MBTA

A crowd of people boarding Boston's green line in an underground subway station.

Boston has spent millions making the Green Line more accessible — and there’s no end in sight

While the city has invested millions into expanding and adding platforms to the Green Line to make it more accessible, new train cars set to arrive next year will be too tall for disabled passengers to board without raising the current platforms.

September 22, 2026 - Boston Globe

Purple MBTA train at station in Cohasset Station, Massachusetts.

MBTA extends commuter rail discounts and lowers express bus fare to keep passengers riding into the fall

Boston-area commuters can access half-price monthly passes through November.

July 29, 2026 - CBS News

Neo-classical rounded South Station building with decorative clock on front and crowd walking in and out.

MBTA threatens to use eminent domain to pedestrianize Boston streets during World Cup

Boston city hall has been unusually reluctant to align with MassDOT and MBTA's proposed crowd management plans.

May 22, 2026 - Streetsblog Massachusetts

Green MBTA tram pulling up to station with people waiting under a flowering tree in Boston, Massachusetts.

MBTA 'Resilience Roadmap' plans for climate change's impacts on transit infrastructure

The Massachusetts transit agency says its tunnels and power systems are at greatest risk from increasingly unpredictable extreme weather.

May 3, 2026 - Mass Live

Boton Red Line subway train with Braintree on front marquee in station.

MBTA Rail Car Builder to Furlough 161 Workers, Delay Fleet Upgrade

Key components are stuck in customs as the Chinese-based producer works to certify that the parts were not produced with forced labor.

January 26, 2026 - Boston.com

White and yellow MBTA bus with "28 Ride for free" on the marquee stopped at Nubian Station under ornate high roof.

Boston’s Free Buses are Also its Slowest

Two fare-free bus lines have seen a sharp increase in travel times.

November 24, 2025 - Streetsblog Mass

View from on board a Boston ferry with people sitting in front and an American flag flying from the boat on a sunny day.

Boston Bets on Ferries as a Solution to Traffic

The T’s ferry system served 1.4 million passengers last year — and that number is growing.

August 29, 2025 - WBUR

Silver fare collection gates at MBTA subway station.

MBTA Fare Collection Jumped 35% At Stations With ‘Engagement Reps’

Boston’s transit agency is taking a firmer stance against fare evasion, cautioning riders it will begin issuing citations beginning September 8.

August 25, 2025 - Mass Live

Boston Red Line train with skyline in background.

Massachusetts Budget Helps Close MBTA Budget Gap

The budget signed by Gov. Maura Healey includes $470 million in MBTA funding for the next fiscal year.

July 9, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Aerial view of purple MBTA commuter train at station in Lynn, Massachusetts.

Judge Rules in Favor of Massachusetts TOD Law

The court rejected an argument that the MBTA Communities law, which requires zoning for multifamily housing, is an “unfunded mandate.”

June 12, 2025 - CommonWealth Beacon

Boston Red Line train with skyline in background.

Boston Rail Network Sees Significant Increases in Speed After Eliminating ‘Slow Zones’

A year-long project that upgraded rail infrastructure and equipment has resulted in faster trips on all rail lines.

January 5, 2025 - Mass Transit

Blurred Red Line train passing through Boston subway station.

MBTA Red Line Now Free of ‘Slow Zones’

Recent work on the Boston-area rail line is making service on the aging system faster and more reliable.

November 27, 2024 - Mass Transit

Aerial view of purple MBTA train at West Concord station in Concord, Massachusetts.

Massachusetts TOD Law Yielding Results

While some cities are fighting the state’s push to increase density near transit, others are already breaking ground on multifamily projects that will bring hundreds of new housing units online.

October 20, 2024 - Boston.com

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

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.

June 13, 2024 - Route Fifty

Red T train passing on elevated rail with Boston buildings in background.

Boston Commuter Rail Recovering Rapidly

The ‘T’ is reworking its schedule to offer more reliable and flexible service, including more midday and weekend trains.

June 5, 2024 - Route Fifty

Mosaic window in Boston subway station celebrating America's first subway system.

Boston Transit Board Approves Low-Income Fare, but Funding is Unclear

The board voted to include the T’s on-demand paratransit service in the discount program, prompting concerns about cost.

April 3, 2024 - CommonWealth Beacon

Silver commuter train with purple stripe in Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Transit Ridership Grows Steadily

Ridership on the region’s commuter rail reached 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels in March.

June 13, 2023 - CommonWealth Magazine

White and yellow MBTA bus in Cambridge, Massachusetts with brick buildings in background

Boston Bus Garage Delays Jeopardize Electrification Goals

With garage construction behind schedule and over budget, it appears doubtful that the MBTA will be able to convert its fleet to electric buses by its self-imposed deadlines.

April 5, 2023 - The Boston Globe

Aerial view of MBTA commuter rail station in Concord, Massachusetts among green trees

Massachusetts Zoning Reform Law Reaches First Deadline

Cities and towns had until January 31 to submit their draft plans for rezoning areas near transit stations to comply with a new state law.

February 1, 2023 - Streetsblog Mass

Orange Line platform with woman waiting with suitcases, Boston, Massachusetts

Lessons from Boston’s Orange Line Shutdown

A month-long shutdown of one of the region’s busiest lines prompted the city to experiment with temporary bus lanes, reoriented streets, and free bikeshare.

October 6, 2022 - Governing

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

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