“…Brian Kane, the executive director of the MBTA Advisory Board, a transit-oriented watchdog, said he hopes the transportation committee continues its oversight role that started during Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration, and considers whether there should be a new independent state entity to keep close tabs on the MBTA.
The committee should also look at the structure of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), which Kane called a ‘disjointed’ set of agencies. Different payment systems exist across transportation modes. He noted, for example, CharlieCards, which are used to get on MBTA trains, are not available at Registry of Motor Vehicles locations.
‘We still have pieces of ceiling falling from tunnels in Boston,’ he added, referring to chunks of concrete falling onto the Massachusetts Turnpike under the Prudential tower in late February. MassDOT officials said after inspections that the tunnel is safe and blamed the weather, the recent freezing and thawing cycles having led to the loose concrete…”
By Gintautas Dumcius | 3/5/25