Tracking Transportation

Keeping track of transportation

Pollster explores commuter rail survey

What does it mean?

By Bruce Mohl 0 Comments Oct 24, 2019

Richard Parr, the research director of the MassINC Polling Group, said he was surprised at the strong support in a statewide, online poll for regional rail and a number of other ambitious transportation initiatives, including an underground rail link connecting North and South Stations. The most popular initiative was transitioning the commuter rail fleet from diesel to electric power.(...)

Massport: New Uber/Lyft drop-offs will speed Logan travel

Central pick-up opening Monday

By Andy Metzger Congestion, Lisa Wieland, Logan, Lyft, Massport, ride-share, Uber 0 Comments Oct 23, 2019

THE MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY staged a dry run on Wednesday to demonstrate how a centralized location for Uber and Lyft pickups and drop-offs will work at Logan International Airport. With the ambitious play to reduce airport congestion set to start phasing in on Monday, Massport conducted a mock drop-off and pickup in the newly renovated(...)

What’s the plan?

We need a protocol for unexpected subway shutdowns

By James Aloisi MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments Oct 23, 2019

IT’S HAPPENED TWICE this year. It will certainly happen again. A major incident shuts down a critical section of the inner urban subway system. In June it was the Red Line derailment, which caused havoc the morning of the incident. More recently, it was the Orange Line, which was out of operation through the entirety(...)

T notes: Revenue discussion still percolating

Bus on-time performance hit; regional rail OK coming

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments Oct 21, 2019

THE LEGISLATURE AND THE PUBLIC have yet to hear from the T’s Fiscal and Management Control Board on whether new transportation revenues are needed, but two members who weighed in on the issue earlier this year say their viewpoint hasn’t changed. Brian Lang and Monica Tibbits-Nutt said after Monday’s meeting that they continue to believe(...)

After Orange Line closure, more apologies from the T

On safety, Poftak blames himself for focus on control board meetings

By Bruce Mohl MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments Oct 21, 2019

MBTA GENERAL MANAGER STEVE POFTAK apologized repeatedly for a construction accident that prevented weekend work on the Orange Line from wrapping up as planned Sunday evening, snarling Monday morning commutes on the Orange Line, the Green Line, and the T’s bus network. The T is in the midst of weekend shutdowns on the Orange Line(...)

The case for ‘Environmental Justice Corridor’ train service

Lynn, Revere, Chelsea, and Everett deserve transit equity

By Brendan Crighton, Daniel Cahill, Peter Capano, Lori Ehrlich and Donald Wong 0 Comments Oct 18, 2019

FOR THOSE OF us who have long fought for transformative policies to bring the Massachusetts transportation system into the 21st century, the recent CommonWealth opinion piece by former transportation secretary Jim Aloisi and former Senate president Stan Rosenberg was music to our ears. As the elected officials who make up Lynn’s legislative delegation, we couldn’t(...)

A caution on hiking ‘regressive’ gas tax

Report says any increase should be accompanied by measures to cushion blow

By Michael Jonas gas tax, MBTA 0 Comments Oct 17, 2019

ADVOCATES HAVE LONG pointed to an increase in the state’s gas tax as a way to generate new revenue for transportation needs, often citing the much steeper increases in MBTA fares in recent years than in the state levy on fuel used by drivers. With the Legislature poised to consider new transportation revenue this fall,(...)

New subway cars compromise our values

We shouldn't be doing business with a country like China

By Michael Zwirko MBTA, Transportation 0 Comments Oct 15, 2019

I RIDE THE MBTA ORANGE LINE every single day. I’ve done so for the past 15 years. While I do get frustrated every so often with its service, it is still a reliable and affordable method of transportation for me and many other commuters in greater Boston. On top of that, it is also a(...)

Lawmakers urged to try congestion pricing

Sabadosa says approach not right solution for W. Mass.

By Chris Lisinski Transportation 0 Comments Oct 15, 2019

CITING THE BAKER ADMINISTRATION’S WARNING that traffic is at a “tipping point,” lawmakers and advocates renewed calls Tuesday for Massachusetts to follow its peers and adjust roadway tolls at different times of day in an attempt to reduce congestion. A version of the system, referred to as congestion pricing, is already in place in nine(...)

Straus raises alarms on RMV probe

Cites documents not provided by governor, but it’s unclear what they show

By Bruce Mohl Charlie Baker, Transportation 0 Comments Oct 15, 2019

A correction has been added to this story. THE HOUSE CHAIR of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee raised concerns on Tuesday that the Baker administration was withholding documents sought as part of the panel’s investigation of the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Rep. William Straus of Mattapoisett also said three internal documents he obtained from sources outside(...)