Lechmere Station relocation presentation and public discussion

As the MBTA begins to move forward with plans to relocate Lechmere Station as part of its Green Line expansion, many residents are concerned about the impact the relocation will have on the East Cambridge area as well as the preservation of the historic buildings that make up the current station.

The East Cambridge Planning Team, which is comprised of concerned citizens of the Cambridge and Somerville area, is hosting a presentation and public discussion on the subject of the Lechmere relocation on Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the East End House on 105 Spring Street in Cambridge. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss how to ensure that the new Lechmere Station does the best job possible of serving as a hub into the neighborhood. Specific topics will include pedestrian crossings of O'Brien Highway, preservation of current buildings, improving the new station's entrances and lobbies, and intregrating the station into the future North Point Street Grid.

Massachusetts makes plans to expand rail service

Massachusetts has signed an agreement with a freight company to purchase rail lines from
Boston to Worcester and New Bedford to Fall River. Once the Commonwealth owns the lines, it will become possible for the MBTA to offer increased service. Currently, freight trains have priority over passenger trains, which limits the times that the passenger trains can run.

Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray, who announced the agreement today, did not say how much the Commonwealth is paying for the lines or give any indication of a timetable for service changes along the lines.

“The Patrick administration is dedicated to improving freight and passenger rail system for the long-term health of our economy and our environment,” Murray told The Herald. “A vibrant rail network that serves both passengers and freight needs is an important part of our transportation system.”

For more info, check out the full story here.

State legislators criticize Governor Patrick over potential MBTA fare hikes

Several Massachusetts legislators said today in a press conference that they felt misled by the Patrick Administration because of the potential MBTA fare hikes. The legislators voted to increase the sales tax last month in part to help offset some of the state's transportation budget difficulties.

The lawmakers called the fare increases unfair, unjustified, and ill-advised. This news comes after the Patrick Administration bought out the contract of the MBTA general manager (also known as politely fired) and announced that any decision on the fare hikes would be put on hold until an internal review of the MBTA's finances is complete. The review is expected to be finished by November 1.

However, the workshops and public hearings on the fare hikes that were scheduled to begin today will still be held over the next few weeks. This would lead one to believe that the fare increase is still likely to occur in January as planned, but we can all hope that the state finds a better way to meet its budget deficit than raising more fares and/or taxes.

For more info on the news surrounding the fare hikes, check out this story from The Globe.

Funding for transit projects remains on shaky ground

The Globe is reporting today that MBTA and state administrators are tempering expectations on many public transportation projects, including the legally-mandated Green Line extension to Somerville and Medford.

Because of the MBTA's growing debt issues as well as current economic conditions, MBTA administrators are rethinking a number of other proposed projects, including a downtown Silver Line bus tunnel and the Blue Line extension to Lynn. Because the projects other than the Green Line extension are not legally-mandated, they will likely be pushed aside until the MBTA's financial situation improves.

Clean air regulations require the MBTA to extend the Green Line to Union Square and Tufts University by 2014. There have been proposals to extend the line even further, to Route 16, but extending the line that far is not legally required, and, therefore, not likely to happen in the first wave of the extension.

Hopefully, both the state and MBTA's financial situation improves enough where they can fund all of the worthwhile transit projects in a timely manner because public transportation goes along way towards reducing congestion, pollution, and the harmful effects of global warming.

MBTA releases more fare increase info

The MBTA has posted a booklet on its website detailing the fare increases that the transit agency has proposed. The booklet lists what the new fares will be for all services if the proposal is adopted. It also lists the dates for all rider workshops as well as the public meeting that is scheduled for August 27.

One thing to note is that while the MBTA is pushing the fare increase option, it is also listing service cutbacks (or a combination of both) as an option. However, officials at the agency have said that service cuts alone would not be enough to meet the budget deficit. If you think the service cuts would be a better option than increasing fares, then attending one of the rider workshops and/or the public meeting would be a good idea.

If the fare increases have you thinking about changing the way you commute to work, remember that there are other cost-effective and environmentally-friendly ways to commute to work. While we still believe that transit is a great way to commute to work, carpooling is also a great option. Remember to register in our ridematching database to see if there are other commuters that match your commuting patterns. The more people we have in the system, the more likely it is for everyone to find a good match. If you have any questions about your commuting options, don't hesistate to contact your Transportation Coordinator.

Gas prices tally largest one-week drop of 2009

The good news continues in regards to gas prices. AAA New England's survey of gas prices in the area revealed that prices are down for the third consecutive week. Furthermore, the three-cent drop from last week to this week is the biggest decrease of 2009.

AAA's July 13 survey found that the average price for a gallon of unleaded fuel in New England was $2.569. While this is about four cents above the national average, the current prices are more than $1.50 per gallon less than they were this week in 2008.

