Commonwealth Conversations: Transportation

Transportation Reform, Budget Legislation Filed

The Patrick-Murray Administration has filed transportation reform legislation that addresses the MBTA FY 2013 budget and builds on the success of the Transportation Reform Act of 2009.  The legislation would authorize several steps to allow the MBTA to close its FY13 structural deficit, including a shift of Motor Vehicle Inspection Trust Fund surplus funds.

“This reform legislation will allow the MBTA working with MassDOT and listening to T customers to reduce an original FY13 budget deficit of $185 million by more than $100 million,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey.  “When combined with the proposed fare increase plan, the MBTA will preserve services vital to our customers and to a strong and growing Commonwealth economy.”

The bill calls for increased MBTA fines for fare evasion to $75 first offense, $200 second offense, and $350 for subsequent offenses, along with requiring the reporting to RMV in 21 days of citations not paid, resulting in license suspension until fines are paid.

The number of MBTA noncriminal fare evasion citations increased from 818 in 2007 to 3,248 in 2011.  The increases in fines are intended to serve as a significant deterrent to those deliberately not purchasing the required fare.

The reform legislation also authorizes the following:

• Use of a $51 million surplus in the Motor Vehicle Inspection Trust Fund toward the FY13 MBTA budget

• Tort reform that aligns the tort liability cap at the MBTA with other state agencies, saving approximately $4 million annually

• Federal reimbursement under Medicare and Medicaid for certain MBTA RIDE paratransit services, saving approximately $5 million

• Provides MassDOT the same authority as the MBTA to enter into agreements for revenue-generating advertising agreements within MassDOT facilities

• Exempts MassDOT from a surplus lines tax assessed on insurance premiums, saving $150,000

Marshfield Route 139 Project Advances

Governor Deval Patrick today joined state and town officials along with Marshfield and South Shore Chambers of Commerce members to break ground on the $4.1 million Route 139 widening project. 

The one mile stretch of Route 139 between School Street and Furnace Street narrows to one travel lane in each direction. For years, that configuration has slowed traffic and starved businesses along the corridor.  The project now under way will widen the roadway to two lanes in each direction and install a traffic signal at Route 139 and Enterprise Drive along with new sidewalks.

“This project will alleviate congestion in Marshfield, and provide businesses will new opportunities to grow and to thrive,” said Governor Patrick. “Our Administration is committed to infrastructure improvements just like this one, to catalyze private development and boost job growth for the region.”

“This infrastructure project is one that addresses a long-standing traffic issue, meets regional economic development needs, and is sustaining several dozen construction jobs,” said Richard A. Davey, MassDOT Secretary and CEO. 

Project completion is scheduled for summer 2014.

Letter to Our Customers

By Richard A. Davey, MassDOT Secretary and CEO and Jonathan Davis, MBTA Acting GM

Let us start by first thanking each and every one of the nearly 6,000 individuals who attended our public meetings over the last several months and the thousands more who wrote in via email or letter. We understand that the MBTA is a lifeline for many of you, without which you may not be able to get to work, school or recreational activities.

It is because of your overwhelming engagement that our final recommendation to the MBTA board includes what we believe are modest fare increases and limited service changes. While both are necessary to close the $185 million gap we face next year, the proposals we released in January would have had a significantly greater impact than our final plan.

MassDOT and the MBTA have identified a number of savings and efficiencies and one-time financial actions that can be taken to reduce the operating deficit, thus reducing the need for the larger fare increases and service reductions originally proposed. Some of the most significant actions include enrollment of MBTA staff in a new, lower cost health care program, energy purchase savings and a reduction in Authority headcount of 51 positions. Additionally, the T implemented a hiring freeze for non-critical positions.

Today, we are proposing an overall 23 percent increase in fares, which will generate $72.9 million in revenue. This is the first time in more than five years that the MBTA would raise fares. Every other major public transit system across the country has raised its fares during this time period. Many have also reduced service.

What does this mean for riders? For CharlieCard users, the subway will now cost $2 per ride. Local bus service will cost $1.50. Students and seniors will each pay $0.75 for a bus trip and $1 for a subway ride. Building on your ideas, we will offer a new 7-day student pass in addition to the current weekday-only student pass. 

The RIDE, our paratransit service, will also see price changes.  Over the last decade, the cost of providing the RIDE has increased more than 400%, requiring a growing slice of our operating budget.  As in both previous proposals, no current RIDE customers will lose service.  For RIDE trips required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, the fare will be $4.  For non-ADA required trips, the new premium fare will be $5 per trip.

