A City On The Move
Banker & Tradesman’s coverage of transit issues throughout the region, including debates over the merits of dedicated bus lanes, advocacy for the Allston interchange and the ongoing saga of the Green Line Extension.
Healey Budget Shines Light on Transportation Agenda
A long-sought downtown Boston rail link between the MBTA’s Red and Blue Lines, passenger train service in western Massachusetts and another study of low-income T fares headline transit areas of focus in Gov. Maura Healey’s first annual budget.
No Clear Sign When T Will Restore Subway Service
Instead of a dispatcher shortage hobbling efforts to run MBTA subway trains at normal frequencies, it’s now a lack of train operators doing so, T officials say.
Healey Must Empower New Transit Vision
If we don’t move now, the world will move on without us, and not in ways that get us where we need to go. Just look at Burlington for a concrete example.
Greater Boston Needs a Bus System That Supports Its Workforce
An MBTA bus network that keeps pace with a growing and changing population is key to a functioning transit system and regional economy. Ours isn’t, but there’s still time to get it back on the road to success.
Service Cuts Remain Amid MBTA Hiring Efforts
With train service still running at diminished levels, staffing efforts in the MBTA’s operations control center have plateaued since December, and the agency will continue to offer a $10,000 sign-on bonus through June to try and attract the dispatchers critical to reversing months-long service cuts.
When Surtax Revenues Comes in, RTA Caucus Wants a Piece
Just about two months before the first few dollars in extra income tax will begin to trickle into state coffers, the Legislative Regional Transit Authority Caucus is joining other transportation and education advocates in positioning their priorities to receive those funds.
Letter to the Editor: Federal I-90 Grant Deserves Celebration
“It is a rare occasion to win a $335 million grant, but it is appropriate for this project and this special moment. Because of the hard work over the past few years, this region now stands to benefit with safer transportation infrastructure, better access to transit, and the new economic development that will improve Greater Boston for decades to come.”
— Tom Ryan, senior advisor, A Better City
MBTA Lays Out Vision for New Bus Rapid Transit in Everett
“We are beyond excited to be advancing plans to extend Silver Line service between Chelsea, Everett and Sullivan Square in Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood. This extension of service is exactly what we are talking about when we say the administration is prioritizing public transportation investments which fill gaps in our system, increase access for residents in underserved communities and make our transportation network more equitable.”
— Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt
Lawmakers Rule Out Tax Hikes to Pay for Guv's Proposals
The governor pledged to “increase funding for local roads and bridges to record levels, with special investments dedicated to rural communities,” and convene a task force to rethink long-term transportation financing questions “in the clean energy era,” a potential nod to expectations that gas tax revenue that in part pays for road maintenance will dry up as electric vehicle usage increases.
— Banker & Tradesman Managing Editor James Sanna
T Hiring Blitz Pays Off, 'Sets New Bar'
“The agency has suffered from hiring and retention struggles, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic spread labor challenges across sectors. And the consequences have been potent: staffing shortages have played a major role in safety lapses and unreliable service.”
— Chris Lisinski, State House News Service
The Transformational Opportunity in Allston
“By realigning the elevated highway lanes, the state and city of Boston can open up 40 acres of developable land for new housing – 20 percent of which will be affordable – and commerce. This area would then supported by a new transportation hub on the Worcester- Framingham commuter rail line called West Station that also allows for seamless bus and shuttle connections throughout Greater Boston. This is truly a once-in-a-generation chance to transform a structurally-deficient highway into a vibrant transit-orientated development that benefits travelers throughout Greater Boston.”
— Rick Dimino, CEO, A Better City