Commuters living along the proposed Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) rail line to New Bedford and Fall River may not receive an alternative to congested roadways after all, if Gov. Mitt Romney proceeds with a plan to eliminate suburban transit expansion in favor of urban transportation projects.
The plan, which is expected to be officially announced by the governor’s office in July, would abandon construction of a commuter rail line to the South Shore communities of Fall River and New Bedford, and instead spend the allocated money on urban projects.
The shift in spending would further Romney’s anti-sprawl agenda by promoting further urban development in the communities directly surrounding Boston. The modified legislation would include completion of the Silver Line between Roxbury and Logan Airport, extension of the Blue Line to Lynn, and construction of an Urban Ring, a rail-and-bus service which would circle the city.
MBTA officials refused to comment pending an official announcement from the Statehouse, but spokesman Joe Pesaturo said Romney was sure to meet heavy opposition to the plan from civic leaders in New Bedford and Fall River, who have been counting on getting a rail extension to Boston.
‘Millions of dollars have already been spent on this project,’ he said. ‘It’s likely that most people will feel it too late in the process to cancel expansion.’
The original project is expected to cost $1 billion, a $470 million increase over the original price tag, according to Pesaturo. The price has increased dramatically due to a tunnel that would need to be constructed under Hingham Square, and land acquisition prices have been more than originally anticipated.
Also, legal issues surrounding the governor’s proposal are likely to be complicated, Pesaturo said, since the state had promised to fund the proposed project in order to receive federal funds required to start the Big Dig.
Boston residents expressed mixed feelings about Romney’s plan, however, and many said they hoped the urban core of the MBTA would see vast improvements. Mike Cook, a Dorchester resident, said that though the extension is needed, other projects are more pressing.
‘In my opinion, the extensions could put on hold a few more years, if it means improving the core transit system,’ he said. ‘Commuters do need a way to get around once they get to Boston.’
The Silver Line is one of the biggest projects in need of funding, according to Cook, since it does not provide adequate service to the surrounding communities. He also said he hoped to see Green Line service restored to Arborway.
Not all local residents support the plan, though. Ian Hunt, a Brookline resident, said Romney was simply changing the plan to garner political support for himself.
‘This entire issue is moot,’ he said. ‘The reason that Romney wants to focus on rapid transit over the commuter rail system is that the urban projects in question have vast support from both local politicians and the population. The Fall River-New Bedford Line doesn’t.’
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