Baker Announces New Commission to Study MBTA
A new seven-member panel of experts will examine and analyze all facets of the MBTA and report back to Governor Charlie Baker by the end of March, officials said Friday.
The advisory panel will focus on the long-term, deeper issues of the MBTA rather than the immediate problems of delayed trains and snow-covered tracks, Baker said.
“Let me make this clear: We cannot continue to do the same thing and expect a different result,’’ Baker said. “This work is more about the larger question of governance, finance, and operations of the MBTA, hopefully, of the next several years.’’
Several reports in recent years on the MBTA have painted a less-than rosy picture of the future of its finances and operations. Baker said those reports will inform some of the panel’s analysis.
“This panel’s charge is to take a deep dive and understand the structural problems that have led the T to where it is today,’’ Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack said. “We haven’t yet dug out of this storm, but it’s time to dig into why this happened.’’
The board will consist of these seven members, who Baker called “major league talent’’:
• Paul Barrett, a former official at the Boston Redevelopment Authority and Executive Director of the Rhode Island Port Authority. Barrett will chair the advisory board.
• Jane Garvey, the North American Chairman at Meridiam Infrastructure and a former commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works.
• Robert Gittens, public affairs vice president at Northeastern University.
• Jose Gomez-Ibanez, a Harvard professor for urban planning and public policy.
• Katherine Lapp, former CEO of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
• Brian McMorrow, the CFO of the Aviation division at MassPort, which oversees Logan Airport.
• Joe Sullivan, the mayor of Braintree and the former president of the Massachusetts Mayors Association.
The board members will not be paid, Baker said.
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