Transportation finance and governance

June23 TIC pressevent
Rick Dimino, President & CEO
of A Better City, at a June 23
Transportation Investment Coalition
press conference.

The Massachusetts Transportation Investment Coalition
is a diverse collaboration of organizations representing business, industry, planning, labor, municipal, and environmental interests working together for increased transportation investment in Massachusetts.

To meet mobility needs, foster economic growth, create jobs, increase economic competitiveness and sustain a healthy environment, the Massachusetts Transportation Investment Coalition advocates for an efficient, equitable and effective transportation system for the Commonwealth.  The Coalition supports legislation, programs and policies to adequately fund the repair and maintenance of the Commonwealth’s existing transportation system, as well
as investment in strategic expansion and enhancement projects.

Our goal is to promote a reliable, equitable and environmentally sound transportation system in Massachusetts through public education and community involvement with a particular focus on efforts to secure additional sources of transportation revenue. 

Transportation Investment Coalition member organizations support:

    • A safer and more efficient transportation network to promote mobility, create economic growth and improve the quality of life in Massachusetts.
    • Advocating and creating the political environment necessary for public leaders to provide more funding to address urgent transportation needs, bring the entire transportation system to a “state of good repair,” and invest in strategic future expansion.
    • Creating a mechanism that enables the use of dedicated funds for transportation infrastructure, not dedicated funding for specific projects.
    • Transportation investments that are equitable and will benefit all residents of the Commonwealth.
    • Promoting a multimodal, integrated approach to meeting mobility needs.
    • Using the unmet needs identified by the Commonwealth’s Transportation Finance Commission as a baseline.
    • Encouraging a commitment by the transportation agencies to transparency in target dates, information and spending decisions to gain the public’s trust.
    • Supporting changes in the current transportation agency system to more accurately establish assumptions for new projects (ridership, usage, construction pricing and operating revenue and expenses), and to successfully contract and deliver a fully completed and safe project with improved oversight.


    Why it's important

    A well-planned, well-financed, and well-maintained transportation system offers benefits to residents, workers, employers, and visitors alike. It efficiently connects people to jobs and services, providing economic opportunities to diverse communities and strengthening businesses and public institutions. Appropriate transportation development will support the health of Massachusetts communities, improve our air quality and provide access to sports, recreational and cultural activities while reducing sprawl and unnecessary land consumption.

    Transportation investments are some of the most critical public infrastructure investments for directing development patterns in Massachusetts. They are a linchpin for preserving our dense walkable cities, towns and open spaces, maintaining the critical links between people and housing and employment, stimulating economic development, improving the functionality of our public transit systems and roadways, and addressing climate change.

     

    Our role

    A Better City is a leading and active member of the Transportation Investment Coalition. The coalition Executive Committee members are:

    Francis X. Callahan, Jr., President
    Massachusetts Building Trades Council, AFL-CIO

    Marc Draisen, Executive Director
    Metropolitan Area Planning Council

    Richard A. Dimino, President & CEO
    A Better City

    John Pourbaix, Executive Director
    Construction Industries of Massachusetts

    Phil Warburg, President
    Conservation Law Foundation

     

    In January, A Better City provided testimony at the Hearing before the Joint Committee on Transportation relative to the transportation bond bill (House No. 4409).

    In July, ABC wrote a broad letter of support to our federal elected officials urging them to support the House bill to transfer $8 billion to the Highway Trust Fund.

    And in June, we drafted a 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."

     

    What's New

    On November 12, 2008, the Our Transportation Future investment coalition and MoveMassachusetts partnered to present the standing room only forum:  Future Mobility of the Commonwealth Financing Transportation in Turbulent Times.  The forum, generously hosted at the law firm of Edwards Angel Palmer and Dodge, featured an expert panel of legislators and thought leaders offering an examination and discussion of transportation finance in Massachusetts. Panelists included Congressman Mike Capuano, Senator Steven Baddour, Representative Joseph Wagner, Secretary Bernard Cohen, Mayor Kim Driscoll of Salem, Marc Draisen of MAPC, and Rick Dimino of A Better City. The full transcript of the event is available for download here.

    The MTIC has held 15 meetings with House and Senate Leadership since the fall to introduce the legislators to the coalition, express to them that 1) although the coalition represents different perspectives and constituencies, we are united in our belief that we cannot allow our transportation systems to deteriorate further:  2) the Commonwealth should not stop advancing strategic expansion and enhancement projects that will provide great economic and environmental benefits to the Commonwealth, 3) the MITC concurs with the findings of the Transportation Finance Commission, the Commonwealth faces a $15 - $19 billion funding gap over the next twenty years that must be addressed, and 4) that although cost savings are a very important component of addressing the problem, this alone will not fix it. Any action will be politically difficult and require bold leadership for our elected officials and MTIC wishes to provide the support for positive steps to address the issue.

    Following the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies' report on unfunded and underfunded transportation infrastructure projects across the state, the Massachusetts Transportation Investment Coalition held a series of editorial board meetings across the state highlighting the need to invest in transportation infrastructure, which resulted in the publication of several articles, editorials and opinion pieces. The coalition held a June 23rd press conference to release results of a report by a national nonprofit transportation research group on the poor condition of the Commonwealth's roads, bridges and transit infrastructure. Members of the coalition spoke on transportation investment as it relates to public safety, economic development, the environment, and quality of life. The event captured the attention of local and western Massachusetts media, resulting in editorial, print, radio and television coverage. The coalition has launched a website (see below) that provides information and links to resources. Another Move Massachusetts public forum on transportation investment is also being planned for September.

    Additional resources

    Massachusetts Transportation Investment Coalition website

    Our Transportation Future informational brochure

    Letter to State Joint Committee on Bonding supporting swift passage of transportation bond bill HB4409.