Petition Asks MBTA To Provide Transportation During Closure

GLOUCESTER, MA – A petition organized by Cape Ann legislators and local groups is protesting the closure of the North Shore MBTA line on summer weekends, without the MBTA providing other transportation options.

The Newburyport/Rockport line won't run on weekends from July 8 to Sept. 30. The line will be shut down to install equipment required by the Federal Railroad Administration Rail Safety Improvement Act. The equipment will support Positive Train Control systems, which help prevent train-on-train collisions, over speed derailments, and unexpected movement of trains.

Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken, Sen. Bruce Tarr, and Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante are leading these charge, and the Mayor's Office put together the digital petition. The petition, sent to the MBTA and DOT, asks that the closure come with mitigation.

"Many people, especially lower paid workers, will lose their jobs if they have no public transit, as they have no private car to use instead or cannot afford the parking costs," reads the petition. "Cape Ann businesses often rely on summer income to hit sustainable revenue needs for the entire year and some will fail due to absence of public transit."

Image via Shutterstock