Does anyone know how often the DCR resurfaces their paths? The biking and pedestrian paths along the Southwest Corridor have gotten pretty bumpy because of some tree routes. I shot them an email, but haven't heard back yet.....
I agree with you on the class 1 stuff. If the micromobility changes end up getting put into law, then e-bikes that are considered class 1 today WILL be allowed on shared-use-paths, so this might just be making extra work for the City of Haverhill that they'll have to undo down the line.
Haverhill introduces some big restrictions on e-bikes and scooters. No parking on city property, including parks and schools. Plus a restriction on riding e-bikes on any bike paths/rail trails.
https://whav.net/2026/10/06/haverhill-councilors-approve-e-bike-e-scooter-ordinance
The actual text...
Maybe some value capture from any jump in real estate value that's adjacent/close to the transit expansion?
For the sales tax, I wonder how much money would be raised if the communities served by rapid transit put in some sales tax/meal tax. For reference, Boston collected $37.6 million in FY...
The bill you posted reminded me of S.2009 (An Act relative to regional transportation ballot initiatives), another way to let a municipality fund some transit improvements. It seems like both bills haven't really progressed.
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/sd663
For a temporary setup, I've seen Boston use a lot of this style barrier. Seems easy to wheel out onto the street while still being able to stop a vehicle.
Salem did add a crosswalk at the Route 28 and Rockingham Park Blvd intersection within the past few years. That was a pretty big barrier, but there are still some uncomfortable crossings at the larger shopping plazas to the south. I think a miss was the Tuscan Village development, the sidewalks...
Looks like there's another proposal for more natural gas pipelines.
https://www.wbur.org/news/2026/05/19/energy-company-proposes-big-natural-gas-pipeline-expansion-in-new-england
And here's the RFP...
A bleak outlook to be sure. You'd think more folks at the state and local level would be seeing all these warning signs and start taking more bold action, like aggressive zoning reform.