Skip to Content
Streetsblog Massachusetts home
Streetsblog Massachusetts home
Log In
Legislation

Baker Vetoes Key Policies In Transportation Bond Bill

Governor Baker, MassDOT Secretary Stephanie Pollack, and MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak celebrated the new Orange Line train at Wellington Station on August 14, 2019. Photo by Joshua Qualls, courtesy of the Governor’s Press Office.

On Friday, Governor Baker signed the Legislature's transportation bond bill into law, but used his line-item veto power to delete many of its policy proposals, including language that would have established a low-income transit fare program, guidelines and financing for the massive Allston Multimodal Project, and a proposal to raise more money for transportation projects with increased fees on Uber and Lyft rides.

The Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) coalition expressed frustration in a press statement after the vetoes were announced.

"The Baker Administration is demonstrating yet again it is out of touch with the transportation needs and frustrations of Massachusetts residents and businesses," wrote T4MA. "The Governor’s vetoes are a particularly cruel blow to the essential workers who are relying on public transportation to keep us healthy, safe, and fed in the midst of the pandemic."

Advocates were particularly perplexed by the Governor's veto of fees on Uber and Lyft. One year ago, before the pandemic, Gov. Baker himself had proposed to increase fees on Uber and Lyft from 20 cents per trip to $1 per trip, and to use most of the money raised to help fund the MBTA operating budget.

Earlier last week, planners from the Massachusetts Area Planning Council published forecasts that, even with diminished ridership from the pandemic, the new fees could produce $56 million a year for the state as a whole, including $6 million in new funding for the cash-strapped MBTA.

Baker did, however, approve parts of the bill that will reduce fines and prohibit arrests for transit fare evasion and improve parking enforcement for dedicated bus lanes.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Massachusetts

MassDOT Makes More Space for Bikes and Pedestrians In Revised Designs for Medford Main Street

"It really did feel like they really did listen and change a lot of stuff,” says Ellery Klein, a Medford road safety advocate.

May 9, 2025

Mass. Senate Budget Revives Threat of MBTA Layoffs and Service Cuts

If it were enacted as the state's new budget law, the Senate proposal would force the T's budget writers to fill a budget shortfall of roughly $200 million this year, with virtually no reserve funding available to cushion the blow.

MassDOT Road Project Will Shut Down Half of the Orange Line for 9 Days, Starting Friday

The silver lining: the new bridges that MassDOT is building will create wider sidewalks, protected bike paths, and more dedicated bus lanes to improve connections between East Somerville and Sullivan Square.

See all posts