Driscoll Speaks to MBTA Board of Directors

JANUARY 27, 2025

Last week I addressed the MBTA Board of Directors at their January meeting.

I wanted to bring to their attention what has been occuring in the promulgation of guidelines and regulations that relate to residential zoning with proximity to MBTA transit stations, stops, and lines. The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC or HLC) has been inconsistently and inappropriately making reference to transit stations and modes of transit. They have done this via at least two separate sets of guidelines and regulations in 2025 already.

It was not clear to me if the MBTA Board was fully aware of what has been occuring -- and now they are. This is important because they are the largest transit authority and their business is transportation. The recent inconsistent and misaligned definitions need to be addressed and I believe should be clarified by the MBTA and not HLC.

Some examples:

• Draft regulations promulgated by HLC for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) include provisions that define bus stops and bus stations as being the same; and

• Emergency regulations put forward for the MBTA Communities Act includes the Mattapan Highspeed Line as a subway line with subway stations, an unfair and well documented misclassification of the MHSL.

To rectify some of these inaccuracies I have filed a bill this session, An Act to update and standardize transit definitions in the Commonwealth, to reasonably define various transit modes, including MBTA service types. We should not have to try and pass such things in the legislature but if the HLC continues to define types of transit lines and stations for transit authorities such as the MBTA, then it is our responsibility to put an end to the overstepping of statue and slight of hand related to implementation of regulations and guidelines.

I believe in government, and in the power of getting things done collectively and in a fair way. Let us do so practically and that best serves our Commonwealth.

Find a video of the meeting, here, my remarks beginning at the 9 minute mark.