Time to Activate the PAFNDAS

By Steve Poftak
October 29th, 2009

UPDATE BELOW

What’s that? Why, its the Patrick Administration Friday News Drop Alert System. We noticed the habit of shuffling certain pieces of news out the door late on Fridays and so have others.

So, I note that as of 10 AM on Thursday, the Governor’s Office has not released his Friday calendar (to SHNS, that is). Yet, the centerpiece of transportation reform, a central authority — MassDOT, springs to life on Sunday, November 1.

MassDOT will be governed by a five member board that will take on a massive array of responsibility — oversight of transportation policy in general and, through incorporation, will take over the responsibilities of the former Turnpike and MBTA Boards of Directors.

But we still don’t know who will be appointed to this vital and powerful institution. See you Friday, probably late.

In addition, where is the much anticipated report by David D’Alessandro on the state of the MBTA, which was promised by the end of October.

It was initiated by the Governor right after the firing of Dan Grabauskas and had the look of a maneuver to buy time, but I have heard it suggested that the report has some depth to it. Surely, they won’t release it late on a Friday.