In a world where the global financial system has melted down, we’re still – don’t forget –
up against the inexorable realities of a global climate crisis. That demands we change our ways –as we get from here to there – and as quickly as possible.
In any big city transportation mix, that means mass transit and more of it.
In Boston, throw another log on the proverbial fire as the oldest subway system in North America, the MBTA is a creaking, leaking thing — and by the way, it’s out of money too. Never mind that in the good times, the powers that be didn’t have the courage or the vision or fortitude to do whatever it took to invest in the infrastructure of The T.
Those short-sighted chickens have come home to roost – and they’re clucking at all of us.
Well, no use crying over the “should haves.”
On this week’s Radio Boston you’ll hear the “now we have to’s.” And along with a bit of due deference to where we’ve been and how we got here, we’ll hear from some very smart people who have been thinking in fresh ways about what needs to happen now.
We’d love your ideas of course.
Because whatever happens – we all still need to get from here to there — and quickly.
Thanks for listening. Jane.
The T has the authority to write $100 parking tickets for vehicles that park in its bus stops, since Jan. of this year. Strict enforcemnet would likely net much money for the T. I constantly see these parking violations, suggesting that the T does not often write tickets.
How do the fares on the T compare with other metropolitan subway systems? Maybe fare hikes are due.
I remember thinking what a bargain the T was the last time I rode the Washington DC Metro and the MARTA (Atlanta). That was probably a decade or so ago, though.
How did the costs of the mitigation projects mandated by the Big Dig (a car-oriented project) wind up as a debt burden to the MBTA rather than an obligation more closely-tied to automobile use (gas tax, registration fees, road tolls, …)?
There have been so many reports about the need to increase T ridership, yet there is a vicious cycle of limitations which preclude such a result. Here they are:
1. Most riders do not live RIGHT next to a T stop, and therefore need to drive to their nearest T stop.
THERE ISN’T ENOUGH PARKING AVAILABLE! By 8:00 am, most of the T lots are already full at most of the T stops around in suburban areas, and even in urban areas, like Forest Hills and Alewife.I know a commuter who drives from Newton to West Roxbury to take the T because his own station has so few parking spots. That’s crazy! What does one do if there is no parking? ONE DRIVES TO WORK, which is just what we are trying to avoid more of.
2. The T runs infrequently at night, which, for those of us who have day jobs AND evening jobs, doesn’t work very well from a standpoint of efficiency in returning home at 11:00 or 11:30 pm. The trains slack off midday, as well.
3. The commuter rail doesn’t run, either, in the middle of the day, which is exactly when many of the other people who work non-9-5 jobs would use it. It also doesn’t run on Sundays, which is a huge work day for me, when I would love to ride a comfortable train to work rather than drive in to the city. Or, even if I didn’t work, maybe I would take the train in with family or friends for a day in Boston, to Quincy Market, or a museum.
So you see, there is not enough accessibility. It is simply not there for those who would LOVE to ride on an even more frequent basis, and no one has, to my knowledge, EVER acknowledged the parking shortages in recent news reports.
A case in point, regarding the parking issue:
A few years ago, Forest Hills opened up an entire additional huge parking lot across the tracks on Washington Street in J.P. Everyone was thrilled because now we could all park comfortably and there was rarely a shortage, yet both lots were mostly full, collecting good revenue.
This means that the T was making GOOD MONEY from the parking, which would seem to be a GOOD thing for them, right? Apparently that made too much sense, so the additional lot was soon closed again, and now has been used for T bus parking on the front section, while the larger part of it is completely empty! NO REASON GIVEN! And, there isn’t enough available on weekdays for the commuters.
It just seems that the T consistently does things which are in direct conflict with what it says its financial goals are.
I would be very interested to hear some answers from the T management on why they don’t act on these problems.
To S. Cartwright: You bring up excellent points. One thing our MBTA executives and other senior staffers should be commited to do is commute via public transit themselves. I’ll wager not one of them does! This is why they have no clue. Everyone who uses the MBTA should take a stand on the impending cuts – write or call in. Driving should be discouraged by making fares very cheap, services very convenient and gas very expensive. Why not a gas tax? We pay OPEC without a whimper yet we quibble about funding infrastructure that brings quality to our lives. I drive too, but gee it would be good if we could breathe clean air in our cities again.
DMW: for what it’s worth, Dan Grabauskas took the Green Line to our studios for his interview last week. Not sure how he gets home to Ipswich, though.
Thanks for listening, guys.