Transportation Archives · Page 2 of 4 · New England News Collaborative

New Incentive Programs For EV Buyers, But Connecticut’s Goal Still A Long Way Off

July 19, 2021

When Barry Kresch bought his new Chevy Volt in 2015, he got a little help from the state: a $3,000 rebate, which he said was like “cash on the hood.” “If you buy an electric vehicle from a dealer,” Kresch said, “you can get the rebate.” That rebate comes from a program called CHEAPR, which…

The Blue Line Was Named For Boston Harbor. Now The Sea Threatens The Service

June 15, 2021

Tidal flats and marshland once surrounded much of Boston, swelling and soaking as the rain fell and tides ebbed and flowed. But over the course of the city’s nearly 400 years, those sensitive areas were slowly filled in to make more buildable land, leaving just 200 acres of wild marsh along the border between Boston…

Road Salt Is A Problem For Rivers. Adding Water May Be A Solution

March 2, 2021

A three-story-tall gate creaks open, and reveals a warehouse filled to the brim with brown crystals. It’s a mountain of rock salt. “We filled this shed this past week,” says T.J. Shea, Cambridge’s superintendent of streets. Shea is what some might call a “snow fighter.” It’s his job to keep roads dry all winter using this…

State Workers’ Switch To Telework During Pandemic Brings ‘Seismic’ Drop in CO2 Emissions

December 8, 2020

Maine government workers have reduced their car travel by 1 million vehicle miles a week since the start of the pandemic, thanks to the rapid, wholesale adoption of telework policies. The preliminary data are opening an unexpected window on the future of telecommuting and its potential to deliver substantial reductions in global warming pollution. Last…

Pandemic Pushes Debate Over Driver’s Licenses

November 16, 2020

Hailed as heroes during the pandemic, essential workers have cared for the elderly in nursing homes and kept food supplies going from farms to supermarkets. But thousands of these workers in Massachusetts are also undocumented immigrants facing a hard choice — risk driving illegally to keep these essential jobs, or stop working. With immigrant communities…

Scott Administration Says Traffic Data Show No Spike In Out-Of-State Entries

May 3, 2020

A massive data-gathering operation at border crossings across Vermont hasn’t shown a major influx in the number of visitors from states with COVID-19 “hotspots,” according to the Scott administration. Scores of employees at the Agency of Transportation have been manually logging license-plate data at as many as 43 border checkpoints since April 1. Rebecca Kelley,…

5 Things To Know About The East Coast Effort To Curb Transportation Emissions

December 5, 2019

This month, a group of states, including Massachusetts, will release a plan to cut carbon emissions from the region’s biggest source — transportation. The effort is called the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI). The states are focused on limiting carbon emissions from fuel. Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration has estimated TCI could generate up to $500 million…

What It’s Like To Switch From Car Travel To A Daily Train Commute

December 5, 2019

Heather Brandon used to drive from her home in Hartford, Connecticut, to work in Springfield, Massachusetts. It would take her anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic. But this summer, she committed to taking the train. Producer Morgan Springer talked to her about the commute while Brandon, who works at New England…

Joanne Deady's school bus navigates carefully over a icy lined and greasy mud covered Christian Hill Rd. Photo by Jesse Costa for WBUR

Driving Through Mud: How Rural Massachusetts Schools Are Coping With Rising Transportation Costs

April 12, 2019

It’s hard for rural schools in Massachusetts to get kids to and from class every day — especially now, in muddy season, when the snow has melted and the rain begins.

Riders prepare to get on the 4:32 p.m. Amtrak train at Hartford's Union Station on October 5, 2018. Photo by Frankie Graziano for Connecticut Public Radio

As Ridership Booms On the Hartford Line, CTrail Riders Are Being Kicked Off Amtrak Trains

October 26, 2018

A seat on the 4:32 p.m. train out of Hartford’s union station is emerging as the most coveted seat on the CTrail’s new Hartford Line that was launched in June.

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