MassDOT Launches Comment Period for FY26-FY30 Capital Investment Plan

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BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing that the public comment period for the proposed Fiscal Year 2026-Fiscal Year 2030 five-year Capital Investment Plan (CIP) will be held from Friday, May 23, through Thursday, June 12. This five-year plan includes approximately $18.6 billion in planned transportation investments.  
 
The CIP reflects 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 proposed CIP is more than $1 billion for the MBTA over five years, including funding for Red Line and Orange Line vehicles,  bi-level commuter rail coaches, power system upgrades, and other investments.
 
"As we continue our mission to improve transportation for everyone who lives in or visits Massachusetts, it’s critical that our five-year Capital Investment Plan reflects the real priorities of our communities," said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. "That’s why we’re calling on residents, local leaders, business owners, advocates, and anyone with insight to participate in the public comment period. You know your communities best, and your input will help ensure this plan funds the projects that matter most — from roads and bridges to railways, bike paths, and sidewalks. Public engagement is essential to building a transportation system that truly serves us all."      
 
In addition to more than $1 billion for the MBTA, the CIP includes: 
  • $1.07 billion for the Cape Cod Bridges Program.
  • $1 billion for the Chapter 90 Program. 
  • $424 million for the I-90 Allston Multimodal project.  
  • $321 million for the I-195 to Route 18 interchange rehabilitation in New Bedford. 
  • $204 million for the ongoing I-90/I-495 interchange improvements in Hopkinton and Westborough. 
  • $198 million to replace the Kernwood Avenue Bridge over the Danvers River and the Hall-Whitaker Drawbridge in Beverly and Salem. 
  • $254 million to support the Rourke Bridge replacement in Lowell.   
  • $157 million to replace the I-391 Bridge over Chicopee Street in Chicopee. 
  • $148 million to advance projects that support West-East Rail. 
  • Funding for bicycle and pedestrian investments throughout Massachusetts, such as $42 million for Lawrence-Manchester rail trail construction in Lawrence.  
  • Funding for local roadways and bridges, such as $11 million for the reconstruction of North Road and Damon Pond Road in Chesterfield. 
  • Investments in Massachusetts’ public use airports, such as $15 million for runway reconstruction for the Beverly Regional Airport.  
 
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. 
    • Cape Cod and Islands Region: May 28, 2025, 4 p.m., virtual.   
    • Boston Region: May 29, 2025, 6 p.m., virtual. 
    • Central Massachusetts Region: June 2, 2025, 4 p.m., virtual. 
    • Western Massachusetts Region: June 3, 2025, 4 p.m., virtual.  
    • Old Colony and Southeastern Massachusetts: June 5, 2025, 6 p.m., virtual.  
    • Northern Middlesex and Merrimack Valley Region: June 9, 2025, 6 p.m., virtual.  

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Dalton Police Facility Report Complete; Station Future Still Uncertain

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee's final report is complete but the future of the station remains uncertain. 
 
Several members of the committee attended the Select Board meeting last week, as co-Chair Craig Wilbur presented four options delineated in the presentation — build on town-owned land, build on private land, renovate or repurpose the existing buildings, and do nothing. The full report can be found here
 
According to the report, addressing the station's needs coincides with the town facing significant financial challenges, with rising fixed costs and declining state aid straining its budget. 
 
These financial pressures restrict the town's ability to fund major capital projects and a new police station has to compete with a backlog of deferred infrastructure needs like water, sewer, roads, and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.
 
In June 2024, Police Chief Deanna Strout informed the board of the station's dire condition — including issues with plumbing, mold, ventilation, mice, water damage, heating, and damaged cells — prompting the board to take action on two fronts. 
 
The board set aside American Rescue Plan Act funds to address the immediately dire issues, including the ventilation, and established the Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee to navigate long-term options
 
Very early on it was determined that the current facility is not adequate enough to meet the needs of a 21st-century Police Facility. This determination was backed up following a space needs assessment by Jacunski Humes Architects LLC
 
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