03/30/2012

MBTA Final Fare, Service Recomendation

MassDOT Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey and Acting MBTA General Manager Jonathan Davis Wednesday announced their recommended proposal for closing the MBTA’s $185 million budget gap for next fiscal year.

The proposal includes administrative efficiencies, fare increases, service changes and one-time revenues.

In addition, Secretary Davey and GM Davis announced that the MBTA is moving forward on a number of fronts to make riding the T more convenient for its 1.3 million daily riders. The MBTA will build on open data efforts in the coming weeks to make real time data available by text at bus stops.
The T is also working to bring “countdown clocks” to key MBTA stations as recently tested at Logan Airport’s Terminal C

The final proposal recommends an average fare increase of 23 percent and would be the first MBTA fare increase in five years. The plan includes the elimination of just four weekday bus routes, a revised schedule for 14 other routes, and elimination of one weekend ferry and weekend service on three commuter rail lines.

The final proposal to be submitted for MBTA board approval April 4th follows more than two months of public meetings where 6,000 customers weighed in on proposals submitted to the board by MBTA staff in January.

“The proposal we put forth today reflects our current fiscal reality and the feedback we heard from customers,” said Secretary Davey. “We have put forth a solution that limits the impact on riders for one year but I encourage everyone to remain engaged in helping us find a long-term fix for the T’s budget challenges.”

Details are available on the MBTA website

"Heavy Lift" River Street Bridge Project

MassDOT is moving forward with the latest "Heavy Lift" project as part of the Patrick-Murray Administration's Accelerated Bridge Program to rebuild structurally-deficient bridges across the Commonwealth.

Demolition work on the River Street Bridge carrying traffic over the MBTA and CSX Railroad in Boston will begin on Friday, April 13.

The heavy lift project will rapidly replace the bridge’s superstructure and abutments using innovative Accelerated Bridge Construction techniques to complete the project quickly.

During the work, the MBTA CSX rail line will be closed from Friday, April 13 at 10 PM through Monday, April 16 at 5 AM and roadway detours will be in place during the work starting on Friday, April 13 at 10 PM through Monday, April 23 at 5 AM.

The work and detour period of no more than ten days will minimize impacts to the surrounding community and is scheduled during the April school vacation. To learn details of the River Street Eastbound and Westbound detours, local access, and MBTA Bus detours of Routes 24 and 33, please visit the project website, www.mass.gov/massdot/hydeparkheavylift and MBTA.com

RMV License Plate Boosts Bruins Foundation

MassDOT RMV Registrar Rachel Kaprielian this week joined Boston Bruins Foundation and Mass Hockey leaders for the kick-off of a raffle for the first plate in the ‘Invest in Youth Hockey’ Bruins license plate series, plate No. 1

“This effort by the Bruins Foundation will re-energize the public’s interest in the Bruins specialty license plate series,” said Registrar Kaprielian. “Our hope is that it will also increase overall awareness of the RMV’s specialty plate program and the number of charities Massachusetts residents may choose to support.”

The license plate raffle begins today through May 4 at 5:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.bruinsraffles.org.

The license plate featuring the Bruins Spoked-B logo has raised almost $1 million for Mass Hockey initiatives. Purchase a Boston Bruins "Invest in Youth Hockey" license plate at all full-service Registry branches or online at www.bostonbruins.com

MassDOT Board April Public Meeting

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board of Directors will hold its next regular public business meeting on Wednesday, April 4 , 1:00pm, MBTA Board Room, Suite 3910, State Transportation Building, Boston.    

 The MBTA Board will meet first at 1pm, followed by the MassDOT Board.  All meetings are open to the public. The meeting schedule is available on the MassDOT website.

Board Meeting Schedule