JeffDowntown
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 28, 2007
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It is too bad the funding is simply not available to make this a carrot and stick approach.To be clear, the one thing we all appear to be in agreement about is desiring Milton’s compliance with the zoning law.
You’re right, the discussion is more centered around the level and quality of service in Milton.
Good service is not just frequencies. When you require a two-seat ride to get anywhere, and one of those seats is on inaccessible 80-year old vehicles that are very often out of service (and thus very often unable to meet the scheduled frequencies), and a low percentage of the town is even in the walkshed of that service, those are factors that should be mentioned in addition to the scheduled frequencies.
It’s hard to make the argument that Milton has such better MBTA service than Arlington, that it warrants a classification of two tiers above them. The (T)77 has comparable frequencies to the Mattapan Line, and Alewife is barely over the border. A far higher percentage of Arlington is walkable to high-frequency, high-capacity service than Milton.
Milton does not have anywhere close to the MbTA service and coverage as Somerville or Cambridge. Not that they have the density to warrant it, but that is part and parcel with this zoning law, isn’t it? The Mattapan Line is not a high-capacity line equivalent to a heavy rail line. Isn’t this zoning law all about adding humans to spaces that have the infrastructure to move many humans efficiently?
Extend the Red Line to Mattapan and upzone Milton and we’ll be in agreement. That’s way better than status quo.
It’s less than ideal that the state is trying squeeze a one-size fits all law that treats Milton like Somerville and Arlington like Wareham. The law is a huge step in the right direction, but the state had some blunders on the margins with classifications on this one.
All of that being said, this is a critique of the state’s classification tiers, not a defense of the status quo or an opposition to Milton’s compliance.
Upzone. Invest in transit expansion to bring high-capacity transit to more areas. I believe that’s what we all want.
Upzone enough in your available transit corridor and the State will make the investment to improve the transit corridor.
Upzone the Mattapan corridor walkshed enough, you get conversion to heavy rail.
Upzone in Arlington around the Minuteman walkshed enough, you get RLX to Arlington Heights.
Rinse and repeat.