MASSPIRG in push for Blue Line extension

LYNN – A petition circulated by MASSPIRG seeks to ensure that funds contained in Gov. Deval Patrick’s transportation bill will be used to improve public transportation, including extending the Blue Line rapid transit rail from Revere to Lynn.”Gov. Patrick has submitted a transportation bill to the Legislature that includes over $800 million to fund public transportation projects across the commonwealth,” said Janet S. Domenitz, executive director of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG), urging residents to the petition. “Let the Legislature know you want them to approve the plan and not strip out funding for transit in favor of more road spending.”According to Domenitz, nearly 1,000 people have already signed the Transit Investment Petition.”We want to submit 1,500 signatures to our legislators,” she said, noting that supporters can go online to http://masspirg.org/action/transit-investment2?id4=ES to electronically sign the petition.”By signing on, you’ll be telling your legislators to work for a transit system for the 21st century,” Domenitz said.The transportation bill currently before the Legislature contains several key components. Among them: It would support extending the Green Line rapid-transit rail to Somerville and Medford; add four stops on the Fairmont commuter rail line; make critical improvements to the Fitchburg commuter rail line; and provide planning funds for the so-called Urban Ring, commuter rail service to Fall River and New Bedford, and the Blue Line extension from Revere to downtown Lynn. The bill also advocates creating more parking at transit hubs.”While this bill isn’t a comprehensive solution to address all our transportation needs, it’s a good start,” Domenitz said.MASSPIRG is advocating for more and improved transit statewide, including enhanced regional bus service, a better-managed Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and a fix for the authority’s structural deficit caused by debt from the Big Dig tunnel project.Funding the transit projects in the governor’s bond bill will help move us toward a 21st century transportation system, with cleaner, efficient public transit at its core,” she said. “And that’s a step we’ve got to take to address our dependence on cars and foreign oil.”