Franklin Matters: "the commuter rail system needs to transform itself"

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

"the commuter rail system needs to transform itself"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The MBTA board voted Monday to back substantial investment in the commuter rail, calling for electrification of the system and more frequent service through the most dense corridors in a step that transportation advocates praised as historic.

The Fiscal and Management Control Board adopted unanimously resolutions calling for the T to develop a “commuter rail transformation office” within three months that will then oversee long-term work to electrify most of the network and run trains with 15-minute headways between key stations in a regional or urban rail model.

The decision still leaves questions unanswered about how the MBTA will pay for the changes, which will carry a price tag in the billions. Onlookers and activists who have long called for railway improvements complimented the board for supporting a plan to improve transit equity, take cars off congested roadways and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“It’s definitely a win,” said Jarred Johnson, chief operating officer of the TransitMatters advocacy group. “It’s a win for better service, it’s a win for equity concerns, and I think they also heard the call loud and clear that commuter rail fares have to be much, much more affordable.”