AAA Offices To Provide EZ-Pass Transponders

Ahead of the Memorial Day travel season, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation has joined with AAA to make EZ-Pass transponders more readily available.

With the summer travel season coming up, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation wants drivers to cut back on cash and link up to the EZ-Pass system. MassDOT has joined AAA of Southern New England to make EZ-Pass transponders available at over 15 AAA offices, according to a press statement Thursday. According to the statement, there are still over 155,000 daily cash transactions on toll roads throughout Massachusetts. With the state heading toward a cashless toll system beginning with the removal of cash tollbooths on the Tobin Bridge in early 2014, state transportation officials are encouraging motorists to get ahead of the changes by enrolling in the EZ-Pass program early. “The availability of transponders at AAA branches is one …

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MassDOT Seeks Bids for 4 JP Parcels

The parcels, all in the Southwest Corridor, run along the Orange Line.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is seeking bidders for four Jamaica Plain parcels. The vacant remnant parcels are located outside of the layout lines for the rapid transit system and were reverted back to MassDOT from the MBTA after work on the Southwest Corridor Project was completed, according to MassDOT. Below is a breakdown of each parcel, according to the MassDOT request for proposal (pdf): •Parcel B105-8, consisting of approximately 375 + square feet of land, with frontage on Call Street and near the intersection of Carolina Avenue.  • Parcels B101-2, consisting of approximately 552 + square feet of land, located at rear of Everett Street. • Parcels B101-3, consisting of approximately 686 + square feet of land, with …

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Senate Approves Transportation Finance Bill

The state Senate’s version of a new transportation finance bill would make use of $800 million.

After hours of debate on Saturday, the state Senate passed an $800 million transportation bill that would override a possible veto attempt by the governor. The bill passed by a vote of 30-5, according to MyFoxBoston.com. The bill would tax cigarettes, gasoline and would apply certain new taxes for businesses. Gov. Deval Patrick did not offer support for the Senate’s transportation package, but said in a statement he was happy with the day’s work. “Experts agree that we need approximately $1 billion more a year -- in addition to further operating efficiencies -- to give our citizens a safe, functional, modern transportation system to keep pace with a growing economy.  Today's Senate bill is a significant step in that direction and I commend…

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The Four Mass. Transportation Funding Plans

State lawmakers have proposed four ways to fund transportation going forward.

Officials, legislators and members of the public have debated four plans unveiled during the course of the past two months all with one goal: Paying for transportation in Massachusetts for the foreseeable future. Writers of these plans are trying to find ways to pump as much money as possible into the system, while trying to avoid dramatic fare increases, tax hikes and fees. These are the plans in chronological order based on the time of their announcements: Writer: Gov. Deval Patrick, Mass. Department of Transportation Money: $1 billion Date of Announcement: Jan. 14, 2013 Gov. Deval Patrick unleashed “The Way Forward: A 21st Century Transportation Plan” in Januray. The plan is an ambitious, multi-billion dollar budgetary proposal for …

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Without Funding Solution, T Fare Hikes Likely

The submitted budget closes the 2014 gap, but without more funding riders could pay.

Though the submitted MBTA budget for the next fiscal year has been approved, it assumes additional funding will close the $118 million gap. The MBTA’s fiscal year 2014 $1.86 billion budget was approved at a meeting of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board of Directors Wednesday. The budget relies on either Gov. Deval Patrick’s “The Way Forward” transportation plan, which would pump $1 billion in revenues into the system by way of fare increases, fees and tax hikes, or another plan from either the House of Representatives, the Senate or both. If Patrick's plan is approved, the T will have a 5 percent fare increase next year to keep pace with inflation. If the plan is not approved by July 1, fare increases could go up to the …

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MassDOT Secy. on Transportation: ‘People Want More’

At the hearing, State Transportation Secretary Richard Davey outlined some aspects of Gov. Deval Patrick’s 10-year transportation budget plan, and included the need for new revenues.

The state transportation secretary answered legislators' questions regarding the Green Line Extension, the South Coast Rail project, MBTA infrastructure, maintenance issues and how an ambitious 10-year budget plan will handle all of it. Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Richard Davey testified before the Joint Committee on Transportation Tuesday morning. He was there to formally present Gov. Deval Patrick’s 21st Century Transportation Plan which calls for a $13 billion investment over the next decade. The hearing focused on finding new revenue that could be put toward ailing infrastructure and sought after rail projects. “People want more, not less, of our product,” Davey began, “but the current system we have is…

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Future Deficit Forces T into Tough Choices

Fare hikes and service cuts are a few options T officials proposed in an effort to close the $130 million budget deficit in 2014.

MBTA officials have proposed service cuts and fare increases if there is no increase in funding, based on a $130 million projected budget deficit in fiscal year 2014. Director of Strategic Initiatives for the MBTA Charles Planck said at a MBTA finance committee meeting that in order to close the budget gap T fares will need to go up 33 percent, which means subway fares would move up from $2 to $2.60, The Boston Globe reported Wednesday. There was also talk at the meeting of a 15 percent fare increase coupled with the possible elimination of up to 30 bus routes, according to the Globe. Gov. Deval Patrick unveiled an ambitious transportation plan in February that would potentially raise $1.02 billion per year for the next 10 years, some of …

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Casey Overpass: Is JP on the Same Page?

With the 25 percent design hearing finished, and a plan on the table, how do you feel about the plan to build an at-grade roadway at the site of the Casey Overpass.

State transportation officials hosted the 25 percent design phase hearing for the Casey Arborway project last night. The project will involve a teardown of the over 60-year-old Casey Overpass bridge above Forest Hills, and the building of an at-grade network of roads in the area. The project will reshape the Forest Hills landscape. Forest Hills MBTA station will undergo a few changes, and Shea Circle will become Shea Square. Some residents oppose the project, others have been in favor, but there has been no shortage of opinions. Now that the project has reached the 25 percent design phase, it is going to move forward. How do you feel the project has progressed thus far? The public had the opportunity to sound off about the project last …

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Liam Sullivan

4:06 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2013

Supporting an elevated highway with it's attendant access and exit ramps (which overpass supporters always seem to overlook) is by definition an auto-centric solution. It prioritizes motorists by providing space for a greater volume of cars (stuck in traffic, idling, honking, and spewing vapors) during peak hours, and to speed through at unsafe speeds at other times. It prioritizes motorists by …   more ›

Casey Overpass Design Hearing Is Tonight

The public hearing will outline details of the Casey Arborway project,