Meeting Recap: January 27th Transportation & Infrastructure Advisory Committee Meeting
February 20, 2025
The Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Advisory Committee met on January 27, 2025, to discuss transportation funding initiatives, policy priorities, and strategic goals for the year. Kate Dineen, President & CEO of A Better City, opened the meeting, followed by a review of the Governor’s Transportation Funding Task Force recommendations and the proposed H1 budget. The task force’s final report, released on January 14, outlined strategies to stabilize, enhance, and transform transportation financing. Recommendations included increasing Chapter 90 funding by at least 50%, expanding Fair Share revenues to strengthen borrowing capacity, and reassessing user-based fees to support climate and economic goals. Governor Healey’s $8 billion, ten-year investment plan—now awaiting legislative approval—directly supports MBTA improvements and the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project.
The Governor’s plan allocates $756 million from the state budget and an additional $857 million through a supplemental budget for immediate infrastructure needs. The Fair Share surtax, designed to be split 50-50 between transportation and education, has generated more revenue than the state has spent in the past two years. However, transportation has only received 41% of these funds, prompting calls to ensure the intended distribution is met. The administration proposes using Fair Share revenues to stabilize MBTA operations, increase borrowing capacity, and provide predictable funding for Regional Transit Authorities.
For the MBTA, funding focuses on maintaining operations, accelerating the delivery of new Red and Orange Line cars, and advancing the fare transformation program. The plan prioritizes service reliability, accessibility, and preparation toward a transition to a fully electrified commuter rail network, beginning with infrastructure upgrades and the Fairmount Line Decarbonization Pilot.
For the I-90 Allston Multimodal Project, the funding strategy includes resolving station design and rail alignment issues, securing environmental approvals, and developing a comprehensive financing plan. This project aims to improve regional mobility between MetroWest, Worcester, and Greater Boston while integrating multimodal solutions.
A Better City’s 2025 Policy Agenda aligns with these efforts through seven key goals: advocating for high-quality, frequent, and affordable public transit; supporting the Governor’s funding initiatives; securing federal infrastructure grants; accelerating MBTA modernization; integrating transportation investments with housing and decarbonization strategies; advancing the I-90 Allston Project; and expanding active transportation options. The committee emphasized the need for legislative approval and strategic allocation of Fair Share revenues to ensure transportation receives its intended 50% share. The meeting concluded with an open forum to gather feedback on how the T&I Cluster can better support members’ transportation and infrastructure priorities.
