MBTA Draft Focus40 Plan Available for Public Comment
Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack and MBTA General Manager Luis Ramírez have announced the release for public comment of a draft of Focus40: The 2040 Investment Plan for the MBTA.
MassDOT and the MBTA are seeking feedback on all aspects of the Plan prior to its final release in the autumn. The public comment period will be open through September 21, 2018.
Overview
Focus40 provides a roadmap for the development of future MBTA 5-year Capital Investment Plans. By investing in families of key system upgrades — called "Programs"— the MBTA will be able to better serve its customers and the communities through which it runs. Focus40 also identifies "Priority Places" for new or improved service. These are places that have the greatest likelihood of delivering ridership and other meaningful benefits to the region.
Focus40 was developed through data analysis, public input (including more than 100 hours spent interviewing customers at transit stops and stations), and engagement with experts and other key stakeholders. It is also informed by the MBTA’s Strategic Plan.
Focus40 utilizes scenario planning, a decision-making framework, to better understand what the Greater Boston region might be like in 2040. As the MBTA looks to the future, and considers factors that impact the future of transportation, including issues such as autonomous vehicle technology, commuting patterns, housing costs, and a changing climate, scenario planning can help ensure that the MBTA makes prudent investments that will support a reliable, robust, high-capacity, and resilient transit system.
Investment Programs
Focus40 is comprised of 12 investment Programs categorized into We're Doing, We're Planning, and We're Imagining phases:
| Category | Timeline | Description |
|---|---|---|
| We're Doing | Commitments through 2023 | Investments already underway or in the 5-year Capital Investment Plan |
| We're Planning | Next priorities | Important investments that meet the needs of the region in 2040, to be planned and phased over time |
| We're Imagining | TBD | Potentially transformative investment ideas, the feasibility, benefits, and costs of which must be better understood before the MBTA can make a decision about how and whether to move forward |
The contents of each of these 12 Programs range from specific project ideas to broader concepts. They are organized the following way:
- 8 programs focus on existing MBTA modes and services (Red Line, Bus, Commuter Rail, etc.)
- 3 programs focus on systemwide needs (customer experience, resiliency, and accessibility/paratransit)
- 1 program focuses on possible future expansion projects and services, with an emphasis on Priority Places
Notable priorities include:
- Capacity improvements for each rapid transit line, including a capacity expansion of at least 50% on the Green Line
- Exploration of ways to speed boarding times, improve safety, and reduce delays
- Investments in resiliency and "greening" the fleet with vehicles running on different and cleaner fuels
While some near-term improvements for Commuter Rail are identified in Focus40, the MBTA Rail Vision will be looking in more detail at capital investment needs for alternative rail service models and system electrification, as well as other possibilities.
