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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.5 License.
Random musings from a Midwesterner in Beantown.
Friday, November 11, 2005
MSGA: Romney's Transportation Plan Needs Work
From the Metropolitan Area Planning Council's Regional Record e-newsletter:
Smart Growth Alliance to EOT Chief:
20-Year Transportation Plan Needs More Work
The Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance (MSGA), which includes MAPC, has delivered detailed comments on Governor Romney's draft 20-year transportation plan. In a letter to Secretary of Transportation John Cogliano, co-signed by 20 organizations, the Alliance praised the plan for providing "a comprehensive vision that includes all transportation modes," but expressed concern that the plan "lacks clear details regarding implementation."
The Alliance also praised the plan for focusing on two critical needs in the metropolitan Boston region: repairing bridges and expanding public transit. In the state, 547 bridges are considered sub-par, and over 1,000 bridges will reach their fiftieth year during the next decade. Generally, bridges require major repairs after 40 years, which is why the plan devotes $1 billion to bridge repair between now and 2010.
The plan also focuses heavily on public transit, listing the following major projects for development:
Three highway projects are also listed in the plan: Interchanges of I-93 and I-95 at Canton and at Reading/Woburn ($52.5m); and Route 3 Add-A-Lane ($180m).
The MSGA raises a number of key problems with the plan, including:
"The plan relies on unrealistic financing expectations, such as success in every federal New Starts application." The letter clearly states that new sources of revenue are necessary to finance the plan, including value capture programs and more state capital spending on MBTA projects.
While praising the plan for suggesting that corridor planning should precede major state investments in highway or transit projects, the Alliance calls upon the state to explain more precisely when corridor planning will be triggered, who will work with municipalities on the plan, and how the plans will be enforced.
The MSGA raises a number of key problems with the plan:
"The plan relies on unrealistic financing expectations, such as success in every federal New Starts application." The letter clearly states that new sources of revenue are necessary to finance the plan, including value capture programs and more state capital spending on MBTA projects.
While praising the plan for suggesting that corridor planning should precede major state investments in highway or transit projects, the Alliance calls upon the state to explain more precisely when corridor planning will be triggered, who will work with municipalities on the plan, and how the plans will be enforced.
Notes: The SIP commitments include the Green Line extension; "New Starts" is a possible source of funding; the corridor planning mentions the state's commitment in the Long Range Plan to financially assist cities and towns in conducing corridor land-use planning in major expansion projects.
Read the full MAPC article
See the Long Range Plan (Click on Long Range Plan)
Smart Growth Alliance to EOT Chief:
20-Year Transportation Plan Needs More Work
The Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance (MSGA), which includes MAPC, has delivered detailed comments on Governor Romney's draft 20-year transportation plan. In a letter to Secretary of Transportation John Cogliano, co-signed by 20 organizations, the Alliance praised the plan for providing "a comprehensive vision that includes all transportation modes," but expressed concern that the plan "lacks clear details regarding implementation."
The Alliance also praised the plan for focusing on two critical needs in the metropolitan Boston region: repairing bridges and expanding public transit. In the state, 547 bridges are considered sub-par, and over 1,000 bridges will reach their fiftieth year during the next decade. Generally, bridges require major repairs after 40 years, which is why the plan devotes $1 billion to bridge repair between now and 2010.
The plan also focuses heavily on public transit, listing the following major projects for development:
- SIP Commitments ($769m) – 2008-2013;
- Silver Line III ($756m) – 2006-2011;
- Urban Ring Phases 1 and 2 ($982m) – 2018 and beyond; and
- Blue Line to Lynn ($314m) – 2017-2022.
Three highway projects are also listed in the plan: Interchanges of I-93 and I-95 at Canton and at Reading/Woburn ($52.5m); and Route 3 Add-A-Lane ($180m).
The MSGA raises a number of key problems with the plan, including:
"The plan relies on unrealistic financing expectations, such as success in every federal New Starts application." The letter clearly states that new sources of revenue are necessary to finance the plan, including value capture programs and more state capital spending on MBTA projects.
While praising the plan for suggesting that corridor planning should precede major state investments in highway or transit projects, the Alliance calls upon the state to explain more precisely when corridor planning will be triggered, who will work with municipalities on the plan, and how the plans will be enforced.
The MSGA raises a number of key problems with the plan:
"The plan relies on unrealistic financing expectations, such as success in every federal New Starts application." The letter clearly states that new sources of revenue are necessary to finance the plan, including value capture programs and more state capital spending on MBTA projects.
While praising the plan for suggesting that corridor planning should precede major state investments in highway or transit projects, the Alliance calls upon the state to explain more precisely when corridor planning will be triggered, who will work with municipalities on the plan, and how the plans will be enforced.
Notes: The SIP commitments include the Green Line extension; "New Starts" is a possible source of funding; the corridor planning mentions the state's commitment in the Long Range Plan to financially assist cities and towns in conducing corridor land-use planning in major expansion projects.
Read the full MAPC article
See the Long Range Plan (Click on Long Range Plan)
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