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.

Transportation for Massachusetts commends Governor Baker for his swift action in appointing and swearing in the members of the MBTA Fiscal Management and Control Board, just moments after the FMCB was established through his signing of the FY2016 state budget. 

Today, the House and Senate voted to send the final FY2016 legislative budget to Governor Baker. Transportation for Massachusetts thanks the Conferees and the Legislature as a whole for their hard work throughout a complex budget process.

By Kristina Egan and Tony Dutzik

(Originally published at MASSterList)

The debate over Gov. Baker’s proposed MBTA overhaul has been loud and often heated. Supporters and opponents have taken to the airwaves – and even the streets – with vigorous arguments about privatization, union rights and governance of the agency.

One part of the governor’s plan, though, has attracted less attention: the proposed lifting of the two-year-old cap on MBTA fare hikes. 

The state legislature is now considering Governor Baker's MBTA reform legislation. The bill goes beyond the MBTA, and involves all transportation, in communities all across the commonwealth.  Whether you take the T, drive, ride a regional bus, walk or cycle, this legislation matters to you. Please take action today to ask your State Representative and House leaders to support key priorities. 

As we have learned over the years, transportation investment matters to everyone: workers and businesses. Boston and the Berkshires. Cyclists and walkers, truckers and drivers, students and professionals.  If you live or work in Massachusetts, you have a reason to take action on this legislation.