Latest News
May 4 , 2009 -
ABC Releases Report: "Building Massachusetts' Economy through Transportation Investment"
A Better City has released an executive summary, "Building Massachusetts' Economy through Transportation Investment" prepared by Cambridge Systematics. The summary details the role that transportation plays in the Massachusetts and Boaton metropolitan area economies and summarizes the findings of the Massachusetts Transportation Finance Commission's report. While reforms are clearly needed to make more effective use of revenues from current sources this report provides an analysis of a menu of options that Massachusetts can select from for raising revenue to address the enormous gap in Massachusetts transportation funding.
Click here to read the detailed Executive Summary.
April 3, 2009 -
A Better City
Joins Newly Formed City of Boston Climate Action Leadership Committee
Mayor Thomas M. Menino invited A Better City to join Boston's newly formed Climate Action Leadership Committee. The announcement of the committee was made at a kick-off luncheon hosted by Boston Latin High School. Former Vice President Al Gore, a champion for initiatives that address climate change, spoke to the need for cities to lead by example and push proactive measures to reduce our impact on the natural environment.
The 21 member group --representing a broad spectrum of the Boston community-- will be responsible for charting the City's collective response to Climate Change. We are pleased to share that ABC President & CEO, Rick Dimino, ABC Board Member and President & CEO of the New England Aquarium, Bud Ris and Senior Vice President of Boston Properties, Bryan Koop, were invited to participate on this committee.
We encourage you to view the complete press release from today's event on the City of Boston's website. In addition, the invitation to the committee is available on A Better City's website. This invitation parallels A Better City 's continued efforts to move forward with our Sustainability and Climate Change Initiative; we invite you to learn more about ABC's recent activities on our website.
March 18 , 2009 -
Moving the Economy Forward through Investing in Transportation
Leading experts in transportation and planning, including a representative of the Patrick administration, spoke publicly about the direct impact the state’s transportation infrastructure has on the Massachusetts economy. The forum was held by A Better City with The Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy as the state Legislature and the governor’s office prepare to take steps to improve the management and financing of the state’s transportation system.
(Click on a speakers name to view their presentation)
Opening Remarks:
Richard Dimino, President & CEO, A Better City
Moderator:
Stephen Silveira, Chair, Massachusetts Transportation Finance Commission
Panelists:
Marc Cutler, Senior Vice President, Cambridge Systematics
Barry Bluestone, Director, The Dukakis Center for Urban & Regional Policy
Marilyn Swartz-Lloyd, President & CEO, MASCO, Inc.
Timothy Brennan, Executive Director, Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
Jeffrey Mullan, Undersecretary of Transportation, Executive Office of Transportation
March 2 , 2009 -
Our Transportation Future Meets with Patriot Ledger Editorial Board
March 2 , 2009 -
Key Business Groups Join Together to Propose Comprehensive Reform and Finance Plan
Five key businesses organizations (A Better City, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Massachusetts Business Roundtable, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, and National Association of Industrial and Office Properties - MA Chapter) representing employers across the state have joined together to propose a transportation reform and finance plan that will improve the transportation system and sustain the state’s economy and competitiveness into the future. The plan includes comprehensive reform measures, improvements to policy and governance, and new sources of revenue – including raising the gas tax.
Click here to view the reform and finance plan.
Click here to view the press release.
December 10 , 2008 -
MBTA presents details of surface elements, traffic mitigation, and construction management for Silver Line Phase III.
ABC's Silver Line Business & Institutional Committee, chaired by Jim Rooney of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, today heard a presentation by the MBTA's technical consultants on their plans for surface elements, traffic mitigation, and construction management for the Silver Line Phase III project. Details of that presentation can be found here, and for additional information, please contact ABC Director of Policy and Development Jessica Conaway.
November 25 , 2008 -
Urban Ring
Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIR/DEIS) now available.
This morning at an ABC Urban Ring Institutional & Business Committee meeting, hosted by Tom Glynn at Partners HealthCare, ABC received copies of the just released Urban Ring
Revised Draft Environmental Impact Report/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIR/DEIS). EOT Urban Ring Project Manager Ned Codd was available to provide an overview and answer questions. The Executive Summary is available for download here (10mb), and detailed chapters are also available for download on EOT's Urban Ring website.
EOT will host a public hearing on January 6 to provide stakeholders an opportunity to voice comments on the documents:
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Leverett Saltonstall Building
Conference Rooms C & D
100 Cambridge Street
Boston, MA 02202
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
For more information, please contact ABC Planning Director Tom Nally.
November 12 , 2008 -
Future Mobility of the Commonwealth:
Financing Transportation in Turbulent Times
Roughly 170 transportation advocates and thought leaders gathered on November 12 at the law firm of Edwards Angel Palmer and Dodge to hear directly from elected and appointed officials about how the Commonwealth plans to address our current transportation finance challenges. The Our Transportation Future investment advocacy coalition and MoveMassachusetts partnered to present the engaging town hall style forum. Tom Palmer gave a brief overview of the current transportation financing crisis in the Commonwealth, including an updated estimate of $17 billion required over the next 20 years to meet the maintenance and operations gap in our existing system. Mr. Palmer then dove right in to asking tough questions, some his own but most from the enthusiastic audience, of panelists Congressman Michael Capuano, Senator Steven Baddour, EOT Secretary Bernard Cohen, FTA Regional Director Dick Doyle, Rick Dimino, Mayor Kim Driscoll of Salem, and MAPC Executive Director Marc Draisen. Much of the evening’s discussion focused around the inevitability of identifying and adopting revenue-generating solutions to make serious progress closing the gap. Our Transportation Future will continue in 2009 to keep this issue elevated in the public debate. To learn more, visit Our Transportation Future or email us to get involved.