Despite the fact that gas prices are dropping, you can still save a good chunk of change by carpooling or taking transit to work. Your employer offers you incentives to use these methods to commute, and if you'd like more info on how you can save money on your commute, don't hesitate to contact your company's Transportation Coordinator.

T fares set to increase by almost 20 percent

T riders can expect the cost of their trips on public transit to increase by as much as 20 percent based on a proposal released today by MBTA administrators.

The proposal calls for a series of 13 public meetings where riders can voice their concerns about the increase before the proposal is voted on the by the MBTA's Board of Directors sometime in August. The increase is necessary because of the long-term debt problems facing the T, officials said. For every dollar that the agency collects in fees, 30 cents goes towards its debt.

Single rides on subway lines and buses will increase by either 30 to 50 cents. Monthly subway and bus passes will increase $10, and commuter rail passes will go up by as much as $31, depending on the zone the rider travels in.

While any increase is certainly bad news, the good news is that your employer offers benefits and incentives to encourage you to take the T to work and may even subsidize part or all of your monthly pass expenses. If you have any questions about what commuter benefits are available to you, click here for the contact info for your company's Transportation Coordinator.

Despite other tax increases, a gas tax hike could be coming

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed the commonwealth's 2010 fiscal year budget Monday that implemented numerous tax hikes, including increases in the sales, meals, hotel, and alcohol taxes.

However, there may be more bad news coming on taxes, as the governor hinted that the gas tax increase he has been pushing for may still happen. “We haven’t done that yet. We haven’t finished that work yet,’’ Patrick told The Globe, when asked if he would keep pushing for a gas tax. “And whether that’s the gas tax or something else, we’re going to have to face those issues, I think sooner rather than later.’’

An increase in the gas tax would add yet another item to the growing list of reasons to carpool, take transit, or bicycle/walk to work. Your company offers incentives and benefits to help you use these methods to commute to work. Send us an e-mail if you have any questions about them.

Mayor Menino to ban city workers from texting while driving

Boston city employees—including police officers, fire fighters, snowplow operators, and others—will be banned from sending text messages while driving city-owned vehicles under a proposal announced today by Mayor Thomas Menino.

Menino also helped with the launch of a new ad campaign, produced in conjunction with the Safe Roads Alliance, aimed at making drivers aware of the dangers of driving while texting on their cell phones.

This policy change as well as other proposed changes to state laws comes in the wake of the Green Line trolley crash at Government Center last month that injured dozens of people. The driver of the trolley admitted to texting his girlfriend moments before the crash occurred.

Texting while driving ban not in budget

Many lawmakers seemed to favor putting a ban on texting while driving in the state budget bill that legislators will vote on soon, but the texting ban was taken out before the bill got out of committee.

Recent accidents on roads as well as the T, including the incident near Government Center where a Green Line driver rear-ended another trolley injuring several riders, have people focused on the dangers of texting while driving. The T has banned all cell phone use for operators and recently fired two employees for breaking the new rule.

Despite the fact that a texting ban won't be passed as part of the state budget, bans on texting and/or talking while driving are being proposed as part of new bills that could be passed in the future.

Bad news about T fares

Riders of the T can expect to see a 15 to 20 percent fare increase this fall, according to officials in the Patrick administration.

T officials said it is possible that they will issue service cuts that would decrease the need for an increase but probably not entirely eliminate it.

After the T announces any increases in fares or service cuts, they will conduct legally-required meetings where people will be able to discuss their opinions with T officials.

While this certainly isn't good news, hopefully T officials can find a way to balance the fare increase with service cuts that won't affect too many people's schedule to avoid forcing everyone to pay a lot more money to use transit.

For more info on the potential fare increases, check out this story from The Globe.

Mass Bay Commuter Rail newsletter

Here is the spring issue of the Mass Bay Commuter Rail newsletter. The newsletter contains a variety of information related to the train system in Metro Boston. Check it out for info on schedule changes and some services that are being added.

Taking public transit saves big money

Boston was the top city in the nation in terms of money that can be saved by taking public transportation, according to a survey released yesterday by the American Public Transportation Association.

The survey found that Boston residents can save $12,632 a year by taking the bus or subway instead of driving to work. New York and San Francisco were second and third on the list.

Remember that your company offers you programs and incentives to encourage you to use transit, including paying some (or all) of your transit costs at many companies. If you have any questions about these incentives, contact your Transportation Coordinator today.

MBTA steps up cleaning to prevent spread of swine flu

In the wake of Vice President Biden's misguided comments urging people to avoid subways, the MBTA says its increasing its cleaning of subway cars, buses, and public areas.

“The MBTA has directed its cleaning crews to give special attention to places such as seats, hand rails on escalators, and grab bars on subway cars and buses,” T General Manager Daniel Grabauskas told The Herald in an e-mail. “People should not hesitate in going about their daily activities while also keeping themselves informed about how to stay healthy.”

