Congressman Seth Moulton said Wednesday that, when it comes to requesting federal funding for infrastructure, the state’s lack of regard for anything other than highway improvements makes no sense.
Moulton is the congressman for the Sixth District of Massachusetts, which includes Lynn. He was responding to questions on why there was no mention of a possible expansion of the Blue Line into Lynn in the announcement, made last Friday, that he’d procured $19.5 million as part of the INVEST in America project for various infrastructure improvements.
The rules for winning federal funding are that an official governmental agency — in this case, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation — must pledge to match whatever the U.S. agencies give. Moulton said Blue Line funds were among the requests he sent to MassDOT for its approval, but that the agency did not sign off on the request.
“Gov. Baker doesn’t seem to be focused on anything except expanding roads,” Moulton said. “There’s nothing given to rail — not even the time of day
“It runs counter to environmental justice, to basic economics, to worldwide experiences and to common sense.”
For those who may wonder why the state has proceeded with the expansion of the Green Line into Somerville and Medford, Moulton said that the funding for that project came from a different source.
“That was due to (former Representative) Mike Capuano, and it was a mitigation project for the Big Dig,” he said.
The Blue Line, one of four main branches to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s rapid transit system, runs from Government Center to Wonderland in Revere. Original plans called for the line to run into Lynn and Salem, but funding has never been obtained. From 1952-54, the aboveground tracks were laid on top of the old Narrow Gauge railroad, but rather than go into Lynn, the project was terminated at Wonderland.
Moulton, who has long been a proponent for more accessible public transportation, is at a loss to explain why there seems to be no interest from Baker or MassDOT.
“The rest of the world is not only investing in rail, but literally shutting down lanes to make more room for walking, biking, jogging and other alternatives,” he said. “MassDOT doesn’t seem to want to give Massachusetts people the freedom to go to work in any other way except to make you drive, or take a 1950s-era train.”
When INVEST (Investing in a New Vision for Environment and Surface Transportation) funds were made available, “I told my team that I did not want to just invest in more highway projects,” Moulton said. “I sent lists on all the transit projects (to MassDOT). You have to have a state or local partner for these projects. We couldn’t just say ‘I want to expand the Blue Line.’ It had to be something the state was willing to invest in.
“But MassDOT has deprioritized so many transit projects,” he said.
Moulton chided Baker’s attitude toward mass transit.
“He thinks everybody should drive to work the way he does: in a motorcade, with flashing lights to get you through traffic,” he said. “But a lot of people in Swampscott would like to walk down to the rail station and get on a modern train.”
At the same time, Moulton said, “he’s a smart man. He just hasn’t studied transportation well. I hope he will listen to facts and reason, and be willing to broaden his vision.
“It’s frustrating,” he added, “but we’re not going to give up. All we can do is keep speaking the truth.”