Build Back Better: MA’s Share of (Hoped for) Fed Bucks

Get real everyone - we know Richie Neal is feeding every dollar of MA's share into East-West Fail ;).
 
Seems like the most likely candidates that qualify are:
  • SLX through Everett
  • GLX to Hyde Square
  • GLX to Mystic Valley Parkway
  • Red-Blue Connector
  • OLX to Roslindale
  • SCR Phase 2
  • Some form of the Rail Vision
    • Newton Accessibility + West Station Electrification & EMU
    • Electrification
    • SSX
 
Seems like the most likely candidates that qualify are:
  • SLX through Everett
  • GLX to Hyde Square
  • GLX to Mystic Valley Parkway
  • Red-Blue Connector
  • OLX to Roslindale
  • SCR Phase 2
  • Some form of the Rail Vision
    • Newton Accessibility + West Station Electrification & EMU
    • Electrification
    • SSX
SLX should not rise to the level of cost of federal funding
 
And for the price of OLX aside of CR to Rossie, you could pay for OL to W Rox
 
How about Electrification of some CR?

Realistic(?) Pitch: Free multiples birds with one key and have a "Boston and Albany Railroad Modernization" project that includes a bunch of projects for multiple districts that are ready to go once the funding is there:
  1. South Station Expansion
  2. West Station
  3. Newton Commuter Rail Accessibility Improvements
  4. Worcester Line Track and Station Accessibility Improvements Project: Construction of third track and full reconstruction of four stations along the Worcester Line between Weston and Framingham
  5. Worcester Union Station Improvements
  6. Electrification of Worcester Line
  7. EMU Service between Riverside and South Station
  8. Improvements outlined in East-West Passenger Rail Alternative 4/5 Hybrid
  9. Introduction of new service between Boston and Albany, or dare I dream, Boston and Toronto via Albany.
 
It’s deeply disappointing that a President representing a pro mass transit party and a President with personal experience with passenger rail has such a pathetic plan for infrastructure. If you want to add “care infrastructure” that’s fine but come on. China built dozens of major HSR networks (250mph) in just 12 years; Not dozens of stations but dozens of lines. They built entire Metro systems in the past 20 years.

The main tenants of the infrastructure package should be fast/efficient/clean drinking water; fast/efficient/environment protected power grid, the fastest most powerful and far reaching 5G service including broadband to even the most remote and rural parts of the nation.

In addition, elite hospitals even in rural areas, schools, roads and bridges.

BUT - our airports & rail parts especially are DRASTICALLY behind there they should be. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say this plan should include roughly $400B in Rail spending. This nation needs HIGH speed rail that can compete with air travel for short duration trips (Boston to NY; NY to DC; LV to LA; LA-SF; Houston to Dallas; Atlanta to Orlando). The kind of fast efficient comfortable travel they have in the UK and Japan

And on local mass transit, cities like (of course, Boston) Los Angeles, New York, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and Seattle could all use a ton of money (especially LA; NYC, BOS, SEA) to build projects that take cars off the road, unclog the roadways, provide access to transit dependent demographics and provide opportunity for transit oriented developments.
Boston alone should receive somewhere in the neighborhood of

  • NSRL
  • Red/Blue connect,
  • Blue North Lynn/Salem
  • Ashmont/Mattapan Conversion
  • Pedestrian Assembly/Casino
  • Union to Porter GLX
IDEALLY; projects that would be total game changers but are highly unlikely:
  • Seaport Light Rail
  • Blue Line South Extension
  • Red Line North Extension
  • Orange Line North Extension
  • North End Light Rail

Fingers crossed they decide to include funds to build and complete major capital projects
 
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