A new proposal is seeking to restructure the MBTA, taking control of the commuter rail and ferry away from the T.
State Representative William Straus, citing safety and efficiency, is proposing two bills which would put control of the ferry in the hands of a new regional port authority. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation would take over the commuter rail.
“My goal is to narrow the focus in terms of mission for the MBTA,” Straus told 7NEWS.
He said his proposal would aim to allow T staff to focus on safely moving people “on a useful schedule, back and forth during the day.”
Opponents of the plan say it won’t make the T run any better.
“We should actually be looking for deeper integration of those systems,” Stacy Thompson of LivableStreets Alliance said.
“I understand where he’s coming from,” Thompson later said of Straus. “It’s just not the right policy for Massachusetts.”
Opponents also say increased funding for the MBTA is the best solution to fix ongoing issues.
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