The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced plans last week to shut down various sections of all four lines over the next year as part of the MBTA’s Track Improvement Program, sparking controversy among riders. The plan is to lift all speed restrictions and fix tracks across the system by the end of 2024, but with it will come 21 different closures across all four lines at various points throughout the next year.
Boston was ranked third most intensely gentrified city in the United States between 2013-2017. Neighborhoods like East Boston, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Mattapan, Hyde Park and South Boston were most affected.
Fall 2020 commuter rail ridership was down roughly 92 percent compared to the previous year, while ferry ridership fell 88 percent, according to the MBTA.
If we continue to overlook our community’s needs, the barriers of wealth inequality and gentrification will only worsen in a time when we cannot afford them to.
Salem, home of the historic Salem witch trials and a traditional fall tourist hub, will close early on Halloween evening to limit transmission of COVID-19.
While Boston thrives off its student population, the city cannot forget about the extreme gentrification and income gap hurting its local citizens. Students are valuable contributors to the city, but our being here also harms those around us.
The City of Boston provides public transportation for about 1.18 million commuters each weekday. But the coronavirus pandemic has kept many people at home, meaning fewer cars on the road and, consequently, less air pollution.
These changes include the partial electrification of the commuter rail system and increased service on the rail's busiest lines, with some stations to see a new train every 15-20 minutes
