Several MBTA Services Suspended Following Marathon Explosion

Some T stations in the downtown area have been temporarily suspended.

MBTA T service in downtown Boston is in varying stages of suspension as emergency crews respond to the aftermath of at least two explosions at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon. The MBTA’s Green Line service between Kenmore and Park Street stations has been shut down as of 3:30 p.m. today, although Green Line service will continue to run between Lechmere and North Station, according to MBTA website. Both the Green Line's B and C services have been temporarily suspended, and the D line is only running from Riverside to Fenway. The Green Line's E service is still running between Northeastern and Brigham Circle. Customers who need service between Brigham Circle and Health Street are being asked to use the Route 39 bus. In addition, …

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Mass. Tax Plans: Too Much, Too Soon? Or Too Little, Too Slow?

Should the state forge ahead with Gov. Deval Patrick's bold plan to invest now? Or should it follow the Legislature leadership's proposal to address the bottom line before embarking on bigger initiatives?

Massachusetts legislators this week answered Gov. Deval Patrick's ambitious plan to raise $1.9 billion for transportation and education with a $500 million plan of their own, which says the governor is asking for too much, too soon as the Bay State shakes off the effects of the Great Recession. Who's right? Should the state forge ahead in a bold plan to invest now? Or should it cautiously address the bottom line before embarking on bigger initiatives? While Patrick's plan includes funding for both the state transportation system and increased education funding from preschool through college, House and Senate lawmakers eschew new revenue for education, focusing solely on closing the transportation budget gap over the next five years. The …

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Andrew Sylvia

9:26 pm on Tuesday, April 9, 2013

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Ryder Truck Crashes into MBTA Bridge in Winchester [PHOTOS]

A Ryder truck got stuck underneath a MBTA bridge on Cross Street Friday afternoon in Winchester.

A Ryder truck got stuck underneath a MBTA bridge on Cross Street Friday afternoon in Winchester. The truck struck the bridge shortly before 4 p.m., according to police. There was a male driver in the Ryder truck with no passengers, and no one was injured during the incident, according to Winchester patrolman Peter Hersee. "The truck hit the bridge. It happens a lot," Hersee said at the scene. A similar incident happened about two months ago at the same location, according Hersee. "The only thing that I've ever seen hit it that was different was a garbage truck about a year and a half to two years ago." The large white Ryder truck was extricated from underneath the bridge around 4:45 p.m., according to police. The truck sustained …

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You Ask, Patch Answers

MBTA Targets Spring Completion Date For Wedgemere Station Project

The final phase of the Wedgemere Station project is expected to be finished by late May, according to the MBTA.

A reader recently submitted a "You Ask, Patch Answers" question about where things stand with the Wedgemere Station project. So, here's what we found out. The final phase of the Wedgemere Station project is expected to be finished this spring, according to an MBTA spokeswoman. "The accessible ramps, mini-high platforms, and accessible parking spaces opened to patrons on (Feb). 1," wrote MBTA spokeswoman Kelly Smith in an email to Winchester Patch. "The station is now fully accessible. The remaining work entails replacement of the platform edges at the southern end of the station and installation of landscaping." "The project is now transitioning into the final phase of construction, in which the platform edges will be replaced at the …

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MBTA Not Considering Late Night Service

Due to the strain on resources, the MBTA has no plans as of now to extend service hours despite massive local interest.

The days of the Night Owl bus service are long gone, and as of now, they may not return. MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said until the state implements Gov. Deval Patrick’s recent 21st Century Plan transportation budget roll out, late night service is out of the question. “Given the enormous strain on the MBTA’s limited resources, the Authority cannot even consider an extension of service hours before action is taken on the 21st Century Transportation Plan,” Pesaturo wrote in an email. The Night Owl bus service, which ran buses from the end of service at 1 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., existed between 2001 and 2005, but was too costly to maintain. Another major issue working against late night service is the short time it allows for crews to perform …

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5 Things You Need to Know Today

5 Things: Winchester Schools Closed, Blizzard Photos & More

Check out the Winchester Patch 5 Things column for Monday, Feb. 11.

Here is the Winchester Patch 5 Things column for Monday, Feb. 11: 1. No school: Winchester Public Schools and St. Mary's School will be closed on Monday. 2. Upload storm pics: Our collection of user submitted blizzard photos captured in Winchester is growing. Upload your own images to the gallery today! 3. In case you missed it: Check out our previous Winchester Storm Center coverage. 4. Clean the roof: Make sure to remember to remove snow from your roof to avoid a roof collapse! 5. MBTA schedule: MBTA services, including the commuter rail in Winchester, are expected to operate on a normal schedule Monday. Use Winchester Patch to connect with your neighbors:

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MBTA to Have Limited Subway and Bus Service Sunday

Regularly scheduled service should resume by Monday, according to MBTA.com.

Most MBTA services, including the commuter rail in Winchester, will remain suspended Sunday. However, a few services are coming back on-line for limited service. Looking to take the Green Line or the commuter rail in the Newton area? Well, you may want to keep shoveling out that car (or call a cab). Starting at 2 p.m., limited subway and bus service will run on the Red, Orange and Blue lines between Orient Heights and Government Center, and the Green Line between Kenmore and Lechmere, according to MBTA.com/weather. Limited bus service will also operate on the 1, 23, 28, 39, and Silver Line Washington Street only. Customers are encouraged to stay home and "use service sparingly," if possible, the website said. Commuter rail routes will …

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T Conductors to Get Real Time Info in Their Hands

A new device will be distributed to conductors on MBTA conductors that will give them real-time information about trains all across the rail system.

A new pilot program being dubbed “Conductor Companion” is being unveiled on the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority’s commuter rail system, putting complete details about train services across the system in the hands of conductors. The Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR), the contractor that runs the commuter railroad for the MBTA, made the announcement on Monday. Essentially it is a unique mobile application that will allow conductors on the MBTA commuter rail system to receive real-time information about service for the first time. “The speed of technology today demands an application that gives conductors the information they need and that customers want,” said Gillian Wood, MBCR’s chief customer service officer in Monday…

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Transit Needs $13B Investment Over Next Decade

The board of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation released its 21st Century Transportation Plan, which outlines the state’s budgetary needs over the course of the next 10 years and beyond.

With infrastructure in need of repairs and the major city transit system steeped in billions of dollars of debt, the state may need to increase revenue from car registrations, license renewals, taxes and tolls. The Board of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation released its 21st Century Transportation Plan Monday, which calls for a $13 billion overall investment in state transportations systems over the next decade. The breakdown is as follows, according to a statement associated with the plan released by Transportation Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey: To raise the necessary funds these recommendations will include an increase in the gas tax, payroll tax, sales tax or income tax; a new green fee on vehicle registrations; a …

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