Sean Reid prioritizes clean and affordable transportation options

Sean Reid

My campaign for state representative of West Lynn and Nahant is based on walking through the neighborhoods of these communities and listening to the concerns of people. The current and future state of our transportation infrastructure is consistently voiced as a top concern.

My service as legislative directive to state Sen. Brendan Crighton, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation of the Massachusetts state legislature has prepared me to effectively serve and contribute solutions to the many challenges we face going forward. I’m hearing worries about public and private transportation’s effects on the quality of life we endure.

I’m running for state representative to fight for a better future for the families of West Lynn and Nahant. I see a future where cleaner and quieter public and private vehicles travel our roads. It’s a place where public transport is more reliable and on-time, and people can get across town as well as to the airport or Boston quickly and dependably. It’s a place where the Lynn-to-Boston ferry service is offered on a constant basis. It’s also a place where car-insurance bills are not jacked up because your zip code is assigned to a city where the above conditions cause more claims than the leafy suburbs just a few miles away. It’s also a place where more state money comes into the city to keep the streets repaired.

The MBTA may cause its greatest impacts on this legislative district. With two Commuter Rail stations, a bus depot, and multiple bus routes and bus stops crossing our streets, the noise, vibrations, diesel fumes from train engines, traffic interruptions, lost parking spots, and the pounding our streets take from the buses combine to create greater negative environmental consequences than anywhere else within the MBTA service area. Oversight of the T will be a legislative priority for me.

The MBTA has started and stopped when it comes to the electrification of the rail cars on the Commuter Rail line that slices through our community. The pollution from the smelly fumes is especially distressful as these trains slow down as they approach stations. Electrification of the engines eliminates this problem and other negative impacts to the environment. The noise caused by these trains should also be mitigated through track improvements and noise barriers. I will constantly press the MBTA to reduce this especially invasive type of blight on our neighborhoods. These are responsibilities the T has long evaded, and I intend to hold their feet to the fire.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that the current model of an independent authority is not resulting in a smoothly functioning and fiscally responsible MBTA. While the new management of the organization seems to be sincere in its efforts to fix the problems, the overwhelming number of issues may call for more drastic changes. I’m open to fixes that result in more affordable and reliable public-transportation options for the people of West Lynn and Nahant.

The state of our roads and gridlock is a regional problem with particular focus on our neighborhoods. There are some big projects coming, such as the Western Avenue rebuilding, that will have short-term dislocations but long-term improvements and, as such, are very welcome. There are other signal and street improvements that need to be made but require more state funding. I will work with my colleagues in city and town government to identify these locations. I intend to prioritize improvements to and maintenance of the Nahant Causeway as a legislative priority since this is a vital link to Nahant.

It’s important to note that the transportation sector is the biggest contributor to emissions that cause global warming. My priority is to do whatever I can as a legislator to reduce greenhouse gasses by eliminating gridlock for instance and ensuring the smooth flow of traffic in clean vehicles.

My wife, Kelsey, and I are expecting our first child next month. I believe our family and other families in this district deserve the right to live in neighborhoods where we and our children work and play in quiet surroundings, breathing clean air, and crossing safe streets. I can think of no greater call to public service.

Sean Reid is a member of the Lynn School Committee who is running to represent the 11th Essex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

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