SENATE DOCKET, NO. 626        FILED ON: 2/3/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2257

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Joseph A. Boncore

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to congestion in East Boston.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 626        FILED ON: 2/3/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2257

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2036 OF 2019-2020.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act relative to congestion in East Boston.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall commission a study on congestion in East Boston at the Sumner, Callahan and Ted Williams Tunnels and along the Route 1A corridor. 

SECTION 2. The Study shall focus on the causes of congestion in the area and impacts related to the airport and airport expansion, number of rides from ride hailing companies in the neighborhood and at the Massachusetts Port Authority, impacts from commuters from North Shore and Middlesex County Communities, and impacts from local development in and around the East Boston neighborhood.

SECTION 3. In conducting this study the department shall consult with the City of Boston, City of Revere,  City of Chelsea, town of Winthrop, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Boston Transportation Department, Boston Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, Massachusetts Port Authority, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, the United States Coast Guard, the East Boston Chamber of Commerce, the North Shore Chamber of Commerce, Transportation Network Companies including Uber and Lyft, relevant municipalities from the North Shore and Middlesex County, local real estate developers and local community stakeholders.  

SECTION 4. The department shall make recommendations on how to alleviate congestion in the area with focus on issues including the promotion, expansion and improvement of public transit, including the blue line, red line – blue line connection, blue line expansion, investment in regional rail solutions, improvements to Commuter Rail and Subway stations, the expansion of bus rapid transit, use of micro mobility and improvements to infrastructure. The department shall publish a report no later than July 31, 2019 and report its findings to the elected officials representing East Boston and Revere, The chairs of the Joint Committee on Transportation and the City of Boston’s Transportation Department.