One of my favourite sides of politics/media.
02.03.2026 10:20
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One of my favourite sides of politics/media.
Something you notice in the winter is that cyclists and pedestrians have to justify maintenance of their infrastructure in a way that drivers never do
Springfield is finally making moves to redevelop around Union Station, and PVTA is operating more and more service, so it's a prime opportunity to keep the momentum going!
www.masslive.com/westernmass/...
Having multiple high-level platforms supports not only future rail service to/from Boston but additional N/S service to the northern Valley and CT/NYC. There are also awkward track layouts at the station that will be fixed as well as part of this work.
Another great article from @mass.streetsblog.org about the upcoming work at Springfield Union Station. With three active platforms, only one of which being modern high-level, projects will expand and modernize them all and reactivate a disused platform as well!
mass.streetsblog.org/2026/02/24/p...
Dear business owners,
Please, we're begging you: Stop with the artsy bike racks. We don't want them. They don't work. Thanks but not thanks. Just get those basic, city-issued, blue staple racks from PBOT and we'll love you and spend more money at your store. 🙏🏻
- Your bike riding customers.
Not to mention, it stands in stark contrast to the ways other states have regulated micromobility devices, often by being recklessly and carelessly punitive.
I am actually pretty impressed by the recommendations here.
It's a really thoughtful, well-rounded approach on how to disentangle terminology and lay out sensible recommendations for regulation, all while recognizing the many ways these devices benefit people and society as a whole!
‘Micromobility’ Commission Recommends Improved Classification, Regulation of Motorbikes and Scooters - mass.streetsblog.org/2026/02/27/m...
same but for bikes. drive to Costco or whatever. bike everywhere else.
It is absolutely a choice.
[frantically raising hand] ooh, ooh. I know. Because Americans have a constitutional right to vote but don't have a right to open a bank account or drive a car.
A recent app update brought back the swipe to dismiss behavior as an option:
9to5google.com/2026/01/22/g...
NEW: A @wbur.org and ProPublica investigation found that no DNA match, testimony or even confession could help prosecute a rape after Massachusetts’ 15-year deadline.
The governor's proposal aims to “help survivors who have had to wait far too long for justice.”
Link413 Launches Three New Long-Distance Bus Routes Linking North Adams, Pittsfield, Greenfield, and Northampton - mass.streetsblog.org/2026/01/29/l...
A person stands on a snow bank in early evening as a transit bus approaches the stop. The shelter and the adjacent sidewalk are covered in more than a foot of snow. Cars pass by with their headlights on driving on an icy road.
A massive pile of snow reaches the top of a stone wall with a historic building in the background. Decorative street lamps can be seen and a partially cleared sidewalk is visible leading into the pile of snow. A slightly crooked street sign displays the name: BENEVOLENT ST
Bollards protecting a bike lane poke out of a massive untouched snow drift with a brutalist brick building visible in the distance through leafless trees. A completely snow covered bus shelter and a totem with R line branding emerges from the snow on the far side.
India Point Park pedestrian overpass under a cloudy winter sky, the bridge is completely snow covered with footprints leading across the span. Glass towers emerge from the snowdrift and people can be seen at the far end of the bridge.
Snow removal isn’t done until everyone can access the street.
Sidewalks and bus stops are untouched throughout the city. Bus riders are standing in the streets. People are climbing over mountains of snow to cross the street, get to their cars, or get on the bus.
One of the goals of this program is to connect underserved rural towns to larger population centers, so that's why they also make intermediate stops in town centers along the way. But if the program is successful and funding is available there is potential for more routes!
Got to see the first Link413 bus leaving out of Northampton this morning!
Link413 is a collaboration between PVTA, BRTA, and FRTA to provide long distance bus service between Hampshire, Berkshire, and Franklin counties.
We can't have universal healthcare but we can buy a huge foreign landmass...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/06/u...
That being said, as long as the bus is not unattended (i.e. the operator is in/at the vehicle), it makes sense to let riders board. It's possible there are other operational considerations that affect this, though.
Buses shouldn't be idling for more than 5 minutes anyways, per Rhode Island's anti-idling law, though an exemption allows 15 mins to heat up the bus for riders when temps below 50°F: dem.ri.gov/environmenta...
Though if the bus has been in service, it's likely warm enough and can be turned off.
Were there moments that you missed? Anything that happened that’s on the cutting room floor? I don’t think there’s anything I missed that I wish I’d gotten. I’ll give you a little anecdote: Stephen Miller was perhaps the most concerned about the portrait session. He asked me, “Should I smile or not smile?” and I said, “How would you want to be portrayed?” We agreed that we would do a bit of both. And then when we were finished, he comes up to me to shake my hand and say goodbye. And he says to me, “You know, you have a lot of power in the discretion you use to be kind to people.” And I looked at him and I said, “You know, you do, too.”
The Vanity Fair photographer from the Susie Wiles story.
Holy. Shit.
www.washingtonpost.com/style/power/...
America is the place where your kids might die at home because of unaffordable health care, outside because they might get run over by someone with an SUV, or at school because they might get shot by someone with an AR-15.
white text on black no bike lanes no crosswalks no stop signs no sidewalks no maintenance no reliable transit no investment no political will road violence is no accident
results not accidents
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
Got my very first ever Year in Transit recap from @transit.app!
Congratulations to everyone at every agency receiving a Transit Riders Choice Award, but especially to my colleagues throughout PVTA for earning these two awards! Looking forward to continuing all the good work next year!
bsky.app/profile/tran...
I am so proud to be part of a workforce that has been recognized by our riders!
PVTA has not only won 2nd place in the Punctual Prizewinners award, but also the Most Popular Agency award!
All of the seat tags I can read from my seat are for Albany. LSL is constant proof of the demand for rail service between Boston and Albany, and taking up seats on a long-distance train to Chicago isn't the right solution. We need regional/commuter service across MA now!
In Providence tonight to see @thewaroncars.bsky.social Life After Cars book tour...and of course I took @ripta.com from my hotel to the beautiful Uptown Theater!