New Blackstone Avenue bus stops are poorly designed

I am perplexed by the newly built FAX Bus Rapid Transit stops on Blackstone Avenue. The boarding curbs jut out into the outside lane of traffic. Thus the bus will be parked blocking the entire lane while passengers get on and off. Before, if the bus was close to the curb, drivers could squeeze by.

Adding to that issue is the stops are just past intersections. When the bus stops, for however long, cars will invariably be caught behind it. If the stoplight changes, then they will be stuck in the intersection blocking cross traffic.

I can visualize many more fender benders as people swerve to change lanes or stop and get rear-ended.

Are the outside lanes north and south to be dedicated as bus only lanes, squeezing other traffic into two lanes each direction? If not, then the whole thing is poorly designed.

It would seem logical to me to have a turn-in lane for bus stops all over town, but in particular on a street as heavily traveled as Blackstone.

Progress often seems to come with unintended consequences.

This story was originally published April 16, 2017 at 5:18 PM with the headline "New Blackstone Avenue bus stops are poorly designed."