MBTA officials will soon have to decide how to structure the contract with the outside firm that will convert its suburban train system to “regional rail,” a step that has ramifications for the project’s cost.
Trains powered by electricity rather than diesel fuel are not scheduled to begin rolling on the Fairmount Line for years, but public officials are so excited about the now-concrete plans for more frequent service with less pollution that they gathered in the hot sun Tuesday morning to celebrate an achievement that likely won’t be attained until 2028.
The T recently hit several milestones in turning its commuter rail network into a tool to unlock new development sites. But the real estate community should keep an eye out for three
After years of advocates’ lobbying and promises by former MBTA leaders, the T is set to get its first electrified commuter rail line, serving Boston’s Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park neighborhoods.
The dream of frequent, electrified suburban trains in Greater Boston has long seemed perennially on the horizon. Could this time be different? Indications are, yes. And housing developers should start keeping an eye on the project.
Businesses will not be able to attract talent if the region’s cost of living continues to grow out of control. Electrifying the T’s commuter rail network and making it more frequent will help head of this dire threat.
Before the pandemic, traffic congestion cost the region’s economy over $4 billion in lost productivity – and it’s only gotten worse. But there is an alternative, if the Healey administration and the legislature seize the moment.
A big bump in commuter rail ridership shows what’s possible with a better-resourced MBTA and a regional rail system ready to support more transit-oriented housing construction.
The MBTA’s latest five-year investment plan, released last week, is a strikingly short-sighted document for a world facing a climate emergency. But with Beacon Hill behind the eight-ball on transit topics, can we really heap all the blame on T officials?
The state, Harvard professor and gubernatorial candidate Danielle Allen argues, needs to plunge head-first into changing how Bay Staters get around
Christmas has come early for some in Massachusetts, thanks to Santa Joe.
As U.S. House Democrats push to bring cornerstones of President Joe Biden’s domestic spending agenda forward for votes as soon as Friday, Massachusetts may be closer to receiving more than $12.5 billion toward its roads, bridges, water systems and other infrastructure needs.
President Joe Biden is pursuing “multiple paths forward” as he looks to muscle his big infrastructure package through Congress – dialing up lawmakers from both parties in search of a bipartisan deal while imploring Democrats to be ready to go it alone if necessary.
By shifting from a commuter-focused model to a “regional rail” model, the MBTA’s Greenbush, Kingston/Plymouth and Middleborough/Lakeville lines could run trains every 30 minutes, shave 15 minutes off trips into Boston and make public transit a more realistic option for many, a new report suggests.
The MBTA is facing an up to $600 million shortfall that means that we could be facing catastrophic service cuts and years-long delays in planned capital projects
The MBTA should focus its initial efforts to transform its commuter rail network on lines that connect Downtown Boston, Beverly, Providence and Mattapan, a prominent transit advocacy group says.
State Sen. Will Brownsberger, who served on the committee that analyzed commuter rail revamp options for the MBTA, believes that not every rail line has enough customer demand to support all-day service every 15 to 20 minutes.
The MBTA’s board on Monday voted to back substantial investment in the commuter rail system, outlining support for electrifying the system and running more frequent service through the most dense corridors.
Massachusetts received a double batch of good news this week in the struggle against its transportation problems. But residents shouldn’t let that lull them into complacency.
