Comment Letter on Support for S.2277/H.3413 in order to increase regional transit accessibility in the Commonwealth – A pedestrian’s perspective

July 30, 2021
Joint Committee on Transportation

To: The Honorable William Straus, House Chair & The Honorable Joseph Boncore, Senate Chair

RE: Support for S.2277/H.3413 in order to increase regional transit accessibility in the Commonwealth – A pedestrian’s perspective

Dear Chairs Straus and Boncore,

Thank you for allowing public testimony on this critical and timely piece of legislation. Regional transit is integral to mitigating the climate crisis and connecting communities hardest hit by the pandemic to essential resources to help us become a healthier, more sustainable Commonwealth. We must act now to ensure Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) have access to stable, sustainable funding to improve and expand upon service to meet communities’ needs.

WalkBoston works in communities across the Commonwealth to build safer, more accessible pedestrian infrastructure to help ensure that people of all ages, abilities and incomes can comfortably access economic opportunities, connect to their communities, and reach other essential destinations. However, people can only get so far on foot. To achieve true mobility justice, we must adequately fund public transit and expand services to reach the communities that need it most. 

The benefits of investing in RTAs will be felt throughout the state but especially in communities at the frontlines of the climate crisis, the ones least served by public transit options. In Gateway Cities and other historically underinvested communities in particular, car-dominated infrastructure and vehicle emissions continue to harm frontline communities by polluting the air, producing a heat island effect, and creating unsafe roads that claim hundreds of lives every year. Robust regional transit services will make our state healthier, safer, more climate resilient, and create much-needed economic opportunity. 

RTAs are a lifeline to residents in over 250 communities beyond the reach of the MBTA, including essential workers who have relied on RTA service throughout the pandemic, and a disproportionate number of people with very low incomes, older adults, and people with disabilities. Chronic underinvestment and limited technical support have made it challenging for the RTAs to maintain stable service level and make sustainable improvements to service. We must pass S.2277/H.3413 to increase accessibility of regional transit for the 55% of Commonwealth residents who live in an RTA service area.

WalkBoston stands ready to work with the Legislature to strengthen our regional transit system and urges you to report S.2277/H.3413 favorably out of this committee without delay. Every Massachusetts resident should have the freedom to get to their daily destinations in an affordable and accessible way, and should not be deprived of that freedom because of underinvestment by the Commonwealth. 

Thank you again for the ability to submit testimony. Please reach out with any questions.

Sincerely,

Ayesha Mehrotra
Program Associate, WalkBoston