Three weeks ago, in a span of 48 hours, the future vision for transportation in Massachusetts changed dramatically.

When the Supreme Judicial Court ruled the “Millionaire’s Amendment” to be unconstitutional, it ended a three-year period where this proposal dominated the policy debate, planning and discussions about transportation on Beacon Hill and throughout the advocacy community. A day later, the state legislature averted a ballot question on cutting the sales tax. This maintains the status quo for transportation finance in Massachusetts, for the near future. Unfortunately, our transportation network needs additional investment and public resources, but we lack a clear plan on how to meet these needs. So what is next for the future of transportation?

MassDOT and the MBTA recently approved their five-year capital infrastructure plans, and they deserve credit for prioritizing the maintenance of the MBTA infrastructure. Gov. Charlie Baker recently described his transportation vision for the MBTA as “making the thing work.” We all share that goal, but it we need to make the system work both today and under the conditions we expect in the future. We need to continue to strengthen the management and output capacity of the MBTA. In conjunction with these efforts, we also need more funding to properly maintain our current infrastructure, and we need additional funding to undertake targeted expansion projects that are essential to support projected economic and population growth, as well as environmental objectives. This assessment has been well documented through Blue-ribbon commission reports, by stakeholders and from the eye-tests from commuters and residents of Massachusetts.

Time is a key factor for our transportation plans. A few years ago, the Baker administration designed a budget plan to address the MBTA’s state of good repair maintenance backlog over 25 years. Two years later the administration agreed to accelerate this goal of a state of good repair system within 15 years. While there was not a funding plan that would accomplish this plan in almost half the time, we can all appreciate the mission of a reliable, efficient MBTA system, as soon as possible. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and major infrastructure projects take time, but we all need to debate whether a 15-year plan reasonable and if funding is available that can even support that scheduled pace.

Building for the Future

We are not properly building for the future. The only significant expansion project that is funded is the Green Line Extension plan, a project that former Gov. Mitt Romney signed as a legal commitment of the commonwealth in 2006. We needed new MBTA Red and Orange line vehicles decades ago, but the contract to acquire these new vehicles was executed in 2014, after a procurement process that took several years. It will take until 2022 for us to benefit from a completely new Orange Line fleet, and 2025 for the full new Red Line vehicles. These projects that were started years ago, are the heart of today’s five-year capital budget.

The next expansion projects need to be started because our economy is rapidly growing and housing costs continue to push workers further away from job centers. Meanwhile, our roads and highways are among the most congested in the nation. Major new transportation investments that can help address these challenges are not being moved forward, because of a short-term vision, which is a result of an underfunded transportation system.

Imagine metropolitan Boston today if we did not advance the Central Artery Tunnel project, the opening of the Southwest Corridor of the Orange Line in 1987, the lengthening of the platforms and trainset for the Blue Line, the extension of the Red Line to Alewife, and the Silver Line tunnel from South Station to the Seaport. Transformational transportation projects have short term costs, but can deliver long-term benefits.

On the same day as the court ruling to cancel the Millionaire’s Amendment, the state released an updated assessment on the North-South Rail Link project. The timing of these two events is actually quite appropriate. The North-South Rail Link is a bold vision for the future of transportation and land use in the entire northeast region. Yet it is always been connected to additional transportation revenue.

We need a transportation vision that thinks in bold terms and is fitting for this great city and commonwealth and the projected needs of the people who want to live here. We also need additional funding to support unfunded projects like the 1-90 Allston Interchange and West Station project, advanced rapid transit signals for the MBTA lines, the Blue Line to Lynn, new South Coast Rail, a true Bus Rapid Transit system and an improved commuter rail system that includes urban-rail service with electric vehicles that can better serve Allston, Kendal Square, Malden and neighborhoods along the Fairmount Line, as well as a Silver Line tunnel that can improve access to the South Boston Waterfront from the Green and Orange Line and the South End and Roxbury. These projects and others will not move forward without an increase in transportation revenue.

A comprehensive transportation finance plan that meets the near and long-term needs is essential and long overdue. We have needed this for years. Since the millionaire’s amendment is not going to provide these funds, a new plan must be developed by the business community, transportation and environmental advocates, and elected officials by early 2019. The focus should be on gasoline taxes, tolls, carbon fees, congestion pricing and other user-fees, but all ideas should be heard. Let’s have this conversation, agree we need to find common ground and deliver on the kind of transportation vision we know we need.

Rick Dimino is the president and CEO of A Better City.