News: Rep. Forry speaks on US policy towards Haiti

Rep. Forry, Elected Officials Convene on Proposal to Enhance Route 28 Bus Service

On May 26th, the Executive Office of Transportation, the MBTA, Representative Linda Dorcena Forry, Representative Willie Mae Allen, Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz and Senator Jack Hart, will convene a Mattapan Transportation Summit to discuss the proposed enhancements to the MBTA Route 28 bus service, which has commonly been referred to as the Silver Line Expansion. The Summit, which will be held in the Mattapan Public Library from 6-8 P.M., follows the Executive Office of Transportation’s announcement last week that $100 million of federal stimulus money will go toward expanding the Silver Line in downtown Boston.

“It’s great that the stimulus money is coming into Dorchester and Mattapan but we want to make sure it’s used in such a way that it will promote the most good. To do that, we need community participation,” Forry said. “This meeting will be the beginning of that process.”

The Executive Office of Transportation (EOT) will present a vision for the expanded Route 28 bus service at this meeting. Following the presentation, community members will be able to ask questions and provide ideas about the enhanced service.

“Stimulus funds are providing us with a historic opportunity to invest in enhanced bus service that will dramatically improve reliability and mobility for tens of thousands of residents who depend on the T every day,” said Secretary Aloisi.  “Of course, at every step of the way, we will be working together with Mayor Menino, legislators and community leaders, to build new, improved bus service that everyone can be proud of.”

In an effort to offer true high speed bus rapid transit, EOT has said that the Mattapan to Dudley Silver Line expansion will use dedicated bus lanes. EOT has proposed replacing the median strips on Blue Hill Avenue and Warren Street with dedicated bus lanes. The busses may also be given the ability to change traffic signals to offer riders a faster trip.

“We need to make sure that the end product is exactly what we want,” Forry said. “There are three major issues I see: convenience, aesthetics, and safety. Will Dorchester and Mattapan citizens be able to travel faster into downtown Boston than they can now? Will this project make Blue Hill Avenue and Warren Street look better? And, finally, Mattapan Square will now be a multi-use transportation hub with the trolley, busses and the Silver Line all terminating there. How will the square need to be modified to ensure that those transit systems, cars and pedestrians can co-exist in a way that contributes to the vitality of the area?  I’ll be interested in hearing what EOT will say and planning the next steps in this process.”

For more on EOT’s proposal visit: http://www.eot.state.ma.us/default.asp?pgid=content/transit_direct&sid=about