MBTA’s Runaway Crisis: Legacy of Neglect Demands Comprehensive Reform

This week on Hubwonk, host Joe Selvaggi talks with Andrew Bagley, Vice President for Policy and Research at Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, about their recent report entitled, The MBTA Crisis is Complicated - Fixing It Will Be Too, diving into the details on why the T is in crisis and what the public must demand of policy makers to get it back on track.

Looming Budget Crisis Reveals MBTA’s Dependency on Federal Funds

/
The MBTA is about to lose federal funding at a critical moment when ridership has not yet recovered. Will the state make up the difference?

Transit Innovation Explored: A Bus As Fast As A Train?

Hubwonk host Joe Selvaggi talks with transportation expert Ian Ollis about the findings of his new research paper, "Bus Rapid Transit: Costs and Benefits of a Transit Alternative," which examines the benefits of building Bus Rapid Transit to serve communities looking for faster transit alternatives to a car.

Traffic Strikes Back: New Transportation Strategies for Post-Pandemic Prosperity

Host Joe Selvaggi talks with Chris Dempsey, Director of Transportation for Massachusetts, about road and mass transit innovations that could address traffic challenges in a high-growth, post-pandemic economy.

Public Comment on I-90 Allston Multimodal Project

Last year, Pioneer Institute proposed that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)  revise its Scoping Report on the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project and recommend an additional option - a modified at-grade option for the throat area - to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).  The Institute believed then and continues to believe that an all at-grade design will shorten construction time, lower costs, create fewer negative economic and congestion impacts, and improve neighborhood access to parkland along the Charles River.

During construction, the Allston Mass. Pike project must address commuters’ needs

/
As part of the state’s $1 billion reconfiguration of the Massachusetts Turnpike in Allston, Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack recently announced that a narrow strip of land known as “the throat,” will be considered for an at-grade option in addition to a proposal to rebuild the highway viaduct by Boston University.

Survey Suggests Demand for Telecommuting After COVID-19 Crisis

Citing an avoidance of the commute and more flexible scheduling, nearly 63 percent of respondents to Pioneer Institute’s survey, “Will You Commute To Work When The COVID-19 Crisis Is Over?” expressed a preference to work from home one day a week, and a plurality preferred two to three days a week, even after a COVID-19 vaccine is available. Respondents cite social isolation as the biggest drawback of remote work. The survey was conducted from April 22nd to May 15th, and received responses from over 700 individuals.

Open Letter to MA Governor Charlie Baker Regarding Boston Commuters from Points West

/
In an Open Letter to the Massachusetts Governor, Pioneer Institutes presents its concerns about the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project, and its impact on those who will be most affected during the project’s construction

Three Cheers for the MBTA’s Perq Commuter Benefits Program

Late last year, the MBTA rolled out a promotional campaign to…

Announcing Pioneer Institute’s 2019 Better Government Competition: “Moving People & Goods Forward”

America is a country on the move. Our economy and quality of…

Public Statement on MBTA Ridership & Pension Costs

Monday’s meeting of the MBTA Fiscal and Management Control…

Co-author of Landmark Longfellow Bridge Study Optimistic about State Infrastructure Maintenance Investments

BOSTON - Reconstruction of the Longfellow Bridge is now complete,…

Don’t Stop the Momentum on T Reform

/
Today, Pioneer Institute submits testimony in support of MBTA…

Study: Ferry Service Could Provide Opportunity for MBTA Expansion without Huge Upfront Costs

Read press coverage of this report in the Boston Herald: Study…

Column: For the T, riders should come first

/
Excerpt from Jim Stergios' column in The Boston Globe.  REVIEWS…

A $49 Million Sweetheart Deal: MBTA Employee Sick Time Perk Enhances Pensions

Listen to the WRKO radio clip of Mary Connaughton interviewed…

MBTA Experiment Gone Wrong! The Green Line Extension Contract

/
Background The Green Line Extension (GLX) is a long-awaited…

Cash-free, Conductor-free Trains

/
In 2012, the MBTA introduced the mTicket app that allows users…

Pioneer Institute Public Statement on MBTA Reforms in the Budget

Last night, the legislature put the public interest ahead of…

Why the free fall in support for the Olympics

/
Notwithstanding articles that pass the blame off on John Fish,…

How to measure the MBTA’s operational efficiency

/
Pioneer has long been interested in the efficiency of the MBTA…

Getting our priorities straight on the BCEC and the MBTA

/
Scot Lehigh and Shirley Leung in the Globe today both focused…

Getting our priorities straight on the BCEC and the MBTA

/
Scot Lehigh and Shirley Leung in the Globe today both focused…

Pioneer in the News (February 2015): Fixing the MBTA

/
Boston Business Journal op-ed: ViewPoint: What will save the…