MassDOT: Public Comment Period for Capital Investment Plan

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. 

New Camp Is Safe Place for Children Suffering Loss to Addiction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, December 27, 2025

Last year's Happy Campers courtesy of Max Tabakin.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new camp is offering a safe place for children who have lost a parent or guardian to addiction. 

 

Director Gayle Saks founded the nonprofit "Camp Happy Place" last year. The first camp was held in June with 14 children.

 

Saks is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who works at the Brien Center. One of her final projects when studying was how to involve youth, and a camp came to mind. Camp had been her "happy place" growing up, and it became her dream to open her own.

 

"I keep a bucket list in my wallet, and it's right on here on this list, and I cross off things that I've accomplished," she said. "But it is the one thing on here that I knew I had to do."

 

The overnight co-ed camp is held at a summer camp in Winsted, Conn., where Saks spent her summers as a child. It is four nights and five days and completely free. Transportation is included as are many of the items needed for camping. The camp takes up to 30 children.

 

"I really don't think there's any place that exists specifically for this population. I think it's important to know, we've said this, but that it is not a therapeutic camp," Saks said.

 

She said the focus is on fun for the children, though they are able to talk to any of the volunteer and trained staff. The staff all have experience in social work, addiction and counseling, and working with children.