Rep. Cabral recognizes the importance of increasing the mobility of people within New Bedford and between New Bedford and the rest of the state. Our city is in the midst of a “renaissance” that could be impeded if it is difficult to get from Point A to Point B. The plan to reconnect the historic downtown to the waterfront is moving apace. Improvements to Union Street are increasing pedestrian access and making New Bedford a “walkable” city. The second phase of the Route 18 Transportation project is moving full steam ahead. Some of the main components of the reconstruction plan already completed include: the elimination of left turns from Route 18 north and south and left turns into Route 18 from Union Street, landscaping the tree-lined median strip and a pavestone walkway from Elm to Walnut Street; the installation of a pedestrian crossing at Centre Street; the left turn from Union Street onto Route 18 north is tact; and a pedestrian crossing south of the Project area near South Street, to restore harbor access for South Central residents. The project is expected to be completed in 2020.

South Coast Rail is finally becoming a reality. Thanks to the release of capital funds from the Baker Administration, work on the Middleboro/Lakeville Extension Plan has begun, most notably at railroad crossings in the North End. Service to New Bedford and Fall River is expected to begin in the fall of 2023. While some train service is better than no train service, Tony remains committed to seeing the original Stoughton Line Alternative come to fruition. This option would be a more environmentally sustainable option, run with electric trains rather than diesel, and would provide a shorter ride with more service into and out of New Bedford. He does not want to see a short-term solution become the only solution. New Bedford has waited too long to accept half measures.

Recently, SRTA relaunched limited evening and weekend service to New Bedford. While this is a positive step in the right direction, Rep. Cabral wants to help speed our transition to more active and widespread use of public transit and reduce our carbon footprint. In this session, Tony filed An Act to Fund Public Transit Expansion which creates a financing plan to fund the regional transit authorities and the extension or improvement of commuter rail projects with a green fee on vehicles based on their carbon emissions and a new per-mile emissions fee. If put into practice, this bill would help bring New Bedford’s rail and bus service up to 21st century standards.