MBTA Shaves Dollar Off Park Rate Hike, Cuts It To $9

After criticism from Braintree Mayor Joe Sullivan, MBTA management decided to limit the upcoming increases in parking rates for two South Shore Red Line facilities and push back by a month the effective date of the new rates.

The changes in parking costs at MBTA lots -- which include cost hikes at popular stations and reductions at some others -- will take place Sept. 1 rather than becoming effective Aug. 1, MBTA General Manager Luis Ramirez announced at Monday's meeting of the Fiscal and Management Control Board.

Ramirez also announced that the weekday rates at Braintree and Quincy Adams stations will increase to $9 rather than the $10 rate the control board agreed to at a recent meeting. That means Alewife Station will soon have the highest parking rate in the system at $10 when the new rates take effect in September.

Sullivan, who is a member of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board of Directors, said he takes "solace" in the fact that the increase will be smaller, but said he was frustrated by the process.

"The lack of communication is something that I found troubling," Sullivan said.