On September 29, coalition members and other supporters of transportation testified in support of  S1474 and H2698, An Act Relative to Regional Transportation Ballot Initiatives. This legislation, sponsored by Senator Ben Downing and Rep. Chris Walsh, would allow cities and towns to ask voter approval to raise funds for local transportation projects. The Joint Committee on Revenue will consider this bill and, we hope, report it out favorably.  

The Fiscal and Management Control Board (the Board) and MBTA management have worked hard over the last sixty days, meeting frequently and digging into the many challenges facing the MBTA. We appreciate the Board’s dedication and focus and are glad to have a succinct, readable report detailing the key issues the Board will take action on over the coming years. The Board has already begun to tackle many important issues such as procurement, customer service, transparency, winter resiliency, and employee absenteeism.

Writing in the Boston Globe, Transportation for Massachusetts director Kristina Egan applauds reform at the MBTA, but makes clear that it is not enough - and that critical maintenance is not enough to prepare the region for tomorrow's economy.  Click here for the published letter.

We are pleased to welcome our 58th member, the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation.  The QVCDC serves fifteen central Massachusetts communities with programs to support economic development, environmental issues, social needs, technical assistance and much more to improve the well being of residents across the region.  Through their partnership with the Quaboag Valley Business Assistance Corporation, they also support business development and best practices.  The QVCDC is a member-focused non-profit.

Writing in Commonwealth, Jim Aloisi considers the bad news about Green Line Extension costs, presented at the MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board meeting on August 24. Under the Construction Manager/General Contractor Procurement Method, costs have increased substantially from earlier estimates.

Massachusetts is taking a big step forward with a system that will score proposed projects.  In an article recently published in Commonwealth, our coalition members Rafael Mares of the Conservation Law Foundation and Maddie Ribble of the Massachusetts Public Health Association review the big changes coming in how we will prioritize transportation investments in years to come.  

An amendment to steer more federal transportation funds to local communities is in play as the Senate considers a new three year transportation bill, which may be voted for the end of the week. The TIGER grant program is at risk. While there is bipartisan support for legislation, transit, cycling and pedestrian advocates are hard at work to persuade the Senate to pass the best bill possible.

[Originally posted on MASSterList]

By Jessica Podesva and Josh Ostroff

The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law 25 years ago this week. This milestone civil rights legislation has set the standard for a more inclusive nation that welcomes access and participation by everyone. 

The ADA is about all of us. Everyone benefits from accessibility. A just society removes barriers and allows every individual to achieve his or her full potential. With 1 in 5 Americans living with a disability, virtually everyone has a friend, family member or coworker who can more broadly participate in daily life, thanks to this landmark law. 

Our coalition is proud to welcome two new members: the Franklin Regional Council of Governments and the Arborway Committee for Public Transit. 

By Tanya Snyder at StreetsBlog USA

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has unanimously passed the highway portion of a six-year transportation bill. The Commerce Committee has done its work on the rail and safety portion. The Finance Committee has the hardest job, the one that’s flummoxed Capitol Hill for six years now, but it’s held a hearing on transportation funding and Committee Chair Orrin Hatch says he’s confident they’ll get it done. But it’s the Banking Committee, with jurisdiction over transit, that’s the least far along with its work to complete a transportation bill.