MBTA Budget Inadequate for Key Projects

Without additional funding, the agency is ‘barely treading water’ and could be forced to make service cuts in 2026.

1 minute read

June 13, 2024, 5:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Cambridge Kendall Square skyline and MBTA red line train on Longfellow Bridge aerial view, Boston, Massachusetts MA, USA.

MBTA Red Line train on the Longfellow Bridge in Boston, Massachusetts. | Wangkun Jia / Adobe Stock

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) board says the agency could be forced to make “massive service cuts” in fiscal year 2026, reports Gintautas Dumcius in Route Fifty.

“Sales tax revenue ‘grossly underperformed expectations’ over the last two decades, hitting an average annual growth rate of 2.29 percent rather than the 6.46 to 8.50 percent, according to a presentation from T staff. That amounts to between $8.9 to $15.5 billion in lost revenue, and as Brian Kane, executive director of MBTA’s advisory board, put it, the agency has been left ‘holding the bag.’”

Meanwhile, the agency’s fare revenue is at 60 percent of pre-pandemic levels, and parts of the system are now fare-free. The 2025 budget does not include funding for multiple major projects and maintenance needed to bring the system into good repair. “The unfunded projects include an overhaul of the JFK Red Line Station, accessibility improvements to the Orange Line’s Chinatown Station, a bus maintenance facility, and expansions such as the Red-Blue connector and a Silver Line extension.”

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 in Route Fifty

Single-family homes in a suburban neighborhood in Florida.

New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power

The legislation seeks to cut down on ‘absurd’ citations for low-level violations.

June 16, 2024 - The Guardian

Multistory apartment building under construction.

New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing

Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.

June 10, 2024 - Nooga Today

Aerial view of intersection in New York City with yellow cabs and zebra crosswalks.

Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths

Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.

June 13, 2024 - Todd Litman

Brick high-rise apartment buildings in New York City

Study: Housing Crisis is About Affordability, not Supply

New research shows that there is no overall shortage of housing units, but all U.S. metropolitan areas face a severe lack of affordable units for low-income renters.

June 18 - University of Kansas

Couple on one side of desk with banker on other side looking at paperwork.

Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?

Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?

June 18 - Shelterforce Magazine

Rendering of Glory Park in Lewisville, Texas.

New Park Promotes Community and Connectivity in Lewisville, Texas

The city of Lewisville just celebrated the opening of Glory Park/Parque la Gloria, helping to improve park access and the quality of life for residents.

June 18 - Lewisville Leader

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.