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Massachusetts governor proposes $12 billion in transportation improvements
Where/what is “BON”?
There as been a lot of support for connecting the Berkshires with New York City by rail (via Metro North), the governor even took a trip on the line.
Wish NYS could invest in its rail service.
BON = Boston North Station
I think I know enough about the geography of Massachusetts and the history of the line along the Housatonic River to say that the Housatonic Railroad part of this initiative is pure “pork” designed to keep the rest of the state engaged in the proposal. Urban transport, definitely, and Cape Cod vacation transport, seemingly, make sense given the volume of traffic that already exists there.
I wish politicians would only make rail funding initiatives when they actually make economic sense rather than trying to pander to every possible constituency.
Most of these projects will never see the light of day. The Massachusetts legislature, members of which will never be caught dead riding a transit vehicle-even the ones who reside and represent districts in the BOS metro region-will never appropriate the funds.
But if the governor is so all fired up upgrades in mass transit why didn’t he pitch this early in his first term instead of waiting until he is practically out the door? The governor is panic-stricken desperate his legacy not be mainly that he opened the state to the ugly money-soaked clout-heavy resort casino developers.
That is all that’s going on here. And it’s a win-win for him. If he succeeds in getting a significant number of these initiatives funded, he wins. But if the legislature trashes most of them, he still wins-“See, I tried to bring you more than just resort casinos. But THEY wouldn’t let me”.
Ok NOW how can BOSTON and ALL OF NEW ENGLAND get the Four track underground connection tunnel between North Station and South Station???
What “Tunnel” needs rehabilitation on the Housatonic Railway? There are none.
Gov. Patrick would have a “legacy” if he had connected BOS and BON by rail. That would have PO’ed the transit, taxi, and highway (union) lobbies. Can’t have that! Boston needs another “Big Dig”, this time for inter-city passenger trains. Convict-, and welfare recipient-dug would be cool!
Gov. Patrick would have a “legacy” if he had connected BOS and BON by rail. That would have PO’ed the transit, taxi, and highway (union) lobbies. Can’t have that! Boston needs another “Big Dig”, this time for inter-city passenger trains. Convict-, and welfare recipient-dug would be cool!
The “big dig” with its extraordinary cost, and overruns, and “contractor shortcuts” in both design and materials, plus the glaring omission of trackage ROW, should permanently silence any who continue to advocate for any other modes of transit in this day and age in the USA but rail.
And by the way, politicians may and will pander, but that is bred in their genes and the public is stuck with them for better and for worse. Sometimes the former, often the latter.
@Mr. Turon, yes there are a few misguided souls who think we can restore passenger service between the Berkshires and NYG. One woman resident of Great Barrington actually heads up a loose confederation of advocates calling themselves “Bring Back the Trains”. And the management team of Housatonic Railroad, who would love to have their mostly 10mph railroad rebuilt with public monies, is giving those people and a few misguided local politicians the idea that this can actually happen.
And yes Gov. Patrick put on a dog and pony show back last Summer. An MBTA push-pull trainset operated Boston-Pittsfield-Canaan, CT and return with the governor riding from the CT/MA most, although not all, of the way back to Pittsfield.
And, of course, the equipment deadheaded back east but the governor wasn’t going to ride THAT. He bailed after a photo op and adulatory speeches and was whisked off in his SUV or limo.
All this is is a crumb he’s throwing to the far western part of the state that usually gets bupkis from an eastern-centric legislature. This is a governor who allowed MassDOT to make a $13.4 mil appropriation for the runway extension project at Pittsfield Municipal Airport. That appropriation put the project over the top. This is transportation for the 1%ers, the tiny segment of society who fly in private and corporate aircraft. Meanwhile, a majority of the residential streets and some of the major thoroughfares in Pittsfield, used by the 99%ers, are in unbelievably deplorable condition.
And PIT-NYG passenger rail over this route cannot happen unless ConnDOT ponies up it’s share. 2/3rds of the 90 miles PIT-DAN is in CT. And it’s not only restoring mainline trackage that CT has to do. It also has the burden of building a viable connection at DAN between HRR and MNR. And CT doesn’t have the money to do this. Some 10-15 years ago there was a movement to get MNR extended to New Milford-an meritorious project if ever there was one-that would spar
Mr. Al Dicenso - Please excuse Mr. Hays. He likes to spout a lot of nebulous acronyms and other esoterica. He probably thinks it makes him look sophisticated or perhaps a part of some imaginary cognoscenti.
Robert Krug, where did you see anything in the article about tunnel rehabilitation on the Housatonic Railway?
Very little to almost none of this will ever happen. Actually some of it isn’t even necessary. (The Berkshires proposal for example.) Maybe (maybe) new subway cars but forget new lines to Fall River and New Bedford. Not even needed. Better to expand parking at suburban stations so people can drive from those two cities and park to take the T the rest of the way. And the transit tunnel (Big Dig) would be another waste of money. I take the Downeaster frequently to Boston with no need to spend more billions of public money to get me to South Station. Without luggage I walk, with a bit of luggage I take the T and with a lot of luggage I take a cab. Nothing wrong with any of these options. What was needed was built.