Talking transportation at the Chamber

 Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen moderated a panel of transportation leaders at yesterday’s Greater Boston Chamber Government Affairs Forum. Speaking with the heads of the MBTA, Mass Turnpike, MassPort and MassHighway, Cohen and the agency chiefs discussed budget cuts, ongoing programs and planned improvements to the region’s transportation infrastructure.

1. Secretary Bernard Cohen on pending budget cuts: “The good news, if you can call it good news…is that our road and bridge programs are not affected by the budget problems.  We are going to keep those programs moving, which will result in improved infrastructure conditions, improved safety, but it will also result in creating jobs — which we need.”
2. MBTA General Manager Dan Grabauskas on the Charlie Card system: “The Charlie Card has been a phenomenal success. It has probably the most successful market penetration of any automated fare collection system in the world. On the business side it has been great for us — we reduced in the first year $1.3 million in overtime from counting bills.  We have gone from a million dollars in cashless exchange per year to $100 million.  So it has been a tremendous efficiency for us.  We are also working with all the other transportation agencies to create a ‘passport to transportation.’” 
3. Turnpike executive director Alan LeBovidge on open-road tolling: “That’s the future, but you have to understand that the Mass Turnpike is an old system, and it was built to slow people down on entry and exit — not speed people up. So one of the issues is, we would need to configure the ramps to prevent fatalities.  It’s been more successful in the states where they are building roads from scratch.”
4.  Mass Highway Commissioner Luisa Paiewonsky on continuing construction: “We recognize our role in supporting businesses, jobs, and economic growth — especially during times like these.  The Governor and the Secretary have asked us to keep on going, keep on investing in infrastructure and construction for its job creating potential, but also for the land it opens up and the opportunity it presents.”
   

•  Coming up at the Chamber Wyc Grousbeck, managing partner of the World Champion Boston Celtics, will be the featured speaker at the Chamber’s Small Business of the Year Awards this afternoon at the Colonnade Hotel. For more information or to register for this event, visit boston chamber.com.