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Air quality and traffic reduction are critical issues in our district.
Diesel exhaust compounds and carcinogenic toxic soot poison the air
that our residents breathe. Communities that are located near
highways are disproportionately affected by automobile pollution, and
our cities are suffering from increased traffic. Public
transportation is critical to elimination of our dependency on
automobiles.
As Senator, I will advocate for and sponsor
legislation increasing funding for public transportation as the most
environmentally sound policy and the best investment we can make to
keep our transportation system most responsive to population increases.
Only with transit improvements can our cities and towns facilitate the
concentrated development that promotes smart and sustainable growth
for the region.
This will result in improved community health,
environment, and quality of life. We need to expand service and halt MBTA rate
increases, because they disproportionately affect the most vulnerable
communities.
To further eliminate our dependency on automobiles, I will promote and
support regional and statewide planning that combines transportation,
land use and environmental planning; involve communities in planning
decisions; build more affordable housing near transit and job centers;
and fund innovative incentive-based programs for encouraging
alternative transportation use.
I
will also support legislation preserving
the North/South Rail Link alignment and right-of-way for future
construction. This project alone will eliminate the emission of 583
tons of carbon dioxide and would result in the largest absolute time
savings of any commuter rail project examined by the MBTA. |
