STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE STATE REPRESENTATIVES INVOKED the memories of people killed in distracted driving crashes on Wednesday before voting 155-2 to pass a bill banning motorists from using handheld cellphones and electronic devices behind the wheel. Parents of three victims — Katie Brannelly, Merritt Levitan and Jordan Cibley — were in the House chamber […]
Transportation
Posted inOpinion
Closing HOV lanes is hard to understand
IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT that you are on a diet – not a New Year’s resolution diet that lasts for nine days, but a serious, honest-to-goodness effort to change your eating habits. One thing is certain: you won’t reach your weight goal unless you start eating smaller portions. Portion control is a proven way to […]
Posted inTransportation
School parking fees on the rise
IT STARTED OUT INNOCENTLY enough. Natick school committee officials voted last November to impose a $50 temporary parking fee on students at the high school. School committee members said the fee was needed to manage demand for the limited parking spaces and to encourage more students to carpool. “The committee is concerned about student safety. […]
Posted inTransportation
T notes: Closing of HOV lane on I-93 hit
TRANSPORTATION ADVOCATES criticized state officials on Monday for eliminating the high-occupancy-vehicle lane on I-93 while repair work is being done on the Tobin Bridge and the stretch of elevated highway leading up to the bridge in Chelsea. Chris Dempsey, the director of Transportation for Massachusetts, predicted the temporary elimination of the lane on I-93 will […]
Posted inTransportation
T puts modernization cost at $10.1b
THE MBTA ESTIMATED on Monday that it would cost $10.1 billion to fully modernize its assets, a projection that may influence the debate on Beacon Hill over whether the agency needs additional revenue. The T has long used a figure of $7.3 billion to estimate the amount of money needed to bring the system into […]
Posted inTransportation
Slowing down the ‘stroads’ of Boston
BOSTON’S VERSION OF VISION ZERO, an idea that originated in Sweden more than two decades ago, sets as its target zero fatalities or serious injuries by 2030 among people who walk, bicycle, or drive. A recent policy report from the Vision Zero Coalition indicates the number of fatalities has been declining in Boston, falling from […]
Posted inOpinion
State transportation policies fail communities of color
IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND the intersection of public health, transportation, and the environment, come visit Chelsea. Though just 2.5 square miles and one of the densest municipalities in the state, the community is cut in two by Route 1 and the Tobin Bridge. It hosts one of the largest fruit and vegetable distribution centers […]
Posted inTransportation
Pass a ban on drivers using hand-held phones, Massachusetts
MASSACHUSETTS IS A PIONEER with many civic, scientific and technological advancements, yet we lag behind many other states in creating safer roads. We must pass legislation to ban texting and driving this year. Last year, Rhode Island and Georgia joined the growing number of states who have passed hands-free driving laws. That means four states […]
Posted inOpinion
Time for me to say a few ‘thank yous’
I’VE BEEN AN ACTIVE and willing participant in the arena of politics, policy-making, and advocacy for most of my life. It’s what I like to do. It helps me understand and engage the pressing issues of the times we live in, and it fulfills my values. Engaging the politics and policymaking of any place, whether […]
Posted inTransportation
Impact of Uber, Lyft driver strike unclear
UBER AND LYFT drivers and their supporters did a good job getting the word out to the public about a strike and boycott on Wednesday, but it’s an open question what effect, if any, it had on the businesses. Uber, which along with Lyft dominates the local ride-hailing market, said it has not seen any […]