MBTA Chief Phil Eng to Miss Boston Council Hearing on Blue Hill Avenue Plan
The transit agency's general manager cited a family vacation for his absence despite a formal summons from city officials.
By Austin Reed ·
Phil Eng, general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, will not attend a scheduled Boston City Council hearing on Friday. The meeting concerns the controversial redesign of Blue Hill Avenue, a busy corridor serving the Dorchester and Mattapan neighborhoods.
City council members issued a formal summons to Eng last month after he missed an earlier session regarding the project. The planned redesign involves constructing a center-running bus lane along the avenue. Eng told the council he cannot attend the Friday session because of a pre-planned family vacation.
The proposal has drawn criticism from community members. Some residents argue that the new bus lane configuration will reduce safety on the street. Others prefer the city extend the Orange Line subway instead of rebuilding the bus infrastructure.
In a statement, the MBTA said it has communicated to the council its willingness to hold additional community meetings. The agency also said it is available to meet directly with councilors to answer questions about the project.
Council members plan to use Friday's hearing to examine the civil rights implications of rapid transit inequities in Boston. Eng’s absence adds to the tension between the transit agency and local legislators over the scope of the Blue Hill Avenue changes.
