Massachusetts communities rally to fight transit authority’s planned 74-foot towers
BOSTON — Local governments in Massachusetts are joining together to oppose the state transportation authority’s plans to install towering monopoles along commuter rail lines to improve wireless service on the trains, with some communities weighing legal challenges.
The embattled Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority wants to improve its commuter train WiFi by contracting with a private company that will install hundreds of 74-foot cell-towers, known as monopoles, along its tracks.
But the upgrade is infuriating homeowners and local officials who say the poles will ruin the character of neighborhoods and drag down property values.
Opponents of the project are looking to the MBTA’s fiscal control board, which meets Monday in Boston, to come up with alternatives.
The board temporarily halted the project following a June 26 hearing when it heard from dozens of opponents, but that moratorium expires next week.
“It was a very questionable deal, using technology that is already outdated,” said Alex Vispoli, chairman of the Andover Board of Selectmen, who oppose the project.
More than 300 poles are planned along the MBTA’s commuter rail lines. Dozens would be located along tracks on the North Shore and Merrimack Valley.
Manchester could get four poles, according to a tentative list provided by the MBTA, while Gloucester could get seven. Ipswich will get four, Beverly six and Rockport two. North Andover, Hamilton, Wenham, Swampscott, Lawrence, Rowley and Newbury would also be affected.
In Andover, a pole is proposed for historic Shawsheen Village, which is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The tree-lined residential neighborhood has become a flashpoint over the project. Two other poles are planned for the town.
Vispoli said Andover is trying to organize a “summit” with other affected communities and is “exploring legal options” if the MBTA moves forward.
“We’re not arguing against improving WiFi on the commuter rail, but we believe there are other ways to do it besides having 74-foot towers in our community,” he said. “We don’t think it’s right that they can come in and steamroll over us.”
The MBTA first introduced WiFi service in 2008, provided by AT&T and other carriers. The system has been plagued with complaints from regular commuters, who say it’s often spotty and unreliable.
In 2014, MBTA directors signed a 22-year lease with Illinois-based inMotion Wireless to install, maintain and operate a multi-million-dollar Wi-Fi system.
Under the contract, the MBTA gets 7.5 percent of the net revenue from the wireless service and leasing of the monopoles to third-parties and WiFi advertising. The estimated $140 million cost will be paid by the private company, officials said.
The company previously estimated profits of more than $68 million from a fee-based premium Wi-Fi service within the first six years of operation.
The company, which was recently bought by Australia-based BAI Communications, provides wireless service on most trains now, but MBTA officials say the system of poles and a yet-to-be-installed fiber optic network will vastly improve it.
The MBTA is largely exempt from local zoning rules and has already obtained state and federal permits required to install the system. Opponents point out that there are federal guidelines for transit projects that restrict construction in state or local historic districts.
Rep. Brad Hill, R-Ipswich, said cities and towns were blindsided by the project, and he hopes the MBTA board will extend its moratorium to give opponents more time.
“My hope is that they’ll put this off for a while,” he said. “This project has been in the works for years but communities are just finding out about it. Are you kidding me?”
A spokesman for the MBTA didn’t return a phone call seeking comment.
Local officials complain that the MBTA sent notices about the project to historical societies and other volunteer boards — not mayors, town managers or other elected officials. Some local officials learned about the project from news reports.
“We’ve had very little time to react to this,” said William Craft, chairman of the Ipswich Board of Selectmen, who recently wrote to Gov. Charlie Baker asking him to intervene.
“If stirring people up was their intent, they have succeeded,” he added.
In Beverly, City Council President Paul Guanci said he wasn’t aware that the MBTA planned to install six poles in the city, but he said he has concerns.
“Seventy-four feet is pretty tall,” he said. “It’s sounds like something that would negatively impact people, so we’ll need to take a look at it.”
Ipswich Town Manager Robin Crosbie said the MBTA has a track record of not keeping local governments appraised of its projects and initiatives.
She cited a lack of notice about reductions to weekend commuter rail service beginning this summer.
“The lack of communication is troubling,” she said. “The MBTA seems to feel that they operate in a vacuum and don’t need to reach out to communities and the public.”
Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhi.com.