The Politics of the MBTA: The Facts
With many things that need to be fixed, and many proposed new projects, the MBTA is a hot topic in Massachusetts politics. However, it is often a cause of conflict between East and West and urban and rural legislators. I am collecting these facts as a possession of all time, to quote Thucydides, so that all can have knowledge about the factors affecting the debates over MBTA issues such as the South Coast Rail Link, extending the Blue Line to Lynn, making necessary repairs to the Red Line north of the Charles, and the Green Line extension.
The Facts:
The T (just Blue, Red, Orange, and Green Lines) serves 12 of 40 State Senate districts, with the Red Line serving 8, the Orange Line serving 5, the Green Line serving 5, and the Blue Line only serving one (First Middlesex and Suffolk, in case you were wondering). One State Senate district is served by all 4 lines: the First Middlesex and Suffolk (Robert Travalgini’s old district).
It serves 32 0f 160 State House Districts, with the Red Line serving 16, the Orange Line serving 11, the Green Line serving 12, and the Blue Line serving 3. There is one House district that has all four lines: the Third Suffolk, Sal DiMasi’s old district. Somehow, it has worked out that these districts with all four lines produced leaders in the House and Senate at the same time. This probably has little correlation; the lines center at downtown Boston, and both districts have the North End, a center of Italian political activity.
While the MBTA commuter rail serves only 7 of the Comonwealth’s 14 counties, it manages to serve all 10 Congressional Districts. I have not counted how many legislative districts in either chamber it falls in, but will update this when I do.
