The 8-2 vote followed Eng’s absence from an Oct. 14 Council hearing about rapid-transit alternatives for the corridor. Three councilors voted present. The summons was sponsored by Councilor Miniard Culpepper, who represents communities along Blue Hill Avenue and opposes Mayor Michelle Wu’s plan for a $163 million center-running bus lane.

Culpepper said residents of the majority-Black neighborhoods deserve a serious examination of long-term rail options, including a feasibility study of extending the Orange Line. He said Eng’s absence left questions unanswered about the state’s plans to address longstanding transportation disparities.

The proposed rail extension is an alternative to Wu’s bus-lane plan, which the mayor has continued to support despite opposition from some corridor residents and councilors. Wu has questioned the rail proposal’s cost and timeline, saying it could require years of evaluation and more than $1 billion in federal investment.

The MBTA said it was reviewing the Council’s request and remained committed to working with city officials and the community. The agency said it had notified the Council that Eng was unavailable on Oct. 14, and noted that he had attended two recent public meetings on the Blue Hill Avenue redesign. The MBTA also hosted a June meeting with Culpepper and Councilor Brian Worrell, who support studying the Orange Line option.

Wu’s office criticized the Council’s use of its summons power. Spokesperson Marcela Dwork said the city did not consider subpoenas a constructive way to work with government partners and urged councilors to pursue other approaches.

Councilor Sharon Durkan, who supports Wu’s bus-lane plan, voted against the summons, as did Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata. Durkan said the Council should use its rarely exercised power selectively and argued that summoning Eng was not appropriate. Councilors Liz Breadon, Culpepper, Ed Flynn, Ruthzee Louijeune, Julia Mejia, Erin Murphy, Henry Santana and Worrell voted in favor. John FitzGerald, Enrique Pepén and Ben Weber voted present.

Mejia rejected Durkan’s characterization, saying the Council had authority to compel testimony from officials involved in decisions affecting constituents’ quality of life. Culpepper described the dispute as a civil-rights issue, arguing that residents along the corridor should have a voice in decisions about their access to rapid transit.

The Boston City Charter and Council rules authorize the body to summon witnesses, with potential fines and penalties for failing to comply. The Council rarely uses the power. In 2024, it voted to subpoena a local postmaster over late mail, but the U.S. Postal Service refused to comply, disputing the Council’s authority over the federal agency.

The vote signals a split in the Council over Wu’s transportation priorities. Two mayoral allies, Louijeune and Santana, supported summoning Eng, while Culpepper has gained backing for a closer examination of the Orange Line alternative.