The above image depicts the main entrance of the South train station.

Planning in the Face of Uncertainty

Infrastructure improvements we make today must serve the needs of future MBTA riders. The Focus40 process considers what the world will be like in 2040. While we can make educated guesses about the future – and actively work to influence certain mechanisms for change – we can never be certain about what the future may hold.

The speed and adoption of technology, the impact of climate change, municipal land use policies, demographic shifts, and mobility preferences are largely out of the MBTA’s control. To better plan for 2040, we have looked at multiple potential scenarios of how these driving forces take shape. The best investment strategies will meet our goals across multiple future scenarios.

Click on the images below to learn more about Focus40's scenario planning process.