General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)

[kdmc]

Potentially obnoxiously optimistic, but it's possible that the threat of federal funding disappearing is exactly what states like MA need in order to implement serious, long-term sustainable, state-level transit funding measures like congestion tolling, such that when federal funds eventually do come back, they can be used for expansion and improvement rather than life support. As advocates, maybe this is our moment.

 

[Kinopio]

The city of Boston is already paying for some bus routes to be free of charge. Start charging money for residential parking permits and stop having parking meters be free on Sundays. Start charging in the free city owned lots. Why does a neighborhood like JP have ZERO parking meters? That’s tens of millions in handouts being given to drivers every year that could instead be used to keep bus routes open if need be.

 

[Delvin4519]

The city of Boston is already paying for some bus routes to be free of charge. Start charging money for residential parking permits and stop having parking meters be free on Sundays. Start charging in the free city owned lots. Why does a neighborhood like JP have ZERO parking meters? That’s tens of millions in handouts being given to drivers every year that could instead be used to keep bus routes open if need be.

Having the local bus stop running on Sundays and also parking being free on Sundays is, ugh, not a very good way to attract new transit riders.

 

[Delvin4519]

Potentially obnoxiously optimistic, but it's possible that the threat of federal funding disappearing is exactly what states like MA need in order to implement serious, long-term sustainable, state-level transit funding measures like congestion tolling, such that when federal funds eventually do come back, they can be used for expansion and improvement rather than life support. As advocates, maybe this is our moment.

I'd consider it obnoxiously optimistic. Look at Toronto that spent millions installing bike lanes and now Ford is spending millions to rip out the bike lanes.

Talk about a literal waste of funding.

 

[bigeman312]

No question that the result of the federal election is bad for the MBTA. The GOP control will result in less federal funding. With less federal funding, repairs and expansions may slow down or be skipped altogether, making service worse and decreasing ridership. Fewer riders could mean Massachusetts needs more state money or higher fares, putting pressure on the MBTA’s budget and making it harder to keep the system safe, reliable, and affordable for everyone. Massachusetts will either bridge the gap with state funds or make difficult decisions on fares and service levels to sustain the transit system.

I’m not looking forward to it.

Looks like we’ve got a few more months of good service. Let’s enjoy it while it lasts and advocate for the best possible solutions in a Trump presidency and GOP controlled Senate. It happened before, last time Trump was president, and this time we have Healey and Eng instead of Baker and Poftak. I’ll take that as a reason to be hopeful.

 

[Jeremi]

No question that the result of the federal election is bad for the MBTA. The GOP control will result in less federal funding. With less federal funding, repairs and expansions may slow down or be skipped altogether, making service worse and decreasing ridership. Fewer riders could mean Massachusetts needs more state money or higher fares, putting pressure on the MBTA’s budget and making it harder to keep the system safe, reliable, and affordable for everyone. Massachusetts will either bridge the gap with state funds or make difficult decisions on fares and service levels to sustain the transit system.

I’m not looking forward to it.

Looks like we’ve got a few more months of good service. Let’s enjoy it while it lasts and advocate for the best possible solutions in a Trump presidency and GOP controlled Senate. It happened before, last time Trump was president, and this time we have Healey and Eng instead of Baker and Poftak. I’ll take that as a reason to be hopeful.

GOP house too. Federal transit funding is going to nil.

 

[ant8904]

Best case is MBTA is deferred as we have to wait through a hostile administration. Not much different than before except Eng manage to roll the bolder back enough that we don't have slow zones.

But worse case is the loss of Fed fund with the fiscal cliff means the gap is so big that we get what Delvin already describe as service - or honestly even worse.

We just seem to sleep walking right into it and it feels like the only line that's going to be uttered in mainstream circles is government/MBTA bashing. Tracks all fixed up just to suddenly not use them. If Eng gets scapegoated, I'm going to be so pissed

 

[Stlin]

I feel obligated to point out that historically, the T nor other transit agencies didn't have access to any amount of federal operations money - it was all COVID relief funds, and there were no signs that a prospective Harris admin would have made billions available for transit operations nationally. Capital programs would have been a different beast, but unfortunately, this one is on the local agencies to swing. I would expect to see NYC bring back its congestion program, and we in Boston would need to be comfortable with the idea that we'll have to pay more.

I do disagree that fare increases are off the table - the last rise was prepandemic. Given how many fare policy and revenue presentations the board has been taking, I'd expect a fare increase to be imminent. It might not have been politically viable during the slow zone crisis, it absolutely is now. Especially since fare increases are limited by law to 7% every 2 years, it has no chance of catching up to inflation and increase in costs. With the recent expansion of the reduced fare program, the difference from $2.40 to $2.57 (2.55 or 2.50 being more likely) or $1.70 to $1.80 is minor enough that most ridership should be able to swallow it - while it won't come close to bridging the fiscal cliff, across all ridership it'd bring in ~30m in additional revenue - and at this point, every penny helps. If it is a inflation catch-up, at 23% it'd be a full 95m @ a 2.96 subway fare.

As for capital... MA has the capacity to build a lot of it without federal dollars. GLX was funded by 1.3B in State funds in addition to 996M in federal dollars. For SCR phase 1, the full cost of 1.1B was funded by the Commonwealth. Red-Blue is in the same ballpark. NSRL not so much, but it could be worse.

