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Boston's Morning Newsletter
The final MBTA closure of 2024 has begun. Here's what to know
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
We have some news just in. The U.S. Attorney’s office for Massachusetts says they have arrested a Boston city councilor — reportedly Tania Fernandes Anderson, who was the subject of an unspecified federal probe. (WCVB has footage of agents arresting Fernandes Anderson outside her home this morning.)
Officials plan to announce details at a press conference this morning at 9:30 a.m. We’ll continue to follow this story so check back in for continued coverage on air or at wbur.org.
The beginning of the end: At last, we’ve reached the final closure of the MBTA’s 13-month track improvement program. From today through Dec. 20, all of the Green Line north of Park Street — including both branches of the Green Line Extension — will be closed so crews can remove the system’s last two speed restrictions. When the Green Line fully reopens on Dec. 21, T officials say the entire subway system will be free of track-related slow zones. (Woo!) But first, we have two weeks of shuttles and detours to contend with.
- Shuttles will run between North Station and Medford/Tufts. They’re free, but vulnerable to this thing called traffic. For example, you’ll want to budget close to an hour if you’re commuting downtown from the end of the line. The T says riders traveling to Park Street from Medford/Tufts should expect their commute to take at least an extra 35 minutes.
- There’s no shuttles between North Station and Park, so consider taking the Orange Line instead. Remember, there’s a secret tunnel between Downtown Crossing and Park.
- There are no shuttles (or Orange Line) for Union Square station users. The T suggests walking to East Somerville or taking one of the many bus options to other Green or Red Line stations.
- Worth noting: This may be the last MBTA closure of 2024, but it’s not the last one ever. General Manager Phil Eng recently said to expect more diversions in 2025, as the T works to keep the tracks in good condition and upgrade all those pesky, aging signals. The good news is that Eng says “it won’t be to the level of this year.”
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On Beacon Hill: Boston’s property tax shift compromise might be on the verge of collapse. State Sen. Nick Collins again delayed a Senate vote on the House-approved bill yesterday, saying lawmakers needed more time to review newly certified property tax value data. Perhaps even more critically, several local business groups who negotiated the compromise with Mayor Michelle Wu came out in support of Collins’ move, saying the new numbers “materially differ” from the data the City provided during their October talks.
- What the numbers say: Boston’s residential homeowners will see, on average, a 10.5% increase in their tax bill next year, if Wu’s bill doesn’t pass, according to the new official projections. That’s down from the 14% the city projected in October.
- What the key players are saying: The business groups say the new tax bill increase for homeowners wouldn’t be so different from recent years and that holding off on any changes would “ensure stability” for businesses during a “challenging time.” However, Wu says 10.5% would still be the second-highest tax increase for homeowners in the last decade. (It would also amount to a 21% bill-to-bill increase next month.) In a statement, Wu wrote she was in “disbelief that some may be looking to renegotiate or walk away from a deal that was settled a month and a half ago.”
RIP: Franklin Park Zoo’s beloved gorilla Kitombe has died. Zoo officials said they made the difficult decision yesterday to euthanize the 38-year-old western lowland gorilla, who was nicknamed Kit, after a sudden decline in health. He had been at the zoo since 1998.
- Kit and his mate, Kiki, had five offspring, three of whom — Pablo, Aziza and Kambiri — still live at the zoo. “He was a great nest builder, and he was particular with his food likes and dislikes,” zoo officials said. “He will be greatly missed.”
Look up: The skyscraper above South Station has signed up its first tenant: Jones Day. The law firm announced yesterday it’s signed a 15-year lease to occupy 41,00 square feet over two floors of the tower.
- The 51-story tower is scheduled to open next year, with offices and luxury condos. CBS Boston has the latest look inside the project.
P.S.— Which record are the Celtics on pace to smash this year? Take our Boston News Quiz and test your knowledge of this week’s stories.
