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The Impact of Transit Cuts on Equitable Development

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Date and time
Friday, January 22, 2021

In December 2020, the MBTA approved widespread cuts to bus and commuter rail service despite objections from officials and transit advocates. Starting in January, twenty bus lines will be shut down, and weekend commuter rail service will end for communities along the Fitchburg, Franklin, Greenbush, Haverhill, Kingston/Plymouth, Lowell and Needham lines. What impacts will the cuts have on the Commonwealth’s pandemic recovery? Many lawmakers, transportation advocates and Gateway City business owners say public transit is essential for equitable and enduring pandemic navigation - both in terms of public health and the economy. But with the grim realities of budget shortfalls from the pandemic, transit agencies across the country face similar cuts. Join GBH transit reporter Bob Seay, MassINC’s transit-oriented development fellow Dr. Tracy Corley, Steven Higashide of TransitCenter, State Representative Andy Vargas for the 3rd Essex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and Will Dickerson, the executive director of Brockton Interfaith Community, as they discuss the immediate and long-term impacts of service cuts and how they will impact communities across the state and nation differently.

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Dr. Tracy Corley is the Director of Research and Partnerships at CLF, supporting scientific practices and partnerships across the organization. Tracy identifies areas where research and science can support active advocacy and litigation and also coordinates independent research related to climate change and environmental justice across New England. She brings experience in research, public policy, law, and conservation to her role and thrives on bringing people together to tackle the systemic issues that drive conservation and environmental justice. Prior to joining CLF, Tracy served as the Transit-Oriented Development Fellow at MassINC, where she conducted research and convened stakeholders to promote equitable development in Massachusetts’ Gateway and regional cities. Her time at MassINC followed her mid-career graduate studies, when she researched the economic development potential of New England cities at the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy, then split her time between Boston and the German Rhineland investigating informal work in Germany’s skilled trades and crafts sector. She also has lived in Seattle, Washington, where she conducted strategic planning and coordinated a participatory research program for formerly incarcerated workers at Seattle Jobs Initiative; founded two consulting firms that helped advance clean technologies, sustainable development, and energy efficiency; and advocated for inclusive economic development as Vice-Chair of Small Business for the Seattle Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees. She has also worked as an architect and designer in Washington state and South Carolina. Tracy holds a B.A. in Architecture from Clemson University and both an M.S. in Public Policy and a Ph.D. in Law and Public Policy from Northeastern University. She grew up on a farm in South Carolina, enjoys being out in nature, and believes that urban places can be regenerative for people and the planet. Outside of work, Tracy enjoys opera and museums, neighborhood bike rides with friends, and experiencing new places. She also writes, speaks, and teaches regularly.
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**Steven Higashide** is Director of Research for TransitCenter, a New-York-based foundation that supports innovations in urban transportation across the country. He directs TransitCenter’s research aimed at measuring American attitudes toward public transit, and develops policy guides and workshops that help cities enact transit-supportive policy. His research has been widely cited by mainstream and industry media, including the Washington Post, Vox, and Wired. In 2016 he was named to the Association for Commuter Transportation’s “40 Under 40.” He was previously senior planner for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, where he watchdogged Connecticut state transportation policy and helped pass laws protecting transportation funding and vulnerable road users. Steven holds a B.A. from New York University and a Masters in Urban Planning from NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
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Andy X. Vargas is the State Representative for the 3rd Essex District (Haverhill) in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He is a member of the Massachusetts Black & Latino Legislative Caucus and was previously elected to the Haverhill City Council, taking office at age 22 and serving as the city’s first Latino elected official.
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**William Dickerson **is the executive director of the Brockton Interfaith Community (BIC), a multi-faith, multi-ethnic non-profit organization representing greater Brockton. Their mission is to work collaboratively on issues chosen together to promote racial and economic justice through prophetic, faith-rooted community organizing. He is also an activist and a founding member of DARRC group whose goals are to “Demilitarize, Accountability, Reallocate, Reimagine Community."
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