The scale of investment and breadth of impact that transportation decisions have on regional development make it a critical component of any strategy for regional equity. To date, Massachusetts transportation planning and investment have been driven by fragmented public agencies that have demonstrated minimal commitment to equity or citizen participation. This is reflected by disproportionate investment in highway development, which comes at the expense of public transit, and in the kinds of specific projects that consistently underserve particular communities. The consequences are considerable:
Transit Oriented Development in Massachusetts Today
Like many other states, Massachusetts is increasingly exploring investment in transit oriented development (TOD). TOD unites train, bus, and transit stops with housing and commercial development, bicycle paths, public plazas, sidewalk redesign, and parking lot construction around transit stations or other nodes, such as downtown centers of sufficient density.
The Office for Commonwealth Development
describes TOD as: …compact, walkable development centered around transit stations. Generally including a mix of uses-such as housing, shopping, employment, and recreational facilities-TOD is designed with transit and pedestrians as high priorities, making it possible for visitors and residents to move around without complete dependence on a car.
TOD represents an opportunity for communities all across Massachusetts to enhance their quality of life. With TOD, parking lots and underutilized land near public transportation can be turned into vibrant mixed-use districts, diverse housing, and lively public places.
The Massachusetts' Bay Transportation Authority currently manages 119 commuter rail stations, 53 rapid transit stations (Orange, Blue, Red, and
downtown Green Line), and 78 trolley stations (Green Line and Mattapan). Planned expansion projects, such as the Fairmount Line and Green Line extension to Somerville/West Medford, hold tremendous potential for developing transit oriented development that not only meets the criteria set out by the Commonwealth in the statement above, but for doing so in
accordance with principles of equity and thus bringing the benefits of TOD to everyone, including residents of low-income communities and communities of color.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts invests tens of millions of dollars in transit oriented development through transportation infrastructure investments and with targeted programs that promote smart growth
and investment in affordable housing, economic development, and civic infrastructure. Action! urges its members, environmental and transit justice
proponents, elected officials, and state administrators to ensure that the state's diverse investments are directed toward supporting transit oriented
development that is equitable.
The application of equity principles has never been more critical for a growing arena of development. Research, common sense, and the daily experience of the thousands of residents represented by Action! organizations demonstrate the crucial connection between housing affordability, transit investment, and livability of communities. Access to public transit defines the ability of many lower-income and working class Massachusetts residents to get to job centers and other economic opportunities. With combined housing and transportation costs in metropolitan Boston accounting for just over half of total household expenditures:
(1) The affordability crisis facing many Massachusetts' households is severe. Using transit is one of the best ways to control soaring
transportation costs: an analysis by the Center for Transit-Oriented Development and Center for Neighborhood Technology, looking at nationwide data on households of two persons or more, found that transit-using households lower their annual transportation costs by more than $3,000 compared to those that own one or two vehicles, do not use transit regularly and spend 16–19 percent of their annual income just on transportation.
(2) When the affordability crisis is redefined to look at combined
housing and transportation costs, rather than just the cost of housing, it becomes clear that affordable access to both housing and transit is not just the problem of a limited socioeconomic group–affordable
access to both is everyone's concern.
If you are interested in more detailed materials regarding fare increase advocacy nationally, please contact Dwayne S. Marsh at dsm@policylink.org.