MBTA repair backlog climbs above $7B

http://www.wickedlocal.com/article/20150831/NEWS/150839518



In this photo taken on June 17, light rail repairer Rob Cunningham works on the coupling of a railcar at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Riverside maintenance facility in Newton.

MBTA repair backlog climbs above $7B
By Bob Salsberg/The Associated Press
Posted Aug. 31, 2015 at 5:21 PM

BOSTON — The cost of bringing Boston's transit system into overall sound working order has climbed again and is now estimated at more than $7.3 billion, transportation officials said Monday.

The new number represents an increase of more than $650 million in the state of good repair backlog over another estimate earlier this year — a figure which itself had more than doubled in five years.

The backlog is defined as the total amount it would cost to bring the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's vehicles and equipment that are in disrepair or operating beyond their customary lifespan up to ideal working order. Transit officials stressed that the backlog is not a reflection of the safety of the system or its ability to function on a daily basis.

"State of good repair is ultimately about the assets that we already have and making sure that we keep those assets so they are able to serve their intended purpose," said Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack.