T rail shutdown complicates latest storm cleanup
Gov. Charlie Baker, visibly frustrated by the continuous onslaught of severe winter weather, declared a state of emergency Monday night and a "partial snow day" Tuesday as the MBTA announced it would shut down all orail and trolley service until Wednesday at the earliest.
The shutdown included all three commuter rail lines that enter Central Massachusetts.
"If I've learned one thing over the course of the past two weeks it's that Mother Nature makes the rules," Baker said, speaking at the State House and joined by Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.
Baker said he had declared a state of emergency to allow the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to begin coordinating with surrounding states to bring in additional front-end loaders, dump trucks, backhoes, snow melters and other equipment to assist with clean up.
The governor, partially in response to the MBTA's decision to close on Tuesday, also said he was ordering non-emergency state government personnel in four Eastern Massachusetts counties to not report to work on Tuesday.
"We are going to ask non-emergency state employees who live or work in Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex or Norfolk counties to stay home tomorrow so that we can continue to work with local officials and others to do the cleanup that's required to prepare those streets in those communities to possibly be open on a more broad basis on Wednesday," Baker said.
Earlier in the day, as the third major snowstorm in the past two weeks dumped more than two feet of new powder in parts in the state, Baker expressed his frustration with the MBTA's performance.
After running a reduced schedule plagued by delays for much of the day Monday, the MBTA announced it would shut down all rail lines starting at 7 p.m. Monday through the business day on Tuesday. The decision could prompt more people to drive on the same streets that crews will be spending Tuesday trying to clear.
Bus service will be available Tuesday on an "extremely limited basis," according to the MBTA, as crews work to clear snow and ice from tracks, the electrified third rails and assess damage to subway cars and trains.
"On some level, I think if they don't believe they can run a service after 7 o'clock tonight and don't believe they can run a rail service tomorrow I would rather have them say that because at least people can plan accordingly and plan around that," Baker said.
Baker, who indicated that he learned of the T's decision to close Tuesday around the "same time as everyone else" said he spoke briefly with Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack about the decision, but not T officials.
"Obviously there's some work to be done here and I'm anxious to have that conversation with the board and the folk at the T once the snow stops," Baker said.
Pressed on his assessment of the MBTA's storm performance, Baker said, "I'm not going to get into sort of blame on this . . . We also have had six or seven feet of snow in Greater Boston, which should not be forgotten in all this."
Earlier in the afternoon, when asked if he had confidence in MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh deferred to the governor. "It's not a question I have to answer," he said.
Baker said he expects parking bans in the Greater Boston area to remain in effect for much of the rest of the week, noting that another snowstorm of uncertain accumulation looms on Thursday as the potential "fourth act of this play."
"Travel in and around Greater Boston is going to remain difficult and complicated," Baker said.
Cleanup in Worcester continued Tuesday with city schools having their ninth snow day amid 13.1 inches of snow at the Worcester Airport. While the city received less than Boston in the latest storm, the city has recorded 92.1 inches of snow this season.
City spokesman John Hill told the Telegram and Gazette that the latest storm was expected to deplete the city’s $4 million snow removal budget.
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