HYANNIS – Business associations from the across the state, including the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, have joined to create the Massachusetts Business Coalition on Transportation.
The mission of the group is to develop and promote a collaborative statewide business agenda for transportation to increase public transit ridership, decrease road congestion and improve bridge and road conditions.
The formation of the coalition was driven by worsening traffic congestion and increasing demand for more and better public transit, along with the business community’s dissatisfaction with the current pace of improvements to state transportation systems and service.
Coalition members believe that improving transportation infrastructure statewide is a top priority relating to supporting business, commerce, economic competitiveness and growth even though members represent a wide range of business advocacy groups and geographic regions with unique transportation needs and agendas.
Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce CEO and coalition board member Wendy Northcross said there is a lot of demand statewide and not just in Boston.
“The thought was perhaps business organizations should align our messages and take a close look at how some of this could be funded and work together so that we might be able to accomplish some solutions,” Northcross said.
“I think it’s much easier for government to act when there is agreement on something that is as expensive and complex as transportation.”
Northcross said transportation infrastructure is a major factor for the economy.
“The bill is coming. We are going to have to do some enhancements and it is going to benefit people,” she said. “It’s going to benefit our quality of life and it is going to benefit our ability to go to work. So it is important that business has a unified voice.”
Northcross said the Cape Cod Canal bridges and surrounding roadways are at the top of the list for transportation priorities for the region and are in desperate need of modernization.
“We have been really pushing hard on that,” Northcross said.
Massachusetts Department of Transportation has released a best scenario for the roadway network surrounding the bridges and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are conducting a study to determine recommendations for long-term solutions for the spans.
Northcross is currently in Washington, D.C. advocating for infrastructure funding for transportation.
“I’m going to be able to talk about the need for our bridges because they are 83 years old and they are functionally obsolete,” Northcross said. “They are beautiful and lovely and we adore those bridges but they don’t work well.”
She said business leaders need to make the case and stand together with other groups across the country for federal funds to fix roads, enhance airports, and making America’s roads and bridges safe.
Northcross said transportation needs are understood and that the challenge is how secure funding.
“We are sitting around the table talking about how do we pay for this, and what is equitable?” she said. “Let’s not fight against each other so that there are winners and losers. There are needs all across this state.”
A list of MBCT members can be found below.
1Berkshire
495/MetroWest Partnership
A Better City
American Council of Engineering Companies of Massachusetts
Associated Industries of Massachusetts
Boston Municipal Research Bureau
Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce
Construction Industries of Massachusetts
Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Massachusetts Business Roundtable
Massachusetts Competitive Partnership
Massachusetts High Technology Council
Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
NAIOP Massachusetts – The Commercial Real Estate Development Association
New England Business Association
Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce
North Shore Chamber of Commerce
Retailers Association of Massachusetts
South Shore Chamber of Commerce
Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce
The New England Council
Trucking Association of Massachusetts
Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council
Worcester Chamber of Commerce
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