First it was State Rep. Nick Collins taking notice of the dreadful bus situation in Southie and now City Councilor Michael Flaherty going to bat.
Part of the big package to lure General Electric to Boston was the promise of a helipad in the neighborhood. The Boston Herald reported City Councilor (and Southie resident) Michael Flaherty has been in discussion with officials regarding the proposal of a floating helipad. But before it’s decided where this floating helipad will go, Flaherty wants to make sure the community that would be impacted by flying copters will be part of the conversation. He also went on say that the City and State have a bigger fish to fry when it comes to transportation and maybe worrying about GE’s helipad is not as urgent as say Southie’s major transportation issue.
Last week on the Herald radio, Flaherty brought up the Southie bus plight and how the MBTA and Transportation Department need to address this quality of life issue and address it right now. “You have young professionals walking four or five bus stops before their bus stop just to be lucky enough to get on,” Flaherty said. “Forget about getting a seat. When three or four buses go by that are full, they are looking at the clock and then Uber and Lyft descend on the neighborhood just to get these young kids to work. Some people are on the verge of losing their jobs,” he added. “This is a real concern and somewhat of an emergency.”
Let’s keep putting the pressure on!
Great to hear this is getting the attention it’s been deserving for many years now. Transportation and parking isn’t a new issue… it’s one thats been plaguing the neighborhood for a decade or more. We all can’t afford to be taking uber & lift when the MBTA falls short… especially when many of us have monthly MBTA passes we already pay for.
Lifelong Southie resident…happy the MBTA Bus transportation is finally being addressed. Been an issue for longer then a decade. Sad to hear that it’s only being addressed now that “young professionals are walking 4 or 5 stops”…what about the rest of us? Elderly, people with children…we pay for monthly T passes also! Helipads are Southie’s main concern now a days?! Mr. Flaherty…disappointed that you neglected to mention the people that made Southie SOUTHIE. Working families that can’t afford uber when the bus is full, the driver decides to switch routes/skip stops or the bus simply doesn’t show up when scheduled. Bottom line…the MBTA Bus “situation” in Southie is unacceptable. Whatever it takes to receive attention! God Bless
Please keep on working to resolve this problem. Seniors as well as working people need transportation especially for doctor’s appointments.
It shouldn’t have gotten to the point where some people’s jobs are in jeopardy, or being late to important appointments, in order for proposed improvement of MBTA/Bus service, etc., to take place.