MassDOT Goal: Triple Travel by Bicycle, Transit, Walking

MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey today in Springfield announced a statewide mode shift goal of tripling the share of travel in Massachusetts by bicycling, transit and walking. 

With the mode shift goal MassDOT will be able to foster improved quality of life by improving our environment and preserving capacity on our highway network; by letting other travel options absorb travel demand that contributes to highway congestion that is slowing our potential for economic growth.  In addition, we will achieve positive public health outcomes by providing more healthy transportation options.

In the face of tight budgets and scarce resources MassDOT is rising to the challenge of providing sustainable and healthy transportation choices for all of our customers.

“We all have a stake in achieving a statewide mode shift goal and establishing a sustainable transportation system that meets all our customers’ needs and that we can afford to maintain,” said MassDOT Secretary Davey.

In collaboration with our regional transportation partners, community leaders, advocates and customers, MassDOT will consider what is possible for our transportation system and imagine healthier, greener and cleaner mobility.  

Transportation is second only to buildings as a source of greenhouse gas emissions, with the vast majority of transportation emissions coming from cars and trucks. Governor Patrick signed the Global Warming Solutions Act into law in 2008, and in 2010 established targets of 25 percent reduction in GHG emissions from 1990 levels by 2020 and an 80 percent reduction from 1990 levels by 2050 – the most ambitious GHG emissions limits for any state in the nation.

The Commonwealth’s mode shift will be featured in MassDOT’s GreenDOT Implementation Plan being finalized this fall.  The GreenDOT Implementation Plan establishes the strategy for a multi-modal MassDOT emerge as a national leader in “greening” a state transportation system.

Join the statewide conversation to discuss the future of transportation in the Commonwealth to establish a sustainable transportation system for the 21^st century.  Check the public meeting schedule.



Comments

[jelly andrews]

This seems promising. It is really a good idea to think of ways on how to help preserve our environment. And this idea will not only help preserve the environment, this could also make us healthier.

[Dorian]

MBTA has some pretty major budget and debt problems that need to be addressed before much needed upgrades and expanded service. If that ever happens, I'd really like to see many of the extensions that have already been planned finally happen (orange line south to 128, blue line north to Lynn, silver line to mattapan, etc..), definitely would like to see weekend commuter rail service restored on several lines, and bicycle cars on the subway for people to take their regular non-folding bikes on during peak hours.

also - I'd ignore the nonsense about "we have weather here" - Copenhagen (and another great cycling city, Beijing) has cold, snowy winters just like us. Definitely looking forward to seeing some comprehensive regional bicycle commuting plans.

[Mark Kaepplein]

Secretary Davey, you seem to be the anti-transportation secretary by advocating walking and bicycling. Much of the MBTA is often at capacity along with its commuter parking lots, so tripling is unlikely even if maintenance backlog were addressed. Roadway has declined in VLM if 128 lane additions are excluded. Many millions have been wasted on removing lanes on Nonantum Road, Bu Bridge, Mass Ave Cambridge and Arlington, Broadway in Somerville and Cambridge, Longfellow bridge, Anderson Bridge, Casey Overpass, and elsewhere. Money is also wasted on taxpayer funded landscaping that benefits private property values. The bridge deck replacements on I-93 were great - love to see more of those, fewer Winter St bridges over 128 in Waltham. We have weather here, so people prefer to drive, so give them what they want, not tofu.

[Ryan]

With all due respect, Secretary Davey, actions speak louder than words. The MBTA continues to labor under an ever-expanding deficit due in part to a dangerous combination of shady loan deals and Big Dig mitigation debt shifted onto them back in 2000. As I compose this message to you, the clock is ticking on a second round of service cuts and fare hikes - how do you expect to increase transit utilization while transit service shrinks? But then again, perhaps that's for the better, seeing as our record ridership numbers are straining the limits of system capacity. Already, peak hour Red Line trains and especially the Park Street, State Street, Government Center and Downtown Crossing stations are all full to bursting. Yet, as far as I can tell the MBTA and MassDOT have no indication of undertaking necessary projects such as the Red-Blue Connector to relieve these congestion concerns while simultaneously bringing tens of thousands of new riders into the system.

Don't misunderstand me, Secretary Davey. I really do appreciate your statements here. Yet, talk is not going to solve the perils facing the MBTA, which are many and large. Actions will, Secretary Davey. It won't take much to demonstrate your professed commitment, even with something as simple as completing the necessary studies for the Red-Blue Connector.

Thank you.

[Dan]

I heard coverage of this event on public radio yesterday. I'm delighted you're interested in more than just car and truck transportation. Unfortunately out here in Bolton, I get the impression you're not even interested in that. The Town of Bolton needs transportation improvements on most of its major roads to accommodate pedestrian and bicycle traffic. As it is, Route 110, Route 85 and most of Route 117, not to mention other major roads are too unsafe to walk or bike. The speed limits are high, traffic is heavy and the roads are narrow. We have a great store a mile from our house where we could walk and buy groceries, but it's too dangerous so we have no choice but to drive.

I invite you to come out to Bolton and I'll be delighted to give you a walking tour of the neighborhoods that need help. You'll want to arrange for a detail, though, so we don't both get killed by passing motorists.

There's more to Massachusetts than just Boston. It'd sure be nice if our transportation planning took that fact into account.

[Tom Michelman]

Great ideas, and I agree the quality of mass transit service is not unacceptable. Too many breakdowns and delays on the T. I am delighted to see a proposal in which on a relative and absolute basis more resources will be directed to mass transit, bicycle and pedestrian travel. The analysis and whitepapers make clear that our transportation budget is a mess. We will need implementation of ideas like these and increased revenue to fix and improve the Commonwealth's transporation system.

[Mary Hirschel]

Nice ideas but the Mass transit service in Western Mass is awful