Newsletter

Volume 2, Issue 4

April 2025

Welcome to the monthly newsletter of the MBTA Advisory Board. This newsletter is designed to keep the members, designees, and other interested parties of the MBTA Advisory Board up to date on news and coming events.

The Advisory Board will hold a virtual meeting with the full Board on May 16 at 10 a.m. where the Capital Budget Oversight Committee will present their oversight report of the MBTA's FY 2026-2030 Capital Investment Plan for approval from the Board.

On April 10, the Advisory Board attended the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce 2025 Government Affairs Forum, which featured remarks from Speaker of the House. Representative Ronald J. Mariano.

The Advisory Board had the distinguished honor to be joined by members Mayor Thomas Koch of Quincy, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn of Medford, Mayor Sean Reardon of Newburyport, and Mayor Katjana Ballantyne of Somerville.

The Advisory Board was also accompanied by House Chair and Vice Chair of Transportation: Representative James Arciero and Representative Edward Philips, and Representative Tommy Vitolo.

The Advisory Board is grateful for the support provided by the Barr Foundation for the opportunity to attend this event.

• "MBTA’s Worcester Union Station Accessibility Improvements Project Wins 2025 ACEC National Recognition Award and ACEC/Massachusetts Engineering Excellence Award" (4/3/25) - Read more.
• "MBTA Honored with Boston Business Journal LGBT Corporate Ally Award" (4/18/25) - Read more.
• "MBTA, MassDOT, and Keolis Celebrate Earth Day with Fairmount Line Station Cleanup" (4/22/25) - Read more.
• "In recognition of Autism Acceptance Month, the MBTA will play 37 public announcements created by local youth with ASD in stations across the system April and May. Messages will focus on safety reminders and uplifting kindness." - Read more.
• "MBTA caught in tariff crossfire between Trump and China" - CommonWealth Beacon
• "Some MBTA escalators have been down for years, testing patience of riders" - The Boston Globe
• "‘It’s a failure’: South Coast Rail service disruptions leave riders stranded, skeptical of commuter line" - The Boston Globe

May Service Changes - View

• 4/2/25: Capital Budget Oversight Committee - The committee worked on the CIP Oversight report. Recording.
• 4/8/25: Climate & Clean Energy Committee - This meeting was postponed following a zoom-bomb.
• 4/15/25: Capital Budget Oversight Committee - The committee worked on the CIP Oversight report. Recording.
• 4/15/25: Rapid Transit & Bus Committee - The committee considered the Rapid Transit & Bus programs on the CIP. Recording.
• 4/16/25: Passenger/Regional Rail Committee - The committee considered the Passenger/Regional Rail programs on the CIP. Recording.
• 4/30/25: Capital Budget Oversight Committee - The committee worked on the CIP Oversight report. Recording.

• 5/7/25: Capital Budget Oversight Committee 10 AM
• 5/12/25: Climate & Clean Energy Committee 3 PM
• 5/16/25: MBTA Advisory Board Full Board 10 AM
• 5/20/25: Rapid Transit & Bus Committee 1:30 PM
• 5/21/25: Passenger/Regional Rail Committee 2 PM

The MBTA Advisory Board represents the 178 cities and towns and their riders in the MBTA service area. Under statute, the board has the authority to review and comment on the MBTA’s annual budget, capital plan and other aspects of operations. For more information, visit mbtaadvisoryboard.org.