Massport, Highway Department to help Turnpike

Following an emergency transportation summit on Monday, both agencies have agreed to consider providing money and services to the two fellow cash-strapped transportation providers.

Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen told reporters he expects the details to be finalized next week, but he envisions the Highway Department and Massport providing financial help and for Massport, for example, to assume some Turnpike services at the entrances to Logan International Airport. The airport is accessed in several directions by roll roads or cash-charging tunnels but run by the port authority.

"There's a history there of agencies making contributions for things they benefit from," Cohen said.

The T and the Turnpike are facing operating deficits after piling up bond debt, in the Turnpike's case after it was saddled with paying the state's share of the $14.625 billion Big Dig.

At the same time, Gov. Deval Patrick has expressed exasperation with an array of transportation entities that operate in separate fiefdoms and, at time, at cross purposes. Last year, for example, the T proposed commuter fare hikes while others clamored to eliminate Turnpike tolls.

Patrick argued that public transportation should be lowering costs to encourage people to leave their cars behind, but in the end, both agencies ended up raising fees. The Turnpike is now considering another toll hike in January.

Cohen has been working to achieve cost savings across the state's transportation agencies, but Turnpike board members now say a toll hike is almost inevitable.

"Tolls and fares continue to be the last resort as we think about what we need to do to keep the Turnpike and the T in good financial condition," the secretary said.

He also said that record-high gas prices, as well as service delays on the T and the specter of higher tolls on the Turnpike, may help create the public--and legislative--appetite for consolidation. Members of the House and Senate have been reluctant to tinker with agencies that have proved to be patronage havens.

"I think that the public is clearer about the problems we face with the way in which we are structured, and I think that the transportation issues and the conditions of our infrastructure is more apparent to people," he said.

Cohen spoke after the leaders of the agency had left the meeting.

In a statement, a spokesman for MBTA General Manager Daniel Grabauskas said: "The general manager looks forward to a robust discussion of cost-saving concepts and areas for potential efficiencies."

A Massport spokesman deferred all comment to Cohen on the issue.