MassDOT: Public Comment Period for Capital Investment Plan

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BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing the public comment period for the proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2029 five-year Capital Investment Plan (CIP) will be held from Thursday, June 20, through Wednesday, July 10, 2024.

This five-year plan includes approximately $16.5 billion in planned transportation investments. The CIP guides how the Healey-Driscoll administration prioritizes and funds local and statewide transportation projects and determines funding for infrastructure, including railroad and transit projects, accessibility upgrades, roadway and bridge improvements, municipal projects, and investments for Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs). The plan describes both projects and programs for improving transportation throughout Massachusetts, including local aid grant programs which support municipal transportation infrastructure needs.

Included in the CIP is more than $800 million for the MBTA over five years, including funding for Red and Orange Line vehicles, South Coast Rail, and bi-level commuter rail coaches.

"It is important to review and comment on the proposed five-year Capital Investment Plan.  This is how we know if we are missing any projects important to community members," said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt.  "The CIP details the projects and programs MassDOT will fund over the next five years, and we rely on input from our residents, advocates, and the business community to guide our investments to improve roads, bridges, pedestrian and bicycle paths and for other important upgrades to our transportation system."

In addition to support for the MBTA, the CIP includes: 

  • $772 million for the Cape Cod Bridges Program. 
  • $370 million for the I-195 to Route 18 interchange rehabilitation in New Bedford. 
  • $303 million for the ongoing I-90/I-495 interchange improvements in Hopkinton and Westborough. 
  • $256 million to support the Rourke Bridge replacement in Lowell.   
  • $122 million to advance West-East Rail, including track improvements between Springfield and Worcester; planning and design for a future Palmer Station; Pittsfield track capacity improvements; preliminary engineering and environmental work for the Springfield area track reconfiguration; and planning for additional train service connecting Boston and Albany, New York 
  • $56 million to reconstruct approximately three miles of Route 20 in Charlton and Oxford, for enhanced safety and multimodal accommodations and to rehabilitate bridges in the area.  
  • $51 million to improve mobility, connectivity, and safety along and across Route 79 and Davol Street in Fall River.

Input on the proposed CIP from the members of the public will be used to help inform the future designs of statewide projects as well as transportation capital investment decisions. Additionally, public comments allow MassDOT to understand the level of community support for projects in the draft CIP. There are several ways to provide feedback on the plan:   

  • Send comments by email to: MASSCIP@state.ma.us.  
  • Explore projects and provide comments online using the CIP Comment Tool: https://gis.massdot.state.ma.us/dataviewers/projectviewer/ 
  • Mail comments in writing: Manager of Capital Planning, MassDOT Office of Transportation, 10 Park Plaza, Suite 4150, Boston, MA 02116.  
  • Participate in one or more of the six regional CIP informational public meetings listed below. Register in advance of the meeting at www.mass.gov/CIP.  While each meeting presentation will primarily highlight investments in a specific region, the public is welcome to comment on any aspect of the CIP.
    • Western Massachusetts Region: June 24, 4 p.m., virtual meeting. 
    • Southeastern Massachusetts Region: June 24, 6 p.m., virtual meeting. 
    • Central Massachusetts Region: June 26, 6 p.m., virtual and in-person meeting at the MassDOT District 3 Building, 499 Plantation Highway, Worcester, MA, 01605.  
    • Cape Cod and Islands Region: June 27, 4 p.m., virtual meeting.  
    • Boston Region: July 1, 6 p.m., virtual and in-person meeting at the State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA, 02166  
    • Northern Middlesex and Merrimack Valley Region: July 2, 4 p.m., virtual meeting.  

For more on MassDOT's proposed CIP, please visit:  www.mass.gov/CIP. 


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Pittsfield Panel Supports $280K Winter Maintenance Deficit

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The finance subcommittee recently OK'd a $280,000 transfer to the Department of Public Services for winter maintenance overages with the understanding that the ask may be higher when it goes to the full City Council.

The account is permitted to operate a deficit and has overspent $781,220.  At the time of the request, $501,220 was recovered and the $280,000 will address the rest, with $200,000 coming from the Fire Department and $80,000 from the building maintenance department.

It was explained that the order was about two weeks old and some of the recovered funds had to be diverted to get to the close of the fiscal year on June 30. Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales explained that it is "very, very tight."

"What we would like to do is reserve the right to come back with a new order at the next meeting, having approved this with an understanding or a comment from the committee that there is an understanding that it may come back to the full council with a different figure than the $280,000," Finance Director Matthew Kerwood said..

"It won't be dramatic but it gives us a decent enough breathing room to be able to come back with a solid number so that we're not having to then raise whatever the deficit is, if there is a deficit, on the next year's recap and add it to the next year’s tax rate."

The city has until July 15 to "clean up the books."

He explained that in looking at other departments for turnbacks in fiscal year 2024, there would be sufficient funds from other areas to fill the gap. No more than $100,000 in additional transfers is expected.

"To be clear, at home, there was also an excess deficit of about $800,000, you thought you could cover it from other accounts and you took it out and covered that, then other things came up this spring and summer so you needed that money back," Chair Earl Persip III confirmed so that the audience watching Pittsfield Community Television at home don't think the city is "robbing Peter to pay Paul."

Kerwood confirmed, adding, "Whatever came back, we would still be addressing a deficit in winter operations."

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