Boston City Council Seeks Oversight of Mayor’s Transportation Agenda

Two Boston City Councilors have filed orders for public hearings calling for more clarity on the Wu administration’s transportation policies in the aftermath of reports that the mayor is personally intervening to block numerous multi-million dollar infrastructure projects in the City of Boston.

The Council will consider both hearing orders at its regular meeting on Wednesday, March 18.

One order, from Council President Liz Breadon (District 9, Allston-Brighton), focuses on the financial impacts of the mayor’s delays.

Breadon’s order proposes “a hearing to discuss the current status of federal and state funding allocated to transportation projects in Boston and the implications that the potential loss of this funding will have on the City budget and future transportation projects.”

The mayor is expected to file her municipal budget proposal about three weeks from now, on April 8.

Breadon’s order notes that Boston’s fiscal year 2027 budget, which will take effect on July 1, “is anticipated to be particularly constrained.”

The filing warns that “continued delays to the advancement of these transportation projects could jeopardize an estimated $200 million in public investment for the City of Boston at a time the City can least afford to lose investment.”

A second hearing order from District 8 City Councilor Sharon Durkan, a close ally of Mayor Wu, takes a broader approach, calling for “a substantive and constructive discussion on transportation philosophy, governance of street infrastructure, project status, and mechanisms for community engagement.”

Durkan’s order only mentions the financial implications of the mayor’s interventions in passing.

Both hearings are likely to be referred to the Council’s Planning, Development, and Transportation committee. Councilor Durkan chairs that committee, and would therefore have responsibility over scheduling any hearings there.