Virtually every piece of news since the launch has been more disappointing than the last. The commission may not even issue any recommendations and important tools (some might call them essential) are reportedly being taken off the table.
Transportation
Posted inTransportation
Political Notebook: Current and former transit chiefs on comeback trail
We live and work in communities that are just crippled by the congestion on the roads,” said Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “It is actually getting worse. People talk a lot about it. Is this a perception thing? No. It’s actually getting worse. And May has been one of the worst months for congestion in a very long time.”
Posted inTransportation
Tibbits-Nutt seems more like her old self in Chamber talk
She engaged in what amounts to a transportation standup routine, blending personal and sometimes funny observations with policy commentary on a wide range of issues.
Posted inState Government
Senate budget plan makes community college free, eliminates RTA fares
Sen. Michael Rodrigues of Westport, the chair of the Senate’s budget-writing Ways and Means Committee, said the budget plan also provides $10 million to launch bus routes connecting regional transit authorities.
Posted inOpinion
Look what other states are doing on transportation funding
Decades of underinvestment in public transportation has not only left us with crumbling infrastructure and excessive greenhouse gas emissions, it’s also contributing to poor health outcomes. In fact, Springfield, Worcester, and Boston are among the 100 worst cities in the country for asthma rates.Â
Posted inTransportation
Aloisi comes to defense of Tibbits-Nutt
“I understand why there’s a kerfuffle because I’ve been in that position,” said Aloisi, a former transportation secretary himself under Gov. Deval Patrick. “It did remind me a little bit of me.”
Posted inTransportation
Healey nixes Tibbits-Nutt border toll idea
“The Secretary’s comments do not represent the views of this administration, and to be clear, I am not proposing tolls at any border,” Healey said in the statement. “I have spoken to the Secretary and made that clear, and that I have confidence in her leadership moving forward in this important time as we work to ensure a strong and robust state transportation system.”
Posted inBallot Questions
Little sympathy for app-based tech companies at ballot question hearing
Two ballot campaigns underway would fundamentally redefine the relationship between gig-work drivers, the companies that manage them, and the state.
Posted inTransportation
I-90 Allston project gets $335m in federal funding
No official announcement has been made, but US Sen. Edward Markey tweeted on Monday afternoon that the money will help reunite the Allston and Brighton neighborhoods of Boston.
Posted inHousing
Milton Select Board divided on next steps
Milton officials now find themselves in the awkward position of trying to comply with the law in an angry community that soundly rejected their earlier effort at compliance.
Posted inOpinion
Time is now for Allston I-90 project
The I-90 Allston Multimodal Project could be described as a MassDOT highway project—yet it is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reconnect the Allston community and to deliver transformational transportation options, unprecedented development opportunities, and critical environmental benefits for Boston, Worcester, and beyond.
Posted inState Government
No evidence Fiandaca did any work during transition
“For the purposes of a smooth transition, it’s important that when there’s a departure of someone so senior that we be able to call upon that person,” Gov. Maura Healey said. “So it’s normal. You see that in a lot of departures.”
Posted inTransportation
Wu plans to extend fare free bus pilot
The MBTA confirmed the agency is in discussions with the city on extending the pilot, but Wu’s spokeswoman declined to answer questions about the extension and how it would be funded. The city has been using $8 million in federal funds to pay for the first two years.
Posted inOpinion
EV charging can get very complicated
There are many factors that make EV charging infrastructure much more complicated than refueling a car with petrol or diesel. One simply cannot draw parallels between the two.
Posted inOpinion
Why is EV adoption slowing down in the US?
Let’s start with a simple and obvious reason for the EV sales slowdown. Electric Vehicles still cost a lot. Despite a rash of EV price reductions in 2023, EVs still have a hefty price premium.
Posted inOpinion
A need for speed on MBTA, transportation funding
We cannot wait until the crisis of lost gas tax revenue is upon us. Now is the time to consider what will replace this unpopular tax and whether that replacement revenue will come from one or from multiple sources.Â
Posted inOpinion
MIT students propose better ways to connect Kendall Sq. and Logan
Students taking my Urban Planning and Policy class at MIT this fall were given an assignment: come up with a viable plan to improve travel between Kendall and Logan via some form of public transportation.
Posted inOpinion
My advice: Go fast, go farther, and go quickly
Just imagine if you could get to Springfield from South Station in 45 minutes. This would be transformative. Suddenly you could work in downtown Boston and be home in Springfield—a place you can afford to live—in time for dinner.
Posted inOpinion
Amtrak doesn’t make it easy for its customers
The problem, far too often, is not with the ride, but with managing to get on the train and in your seat in the first place.
Posted inOpinion
MBTA should scrap trains, go with robot buses
Be done with this nonsense. No more tracks, switches, rail cars, or outrageous repair costs and delays. Throw it all in the trash and start anew.
Posted inBy The Numbers
Remote work declining, traffic is not
When a new poll for the
Barr Foundation asked those surveyed to name the top transportation issue facing Massachusetts, 39 percent cited issues with the existing public transportation network. That was the clear top item, followed by traffic congestion at 21 percent.
Posted inNews Analysis
Healey polling lower than Baker on transportation
For her handling of the T specifically, about as many gave Healey a D (17 percent), or an F (13 percent) as gave her an A (6 percent) or B (24 percent).
Posted inTransportation
Red Line slow zones gone, but unpredictability is not
RED LINE PASSENGERS on Monday said 16 days of repairs on the stretch of track between the Ashmont and JFK/UMass stations eliminated slow zones and dramatically improved service, but the […]
Posted inTransportation
Blue Line ridership disappointing during and after tunnel closure
THE SUMNER TUNNEL shutdown on July 5 prompted an increase in MBTA passenger levels on subways, buses, ferries, and commuter rail, but the increase wasn’t as big as expected and […]