Braintree State Delegation Call For Reversal Of MBTA Parking Hike

BRAINTREE, MA — Count the state Senators and Representatives for Braintree and Quincy as among those not pleased with the MBTA's recent announcement to increase parking prices at some stations.

Braintree and Quincy Adams are two of three stations where weekday parking prices will go up from $7 to $10. Both North Quincy lots will see a weekday price hike from $5 to $7.50. The new prices go into effect Aug. 1.

As part of its roughly $2 billion budget approved in April, the MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board planned to boost parking revenues by $7 million. The parking policy approved Monday was the most aggressive of three options and would raise an estimated $8.5 million.

But several South Shore elected officials, including state Senators John Keenan and Walter Timilty, state Reps. Mark Cusack, Bruce Ayers, Tackey Chan, Daniel Hunt, and House Majority Leader Ronald Mariano, are asking the MBTA to reconsider the hike in light of recent service disruptions and construction work which has caused a loss of parking space.

"In short, high demand for parking along the Red Line is the product of operational decisions and projects that have placed severe limitations on the availability of parking in the region. There has been a loss of over 1,600 parking spots within the past several years at stations with current train service, and a vast amount of population growth in both Quincy and Braintree," the letter reads.

In addition to delays which have become routine, Braintree and Quincy Adams have both lost 150 spots due to construction, the Quincy Center garage has been closed for years, Wollaston is closed through 2019 due to construction, and a development has taken 500 spots from North Quincy.

"We as a delegation have been supportive of each of these long overdue projects, seeing them as indispensable to the MBTA's future and to the needs of the region. But we are also keenly aware of the disruptions these projects cause, and the accommodations we have asked our constituents to make. We have asked them to be accepting of longer commutes, with more seat changes, and frequent use of shuttles to replace train service. We hear daily how these changes have severely affected the lives of our constituents. We find it unacceptable to ask them to show patience through these disruptions and maintain faith in their public transit system, while also sharply increasing the costs of commuting," the letter reads.

Below is the full letter:

South Shore MBTA Parking Rates Letter by DanLibon on Scribd

Image Credit: Jenna Fisher