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.