Gov. Maura Healey started her term in office with clear transportation goals. She would focus on improving the safety and reliability of the MBTA, hire a strong general manager for the MBTA and safety director for MassDOT and strengthen the state’s ability to win federal infrastructure grants. Today, it is clear progress has been made in each one of these areas. These positive steps are the foundation for a better transportation system and next year progress should continue.
The Biden administration continues to award billions in federal grants for transportation projects. Massachusetts did not capitalize on major awards in the first two years of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but the tide could be turning. The state recently won a $374 million grant to help replace the Sagamore Bridge, with more funds likely to also arrive through future grants. Massachusetts could potentially win up to $500 million for the Allston Interstate 90 Multimodal Project in another federal grant program. Gov. Healey created a great team to maximize federal funding and this strategy should prove successful next year.
At the MBTA, Gov. Healey and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng clearly inherited a public transit system in serious disrepair and beset with safety problems. The agency was under-staffed, mismanaged and struggled to execute on capital projects.
She recently said, “there is a big hole to dig out of” – which is exactly right. However, by the end of 2023, General Manager Eng created a plan to eliminate all the slow zones in the subway system. This is an ambitious plan, and the transparency is refreshing. Next year we should also see more of the new Orange Line subway cars on the tracks, as well as new Red Line vehicles coming into service.
T Still Faces Fiscal Cliff
While the MBTA has a plan to fix its deficient infrastructure, going beyond these repairs will take additional resources and so it is time to develop an appropriate funding plan that meets current and future needs of this region.
In terms of capital repairs, the MBTA recently announced it would cost over $24 billion to properly repair the transit system’s infrastructure, but the financial challenges also extend to daily operations. Agency leaders are facing an operating budget deficit of over $100 million next year and up to $500 million annually within two years. This is the “fiscal cliff” that was expected when all the emergency federal pandemic aid would be used up.
We need to act to support the MBTA. If public transit were not properly funded going forward, there will be reductions in service at a time when we need public transit to improve.
Reductions in public transit service would threaten the regional economy, particularly in downtown Boston. Public transit also benefits commuters who never use it. If MBTA service isn’t reliable, people are encouraged to drive, resulting in prolonged traffic congestion and increased vehicular emissions. Cuts in public transit also neglect the needs of transit-dependent riders and communities.
Ideas for Funding Already Exist
Advocates have suggested a number of initiatives to address the T’s fiscal challenges, such as increasing surcharges on Uber and Lyft rides to aligning this fee with amounts in other states.
Secondly, the commonwealth should better optimize the funds generated by the Millionaire’s Tax that are dedicated to transportation. This money should be used to secure debt and create a long-term finance plan to fund transportation infrastructure and transportation sdecarbonization projects.
Finally, there should also be steps to prepare for the future of transportation and the viability of gasoline taxes, so that Massachusetts is not scrambling to react to the future of electric vehicles. The commonwealth should establish an expert commission on mobility pricing to study and make recommendations for a comprehensive and regionally equitable public transportation pricing plan.
In a few years from now there may not be a sustainable gasoline tax because of the impending shift to electric vehicles. Without the gas tax, there would be a financial crisis for transportation programs throughout the state, so the commonwealth should be thinking about options to replace this revenue.
These three steps, when combined, represent solutions in the near term as well as an appropriate long-term investment strategy that would set us up for decades of success.
As the new year approaches, let’s continue the early success started by Gov. Healey. By implementing these plans in a strategic manner with the long-term goals in mind, we can address current funding deficits and build a foundation where all our transportation system finally improves, the MBTA overcomes its chronic challenges and the entire commonwealth of Massachusetts thrives.
Rick Dimino is president emeritus of A Better City and a member of the MassDOT Board of Directors.
