikolin Vangjeli · Vice Chairperson John P Fresolo · Councilor Luis A Ojeda
www.worcesterma.gov
Worcester Senior Center - 128 Providence Street Worcester, Massachusetts · Present Were:
Chairperson Councilor Robert A. Bilotta · Councilor John P. Fresolo · Councilor Luis A. Ojeda, who arrived at 5:40 p.m.
Also:
Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility Stephen S. · Rolle · Deputy Administrator and Chief Financial Officer for the · WRTA Deputy Tom Coyne · Director of Transit Operations and Planning for the WRTA · Nick Burnham · Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning · at Tufts University Justin Hollander · Student at Tufts University Emmanuel Obeng · Student at Tufts University Alexander Arditi · Student at Tufts University Natalie Olech · Deputy City Clerk Clare M. Robbins, clerk
1 . Virtual Attendee Call-In Information
a. Pursuant to Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021 and in order to ensure active, public · engagement, the City of Worcester currently allows for both in-person and remote · participation at all City Council and Standing Committee meetings. To partake in the · meeting, you may attend the meeting in-person within the meeting location, follow the · below link to join via Zoom or dial the direct line as indicated. If you join a Zoom · meeting by dialing in with a phone number, you can raise your hand by dialing *9. · Public Service and Transportation Committee Zoom Link: · https://worcesterma.zoomgov.com/j/1613790984 · Public Service and Transportation Committee Zoom Phone Number: +1 646 828 7666 · Public Service and Transportation Committee Zoom Access Code: 161 379 0984
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta recognized the Deputy City Clerk, who read the item. · Councilor Bilotta then recognized the following Speakers:
1. Feanna Jattan-Singh, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #3b 2. Benji Kemper, (no residence given), spoke in favor of item #3b 3. Will Talbot, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #3b 4. Asa Reyes, (no residence given), spoke in favor of item #3b 5. Nancy Garr-Colzie, Worcester resident, spoke in favor of item #3b
2 . Approval of the Minutes
a. Order - That the City Council Standing Committee of Public Service and Transportation hereby approves the minutes of the Public Service and Transportation Committee meeting on May 21, 2026.
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta read the item and moved for a roll call vote to adopt the item. Order adopted on a roll call vote of 2 Yeas and 0 Nays (Ojeda absent)
3 . Miscellaneous
a. Report of the Committee on Public Service and Transportation Upon the Order of Councilor Sarai Rivera and Councilor Khrystian E. King - Request Standing Committee on Public Service and Transportation meet with the WRTA Administrator to provide City Council with a report concerning the WRTA’s winter weather plan, especially including information as to how snow will be removed at each of the bus stops. # 11e Tuesday, January 27, 2026
In Committee May 21, 2026 - Held
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta read the item and recognized Deputy Administrator and Chief Financial Officer for the WRTA, who provided an overview of the WRTA’s snow operations plan for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27), which included snow removal at all twenty-seven (27) WRTA owned bus shelters, snow removal at eighteen (18) bus stops in the Central Business District, and annual contract agreements for four (4) or more inches of snow fall removal.
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta discussed the twenty-seven (27) bus shelter locations with the Director of Transit Operations and Planning for the WRTA.
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta recognized Councilor Ojeda, who spoke concerning the process
used to remove snow at bus shelters and the process to report bus shelters that snow was not removed from with the Deputy Administrator and Chief Financial Officer for the WRTA.
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be placed on file.
Recommend File on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays
b. Order of Councilor Gary Rosen, Councilor Robert A. Bilotta, Councilor Morris A. Bergman and Councilor Khrystian E. King - Request Standing Committee on Public Service and Transportation hold public hearings, and later make recommendations, encouraging the Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) to improve bus service to the city’s residents and businesses. Potential considerations for improvements should include, but not be limited to, the implementation of rapid transit, route changes, a same day paratransit pilot program, improved service times, a review of the desirability of their hub and spoke operations and improved metrics. Participants invited to said hearings should include, but not be limited to, local bus transit riders, the WRTA Administrator and the Chairman of their advisory Board, representatives from the Zero Fare Worcester Coalition, the local Riders Action Council, faculty and students in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University, the city’s Department of Transportation and Mobility, the city's Commission on Accessibility, the Worcester Department of Public Health, the statewide Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) agency, MassDOT and the State Delegation.
13b Tuesday, January 13, 2026
In Committee March 26, 2026 - Held In Committee May 21, 2026 - Held
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta read the item and recognized the Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University, who provided an overview of the Real Rapid Transit Coalition’s recommendations for the WTRA to implement a high-frequency corridor concept which would include prioritizing the blue corridor (District 3) service stop frequency, adopting a corridor-based service to plan service stops which includes expanding the number of high-frequency corridors, and to increase advertisements and public messaging for such services.
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta discussed locations in the city that provide services more than every thirty (30) minutes with the Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University and Students at Tufts University.
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta recognized Councilor Fresolo, who spoke concerning the need for increased public messaging to promote WTRA services and shared bus routes within corridors with the Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University and Students at Tufts University.
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta discussed the lack of high-frequency corridors traveling west in the city and highlighted the importance of educating Worcester Public School (WPS) students of
WTRA services with the Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University.
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta recognized Councilor Ojeda, who discussed the feasibility of prioritizing bus routes in the vicinity of WPS schools, plans outlined in the city’s Mobility Action Plan to increase public transportation use and to mitigate congested traffic for bus travel, and the importance relative to educating WPS students how to understand and navigate WRTA bus routes with the Professor of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University and Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility.
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta recognized Councilor Fresolo, who discussed the frequency in which WRTA buses reach the farthest stops in each corridor with the Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility and Director of Transit Operations and Planning for the WRTA.
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta brought forth the following Chairman’s Order on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays: “Request City Manager request Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility work with Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) administrators to ensure rapid transit and transit signal prioritization are implemented on Lincoln St., Main St., and Grafton St.”
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta recognized Councilor Ojeda, who spoke concerning feasible on demand transit service options to improve service frequency and access with the Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility and Speaker #2.
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta discussed potential funding sources to improve microtransit services with Speaker #2 and Speaker #4.
Chairperson Councilor Bilotta brought forth the following Chairman’s Order on a roll call vote of
3 Yeas and 0 Nays: “Request City Manager encourage Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) administrators to apply for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Microtransit and Last-Mile Transit Grant Program and Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Community Transit Grant Program.”
- Chairperson Councilor Bilotta moved for a roll call vote to recommend the item be held.
Recommend Hold on a roll call vote of 3 Yeas and 0 Nays
Chairman's Orders
Request City Manager request Commissioner of Transportation and Mobility work with Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) administrators to ensure rapid transit and transit signal prioritization are implemented on Lincoln St., Main St., and Grafton St.
Request City Manager encourage Worcester Regional Transit Authority (WRTA) administrators to apply for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Microtransit and Last-Mile Transit Grant Program and Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Community Transit Grant Program.