Lawmakers call for MBTA to freeze fares, citing bridge work

Nearly a month after the MBTA finalized its latest fare hike, 30 state lawmakers are still protesting it, arguing transit prices should remain at their current rate until the state finishes major construction projects involving the Tobin Bridge over the next two years.

The bipartisan group of lawmakers from north of Boston wrote in a letter to the T’s governing board that the 5.8 percent fare hike scheduled for July 1 will be “inconvenient, imprudent, and unfair” to motorists who begin using the transit system during construction.

“The dual burden of increased commute times and increased cost of public transportation intended to provide a potential [alternative] for commuters creates a significant dilemma for residents of Northeastern Massachusetts,” the lawmakers wrote. “Fairness dictates that for the duration of the Tobin Bridge and Route 1 repair project, affected commuters deserve relief rather than increased burdens.”