Transportation
Despite living in the 21st Century, Massachusetts’ transportation system continues to not be able to provide adequate services for our citizens. The number of derailments has continued to climb over the last few years. We must expect more and demand more of our public transportation.
There have been 9 different General Managers of the MBTA since 2010, more accountability is needed. I supported the transportation bond bill this session which called for billions of dollars in future investments in public transportation as well as green transporation initiatives. The legislation also called for increased oversight of the MBTA by mandating that the MBTA establish and maintain a three-year safety improvement plan with measurable safety objectives for the agency, and it directs the MBTA to contract with an independent third-party auditor to conduct annual safety audits. To ensure transparency around the MBTA’s safety, the bill directs the MBTA to submit a monthly, publicly available report containing all the incidents, accidents, casualties, and hazards affecting any of its modes of transit. In addition, the MBTA is required to develop and implement short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans for how each line of the commuter rail system can be fully integrated into the Commonwealth’s transportation system and contribute to the productivity, equity, and decarbonization efforts of the MBTA as a whole. The state delegation for Attleboro has also worked hard to secure bonding authorizations to repair the South Attleboro Train Station. We must continue to make these investments in our public transportation. Additionally, our office worked to secure a multi-million dollar grant to make traffic and street repairs to Kelley Boulevard which impacts Routes 152 and 106.
Another highlight of the FY25 budget are the critical investments in transportation projects. For example, we are sending $539 million to the Massachusetts Transportation Trust Fund for the Department of Transportation’s operating budget, which is largely for the maintenance and improvement of our roads and highways. The FY25 budget also includes $94 million for our Regional Transit authorities as well as $25 million for supplemental aid for roads and bridges. This is all in addition to the $375 million Ch. 90 package that was signed into law, also in April, Ch. 90 being a program that provides funding to cities and towns for the upkeep of local roads. With as much time as I spend on the road driving around our district and our region, I know first-hand how important these investments are, to ensure we can get around—to work, to school, for ourselves and for our kids and families—with as little time stuck in traffic or construction as possible.
