T fares may stay steady for 2009
But MBTA faces additional costs
Despite the MBTA's mounting financial problems, Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen reaffirmed yesterday that there are no plans for fare increases in the near future.
"The fiscal situation facing the MBTA, as well as some of our other transportation agencies in Massachusetts, is serious," Cohen said at the monthly meeting of the T's board of directors. "I don't have any answers."
Cohen also updated the board of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority on repairs to the ailing Longfellow Bridge and questioned whether new Red and Orange Line trains could be put into service sooner to accommodate the increasing number of people taking the T. Ridership in May increased 5.3 percent from last year.
The authority learned this week that it will probably have to find a way to cover an additional $150 million in wage increases and back pay over the next two years. Coupled with rising energy costs - which, at current oil prices, would require an extra $25 million in operating funds - the MBTA has "very limited options," said Jonathan Davis, the authority's chief financial officer.
MBTA general manager Daniel A. Grabauskas has previously ruled out a fare increase for 2009, but has declined to discuss what might happen in 2010. Transit advocates have expressed concern that the authority's financial problems could make that promise hard to keep. The last fare increase was in January 2007.
Debt relief from the Legislature is the only viable solution to the mounting budgetary problems, said Paul Regan, executive director of the MBTA Advisory Board, which represents the cities and towns served by the T.
"I speak to the MBTA Board of Directors today to urge them to draft and adopt a resolution that requests [that] the Legislature and the administration move quickly to solve the growing fiscal problems at the MBTA," Regan read from a letter he submitted to the board, as well as Governor Deval Patrick and legislators.
After the meeting, Cohen offered no specifics on funding options or a timetable. He said a serious discussion with the MBTA staff about the problem would start soon.
In his monthly report to the board, Cohen said he hopes that Red Line service across the Longfellow Bridge will resume normal speed in the next few weeks following the completion of immediate repairs.
The bridge, a main thoroughfare over the Charles River, carries approximately 50,000 vehicles and 100,000 T passengers a day. Traffic lanes were cut from four to two on June 28 because of structural concerns, and Red Line trains have been ordered to slow as they cross the span.
Cohen also asked Karen McGann, director of vehicle engineering, whether the authority can deploy 146 new Orange Line cars and 74 new Red Line cars sooner to take advantage of increased ridership. The Orange Line vehicles are currently scheduled to begin arriving by 2012 and the Red Line vehicles by 2015, Grabauskas said in a phone interview Tuesday.
"While I don't think fuel prices are going to go down in the near future, we really have an opportunity to take advantage of a change in the marketplace and a shift toward public transportation," Cohen said. "But we are going to need vehicles to carry people."
The board approved a 10-year, nearly $17.5 million contract with STV Inc. for assistance in engineering, designing, and delivering the vehicles. McGann said she estimated the entire project will cost between $600 and $700 million. She said she would investigate whether the timeline could be accelerated.
Noah Bierman of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Christopher Baxter can be reached at cbaxter@globe.com.
