Left In Lowell

Patrick in Lowell Tomorrow: On Transit

17 Responses to “Patrick in Lowell Tomorrow: On Transit”

1. Paul Schlichtman Says:
   March 5th, 2009 at 9:28 pm

   One hundred years ago, I could have walked out my front door in Arlington Center and hopped on a trolley that would have taken me to my job on Merrimack Street in Lowell. If I wanted to walk a couple of blocks, there was a train that went from Arlington Center to Lowell.

   Now, the train is gone and the trolley has been converted to a MBTA bus that runs from Alewife to the end of the MBTA territory (the Burlington-Billerica town line). The LRTA has a bus that goes from the Kennedy Center to the Burlington Mall.

   It seems the problem stems from the disconnection of the MBTA and all the little regional transit authorities around the state. A true reform would merge all the authorities to form a unified statewide system, similar to NJ Transit. Maybe with a unifed system we could actually go somewhere using public transportation.

2. Shawn Says:
   March 6th, 2009 at 7:03 am

   ahem…

   “Reform before Revenue”

   his words, not mine (although his guy calls it a meaningless slogan).

3. Lynne Says:
   March 6th, 2009 at 9:20 am

   Show me where he said that, Shawn. I’ve seen that phrase, but NOT from the Governor.

   Anyway, why don’t you come and ask him yourself?

4. Shawn Says:
   March 6th, 2009 at 9:42 am

   Because I work for a living.

5. Shawn Says:
   March 6th, 2009 at 9:54 am

   http://www3.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO105275/:

   The governor has said earlier he would not seek a tax increase without getting legislative support for overhauling the state’s transportation bureaucracy through reforms, such as abolishing the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority.

   “Reforms are as indispensable a part of this proposal as is the new revenue,” Patrick said. “We must have the reforms for reasons of efficiency, for cost savings, for reasons of regaining the confidence of the public and reasons of our long term strength.”

6. joe from Lowell Says:
   March 6th, 2009 at 1:16 pm

   Good thing he’s pushing through reforms, like merging the MTA, MBTA, and DoT.

7. Josh Says:
   March 6th, 2009 at 1:19 pm

   No more expansion of public transportation until they fix what we have now.

   Let me give you a common experience that I have with the MBTA. It’s a straight shot to North Station from where I am. This morning, I was waiting for the T on the green line and the first train that comes runs express right be my stop. Of course there’s another train right behind it. I get on that one and it only takes me to Park St before I’m told to get off because it is being re-routed. I take the next available train, but only only brings me one more stop to Gov’t Center before I have to get off again and wait for another train. Mind you, this has delayed my trip some time and I now have 10 minutes to catch the commuter rail train. Finally, another train comes and I get off at North Station and RUN upstairs (against traffic because everyone is on their way to work in Boston). I get into the station out of breath and late only to find that my commuter rail train have been delayed (which happens at least once a week).

   So excuse me if I don’t want to see anymore money go to public transportation. They can’t even properly make the trains run on time.

8. Corey Says:
   March 6th, 2009 at 2:48 pm

   Josh, don’t you think the problem with service issues is largely related to being underfunded? Do you really think the MBTA is run by a bunch of overpensioned monkeys or something?

   We, as a nation, need to really sit down and decide if we are going to put priority to a more urbanized plan for our method of living and better public transit systems, or if we are going to continue decentralizing, in which case, these systems are never going to work and we should abandon them.

   My personal politics is that decentralization and the pressures it puts on fuel costs, land use, and segregation of different classes of people is a great social and environmental evil and honestly, especially with the gas issue, a threat to our economic stability and national security, so I’m more inclined to say that we should throw more money at the problem. Not everybody agrees with me. I’d wager most actually disagree.

   However, if we decide that we are going to do something about this, we need to be throwing a lot more money at the problem than we are, because you aren’t going to increase ridership of these systems without cutting costs (commuter train, I’m looking at you) or increasing service (LRTA busses, this is your problem), both of which are quite expensive to implement.

   Time is money and when it comes to time and money, generally the private automobile wins hands down over existing public transit.

9. Lynne Says:
   March 6th, 2009 at 3:42 pm

   Shawn: have you actually heard what the governor has said? He said it again today, actually (will post some audio shortly). He will not sign any legislation that has a gas tax increase without the reforms. So I don’t know what you’re complaining about?

10. Lynne Says:
    March 6th, 2009 at 3:43 pm

    And it was the “before” part that I was objecting to, in terms of your complaint. No one said it has to pass first, THEN revenue second. You’re the only one interpreting it that way.

11. joe from Lowell Says:
    March 6th, 2009 at 3:44 pm

    I second Josh’s emotion.

    No more money for the DPW until the potholes get filled.

    Wait, what?

12. Josh Says:
    March 6th, 2009 at 4:16 pm

    “Do you really think the MBTA is run by a bunch of overpensioned monkeys or something?”

    Yes. Yes, I do. In fact, I couldn’t have said it better myself:)

13. Shawn Says:
    March 6th, 2009 at 7:00 pm

    I’m not the only one reading it that way.. all of the Senate is. Pangi spoke to it directly on the air with us a couple weeks ago..

    Even Patrick is saying, basically, that the people will not trust us to take new taxes unless we make real reforms first.

    Of course, with his approval ratings starting to match those of the federal congress.. I don’t think he’s got as much pull as he used to.

    http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=ec541621-1058-44e8-9c6f-07d683abf0a2

14. Shawn Says:
    March 6th, 2009 at 7:13 pm

    I also understand that Tommy Byrne and Frank King had some things to say this morning at that event.. we will probably have them on the air tomorrow morning on 980 WCAP.

15. kpem Says:
    March 6th, 2009 at 9:01 pm

    I am amazed by the intensified lack of trust for the government recently. Police are getting bashed, teachers are getting bashed, the city manager….Anyone in Government that people can bash! Where was it when bush was searching for WMD’s and getting us into his father’s vendetta?

16. Lynne Says:
    March 6th, 2009 at 11:19 pm

    Federal Congress…you mean the Dems, who have a 46% approval rating?

17. Paul Says:
    March 7th, 2009 at 3:57 pm

    The weird character is the ASCII code for the dash. For some reason the font could not reproduce the correct character so it just showed the ASCII code for it.

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