• Vision
• Goals & Objectives

The MetroFuture land use plan will be accompanied by an improved transportation system that will provide more choices for residents and businesses. The region will not be free of traffic congestion, but people will have more choices for how to get around; innovative transportation solutions will ensure access and quality of life. Most significantly, an expanded transit system will provide better service to both urban and suburban areas, linking more homes and jobs. Bus and rail lines will serve more areas than they do today, supported by transit-friendly land use that makes the most of public investments. New suburban transit services will not provide universal coverage but will provide connections to job centers and along key corridors, where growth is focused and where predictable commuting patterns can be served more efficiently.

New and old residents will find transit service that meets their needs, with higher frequencies, better customer service, and reverse commute services. Thanks to shuttles and demand responses services, the region would also see less of the “last mile” problem that exists mostly in suburban areas: jobs and homes just a mile away from transit stops are effectively inaccessible due to the lack of sidewalks or local transit. Traditional transit services will also be supplemented by more informal transportation services such as car sharing and internet-based carpooling. The system will also work more efficiently and reliably due to consistent maintenance and well designed bus lanes and intelligent transportation services. As a result, more people will use transit for work and personal services.

By 2030, the age of chronic commuting headaches in the region will have faded, because commuters will have more options to avoid congestion. Rush hour traffic on major highways will remain a challenge, but MetroFuture prioritizes transportation alternatives that create more choices, rather than expensive highway expansion projects that have a limited impact on long-term congestion. More workers will be able to find housing choices near work or transit options, so fewer will have to drive long distances. Workers will have better information on transportation access and commuting options when they decide where to locate. Coupled with a higher quality of life in urban areas, this information will encourage people to live in urban hubs where they have better access to more jobs nearby or via transit. Employers will use a similar approach, locating in areas where there workers will have more transportation options for commuting. Employers and employees will make greater use of flextime, telecommuting, and nontraditional work arrangements.

Residents will also use their cars less for errands and local trips. In urban neighborhoods, town centers, and new compact growth areas, people will find a connected network of sidewalks and paths. With more concentrated growth patterns, people will live closer to shops and services, and shops and services will be clustered together in revitalized town centers. Instead of making many short, fuel-inefficient trips by car, most people will choose to walk or bike for short trips to school, convenience shopping, or even to the gym! An increase in walking and biking access will help to mitigate demand for parking in commercial districts; and parking requirements will be less of a constraint on economic development; with less land devoted to parking, more land can be used for economic development. With shorter trips for shopping and work, increased transit service, and more people choosing to walk of bicycle, the average person will drive fewer miles every day. As a result, people will spend less time in the car, less money on gas, and more time with their families and communities.

With a concentration of growth in existing town and city centers, outlying areas will see little increase in traffic congestion. The region’s lower density suburbs will experience less commercial and residential development; but they will also have less traffic congestion and fewer people driving around.

Those who cannot or do not want to drive will find more places where they can live without owning a car; in particular, people with disabilities will find it easier to get around the region. All elements of the transit system will be fully accessible.

Like all public infrastructure, transportation investments can either enable or curtail continued dispersal of jobs and homes. In order to make the most efficient use of limited transportation resources, regional transportation planning will be linked with sustainable land use planning. In order to support MetroFuture's plan for focused growth (and all its appurtenant housing, environmental, social, and fiscal benefits), transportation resources must be similarly focused. Resources are limited, and investments must be targeted to locations where the investment is needed most and will have the greatest impact. The benefits of these investments would be judged not by increase in lane miles or capacity, but by improved accessibility, diversity transportation options (mode choice), economic and environmental benefit to the Commonwealth, alignment with state policy, and long term effectiveness. Municipalities would have increased responsibility for allocation of transportation funding, providing them with incentives to consider long-term transportation impacts when making land use decisions.

The region will allocate limited resources more effectively, but the pie will also be larger since the transportation system will be reliably funded and transportation agencies will demonstrate accountability to the public. Rational decision-making and transparent/efficient project delivery will generate public support for expanded revenue sources. The MBTA will be free of crippling debt and benefit obligations, so it can focus on providing high quality service. Municipalities will use a diversity of revenue streams to make transportation improvements, including traditional public revenue sources, tolling, congestion pricing, impact fees, value capture tools, and other innovative approaches to leverage private capital. Local governments will also have more freedom to generate local funds for transportation improvements. The public will have little appetite for increased revenue if they are not confident that it will be spent efficiently. Publicly available performance analysis of project delivery will increase accountability across transportation agencies, from programming to project delivery. With reliable funding streams and greater accountability to the public, transportation projects will be designed and built cost-effectively.

With a renewed regional focus on focused growth near existing infrastructure, more transportation resources will be directed to maintenance or improvements that enhance safety and provide transportation choice. Roads, bridges, and railways will be safe and well-maintained. Maintenance of both passenger and freight facilities will ensure that the region’s businesses will access the global marketplace through an efficient freight transportation network. More of Metro Boston’s commerce would be directed onto its rail system, reducing congestion, emissions, and the costs for goods imported into the region. Focused growth of housing and employment in suburban locations would make it more efficient for delivery and distribution companies to access new growth.