It's officially Storrowing season. After the parkway claimed multiple box trucks last week, state officials kicked off their annual public awareness campaign yesterday reminding drivers about Storrow's infamous low-clearance bridges as Boston's move-in day approaches. That means more warning signs around Storrow, Memorial Drive and Soldiers Field Road — and lots of memes on social media. Now, to the news: On track(s): The MBTA is putting $140 million in federal grant money into improving service and accessibility on the Haverhill commuter rail line. Officials say the project is a big deal not only for MBTA riders, but also for Amtrak riders north of Boston. WBUR's Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez was in Andover yesterday to get the details. - On the rails: The project will add nearly seven miles of new track between Reading and Andover. Currently, commuter rail trains, Amtrak trains and freight trains all rely on the same, single track in both directions along that stretch, which can cause bottlenecks and delays across the line. It also results in a lot of outbound commuter rail trains simply stopping and turning around in Reading. Officials say the second track will fix those issues. Plus, it gives the MBTA a backup plan when problems pop up on one of the tracks. "Train dispatchers are going to have more flexibility, trains will see less congestion, and passengers are going to get more reliable service," MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan said.
- At the station: MBTA officials also plan to build high-level platforms so riders don't have to step up to board the train at four stations: Reading, North Wilmington, Ballardvale and Andover. David Fink, the head of the Federal Railroad Administration, said the raised platforms will " increase accessibility for all passengers, particularly persons with disabilities, and allow for faster boarding at these stations."
- ETA: Fink is hoping the project can be finished in under 10 years. Coholan said "a lot of the work can be done without impacting existing service," but riders should expect some diversions eventually, as crews tie the new track and other infrastructure into the existing system.
PSA: Did you request a mail-in ballot for next week's Massachusetts state primary? Secretary of State Bill Galvin says to mail it by today to ensure it arrives in time to be counted. That's because, unlike in the general election, mail-in-ballots must be returned by the time polls close on Election Day next Tuesday to be counted "even if they were postmarked prior to that," Galvin recently told WBUR's John Bender. "In order to make sure they're counted, they have to be actually physically received by local election officials by Sept. 1," he said. - By the numbers: Galvin's advice potentially applies for several hundred thousand Bay Staters. As of yesterday afternoon, nearly half of all mailed primary ballots (342,698 of 702,510) had already been returned.
- Not done filling it out? After today, Galvin recommends dropping it off directly at a drop box, early voting location or your local election office. Our 2026 primary guide has the details on where to find those. You can also track your ballot if you mail it in here.
- Meanwhile: The Supreme Court gave the Trump administration a win yesterday on its attempt to restrict mail-in voting, though a broader injunction against the order remains in place, for now. (It's complicated.) NPR breaks it down here.
Departures lounge, figuratively: After three seasons in New England, the Patriots are trading wide receiver Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans. In exchange, they're getting safety Jaylen Reed and a late draft pick. The trade yesterday comes after the Patriots restocked their receiver room this offseason with A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs — and after the Texans lost one of their receivers to a torn ACL last week. Departures lounge, literally: JetBlue is opening the airline's second airport lounge in the world at Boston's Logan Airport this Thursday. The so-called BlueHouse lounge will be located inside Terminal C, with expanded access to departing travelers flying on the airline's premium "Mint" fares (in addition to certain loyalty program members and JetBlue cardholders). It also has lots of little Boston-themed details. The Points Guy has a peek inside here. P.S.— There's one month left to apply to be one of WBUR's 2027 fellows. We're looking for inquisitive and ambitious early career journalists interested in arts, climate or general news reporting. Is that you? Get the details here or read a Q&A with two of our former fellows about their experiences. |