Commuter rail single trip and monthly passes would be increased an average of 29 percent, depending upon the zone of travel. Ferry prices will be increased an average of 35 percent.

MBTA Final Fare, Service Recommendation

MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey and Acting MBTA General Manager Jonathan Davis today announced their recommended proposal for closing the MBTA’s $185 million budget gap for next fiscal year. 

The proposal includes administrative efficiencies, fare increases, service changes and one-time revenues. 

In addition, Secretary Davey and GM Davis announced that the MBTA is moving forward on a number of fronts to make riding the T more convenient for its 1.3 million daily riders.  The MBTA will build on open data efforts in the coming weeks to make real time data available by text at bus stops.  The T is also working to bring “countdown clocks” to key MBTA stations as recently tested at Logan Airport’s Terminal C.  

The final proposal recommends an average fare increase of 23 percent and would be the first MBTA fare increase in five years. 

The plan includes the elimination of just four weekday bus routes, a revised schedule for 14 other routes, and elimination of one weekend ferry and weekend service on three commuter rail lines.

The final proposal to be submitted for MBTA board approval April 4th follows more than two months of public meetings where 6,000 customers weighed in on proposals submitted to the board by MBTA staff in January.

“The proposal we put forth today reflects our current fiscal reality and the feedback we heard from customers,” said Secretary Davey. “We have put forth a solution that limits the impact on riders for one year but I encourage everyone to remain engaged in helping us find a long-term fix for the T’s budget challenges.”

Details are available after the break and on the MBTA website.

RMV License Plate Boosts Bruins Foundation

MassDOT RMV Registrar Rachel Kaprielian today joined Boston Bruins Foundation and Mass Hockey leaders for the kick-off of a raffle for the first plate in the ‘Invest in Youth Hockey’ Bruins license plate series, plate No. 1.  

Bruins Foundation Senior Vice President Amy Latimer and Executive Director Bob Sweeney along with Mass Hockey Executive Director Kevin Kavanagh joined Registrar Kaprielian at TD Garden to display the plate and support the raffle to boost Foundation efforts on behalf of youth hockey.

“This effort by the Bruins Foundation will re-energize the public’s interest in the Bruins specialty license plate series,” said Registrar Kaprielian. “Our hope is that it will also increase overall awareness of the RMV’s specialty plate program and the number of charities Massachusetts residents may choose to support.”

The license plate raffle begins today through May 4 at 5:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.bruinsraffles.org.

The license plate featuring the Bruins Spoked-B logo has raised almost $1 million for Mass Hockey initiatives. The plates cost $40, with $28 going to Massachusetts Hockey, Inc., and $12 one-time only for manufacturing expenses.  Thereafter, the entire $40 renewal fee will go to Mass Hockey.  This is in addition to the standard $36 registration renewal fee.  Purchase a Boston Bruins "Invest in Youth Hockey" license plate at all full-service Registry branches or online at www.bostonbruins.com.

"Heavy Lift" River Street Bridge Project

MassDOT is moving forward with the latest "Heavy Lift" project as part of the Patrick-Murray Administration's Accelerated Bridge Program to rebuild structurally-deficient bridges across the Commonwealth. 

Demolition work on the River Street Bridge carrying traffic over the MBTA and CSX Railroad in Boston will begin on Friday, April 13.

The heavy lift project will rapidly replace the bridge’s superstructure and abutments using innovative Accelerated Bridge Construction techniques to complete the project quickly.

During the work, the MBTA CSX rail line will be closed from Friday, April 13 at 10 PM through Monday, April 16 at 5 AM and roadway detours will be in place during the work starting on Friday, April 13 at 10 PM through Monday, April 23 at 5 AM.

The project work will include demolition of the existing bridge superstructure. Once the old superstructure is demolished, the contractor will prepare the bridge abutments for the new superstructure.  MassDOT is pre-constructing the new superstructure just southwest of the bridge.  It will be moved into place using specialized heavy lifting equipment. Heavy-lift machines, Self-Propelled Modular Transporters, will lift the new superstructure, move it down to the railroad tracks, carry it along the tracks, and lower it into position.

Workers will then prepare and pave the approaches to the bridge. The work and detour period of no more than ten days will minimize impacts to the surrounding community and is scheduled during the April school vacation. By using accelerated bridge construction methods on this project, MassDOT avoided more than two years of lane restrictions and reduced the period of night work.  MassDOT has successfully used the "heavy lift" technique to replace bridges in Phillipston, Wellesley and Boston.

To learn details of the River Street Eastbound and Westbound detours, local access, and MBTA Bus detours of Routes 24 and 33, please visit the project website, www.mass.gov/massdot/hydeparkheavylift and MBTA.com.

