New Blue Line Cars and Important Milestone for Big Dig Transit Commitments

Contact
Colin Durrant, CLF Director of Communications
617-850-1722

Boston, MA (February 20, 2008) – The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority today unveils the first of 94 new cars that will be added to the Blue Line over the next 18 months. The Conservation Law Foundation, the New England environmental group whose Big Dig settlement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts led to a series of transit commitments including Blue Line station improvements to accommodate longer trains with more capacity, issued the following statement from President Philip Warburg:

“The Blue Line station improvements and train upgrades will provide more accessible and convenient public transportation services to thousands of commuters north of Boston. Today’s announcement marks a key milestone in fulfilling the series of transit commitments the Commonwealth agreed to as part of our Big Dig lawsuit to improve air quality in Boston area communities.”

Warburg continued: “The transportation sector remains the largest and fastest growing source of global warming emissions which means we should be doing everything we can to give people more opportunities to drive less. We look forward to working with the MBTA, Executive Office of Transportation and local residents to continue along a path that delivers the remaining transit commitments including the Green Line extension through Somerville to Medford, Blue/Red Line connector design, Fairmount Line improvements and relief to the Arborway corridor within a firm timeline.”

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The Conservation Law Foundation works to solve the environmental problems that threaten the people, natural resources and communities of New England. CLF’s advocates use law, economics and science to design and implement strategies that conserve natural resources, protect public health, and promote vital communities in our region. Founded in 1966, CLF is a nonprofit, member-supported organization. It has offices in Boston, Massachusetts; Concord, New Hampshire; Providence, Rhode Island; Montpelier, Vermont; and Brunswick, Maine.