Prioritizing Equitable Growth Through Fare Policy

This policy brief explores the concept of fare equity and demonstrates why the current commuter rail fare structure makes train travel uneconomical for many Gateway City residents, especially those living in the immediate station areas. The brief also provides a deeper understanding of why affordable fares are a critical precursor for transformative transit-oriented development and

MassINC study finds Gateway City residents priced-out of public transit

Report says state must reduce rail fares in order to achieve more equitable growth

To address the state’s transportation woes, planners and policymakers are evaluating major upgrades to the Commonwealth’s rail network. At the same time, a report from the nonpartisan think tank MassINC argues state leaders must consider new methods of discounting train fares so that low- and moderate-income residents can afford to ride. The new report presents

Tackling Smog and Congestion with TCI

Gateways Episode 30

Traffic congestion in Massachusetts has reached crisis proportions. And while some leaders and officials assure it’s a “symptom of success,” that explanation offers little solace to Bay Staters stuck in mind-numbing traffic everyday. To top it off, gas and diesel-burning cars, trucks, and trains dominate greenhouse

Opinion Analysis | Exploring how Massachusetts can raise revenue and fund investments

Recapping the Get Smart Forum in Cambridge

On June 13, 2019, leaders from business, transportation, and policy gathered in Cambridge for the Get Smart Forum to discuss how Massachusetts can raise revenue and fund investments in transportation. According to the Governor’s Commission on the Future of Transportation, our Gateway Cities rely on “Robust public and other transportation modes that connect burgeoning and

Opinion Analysis | Inclusive Economies come from Including People

EOHED MetroWest Engagement Session

On the morning of June 25th, Framingham State University hosted the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development’s (EOHED) final Engagement Session. This nine-stop, 1,200-participant tour is an early step in developing the Office’s four-year state economic development plan which will be presented to the Baker Administration at the end of the year. Meetings

Opinion Analysis | Massachusetts Has Climate Change Policy in the (Green) Works

Bill aims to help cities meet carbon reduction goals and provide infrastructure for climate change mitigation and resilience

On 18 June, 2019, the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy held a hearing on Bill H.3846, “An Act Relative to GreenWorks.” Presented by Representative Thomas A. Golden, Jr. of Middlesex, the bill proposes a bond authorization of $1.3 billion to be directed towards climate mitigation and adaptation strategies across the state. The bill

Budgeting for the transformation of commuter rail

The Gateway Cities Journal

MassDOT’s Rail Vision team presented a long awaited set of scenarios for the transformation of commuter rail at a joint MBTA/MassDOT board meeting this week. Their analysis provides more information about what it would take to run trains every 15 minutes to urban centers all throughout the day. It also gave us a sense of

T has extra $1.2b: How would you spend it?

Agency is holding off, saying it lacks organizational capacity

IT HASN’T RECEIVED a lot of attention, but the MBTA has an extra $1.2 billion in untapped capital funds at its disposal. The agency’s five-year capital spending plan has $9.4 billion in funding sources but only $8.2 billion in planned spending. T General Manager Steve Poftak said in May that he would like to spend

MassINC’s Series of Regional TTOD Forums Arrives in Lynn

Event Recap

Together with a variety of partners, MassINC hosted the North Shore Transformative Transit-Oriented Development Forum on Wednesday, June 19th. The event drew dozens of citizens and leaders interested in exploring the linkages between transit and development in the region.  Our day began with a walking tour of the area surrounding Lynn’s commuter rail station.

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