New Bedford-Fairhaven Drawbridge Repairs

MassDOT's three week, around-the-clock repairs of the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge that began on March 4 with the temporary closing of the bridge are moving into final stages.  The drawbridge is scheduled to reopen on schedule Sunday evening, March 25. 

The critical repairs included electrical upgrades, among them urgent transformer and motor repairs.  The full three-week bridge closure and 24/7 work schedule have allowed the upgrades to proceed as quickly as possible and reopen the bridge prior to the busiest part of the tourist season.  Posted Route 6 detours have been in place during the construction. 

The work included installation of a new 480-volt transformer and the replacement of the bridge’s 14 motors.  Steps taken late this week also included maintenance-related painting of bridge steel and electrical inspection by the City of New Bedford.

Safe Routes to School Partners Honored

MassDOT this month recognized five school and community partners for their achievements at its annual Safe Routes to School forum held in Newton. The following Safe Routes to School partners were recognized for their success in encouraging students to walk or bicycle to school:

Winchester Police Department, Community Collaboration
Jane Feroli of Brockton, Champion of the Year
George Keverian School in Everett, Safe Routes to School Innovation
Lexington Safe Routes to School Program, Safe Routes to School Leadership
Arlington Education Complex, Rookie of the Year for outstanding initial efforts

MassDOT’s Safe Routes to School program provides education and encouragement services at 470 elementary and middle schools, which are attended by nearly 215,000 students in more than 130 municipalities statewide.  The program promotes walking and bicycling to school and provides students, parents, and community members with information on the many benefits of walking and bicycling and how to do it safely.

Learn how your school can participate by visiting Safe Routes to School on the web.

Above, left to right: MassDOT Assistant Secretary & Chief of Staff Stephanie Neal-Johnson, John Livsey, Town of Lexington Engineer, Nicole Bova RN, accepting Rookie of the Year Award for the Arlington Education Complex in Lawrence, Officer Tom Groux, Winchester Police Department, Nicole Graffam, Youth & Teen Specialist for the Joint Committee for Children’s Health Care accepting the award for Innovation in Safe Routes Programs on behalf of the Keverian School in Everett, Jane Feroli, Brockton, James Cope, retired MassDOT staff member, and Ned Codd, MassDOT.

 

MassDOT Graduate Student Fellowships

In October 2011 MassDOT's Accelerated Bridge Program received AASHTO’s Francis B. Francois Award for Innovation.  The award winner each year is a state transportation department that has implemented an outstanding innovative program. 

AASHTO cited as an example of innovation MassDOT’s groundbreaking “93Fast14” project that replaced 14 bridges on Interstate 93 in Medford during 10 weekends in June, July, and August.  The project used prefabricated bridge sections and completed bridge replacements between Friday evening and Monday morning each weekend to minimize traffic disruption.

By accepting the award, MassDOT received a $10,000 graduate fellowship for a state university student or students pursuing a transportation-related degree.  

After careful consideration, MassDOT has decided to award graduate fellowships of $1,000 to ten successful applicants.  Fellowship winners will receive a certificate presented at a MassDOT hosted event along with their financial award.

Fellowship candidates must be currently enrolled in graduate studies or have a letter of acceptance to a graduate program at a state university.  Application and requirements are posted on the MassDOT website.  The application deadline is April 30, 2012. 

RDM Transit Needs Public Meetings

MassDOT has scheduled three final public meetings on the Roxbury/Dorchester/Mattapan Transit Needs Study: 

Thursday, March 22, 6-8pm, Mattapan Branch Library, 1350 Blue Hill Avenue

Thursday, March 29, 6-8pm, Dudley Branch Library, 65 Warren Street

Thursday, April 12, 6-8pm, Grove Hall Community Center, 51 Geneva Avenue

The study area, left, stretches from Mattapan Square to the edge of the South End, and from Egleston Square to Uphams Corner and Codman Square.  It is one of the largest areas within 10 miles of downtown Boston not served by rapid transit.  The MassDOT study will identify opportunities to improve public transportation service that have broad community support.

MassDOT has conducted an extensive civic engagement process, including more than 1,300 surveys, information tables at key transit hubs, online tools, six public meetings and ten advisory group meetings.  Proposed recommendations including short-term and long-term projects have emerged from this outreach effort and are now prepared for public comment. 

The public meetings will provide the public with an opportunity to discuss the proposed recommendations.  For more information, please visit the Roxbury/Dorchester/Mattapan Transit Needs Study website.