Looming Gas Tax Hikes?

This morning's p508 commute was fairly on time, we arrived to South Station at 8:24 AM, one minute past the scheduled arrival time of 8:23AM.

I've previously posted about the Senate proposal to combine multiple independent state transportation agencies in order to contain costs. This new agency is projected to save over $2.5 billion in the next twenty years. As we all know, both the MBTA and Mass Pike are saddled under enormous debt loads and the new House Speaker Robert DeLeo seems to think the idea of an increase to the state gas tax is a good way to increase revenues to help Massachusetts transportation overall, especially in light of the vehement protests to proposed Mass Pike toll increases and MBTA parking lot fare increases. There has not been a formal announcement either way, but expect this volatile issue to dominate transportation related headlines over the coming months. Additional details can be found here.

In other news, a link to commuter rail service from TF Green Airport in Warwick, RI is well underway. First proposed in 1992, construction has been recently ramped up and is expected ti be completed by fall 2010. The project is called the Warwick Intermodal Facility and will be one of a handful of airports in the nation with direct access to a commuter rail station. The MBTA will be providing access, with an initial schedule of 8 round trips per day. The new train platform will be 1,570 feet from the terminal and passengers will be able reach it on a so-called people mover commonly seen in many big terminals. More information can be found online at the Providence Journal website.