ts 🚇

Boston, Mass, everyone - some very exciting train developments for New England’s largest city 🚆

Not only is the T working to electrify a “commuter” train and dramatically increase service frequency thru a mostly Black part of town here (due 2028), city councilors are pushing for an Orange Line extension to run along Blue Hill Ave.

https://www.universalhub.com/2026/councilors-want-orange-line-extended-down-blue-hill-avenue

https://www.dotnews.com/2026/06/18/blue-hill-bus-lane-opponents-lobby-trump-officials-to-withdraw-80m-in-funding-for-blue-hill-ave-project/

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/06/23/metro/blue-hill-ave-orange-line-train/

Link to “blue hill” search on BSB:

https://www.baystatebanner.com/?s=blue+hill

#transportation #MA

Councilors want Orange Line extended down Blue Hill Avenue

City Councilors Miniard Culpepper (Roxbury) and Brian Worrell (Dorchester) say the MBTA should build an Orange Line extension from Ruggles to Mattapan Square through a new tunnel under Warren Street and Blue Hill Avenue. Read more.

Universal Hub
Jun 24 at 4:26pmWeb
Show threadts 🚇1d ago
This part of the world has a deep racism problem. During my relative short time here, I’ve already seen numerous obvious examples of it. So I hear what Culpepper and Worrell are saying. Whatever you think is the best way to address travel discrimination, access denial, we hurt ourselves if we don’t make a real investment here.
Show threadDemonHusky1d ago
@tsyum the orange line extension idea isn't exciting, it's a poison pill to stop making bus improvements right now on the hope to extend the orange line in 20 years
Show threadts 🚇1d ago
@DemonHusky maybe. Can we not have short- and long-term solutions?
Show threadDemonHusky1d ago
@tsyum if that was the purpose, I'd be all for it, but understanding that it isn't being proposed in good faith or to have a short->long plan and the same councilors that are proposing it would subsequently fight it for the same reasoning they are fighting better buses on BHA is critical in evaluating the proposal
Show threadDemonHusky1d ago
@tsyum my not fully thought out dream for BHA is to build the bus lanes such that they can easily be upgraded to have tracks to carry a new GL branch. Doing it in such a way that buses can share the tracks since you won't likely convert all the bus usage on the corridor to light rail. I think the T/city have alluded to this being possible with the design as is, but there is no real plan or proposal to do that either
Show threadDemonHusky1d ago
@tsyum the battery trains are good, but if the T put up some wires, the trains would be faster and have more capacity and be cheaper to run. For half the price, we could have better trains than what they are planning to do. The T's hatred of catenary is really hurting the region
Show threadts 🚇1d ago
@DemonHusky thanks for sharing. I had the impression that Eng is a good leader for transit in Massachusetts. Helpful to hear from someone else with knowledge of the technical aspects
Show threadDemonHusky1d ago

@tsyum I think this plan predates Eng. The aversion to catenary certainly does. Overall I think Eng is doing a good job, but that doesn't mean we can't be doing better.

Somewhere I saw some analysis/comments suggesting that this battery train plan is going to be more expensive, but it's expenses are able to go into different budgets better to actually happen. Which, I definitely think we should make good improvements over not, so maybe it's worth the cost?