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Select Board hears MBTA advisory warnings about funding and rail capacity as communities are planned near stations
Summary
Select Board members and the town’s MBTA advisory representative warned Oct. 8 that MBTA funding is strained and instituting MBTA‑community housing without matching rail‑service investment could create long‑term congestion and performance problems.
At its Oct. 8 meeting the Foxborough Select Board spent significant time on MBTA Communities outreach and potential local impacts, hearing concerns from the MBTA advisory representative and board members about funding and service capacity.
Committee member (speaker 8), the Select Board’s MBTA advisory representative, told the board that representatives from the MBTA advisory board emphasized the agency’s funding shortfall and cautioned that "there’s no corresponding increase in the rail service to those potential increases of use." The representative said those advisory members urged communities to engage legislators about longer‑term MBTA funding and service planning.
Board members described a tense public outreach session the previous week and emphasized that staff members’ role is to present options and information, not to direct policy. Chair (speaker 1) and Committee member (speaker 6) both urged residents to let staff explain available choices and noted that ultimate decisions rest with town meeting voters.
The board discussed next steps for outreach and scheduled MBTA‑related briefings: Adcom will discuss MBTA Communities on Oct. 16 and 30, with the Select Board expecting the planning board and MBTA representatives to present in the coming weeks so residents can hear options before the special town meeting. Committee member (speaker 8) recommended hearing MBTA advisory input early because regional rail funding and operations must be considered alongside any local zoning or housing decisions.
The Select Board did not take a binding vote about MBTA Communities but agreed to continue outreach and public explanation ahead of town meeting.
