BOSTON (WHDH) - MBTA officials voted on Monday to move forward with plans for a better Commuter Rail system that stops in more areas and has more reliable trains — but that could cost billions of dollars.
From electrifying the Commuter Rail to making the bus system run better, the MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board voted to go ahead with plans for improving transportation.
“The board embraced the notion that the Commuter Rail system needs to transform itself into a so-called regional rail urban rail system providing more aggressive service for the region,” said FMCB Chairman Joseph Aiello.
The board will spend the next few months looking at plans for a better Commuter Rail, with some ideas having hefty price tags that reach well into the billions of dollars.
They say a commuter rail of the future would include better parking, better accessibility, and better trains.
“The board is certainly in favor of electrification, we know that it’s important in its own right because of the superior performance that it provides,” Aiello said.
The board also voted for the MBTA general manager to form an office by January 2020 with the sole focus of coming up with a plan for a better Commuter Rail.
And they voted to form a bus transformation office, saying they can’t wait another year for better service.
“It is time to fix our bus system, and we need to get the staff to actually do it,” said FMCB Vice-Chair Monica Tibbits-Nutt.
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