Gov. Charlie Baker wants you to know the state has a plan to address congested highways and the crumbling MBTA.
Baker's asking the Legislature to authorize the borrowing of $18 billion to fund service enhancements for the T, bridge and road repair, and long-term investments in upgrades like electric vehicles.
"This bill will make will make a big difference with respect to reliability and predictability and capacity on the public system. And we'll also do some very important things to improve congestion on the road and bridge system as well," Baker said at a Thursday press conference where he listed many of the projects the MBTA has underway or has already completed.
Baker's plan would also offer employers a $2,000 tax credit per employee that is allowed to work from home instead of commuting on congested streets or trains.
Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack says the tax credit could boost the number of telecommuters, an area where Massachusetts lags behind states with similar workforces.
"More telecommuting could take tens of thousands of trips off of the roads if we simply matched the level of telecommuting in similar metropolitan areas such as the San Francisco Bay area," Pollack said.
The ten-year borrowing plan needs legislative approval, and comes at a time when transit riders have expressed frustration with subway delays and higher fares, but also as the MBTA reports spending record amounts on on-going repairs.
"We understand that our residents are frustrated by congested roads and we understand that for the MBTA and commuter rail riders the system's only as good as the last time their trip was delayed," Baker said.
