Talk of Gateway City TOD in Worcester

Focusing on strategies to position Union Station for future success

The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce held its third-annual “Game Changers: Next Big Idea Expo and Conference” on Friday, October 19. MassINC research director Ben Forman shared findings on Gateway City TOD as part of a panel focused on strategies to position Union Station for future success. See the Worcester Business Journal’s coverage of the

Gateway Cities TOD Tour

Stop 3: Worcester

On Sept. 13, MassINC and The Worcester Regional Research Bureau discussed local findings from the Gateway Cities Innovation Institute’s report, “Exploring the Future of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in Gateway Cities,” at Lock 50 in Worcester. A diverse group of leaders joined us for a wide-ranging conversation; topics included improving commuter rail service, reducing the cost

Windows of Opportunity for Regional Rail: Part I

The Gateway Cities Journal

Earlier this week the Boston Globe featured three op-eds on the promise of regional rail. It’s wonderful that the concept of how we use transportation infrastructure to integrate regional economies and generate more geographically-balanced growth is getting serious attention. And it is timely because a number of near-term policy decisions will have major ramifications for the

FY 2019 Budget Lends Support to the “Gateway City Fare” Concept

Shows support for more equitable access to public transit

In a show of support for more equitable access to public transit, an outside section of the FY 2019 budget calls on MassDOT to review MBTA commuter rail fares, including an examination of the “fairness of the current distance-based fare system,” which effectively prohibits low-income Gateway City residents from utilizing the service, and also makes

End-of-session imperatives

The Gateway Cities Journal

It’s plain and simple: Gateway Cities have substantial capacity to absorb more residents and businesses. With the right policies, the Commonwealth can tap into this sorely needed development potential, and make growth in our state more equitable, sustainable, and fiscally responsible. Without the right policies, growth will continue to evade Gateway Cities, and the Massachusetts

Addressing Potential for TOD in Springfield

NEPR Highlights Transit-Oriented Development Research

Kari Njiri speaks with MassINC’s Ben Forman about the potential of Gateway Cities’ urban development in “Study Examines Potential in Springfield for Mass Transit to Attract Investment,” published today on New England Public Radio. Highlighting the research in MassINC’s most recent report on transit-oriented development (TOD), Forman discusses the history of Gateway Cities and why we

Gateway Cities TOD Tour

Stop 2: Lynn

At the historic Lynn Museum, MassINC gathered with local leaders on Monday, June 25th to discuss local findings from “Exploring the Future of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in Gateway Cities.” The MassINC team was joined by the Lynn Mayor Tom McGee, Rep. Dan Cahill, Sen. Brendan Crighton, representatives from U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton’s office, and a

Passing an economic development bill with provisions to stimulate Gateway City TOD

The Gateway Cities Journal

Over 20,000 people came out on Father’s Day weekend to ride the long-awaited Springfield-to-New Haven commuter rail service. This outpouring of support demonstrates just how much western Massachusetts hungers for vital rail connections (a yearning that Boston-centric leaders on Beacon Hill have been somewhat hesitant to affirm). But now that Springfield’s rail infrastructure is in

6th International Transportation and Economic Development Conference

Transformative Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in Massachusetts Gateway Cities

Dan Hodge, of Hodge Economic Consulting, recently presented research authored with MassINC’s Ben Forman on transit-oriented development (TOD) in Massachusetts Gateway Cities at the 6th International Transportation and Economic Development Conference on June 7. Addressing the conference in Washington, DC, Hodge addressed the benefits that TOD can to bring to Massachusetts by calculating its real-world

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