Bill would reduce driving in Mass., despite 'vastly different transportation realities'
Bill would reduce driving in Mass., despite ‘vastly different transportation realities’
Cape Cod traffic: See Route 6 by exit 82 Sunday morning after July 4
Traffic started to build early Sunday morning after the long 2025 July 4 holiday weekend.
- S.2246, sponsored by state Sen. Cynthia Creem, is a climate-focused bill that would require MassDOT to set goals for reducing the number of “statewide driving miles.”
- However, legislators say the bill does not and will not place any restrictions on how much Massachusetts residents drive.
- Instead, it seeks meet those goals by improving access to alternative transportation options.
A new Massachusetts bill aims to lower the state’s emissions by reducing the amount Bay Staters drive.
S.2246, sponsored by state Sen. Cynthia Creem, D-Newton, is a climate-focused bill that would require the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to set goals for reducing the number of “statewide driving miles,” as well as set up a council that would come up with a plan to reduce vehicle miles traveled.
However, legislators say the bill does not and will not place any restrictions on how much Massachusetts residents drive. Instead, it seeks to meet those goals by improving access to alternative transportation options.
“The purpose of the Freedom to Move Act is to ensure that we are investing in all transportation options – both roads and highways and cleaner alternatives like trains and buses – to help align Massachusetts with its climate targets,” Creem said in a statement. “It does not in any way limit people’s choices about how to get around. It does not impose fines, penalties or taxes on drivers. In fact, it gives people more choices.”
Transportation sector causes greatest emissions in MA
The bill looks to bring Massachusetts’ transportation plans in line with its climate mandates, according to the primary sponsor’s summary. It’s based on similar laws in Colorado and Minnesota.
The transportation sector accounts for the greatest share of emissions in the state, the summary says. So, the bill would require state transportation plans to deliver adequate emissions reductions through things like increased public transportation, bike paths and pedestrian infrastructure.
Cape Cod 2026 environmental plan: Protect the ponds, save the herring, contain the wildfires
Creem said that the bill recognizes that the state has “diverse communities with vastly different transportation realities.”
“What works for Greater Boston may not be right for the Berkshires, Central Massachusetts or the Cape,” she said in an email. “That’s why the bill allows for regional flexibility and supports investments that make sense locally.”