Pete Wilson, senior policy director at T for Mass, urged the Joint Committee on Transportation to advance S 2353 (Metropolitan Transportation Network) and S 2354 (Regional Equity and Roadway Board), which together would create a planning and tolling framework for Greater Boston and study statewide roadway pricing measures.

"So far this year, 17,600,000 fewer cars have entered Lower Manhattan compared to last year," Wilson said, citing early results from New York's congestion pricing program and asserting that pricing can shift travel behavior and raise revenue for transit improvements. He said pricing experiments elsewhere have shown reduced crashes and emissions and increased transit ridership and on-time performance.

Senator Kennedy testified in support of S 2400 (equity and tolling) and S 2401 (Regional Transportation Authority advisory boards), saying equity concerns and advisory-board continuity must be addressed. Kennedy proposed extending terms for RTA advisory board members from one year to two and requiring rider representation from gateway city communities to improve oversight and continuity.

Witnesses and legislators acknowledged that roadway pricing can require substantial planning and federal permitting for projects that touch interstate highways, but urged the committee to begin state-level study and planning now. No committee vote was recorded during the hearing; supporters asked the committee to report the bills out for further consideration.