I have no problem with that "anonymous tip" setting things in motion (though the neighbor was absolutely a nosy asshole to do it). The problem is that "things in motion" should have immediately stopped being in motion after the RMV called the guy, and he said he wasn't in MA anymore. Okay, thanks for your time, closed case.

Yeah, that's the real problem. If there were any accountability someone would figure out how this went so far as to require media attention to resolve it. Instead, very likely nothing will change, and maybe the next person won't think to ask Reddit/the news for help.

How much can the head of the MBTA push for audits and oversight? Even that would be a massive win.

It hasn't been anywhere near a year, no. Less than half a year since it was permanently closed, rather than just under constant repairs.

That said, I'd be really curious to know your estimates for how long it should take to rebuild an entire elevator shaft in a space constrained area.

What I was told was that the existing elevator didn't use a standard counterweight system like every other elevator you know of. Instead, it used a hydraulic piston system that was fundamentally unreliable. They can't reasonably repair the hydraulic system anymore and need to gut the thing.

The elevators aren't fixed yet because it requires rebuilding the entire elevator. It isn't just repairing them - they fundamentally have to be rebuilt from scratch.

That area is the size of Kendall Square, and it's a parking lot for storing offloaded cars? Some prime /r/fuckcars material there.