TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY Stephanie Pollack has made it official: She’s launching an in-depth environmental review of three options for rebuilding the Massachusetts Turnpike and other transportation infrastructure between Boston University and the Charles River even though two of the options would seem to be dead on arrival. State transportation officials have been struggling for five years […]
MBTA
Posted inTransportation
How do we avoid a transportation relapse?
FOR MANY US CITIES, the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic provided a remarkable if temporary glimpse of an urban environment with dramatically less car travel and air pollution. On social media, photos emerged, from typically traffic-choked Boston to smoggy Los Angeles, of open roads and clear blue skies. While the reason for this change […]
Posted inTransportation
T eliminating plastic-paper/cash price differential
THE MBTA SAID on Wednesday that starting September 1 it plans to eliminate the significant price differential between those who pay their fares with rechargeable plastic CharlieCards and those who pay with cash or paper CharlieTickets. The premium for using cash or paper is high. Currently, someone boarding a bus and paying with a paper […]
Posted inTransportation
T control board to remain largely intact
THE MBTA’S FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT CONTROL BOARD will remain largely intact going forward, as four of the five members, including chair Joseph Aiello, have decided to stay on for the coming year. Aiello, who had previously indicated he intended to step down, said his immediate priority is helping the T plan for a very uncertain […]
Posted inTransportation
Sharp split on need for new transpo revenues
WITH 17 PERCENT UNEMPLOYMENT, a recession, and a global pandemic, does Massachusetts need to be raising more money right now to fix the state’s ailing transportation system? CommonWealth Magazine · Sharp split on need for new transpo revenues “Clearly the Legislature needs to be thoughtful and considerate in a time when so many folks are […]
Posted inThe Download
Sharp split on need for new transpo revenues
With 17 percent unemployment, a recession, and a global pandemic, does Massachusetts need to be raising more money right now to fix the state’s ailing transportation system? CommonWealth Magazine · Sharp split on need for new transpo revenues “Clearly the Legislature needs to be thoughtful and considerate in a time when so many folks are […]
Posted inThe Download
Sharp split on need for new transpo revenues
With 17 percent unemployment, a recession, and a global pandemic, does Massachusetts need to be raising more money right now to fix the state’s ailing transportation system? CommonWealth Magazine · Sharp split on need for new transpo revenues “Clearly the Legislature needs to be thoughtful and considerate in a time when so many folks are […]
Posted inTransportation
I-90 throat options keep coming
TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY Stephanie Pollack is trying to winnow down the number of options for how to replace the elevated Massachusetts Turnpike and other transportation infrastructure on the narrow strip of land between Boston University and the Charles River, but advocates keep pushing to expand the choices. Emily Norton, a Newton city councilor and the executive […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Police brutality highlights clout of public-sector unions
OUTRAGE OVER THE brutal killing of George Floyd has rightly heightened public scrutiny of police union resistance to desperately needed reforms. Less understandable is the assumption that the police are an anomaly among the most powerful public employee unions when it comes to opposing reform. Of course the actions of other public sector unions don’t lead […]
Posted inTransportation
Theoharides stirs outrage with Pike stance
TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY Stephanie Pollack got a big assist from one of her colleagues in Gov. Charlie Baker’s cabinet on Monday in making the case for a status quo solution to the rebuild of a deteriorating elevated section of the Massachusetts Turnpike on a narrow strip of land sandwiched between Boston University and the Charles River. […]