September 26 , 2008 -
Urban Ring Phase II - Connecting to the Future
At the September 26 monthly Move Mass meeting , ABC Planning Director Tom Nally touted the project benefits to a packed audience of transportation and urban planning thought leaders. Ned Codd, Urban Ring project director for EOT also delivered a detailed update on the project benefits, as well as ridership data and a technically detailed overview of the corridor specifics.
September 8 , 2008 -
Silver Line Phase III construction methodology presentation
On September 8, ABC's Silver Line Phase III Business & Institutional Committee, Chaired by Jim Rooney, heard a special presentation from the MBTA's joint venture construction team consultants regarding construction methodology and mitigation measures. The detailed technical presentation includes construction methods, construction staging, new stations, groundwater control, ground settlement, and soil stabilization.
August 11 , 2008 -
Greenway legislation enacted
Today Governor Patrick signed into effect the Greenway legislation filed by House Speaker DiMasi. The bill essentially establishes the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy as the organization responsible for ongoing maintenance, operations and programming for the Greenway, and provides some level of State funding for the parks. A Better City has been a longstanding advocate for a single purpose entity responsible for the park spaces.
August 08, 2008 -
Governor Patrick signs the transportation bond bill
Governor Patrick today signed into effect the transportation bond bill. $90 million has been allocated under the section devoted to rail and bus improvements, with the Urban Ring included as one of the projects eligible to receive funding.
June 08, 2008 -
A Better City supports Patrick Administration's Bridge Program
ABC letter of testimony to Senator Montigny and Representative Flynn, Chairs of the Joint Committee on Bonding, in support of Governor Patrick's "Act Relative to Financing an Accelerated Structurally-Deficient Bridge Program."
January 22 , 2008 -
A Better City testifies at the State House bond bill hearing
Today, A Better City provided testimony at the State House bond bill hearing and urged support for and swift passage of Transportation Bond Bill, HB 4409. Click here to read A Better City's full testimony.
December 19 , 2007 -
A Better City testifies about the need for transportation investment for the life sciences
Today, A Better City provided testimony at a hearing before the Joint Committee on
Economic Development and Emerging Technologies with regard to the Patrick administration's proposed $1 billion life sciences initiative. A Better City outlined how transportation funding is critically important to sustaining a healthy and viable life sciences industry, and how such a funding strategy has the advantage of improving connectivity, accessibility and mobility for other industries in addition to the life sciences.
Click here to read A Better City's full testimony.
October 31 , 2007 -
A Better City outlines a transportation investment strategy for the life sciences
Today, A Better City released a report that examines the role of transportation infrastructure in creating stronger and better connections among the institutions and businesses in the life sciences sector. The report, titled Connecting with our Economic Future: A Transportation Investment Strategy for the Life Sciences Cluster, includes a comprehensive set of transportation investment recommendations designed to maintain our competitive edge in the life sciences. These recommendations include short- and longer term recommendations in the areas of capital initiatives, operational initiatives, and policy and planning.
In conjunction with the study release, A Better City also hosted, in partnership with the Massachusetts Life Sciences Collaborative, a panel discussion on the unique dynamic and needs of our growing life sciences industry, and why investing in transportation infrastucture is critical to enabling this industry to grow successfully in the Commonwealth and remain competitive.
Click here to view a transcript of the panel discussion.
April 26, 2007 - ABC Joins Transportation Investment Coalition
Today, A Better City joined a diverse group of environmental, planning, transportation, community, labor, industry and other business organizations to officially launch the Massachusetts “Transportation Investment Coalition” (TIC). This group formed in response to the alarming findings recently released by the state’s Transportation Finance Commission. In late March, the Commission announced that nearly every transportation agency is suffering from budget shortfalls and we face a staggering $15 - $19 billion gap in transportation funding over the next 20 years. For a copy of this report, click here.
The group distributed a press release with further details about the mission and composition of the group. ABC also signed on to a letter to the Legislature announcing the group’s formation, which requests that they take the commission report seriously and advance solutions that address this critical issue.
April 11, 2007 - Collaboration Agreement Announced
This morning Peter Meade, Chair of the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, and William N. McDonough, President of the Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society (MassHort), jointly announced that a formal Collaboration Agreement has been unanimously approved by both Boards of Directors and executed by their respective Chairs. This Agreement is the result of almost two months of discussions between senior staff members, in combination with mediation efforts by Richard A. Dimino, President and CEO of ABC.
The Agreement itself is centered upon the commitment from both organizations to establish and maintain the Greenway in the tradition of the world’s grandest urban parks and open-space destinations. For more information, click here.
March 28, 2007 - Transportation Finance Commission Releases Report
The Transportation Finance Commission released a report today that outlines the “gap” between the resources we have to maintain the Commonwealth’s transportation system, and what’s needed. The figures discussed do not include resources needed for critical enhancement or expansion projects. To download, click here.
March 23, 2007 - Governor Patrick Signs Bond Bill Into Law
Governor Patrick signed today a $1.5 Billion Bond Bill which authorizes the use of general obligation bonds to be used towards funding the immediate capital needs of the Commonwealth. About $800 million of these bond funds are dedicated to roads and bridges, and these funds will be matched by about $1 billion in federal funds.
$100 million is dedicated to mass transit improvements related to the Central Artery/ Tunnel Project SIP Commitments, including the Fairmount Line, the Red Line/Blue Line Connector, and the Green Line to Medford. The remainder of the authorization is dedicated to police cruisers, local water and sewer projects, and state office buildings.
The administration will likely file a second more comprehensive bond bill in July.