November 4, 2009 Broadside: D'Alessandro on MBTA safety Play video

(NECN) - The MBTA's financial troubles are putting riders at risk. That's the conclusion of a new report from Governor Deval Patrick's administration. It finds the cash-strapped agency has left dozens of important safety projects unfunded.

David D'Alessandro, former Chair of John Hancock wrote the report, and joins Jim Braude on Broadside to discuss it.

D'Alessandro says the agency needs new money to solve all the problems. He says, "You can not cut enough expenses out of the MBTA to take care of the gaps that are coming and do the repairs that are so necessary not just for safety, but for reliability."

D'Alessandro says he would not ride one section of the Red Line due to a water leak which could cause derailment.