With formal legislative sessions concluded for 2015-2016, now is a good time to reflect on the transportation bills that made it into law, and those that came up short in the end-of-session scramble. 

How will changes in transportation affect people and communities that are historically underserved by transportation? Come to a forum on August 11, and share your views and concerns on new trends and opportunities - and what these changes mean for you and your community.

Transportation for Massachusetts is recruiting for a new Director to lead our coalition’s work. Please share this opportunity!

The Governor recently signed House Bill 4492, which ensures that no individual MBTA fare will increase by more than 7%, and fare increases are limited to once every two years. This new law, passed as part of the Fiscal Year 2017 budget, covers every fare product, including monthly passes.

For five years, Kristina Egan has been a respected, effective and visionary leader to create a new transportation future for Massachusetts. We have been honored to work with her and wish her success in her new role as the Executive Director of the Greater Portland Council of Governments.

By Charlie Ticotsky

The state has a new, draft plan for transportation. The five-year Capital Investment Plan (CIP) includes highways, MBTA, regional transit authorities, bike and pedestrian projects, airports, and the RMV.  Putting it together was a big undertaking that MassDOT started back in the fall of 2015. The plan will likely be approved on June 22, with revisions in the years to come.

Public transportation is essential to everyone in Massachusetts. Whether we personally ride it or not, a statewide public transit network is important to our economy, to opportunity, to the environment and to healthy lives.

Today marks the beginning of Senate debate on the FY2017 budget. The House developed its budget last month. Below, we take a look at transportation-related items in the draft budget and amendments that have been filed by Senators. This blog will be updated as debate progresses.

There are 1167 amendments that the Senate will consider this week, before approving a budget, which a Conference Committee will refine before it is voted by both chambers and sent on to the Governor for consideration. 

On May 13, our coalition submitted a comment letter to the MassDOT Board and the MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board with our perspective on the draft Capital Investment Plan.

Comments on the Draft FY2017-2021 CIP 

May 13, 2016

On behalf of Transportation for Massachusetts, a coalition of 58 member organizations dedicated to improving transportation across the Commonwealth, I am pleased to submit comments on the draft five-year Capital Investment Plan (CIP). Our coalition’s staff and member organizations have participated in the public meetings over the past month and look forward to seeing the final approved CIP later this month. 

Transportation for Massachusetts, a statewide coalition that supports a modern, statewide transportation network, today announced that Kristina Egan, who has served as executive director since 2011, will be leaving the organization, following her appointment as the Executive Director of the Greater Portland Council of Governments, effective July 17, 2016.