MBTA threatens drastic cuts unless financial help comes

Boston Globe: "MBTA plans for drastic cuts in bus, rail service"
The MBTA would halt all evening and weekend commuter rail service, eliminate six Green Line stops, discontinue lightly used bus routes, and lay off 805 employees if the agency does not get legislative help with its $160 million deficit, according to a state document.

Boston Globe: "Plan to cut T services draws ire, criticism"

STEP joins environmental groups calling for 29-cent gas tax increase

Massachusetts needs a safe, efficient, and environmentally sound transportation system. To achieve the transportation network we need, both reforms and new revenues are necessary. The undersigned organizations are united in support of a 29-cent gas tax increase as a centerpiece of a transportation reform and funding effort.
Download the joint statement (PDF).

Help fix our transportation mess: Support Gov. Patrick's bill!

We urge you to contact your legislators to let them know you want them to fix the state's transportation infrastructure and address the needed revenues to adequately fund public transportation across the state.

What can you do to voice your support now?
Call, email or write the chairs and members of the Joint Transportation Committee, the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees, and the Chairs of the Revenue Committees. (See contact information after the link below).

Go to the State House on Thursday, March 11th at 1 PM. to attend the Public Hearing on the Transportation Bill at the State House in Room I-A. Tell the Committee why it must pass the legislation and not reduce the gas tax increase the Governor has proposed.

Read more

Gov. Patrick announces new transportation plan

Faced with a dysfunctional transportation system, the Governor announced a comprehensive plan to reorganize agencies, bring in more revenue (via a necessary hike in the gas tax), and cut waste. Learn more at the You Move Massachusetts site.

Somerville Journal: "Governor asks drivers for $8 a month, says transportation system 'out of time'"

Read more

Urban Ring Draft Environmental Impact Report released

Download the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIR/DEIS).

Read more

MASSPIRG report highlights benefits of public transportation expansions

Vehicle travel on Massachusetts highways increased 57 percent between 1980 and 2007. And the number of miles driven per person has increased by 39 percent over that time. This and much more is in a new report by the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG) analyzes the benefits of proposed and planned public transportation projects throughout Massachusetts, including the Green Line extensions. Read more and download the report.

Urban Ring recommendations

Boston Metro: "Urban Ring project is no urban legend"
State transportation officials have unveiled their vision for Phase II of the ambitious Urban Ring project that would create rapid transit MBTA bus service. After 18 months of narrowing down route options, they have settled on their recommendation.

Urban Ring map

What's the latest thinking on the Urban Ring and where it will go? There's a newly released Locally Preferred Alternative Alignment on the official project site. It's basically Bus Rapid Transit, and in Somerville it would serve Inner Belt, parts of East Somerville, and Assembly Square. View the map (PDF).

Study on importance of land use and public transit

One study, coordinated by Smart Growth America and published by the Urban Land Institute, found that “Typically, Americans living in compact urban neighborhoods where cars are not the only transportation option drive a third fewer miles than those in automobile-oriented suburbs.” A separate study from the American Public Transit Association showed related findings. Read more about both.

Boston Globe: Economic benefits of rail service

"New rail service to Hub called economic boon"

AIA study on well-designed transportation projects

The American Institute of Architects has released research on key design strategies that can be crucial in determining whether a transportation project will benefit its community.

• Employing an integrated design process through which planners, designers, transportation officials, and builders develop a unified plan
  
• Including all community stakeholders from the outset
  
• Using three- and four-dimensional images and graphics to increase citizen involvement, understanding, and buy-in
  
• Creating human-scaled structures and spaces that make busy transportation hubs more manageable
  
• Using easily legible signs and directions that make complicated multimodal systems easier and safer to navigate
  
• Designing projects to be both durable and adaptable to new transportation modes and community needs

Boston Metro: Transportation bond bill debated

"Road budget questioned"
"Though there was a suggestion the state consider a moratorium on new transit expansion projects such as the Green Line extension to Somerville, Secretary of Transportation Bernard Cohen said the Green Line extension is mandated by law because it was promised to alleviate the environmental concerns of the Big Dig."

Also, keep reading for coverage from the State House News Service.

Read more