Statement from Chris Dempsey, T4MA, on the Governor's Commission on the Future of Transportation report

Today’s report from Governor Baker’s Commission on the Future of Transportation is good news for every Massachusetts citizen who cares about our environment, transportation system or economy.

On the environmental front, the Commission’s support for a regional, market-based program to reduce transportation emissions positions Massachusetts to be a national leader on climate change. Such a program, if implemented correctly, will not only reduce greenhouse gasses and bolster climate resiliency throughout the Northeast, but also improve our infrastructure, our economy, our public health, and our future here in the Commonwealth.

The Commission also recommends that we tackle traffic congestion head-on by testing smarter tolling in conjunction with other congestion reduction tools. This paves the way for MassDOT to launch pilot programs in 2019, a plan that our coalition has long-supported. Smarter tolling is a bipartisan idea that works elsewhere in the United States and can make a positive impact on traffic congestion here in Massachusetts.

The Commission’s recommendations echo the ideas and goals shared by our coalition and we applaud their thoughtful approach to these and other critical statewide transportation issues. We look forward to working with the Baker Administration, the Legislature and the advocacy and business communities to make these recommendations reality.