Recent MBTA shutdowns in the face of severe weather are vivid reminders of the costs of postponing maintenance and investment in essential infrastructure. LWVMA has for years advocated for adequate transportation funding and we adopted a new position supporting transportation at our 2013 Convention.
Unfortunately, the state has not kept up with predictable deterioration of trains, buses, tracks, roads and bridges, and has not improved service to keep up with demand. These transportation failures harm our personal budgets and the state’s economy.
LWVMA has joined a statewide coalition, Transportation for Massachusetts or T4MA, that tracks transportation needs, policies and investments. It’s clear from T4MA’s latest study that we need billions of dollars of revenue to bring transportation to a state of good repair and for new service to encourage responsible growth. We must make smart reforms.
LWVMA’s transportation committee urges local Leagues and members to contact your legislators directly and to write to your local newspaper asking the legislature to close the transportation funding gap, support overdue MBTA maintenance and adequate Regional Transit Authority funding, and repair roads and bridges. You can find more information at T4MA’s website.