 

[Delvin4519]

Best case is MBTA is deferred as we have to wait through a hostile administration. Not much different than before except Eng manage to roll the bolder back enough that we don't have slow zones.

But worse case is the loss of Fed fund with the fiscal cliff means the gap is so big that we get what Delvin already describe as service - or honestly even worse.

We just seem to sleep walking right into it and it feels like the only line that's going to be uttered in mainstream circles is government/MBTA bashing. Tracks all fixed up just to suddenly not use them. If Eng gets scapegoated, I'm going to be so pissed

Yes. 1 billion in the hole means no bus service except for the SL5/28 and the SL1/SL3 combo routes, plus 30 minute service heavy and light rail networks, and basically no more CR except for rush hour service + limited interpeak on Fairmount/Salem. It's more than enough of a gaping hole there's no money left to run routes like the 57, 77, or 39 anymore.

Red-Blue is certainly not coming anytime before 2040 at the earliest. Too bad. The US has effectively cancelled transit expansion completely until 2040 (even if we tried again in 2029, 10 years to build something new means 2040 at the earliest).

After South Coast Rail opens, there is no more transit expansion in at least Boston if not most if not all of the United States, left in our lifetimes. The fate was sealed last night for good. And since Boston has to build Red-Blue and NSRL before anything else, no more neighborhoods are getting rail transit service in Boston in our lifetimes.

Feels so bad to be in an American city. At least Canada, Australia, and Europe are expanding their transit systems.

Looking for rail transit to Arlington, Medford, Oak Square, Watertown, or Brighton? It's unlikely you aren't going to see it ever in your lifetimes. You're gonna have to at least a child or younger to be around for it, because Red-Blue and NSRL are higher upon the priority list.

We are almost certainly sleepwalking into disaster with MBTA funding. We sleptwalk into the election into a diaster of election results.

 

[Delvin4519]

GOP house too. Federal transit funding is going to nil.

Yes. This time it’s likely going to be a hostile trifecta at the federal level. GOP with all 3. This changes the context for @bigeman312 ’s comment. The missing context was not taken into consideration in the original comment. This needs a correction/update.

 

[Longfellow]

Ok, I called a politicans office last time we had a question like this.. I'm at work, but does someone want to take a turn and call the consituent line, and see if there's any support at the governor's office for guaranteed funding, or some such? Do the transit matters guys care? Maybe they'll say something.

 

[TheRatmeister]

On a more positive note, looks like they have finally figured out how to work on one track while shutting down the other.

 

[stefal]

Ok, I called a politicans office last time we had a question like this.. I'm at work, but does someone want to take a turn and call the consituent line, and see if there's any support at the governor's office for guaranteed funding, or some such? Do the transit matters guys care? Maybe they'll say something.

I wrote a long letter about 2 months back, and got a very brief, 2 sentence "appreciate it, but it's complicated." response...

 

[TheRatmeister]

I wrote a long letter about 2 months back, and got a very brief, 2 sentence "appreciate it, but it's complicated." response...

I managed to get a zoom call with Jamie Eldridge a year-ish ago, that was pretty good. He's a fairly big regional rail supporter which is nice. Lori Trahan on the other hand gave an answer that was both long and entirely useless. (Although that wasn't MBTA related)

 

[kmp1284]

They should start by putting Southcoast Rail on ice(what a stupid project to begin with). That part of the state was Trump’s strongest performer. He won Fall River. I realize there will be massive cuts ahead but start where they asked for it. No need to punish Greater Boston and the people who got it right more than they need to be and will be.

 

[themissinglink]

2 more MBTA employees fired amid Cabot Yard investigation

The MBTA has terminated two more employees amid an investigation into suspected criminal activity at the Cabot Yard maintenance facility.

www.nbcboston.com

 

[BOS2BON]

They should start by putting Southcoast Rail on ice(what a stupid project to begin with). That part of the state was Trump’s strongest performer. He won Fall River. I realize there will be massive cuts ahead but start where they asked for it. No need to punish Greater Boston and the people who got it right more than they need to be and will be.

No. We need to build a ton more housing so we don’t lose any votes in the electoral college.

 

[Riverside]

They should start by putting Southcoast Rail on ice(what a stupid project to begin with). That part of the state was Trump’s strongest performer. He won Fall River. I realize there will be massive cuts ahead but start where they asked for it. No need to punish Greater Boston and the people who got it right more than they need to be and will be.

South Coast Rail is nearly complete. IIRC, the vast majority of the remaining timeline is devoted to testing, not construction. Building it and then not using it would be seen as a reckless irresponsible waste of taxpayer money, which is exactly the rhetoric that has animated the Republican Party for decades.

 

[sean99090900]

No. We need to build a ton more housing so we don’t lose any votes in the electoral college.

Well 1) I'm never against the housing agenda but I don't think this is a very good argument lol.

It would take 700,000 people moving here to gain 1 blue electoral vote. Alternatively if maybe 100,000 blue voters each move to Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan instead, you might be looking at like 70 electoral votes. The more you restrict movement to Massachusetts or California or any other deep blue state, the better the electoral impact will be, which is effectively what's already been happening over the last few years with the sunbelt slowly purpling (and hopefully soon blueing)

 

[as02143]

Just want to note that the $700 fiscal cliff has always been a state funding problem - Feds do not give the T any significant amount for operations.

The real issue will be if the House scraps everything transit in capital dollars and states have to find funds for all new capital expenditures. We will have no expansions, modernization for years.