MBTA Bus Stop and Public Safety Facility Redesign Dominate Cohasset Select Board Virtual Session
COHASSET - January 27, 2026 - The Cohasset Select Board voted to approve a new fixed MBTA bus stop on Route 714, despite concerns regarding potential future state housing mandates. The Board also received a critical update on the Public Safety Facility project, which is undergoing a major redesign to cut costs by eliminating a fire substation at the King Street site and shifting resources to renovate the Elm Street station.
The Full Story
The Cohasset Select Board met virtually to address a range of municipal issues, headlined by a proposal from the MBTA to transition the Route 714 bus service from a “flag stop” system to a fixed-stop model. Alexander Anhwere-James, Director of Alternative Service Planning for the MBTA, explained that the current system—where riders must wave down drivers—is unsafe and fails to meet federal accessibility guidelines [32:42].
The Board approved a single fixed stop in Cohasset near the EZ Mart and the bridge to Hull [36:37]. While Board members expressed support for public transit, Select Board member Chris Plecs voiced a common local anxiety: that formalizing MBTA infrastructure could trigger “unintended consequences” under the MBTA Communities Act, potentially forcing new high-density zoning [41:13]. MBTA representatives assured the Board that Cohasset’s legal standing would not change, as it is already designated a “commuter rail community” [42:12].
In a more contentious segment, Glenn Pratt of the Public Safety Facilities Committee provided an update on the 135 King Street project [08:31]. Following small attendance at recent public forums, the committee is now pursuing a “final schematic design” that removes the fire substation from the King Street site to reduce the overall budget [09:01]. Instead, the committee is looking to reconfigure the Elm Street building to house a second ambulance [09:37].
Select Board members Paul Grady and Chair Ellen Maher expressed deep reservations about this shift. Grady argued that neglecting the “annex” at King Street would be a “crazy errand,” locking the town into an inadequate Elm Street station for the next 50 years [19:03, 27:31]. Maher questioned the wisdom of spending money to house a second ambulance at Elm Street when the town currently lacks the staff to run it [13:38, 16:12]. Police Chief Quigley emphasized that while the fire department’s needs are complex, the police department is “shovel ready” and in urgent need of a new facility to avoid further fines and citations [25:47, 26:07].
“We are without a police station right now. The Chief put up we got fined again or cited again... we’ve got to show some forward momentum.” [01:20:34] — Paul Grady, Select Board Member
*editors note: Cohasset has received citations but no fines.
The Board also unveiled a new “branding packet” for the town, featuring an alternative logo that provides a modern, colorized version of the official town seal [01:08:27]. The logo will be used for informal communications like social media and the town’s newly redesigned website, which went live last Thursday [01:09:30, 01:17:13].
Why It Matters
The approval of the fixed MBTA stop ensures Cohasset remains compliant with federal safety and accessibility laws while maintaining current transit service for the roughly 130 daily riders on Route 714 [34:36, 38:44]. However, the ongoing debate over the Public Safety Facility highlights a difficult balancing act between immediate budget constraints and the long-term infrastructure needs of the town’s fire and police departments.
Official Minutes & Data
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: To approve the fixed MBTA bus stop on Route 714 in Cohasset as proposed.
Vote: unanimous [01:07:32]
Motion: To approve the use of the new alternative town logo for informal communications.
Vote: unanimous [01:21:30]
Motion: To approve Safe Harbor signs on the Common from April 11th through April 30th, 2026.
Vote: unanimous [01:07:26]
Public Comment
Gas-Powered Equipment Ban: Resident Fran Collins requested that the town consider a warrant article to ban gasoline-powered leaf blowers and line trimmers due to noise and pollution [11:43]. The Board agreed to place the topic on a future agenda for “wholesome debate” [13:16].
Bus Stop Concerns: Residents Kevin Tarpy and Alicia Babcock spoke against the fixed MBTA bus stop, arguing it provides “nil” benefit to Cohasset residents and could lead to future state mandates [56:43, 01:00:25].
What’s Next
Public Safety Facility: The committee will meet this Thursday to review schematic designs and aims to have cost estimates by the end of March for the Annual Town Meeting warrant [09:01, 09:25].
Budget Review: A joint meeting with the Advisory Committee and School Committee is scheduled for February 10th to discuss the FY27 school budget [01:43:31].
Town Manager Search: The town is still seeking 3-5 more applicants for the search committee. MRI (the search firm) will be in town on February 5th for department interviews and a public forum [01:41:32, 01:42:20].
Source Video: Town of Cohasset Select Board Meeting
Added an editors note
Solid coverage of the meeting. Grady's point about locking into an inadequate Elm Street facility for 50 years hits hard, municipalities often cut upfront costs only to pay way more in patches and workarounds later. Saw this happen with a school project in my town where we saved 2 million inicially but spent double that fixing the compromises over a decade.