The
report, overseen by former John Hancock CEO David D'Alessandro,
concludes that the MBTA masked massive debt and left 57 "urgent" safety
projects unfunded, the total cost of which would be $543 million.

Among
the safety issues highlighted is a water leak between the Harvard and
Alewife T stations along the Red Line, which includes Somerville's only
T stop in Davis Square.

"The Alewife/Harvard Project has been
proposed and unfunded for three straight years as conditions worsen,"
the report states. "In addition to the potential of derailment, if the
situation exacerbates, speed along that portion of the Red Line could
slow to 10 mph. This will have a residual service impact with delays
along the entire Red Line."

D'Allessandro told WTKK-FM after the
report's release he would not ride along that portion of the Red Line,
although he backed away from the statement in later interviews. Gov.
Patrick has since sent inspectors to the area to monitor the situation.

Among
the report's recommendations is that expansion of MBTA service take a
back seat to improving the safety of the existing system, stating "(it)
makes little sense to continue expanding the system when the MBTA
cannot maintain the existing one."

Asked whether this could have
implications for the Green Line extension project into Somerville,
legally mandated by the federal government as a way to offset pollution
from the Big Dig project in Boston, Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone said
any attempt at delaying the project further would see a quick response
from the city.

"There are no questions, there is no discretion,"
Curtatone said of the federal mandate. "If [the MBTA] does delay or
tries to play games, we will sue them and we will win."

Curtatone
said he had not had any discussions with the MBTA about the safety
issues addressed in the report relating to the Davis Square Red Line
station.

"I was disappointed but not shocked," Curtatone said of
the report's findings. "You had years of deferred maintenance
liabilities, and the problems compound over time."

"If we want
a 21st century economy, we will need a 21st century infrastructure," he
added. "The T and the transit system in this commonwealth are grossly
underfunded … and the buck is just being passed around."

Wig
Zamore, a member of the MBTA Rider Oversight Committee and Somerville
Transportation Equity Partnership added that the state stands to lose
five times the amount of money it would spend on building the Green
Line if the project were delayed beyond the mandated 2014 completion
date.

"I think D'Alessandro did a good report (but) the report
didn't really look at the regulatory context," Zamore said. "The
federal regulations require that the state has to be proceeding on
schedule."

As to the safety of the Red Line between Harvard and
Alewife, Zamore said the possibility of a derailment along the Red Line
needs to be put in context.

"The truth is all users of
transportation in Massachusetts are at some risk," he said, noting the
state ranks 46th in the country in the amount spent on bridge repair.
"I think (the report) is correct that there are a number of scary
situations, but the only solution is to roll up our sleeves."

Meanwhile, Somerville resident Andrea Lenco rides the Red Line to and from Davis Square as many as four times a day.

"That's
[expletive]," Lenco said after being told of the safety issues as she
was waiting for an inbound train. "Honestly, I don't know if it's going
to keep me from riding this route. I'd rather be on the T than a bus
that doesn't come for 45 minutes."

The Massachusetts Department
of Transportation will present its latest assessment of the Green Line
extension project at Somerville High School on Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. The
D'Alessandro report is available at www.mbtareview.com.