Biden later apologized for the comments and said that he meant to say that if you are sick, you shouldn't travel. But, as The Herald found out, some people are still fearful of taking the subway because of the potential flu outbreak.

Hopefully, the MBTA's ramped up cleaning program will make people feel safer about using public transit to get around the Greater Boston area.

For more info on the MBTA cleaning program, check out this story from The Herald.

Boston rates well in American Lung Association's State of the Air Report

The U.S. has made a lot of progress in terms of cleaning up its air pollution in the last few decades. But there's much more work to be done as the introduction to the annual State of the Air Report says, "Air pollution continues to threaten the lives and health of millions of people in the United States despite great progress since the modern Clean Air Act was first passed in 1970. Even as the nation explores the complex challenges of global warming and energy, air pollution remains widespread and dangerous."

The report examines air pollution on a county level, ranks the best and worst areas in the country in terms of pollution, and assigns each county a grade. While Boston did not make the list of the top 25 cleanest cities in the U.S., it did fare pretty well in the rankings. The city ranked among the top 50 or so cities in the country in terms of short-term particle pollution and received a grade of an A in the particle pollution categories.

One area of concern for Boston, however, was the ozone pollution (smog) grade for the city. The city did not rank in the list of the most polluted cities as far as smog goes, but it did receive a grade of F in this category from the American Lung Association. This means that a lot of people are still driving alone to work instead of taking transit, bicycling/walking, or carpooling. Don't forget that your company offers you programs and incentives to help you use these methods to get to work each day. You should check them out and think about commuting some way other than driving alone.

To read the full State of the Air Report, go to this website.

Public transit use on the rise

Despite decreasing gas prices and increasing unemployment rates in the second half of last year, a record number of trips (10.7 billion) were taken on public transportation.

The number of trips nationwide in 2008 was four percent higher than the number of trips in 2007, according to the American Public Transportation Association. At the same, vehicle miles traveled in the U.S. decreased by over three percent from 2007 to 2008.

Boston recorded the fifth highest increase in subway use in the country.

“Even as gas prices fell for the second half of the year and hundreds of thousands of people lost jobs, more and more people chose to ride public transportation throughout the country,” said APTA President William Millar. “Given our current economic condition, people are looking for ways to save money and taking public transportation offers a substantial savings of more than $8,000 a year. That’s quite a savings.”

Bids go out for citywide bike share program

City leaders began accepting bids for Boston's proposed citywide bike share program today, which is schedule to begin in the spring of next year.

The program will place 150 or so kiosks around the city with bikes locked to them, and program participants will be able to swipe a credit card and pick up a bike. The kiosks will be located around busy areas such MBTA stations, colleges, and hospitals.

The fee for the bikes will range between $2 and $5 an hour, city officials said.

Biking advocates are excited about the program because it gives commuters flexibility in using bikes to get around the city.

Transportation bill would raise Logan parking fees

About a month after parking fees at Logan were raised $1, Governor Patrick's transit overhaul bill would raise the fees by another $2 if it gets passed in its current form.

The additional fee is dubbed the "carbon fee" in the bill and would raise parking fees to $6 for up to an hour, $18 for up to 3 hours, and $26 for a full day.

State Transportation Secretary James Aloisi Jr. told The Herald that the fee would fund airport-releated transportation projects and encourage people to take public transit to the airport.

The second part of that comment is ironic, seeing that national, state, and local governments just spent $15 billion on the Big Dig so it would be easier to drive to the airport.

Stimulus bill could help New Bedford rail project

Senator John Kerry said that the $838 billion economic stimulus bill could help jumpstart the proposed $1.4 billion rail project to New Bedford and Fall River.

The bill included $2 billion for high-speed rail projects, money that may be used to aid the project.

The rail line would certainly boost the economy of the South Coast area and make it easier for residents in the area to get to Boston for work. The line would also take cars off the interstates in the area, lowering both traffic and the environmental impact of commutes of residents into Boston.

While the project is a great idea, the issue is coming up with the money to pay for it. Hopefully the state can use some of the stimulus package money to make this new rail line possible.

For more info, check out this story in The Herald.

MBTA to expand Wi-Fi on commuter rail system

The MBTA's Board of Directors has unanimously approved a plan to expand Wi-Fi service to all lines of its commuter rail system.

The MBTA started a pilot program in January, when it equipped several coaches on the Worcester line with Wi-Fi. Because of the positive feedback from that program, the board authorized $1.39 million to install Wi-Fi equipment on 258 coaches on the various lines of the commuter rail system.

The plan calls for every trip on every line of the commute rail to have at least one Wi-Fi-ready coach. Installation of the equipment is scheduled to begin in December, with the service being installed on about 30 coaches per month until the project is completed.

After this round of Wi-Fi equipment is installed and in use, MBTA officials will evaluate whether to equip the rest of the coaches with the service.

For more information on the MBTA and its services, click here.