a letter sent to the MBTA

CITY OF CAMBRIDGE OFFICES OF THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER mayor@cambridgema.gov Phone: [phone removed] Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager City Hall 795 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 April 21, 2022 Steve Poftak, General Manager MBTA 10 Park Plaza Boston, MA 02116 Dear Mr. Poftak: We are writing regarding the MBTA’s on-going efforts to convert the North Cambridge bus facility from an electric trolley bus facility to one able to accommodate Battery Electric Bus (BEB) technology and move the MBTA forward on the commitment to electrify the entire 1,150 bus fleet by 2040. We appreciate the work the MBTA staff is doing on this and the commitment to removing the full catenary system (wires, poles and underground conduit), which encumbers our right-of-way and limits our ability to implement improvements for people biking, walking and taking the MBTA along Mass. Ave. Since the catenary system is no longer serving any transit purpose, it should be removed as quickly as possible. While it is critical that the full system be removed, the highest priority is removing the overhead wires on Mass. Ave. between Roseland St and Beech St. The City’s Cycling Safety Ordinance (CSO) requires the implementation of separated bike lanes on a number of city streets, including Mass. Ave. The City is committed to installing separated bike lanes on this section this summer and the overhead wires are significantly compromising our ability to do so. We implore you to make immediate arrangements to remove the overhead catenary wires on this section of Mass. Ave. to support critical bike improvements, while we continue to work together on the plan to remove the full catenary system.

CITY OF CAMBRIDGE OFFICES OF THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER mayor@cambridgema.gov Phone: [phone removed] Please contact Katherine Watkins, City Engineer, at [phone removed] / kwatkins@cambridgema.gov with any questions or to continue coordination on these projects. With gratitude, Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui City Manager Louis A. DePasquale