TRANSPORTATION
From the MBTA and regional transit authorities to road and highway projects and policy, CommonWealth Beacon delves into the web of current public and private transportation challenges and proposed solutions to keep the Bay State moving.
‘Future-proof’ or ‘a strategic mistake’? Inside the MBTA’s effort to electrify its commuter rail system
The first battery-powered trains will start running on the Fairmount Line more than a decade after MBTA overseers called for electrifying the system, and they’ll be eye-wateringly expensive. Is that just the price and pace of a transformative project?
Mass. lawmakers move to create statewide framework for e-bikes and scooters
The rapid adoption and quickly changing technology of smaller vehicles has outpaced the ability of regulations to keep up, leaving riders, local officials, and law enforcement without a clear understanding of how these devices should be operated safely. New legislation sets up a statewide framework, leaving flexibility to localities for further regulation.
State offers no evidence of hunt for new transportation secretary
MBTA general manager Phil Eng stepped in as interim Department of Transportation secretary nine months ago. He has “no timeline” as to when his double duty will come to an end.
Springfield mayor calls for ending regional fare-free bus program, drawing criticism from state transit advocates
Officials and transit advocates have criticized the mayor’s approach and questioned whether the youth disturbances at Union Station can be attributed to the availability of free bus rides. Some have cited the success of the fare-free program and instead called for more policing.
Gateway City leaders celebrate one year of South Coast Rail, but final phase remains in limbo
Getting Phase 1 across the finish line was no easy feat. And just over a year later, state officials still have not rolled out a plan to finance and finish the second phase — also called the “full build” — that was proposed nearly a decade ago.
MBTA eyes another spending boost as ‘austerity’ approach fades
Transit agency leaders will seek approval Thursday on a $3.4 billion budget that would add another 550 positions, embracing an eager-to-spend approach that supporters say has improved service and safety.
Lawmakers preserve 20-cent rideshare fee in surtax deal
The per-ride fee established in a 2016 law regulating transportation network companies is set to sunset in January 2027. The Senate quietly voted in April to extend the fee tacked onto all rideshares in its version of the surtax bill, and that language survived into the bill released Tuesday.
Anxious Cape leaders worried about funding for Bourne Bridge replacement
The Sagamore Bridge replacement project is fully funded, but barely any money has been committed to its partner, and some local officials think it’s time for Beacon Hill to start committing additional resources to guarantee success.
Rail projects inching along in Western Mass. as MassDOT discusses hourly trains from Springfield to NYC
MassDOT, Amtrak, and rail agencies in Connecticut are discussing plans for an hourly train service between Springfield and New York City. MassDOT officials also provided an update on plans for Amtrak to add two daily Boston-Springfield services by 2030 as part of the proposed “inland route” along West-East Rail.
Where the rubber meets the road: MBTA questions if electric bus mandate is worth the tradeoffs
State law requires the MBTA to purchase only zero-emissions buses starting in 2031 and to have the entire fleet transitioned by 2041. Now, to the ire of a key lawmaker, agency leaders want to kickstart a public discussion about whether that hard-to-accomplish change is still in the state’s best interest.
Mass. falling short of key climate targets, with some bright spots, after one year of Trump attacks
The state’s self-assessment comes as it races to reduce its carbon pollution to 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and produce no new net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 — all while confronting a hostile federal government and an affordability crisis sweeping the state.
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