Lewis and Day Announce Completion of New Stone Zoo Bus Stop

STONEHAM—State Senator Jason Lewis and State Representative Michael Day are pleased to announce the completion of construction of a new bus stop at Stone Zoo on Pond Street for the MBTA 132 bus route. The 132 Bus, which begins at Redstone Shopping Plaza and extends to the Oak Grove and Malden Center MBTA stations, is a major public transit route for Stoneham commuters, workers, families, and other residents. Senator Lewis and Representative Day, along with Stoneham officials, residents, and Zoo New England (which operates the Stone Zoo), have advocated for years for the addition of this bus stop to the 132 Bus route. The new bus stop will make popular recreational destinations, including the Stone Zoo, Greenwood Park, and the Middlesex Fells Reservation, more accessible to families from Stoneham and neighboring towns. “I’m excited that the long-discussed Stone Zoo bus stop has finally been completed and will now provide greater access to the Zoo and other recreational opportunities for families from Stoneham and throughout the region,” said Senator Jason Lewis. “This project has been very challenging and I’m grateful for the collaboration, hard work, and persistence of the MBTA, DCR, Town of Stoneham, Stoneham Transportation Advisory Committee, Zoo New England, and Rep. Day that it took to get this done.” “This new bus stop will further enhance access to this jewel of our community, bringing the Zoo, Spot Pond, Greenwood Park and the natural attractions of the Fells much closer to our families,” said Representative Michael Day.  “This was a true team effort, requiring collaboration from state agencies, our legislative team, town officials, Zoo New England staff and Stoneham citizen advocacy groups to make this a reality.  I look forward to the addition of this new stop into the official bus route in the near future and future collaborations to continue to improve the lives of our residents.” “It’s so important that the Stone Zoo and Greenwood Park will finally be accessible through public transportation, a service relied on by so many residents of Stoneham and the entire region,” said Raymie Parker, Chair of the Stoneham Select Board and a member of the Stoneham Transportation Advisory Committee (STAC). “Along with many others, I am particularly grateful to Senator Lewis and Representative Day for their assistance and support in championing this project.” “We are grateful for all the support in making this bus stop at Stone Zoo a reality,” said Cynthia Mead, Executive Vice President for Zoo New England. “Public transportation to Stone Zoo is critically aligned to our mission of conservation and removing barriers that might prevent more people visiting the Zoo.”   The MBTA is expected to add the new bus stop into the official 132 bus schedule with the next bus route schedule update, anticipated as early as this fall.