Town of Arlington, Fair Housing Action Plan (July 2021)

Citation: Town of Arlington, Fair Housing Action Plan (July 2021)
Jurisdiction: Arlington (municipal)
Source: Official source
Original Source: https://www.arlingtonma.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/57214/637641171662530000 ↗

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All of Arlington falls within a half-mile buffer (10-minute walking distance) of a bus stop. However, it is important
to note that proximity to a bus stop is just a first step: bus routes may have long headways, may not travel to a
required destination, or may not operate during needed hours. Furthermore, Arlington’s bus service has been
threatened by austerity measures in the recent past. In March 2021, the MBTA implemented its “Forging Ahead”
plan, which cut service across the transit system, including suspension of routes 79 and 80, consolidation of
several routes, and reduced service on remaining routes. The plan was quickly reversed after an infusion of
federal funding, but the episode illustrated the precarity of service in Arlington.
The Accessibility Observatory at the University of Minnesota combines route data, route frequency data, and
employment data to approximate the number of jobs accessible within 30 minutes of a Census Block by transit
and/or walking. This data shows greater employment accessibility in the eastern portion of Arlington and along
Massachusetts Avenue and Park Avenue (see Figure 15: Employment Accessibility by Transit in Arlington
(Accessibility Observatory at the University of Minnesota)). This area of greater employment accessibility
overlaps with the slight concentration of Black and Latino populations in eastern Arlington, indicating that the
relatively few persons of color who live in Arlington do not face transit barriers greater than the town overall
because of location.

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Arlington Fair Housing Action Plan

Figure 15: Employment Accessibility by Transit in Arlington (Accessibility Observatory at the University of Minnesota)

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Arlington Fair Housing Action Plan