Transportation

T time

by Dorie Clark

The MBTA took it on the chin Tuesday night at Roxbury Community College, where the agency held the last of four public hearings on the Capital Investment Program (CIP) that outlines budget plans for the next five years. About 25 people attended the forum, which began with a slide presentation by the MBTA's director of capital management, Steve Berrang. The T plans to spend $2.9 billion through 2006, with 39 percent of the funds devoted to subway lines, 21 percent to commuter rail, and 10 percent to buses.

Most of the evening, however, was devoted to comments from the community. Speakers were sharply critical of the agency -- even the hearing itself was criticized for its lack of publicity. The biggest show of force came from the newly formed Transit Riders Union (TRU), which was represented by five speakers. They argued that the agency should commit more resources to bus riders, who make up more than a third of T customers. And, fresh from the recent victory in winning free bus-to-bus transfers -- which were introduced last Friday -- the group announced its intention to fight for free bus-to-subway transfers as well. "You need to be putting that into your budget and planning for it," warned TRU member Khalida Smalls, "because it's going to come. The bus-to-bus transfers were just the beginning."

Other speakers criticized the agency's plans for the controversial Silver Line, a bus service slated to run from Roxbury to South Boston, and lobbied for later service hours. "We don't live in a hick town!" said Karen Wepsic of the Federation for Public Transportation. "We're operating like the Puritans."

The City of Somerville sent an emissary, traffic engineer Todd Blake, to lobby for an Orange Line stop at Assembly Square. "The city very much wants to fast-track this," he said, "and we don't see a mention of it." A lack of infrastructure may hobble Somerville mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay's desire to revitalize the area. But Berrang emphasized that the current version of the CIP is a draft that will incorporate the thoughts of the community (comments are due by December 15). He also noted that, because the CIP is a five-year document, "this is an ongoing process. Next year we'll have another go at it." The community members in attendance hope the next version will be more to their liking.

Drafts of the Capital Improvement Program are available at public libraries in the 175 towns and cities served by the MBTA. Your thoughts on the plan may be sent by December 15 to Steve Berrang, Director of Capital Management, MBTA, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116.