November 16, 2023 - "Good morning, my name is Julia Wallerce and I am here on behalf of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. I am speaking to agenda item E6, the updated Critical Needs Assessment Inventory. 

MAPC is the regional planning agency for the 101 cities and towns of Greater Boston, with a mission to promote equitable smart growth and regional collaboration. A safe and reliable transportation system is the foundation needed to achieve these goals. 

Residents across our region have had difficult experiences with the T for some time now. They feel like the system is unreliable and they worry that it is unsafe. That is why we are happy to see a fuller picture of the MBTA’s infrastructure challenges released today, a clearer sense of the cost to bring the system into a state of good repair, and a plan to prioritize immediate needs through the recently announced Track Improvement Program. 

Though the cost of bringing this system into a state of good repair is high, we have years of reports that highlight the chronic underinvestment that got us to this point. Publicly releasing the updated Critical Needs Assessment Inventory is an important first step. We look forward to the full report release in January and thank the MBTA staff who have worked tirelessly to bring those numbers to light, and for making transparency a priority for the agency. 

We applaud MBTA leadership for charting a new path forward with transparent and measurable goals. We know that it is not an easy choice to pursue temporary discomfort in exchange for long term progress, but we are at a critical juncture that necessitates bold action and we believe that this level of transparency is key in rebuilding public trust in this agency.  

In addition to learning more about the Critical Needs Assessment Inventory, we are grateful for the MBTA’s recently announced ambitious track repair plans. This plan is a solid first step towards getting the broader system back to a state of good repair. The return on this investment is so high because it will advance economic development and business opportunities for our region, and it will impact the day to day lives of the thousands of riders that rely on this system every day. We urge this Board to be forward-thinking by centering climate resilience and equity as we aggressively pursue this project and identify future priorities. 

MAPC looks forward to working with you, the Healey-Driscoll Administration, and the Legislature to find dedicated and sustainable long-term funding solutions so that we can advance a state of good repair, modernize the system, address critical issues of accessibility and climate resilience, and consider future system expansion, starting with the places that have been historically under-served. Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments."