Tom Ryan
A year ago, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson released their book, “Abundance,” which calls for a greater sense of urgency to deliver infrastructure projects that create housing, expand clean energy and reduce carbon emissions.
Their argument is straightforward: Projects with clear public benefits should be easier to build, yet existing laws, rules and procedures across multiple levels of government often slow or block progress.
The abundance movement has gained support from elected officials and advocates nationwide, and this mindset is beginning to take hold in Massachusetts through recent transportation proposals from Gov. Maura Healey and leaders at the State House.
This is a positive shift that deserves broader support.
An ‘Abundance’ Agenda for Mass.
Many of Gov. Healey’s transportation successes began well before the term “abundance” became part of the national policy conversation, but both the governor and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll are on the record saying the book is popular within the administration’s top ranks.
Signs of the Healey-Driscoll administration’s transportation abundance agenda include increased state support for the MBTA and regional transit authorities, a proposal to simplify procurement rules for complex infrastructure projects and legislative efforts to streamline environmental review for transit projects that reduce carbon emissions, such as commuter rail electrification.
The governor has already advanced plans to accelerate permitting for housing and clean energy projects, and extending this approach to transit is increasingly justified.
We all can see the impact of additional resources for the MBTA. The state budget in recent years allowed the MBTA to increase spending on capital maintenance as well as hire additional staff for safety oversight roles.
Under General Manager Phil Eng, the MBTA expanded the number of bus drivers, which is leading to better service for riders and increased confidence that the bus is a reliable option for commuters.
Increased state funding to both operate and rebuild the MBTA is a real shift away from the past, when other governors focused on reducing the transit workforce, delaying maintenance work and ultimately limiting the state’s financial support for transit service.
Accelerate Major Transportation Projects
The governor continues to direct a portion of Fair Share, or Millionaires Tax amendment, revenue toward transportation infrastructure and has proposed new procurement rules for the commonwealth’s most complex projects, including the Cape Cod bridges, the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project and major highway interchange renovations.
Under the “progressive design-build” model the governor has proposed, the state could award a single contract based on best value and establish a fixed price earlier in the process. This reform would simplify procurement and allow projects to move forward more quickly.
Financing a portion of the Fair Share revenue in combination with these new procurement rules would give Massachusetts state government a rare opportunity to act on major projects.
The Allston I-90 Multimodal project is probably the best example of a construction project that deserves to move forward and it is a prime example of how an abundance-movement perspective can score multiple wins against the state’s big issues.
This project would serve multiple policy goals by creating new housing, growing the economy and reducing carbon emissions in the transport sector. If the transportation infrastructure is done correctly, it will open up access to 40 acres of development in Boston for new housing, businesses and new transit hub at West Station.
We know this project is worth doing, because studies show it would generate tens of thousands of jobs, more than $200 million in state and local taxes annually, and more than $6 billion in GDP annually. There is no project with this much potential in New England. Hopefully state government can make this a priority and move forward in 2026, rather than adding another year of study.
Abundance Aligned with Environmental Goals
The abundance movement in transportation does not mean abandoning environmental oversight or questioning the value in environmental protections. It is about uniting on a path forward for achieving shared benefits in the near future.
If Massachusetts intends to achieve our carbon emission reduction goals, then the state will need to accelerate many transportation decarbonization projects. Electrifying the commuter rail, expanding transit-oriented development and encouraging mode shift for commuters to choose transit are the most effective ways to reduce harmful emissions.
Therefore, streamline permitting or accelerated review timelines for the projects with clear environmental benefits should become a reality in Massachusetts.
The abundance movement deserves support because it asks the right questions for this current era: How do we make it easier to deliver the infrastructure projects we know are needed, and which can deliver the greatest benefits to the public?
Massachusetts transportation plans are beginning to move in this direction and these important questions should continue to lead to real action.
