Boston City Council Summons MBTA Chief Over Blue Hill Avenue Plan

The Boston City Council voted on October 21 to formally summon MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng over a contested bus lane redesign of Blue Hill Avenue, NBC Boston reported.

The vote followed Eng's absence from an earlier council hearing on the corridor, which runs through Dorchester and Mattapan. Eng said a scheduling conflict kept him away and that he has been meeting with residents along the route.

The $124 million plan would place bus lanes in the center of the roadway. The MBTA estimates it could cut as much as 15 minutes from rush-hour trips. City Councilor Miniard Culpepper questioned the design's safety and said he would prefer an extension of the Orange Line, framing the dispute as a civil rights issue over investment in predominantly Black neighborhoods.

Eng said the project would improve safety and cautioned that significant changes could jeopardize federal funding, saying "the worst thing would be is to lose the federal dollars."

Mayor Michelle Wu's office criticized the council's action, saying in a statement that subpoenas are not a constructive way to deal with government partners.

A council hearing is set for November 6, when Eng is expected to appear. Culpepper said he expects compliance; if Eng does not appear, the council would vote on whether to pursue court action.

This story was first reported by NBC Boston.