Governors Michael Dukakis and William Weld over nearly five terms in office were unable to advance a project connecting downtown Boston’s two train hubs and closing the broken link in East Coast rail service. On Wednesday, they plan to meet with Governor Charlie Baker to appeal to him to get the job done. Rail link supporters promote it as a logical solution to long-term congestion problems and a way to avoid other costly upgrades, like the expansion of South Station. But the project is in line behind many others, including mega-projects like the Green Line Extension, a commuter rail spur to the South Coast, and needed maintenance upgrades on the MBTA. And the rail link lives in the haze of the historic Big Dig cost overruns left from the last time the downtown area was dug up to bury the interstate highway.
While they bill themselves as full-time, the House and Senate are in the midst of a weeks-long summer recess and reps and senators are not about to rush back to Beacon Hill the day after Labor Day. A few committees plan to resume business this week but the House and Senate plan to stick with informal sessions.
Speaker Robert DeLeo plans to be in Springfield on Wednesday and Thursday, though details of his events in the city are still being worked out. Senate President Stanley Rosenberg has events in the Pioneer Valley and in Boston.
To hear Henry Epp’s conversation with State House News Service reporter Matt Murphy, click on the audio player above.