We met recently as Lynn’s legislative delegation with top state transportation officials who confirmed what we and our constituents already know: Traffic in Massachusetts has never been worse.
While some may argue that the crisis is but a symptom of a booming economy, we strongly disagree — it is instead a clear and urgent sign that what we need now is a transformative transportation policy.
We cannot continue to think incrementally about transportation improvements, unless we want those improvements implemented at the same pace as commuter traffic on the North Shore. Rather, we need to be bold in our expectations for our multi-modal transportation system, including roads, transit, and water transportation, in order to build a system that is robust, reliable, and resilient.
Our roads have become more and more clogged due to road and bridge projects. Trains arrive at capacity but charging higher fares, and with a ferry dock in Lynn that sits unused, it is beyond frustrating to realize there are no immediate plans for relief from our transportation woes.
In fact, it seems that transportation has replaced the weather as the default topic of our daily laments. On the radio, in the papers, in posts and tweets, a steady stream of frustration and dissatisfaction makes it clear that some residents are reconsidering whether to stay and continue to work in Massachusetts.
Every day brings another headline about a derailment and the ensuing delays further reinforces that transit is unreliable and leads to more cars on the roads. At a time when we should be getting more people to choose to ride mass transit rather than drive in order to reach our greenhouse gas emissions targets, we are instead pushing frustrated transit riders to worsen traffic by hopping in their cars.
For those of us who care deeply about the cause of investing in public transit with new modes, expanded service, more frequency, greater reliability and true affordability, it is clear that the time has come to be outraged.
We need to say unequivocally that the current pace of addressing the Commonwealth’s transportation crisis is unacceptable.
Consider the fact that all that is needed to operate a commuter ferry from Lynn to Boston is funding. With an operator standing by, the simple act of authorizing funds is all it would take. A boat could make multiple commuter trips with only a few weeks of lead time. Yet, we wait. We wait for any kind of mitigation for North Shore commuters whose options are the expensive and crowded commuter rail, tolls and traffic for access to the Sumner Tunnel and Tobin Bridge, or gridlocked roads to get to Wonderland.
Where is the recognition that these conditions are unacceptable for taxpayers who simply want to get to work, or school, or the airport, or medical appointments? Real mitigation for the current bridge projects would look like significant subsidies to reduce commuter rail, subway and bus fares that convince commuters to forgo their cars. Real mitigation would provide actual relief to commuters, not just more touting of the impending capital plan that will have no meaningful, material impact in the coming days, weeks and months.
Meanwhile, we sit in almost constant traffic no matter the time of day or night. We wonder how early is early enough to leave home and be assured we will not be late. We understand that the T is fiscally challenged. We see the progress that the Control Board is making, but it’s time for us all to admit that the real problem is that the MBTA cannot afford to do the truly transformative things that would make an immediate difference in the daily lives of people on the North Shore and throughout Massachusetts.
We must always think ahead when it comes to transportation, because some improvements do require significant planning and coordination. With that in mind, our delegation sponsored legislation to require that the state conduct a feasibility study for rapid transit and the Blue Line extension to Lynn.
We are pleased to announce that our efforts were successful and that the feasibility study language was included in our Fiscal Year 2020 budget that just passed both legislative branches and will now head to Gov. Baker’s desk for his approval. We are also excited to partner with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to develop a Lynn Transit Action Plan over the next 12 months that will determine what the future of transit should look like for the North Shore.
But we cannot wait any longer to pursue additional funding, or to define a preferred alternative for rapid transit to Lynn, or to leverage our natural resources as a coastal state and offer water transportation to relieve road congestion.
We cannot wait for the next paralyzing winter storm to prompt swift action for a more resilient and robust transit network.
We cannot wait any longer to boldly address the transportation crisis we are in, though ironically most of us spend more time waiting in traffic or waiting for trains than any generation before us has had to endure. As elected officials, but more importantly as residents of Massachusetts, we are done waiting. Are you?
We ask that anyone who feels the same use their voice and make it known that the time is now for visionary thinking and unprecedented action to make our transportation system truly serve the public good.
Brendan P. Crighton, state senator, Third Essex District; Lori A. Ehrlich, state representative, Eighth Essex District; Daniel Cahill, state representative, Tenth Essex District; Peter Capano, state representative, Eleventh Essex District
