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Written by GGEC Committee
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Saturday, 21 November 2009 |
On Nov. 1, 2009, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) was born.
MassDOT is a consolidation of the Commonwealth's transportation agencies and includes what was formerly the Massachusetts Highway Department, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA).
MassDOT is the result of a big transportation reform pushed by Gov. Deval Patrick and passed into law earlier this year by the Legislature. The hope is that this consolidation will lead to significant savings, efficiencies, and coordination.
As we all know, reform measures are only as good as the leaders who implement them. And that is why you should tell the new MassDOT Secretary Jeffrey Mullan to make public transportation a top priority.
Just a couple of days after the launch of MassDOT, a long awaited "top-to-bottom" review of the MBTA was released. The report highlights the need for a long-term investment in public transportation. It recommends sparing riders from shouldering the burden of the T's chronic under-funding and clearly illustrates that the time for an investment in public transportation is now.
This brand new agency can move forward from the report and make it a priority to listen to the public and shape an affordable and safe public transportation system for the entire Commonwealth.
Please take action now. Tell Sec. Mullan to make a commitment to public transportation.
http://www.masspirg.org/action/transportation-agenda/massdot-mullan-email?id4=ES
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