Potholes are popping up everywhere earlier than usual
An early taste of pothole season has many areas scrambling to make road repairs.
If you have something to say about the many road projects on the state’s slate, now’s the time to do so.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced that the public comment period for the proposed Fiscal Year 2026-Fiscal Year 2030 five-year Capital Investment Plan (CIP) will be held from now through Thursday, June 12.
“This five-year plan includes approximately $18.6 billion in planned transportation investments,” according to a release.
The plan outlines how the state will spend money on roadways, bridges, trains and other infrastructure, all aimed at improving transportation around the state.
What projects are on tap, and when can you state your opinions on said projects?
Here’s what to know.
How much is budgeted for the MBTA over the next five years?
There is more than $1 billion in funds slated 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,” according to a release.
What else is in the CIP?
Along with the $1 billion for the MBTA, the following funds are also included in the CIP:
- $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.
How can people give their feedback?
- 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.
When are the informational meetings?
According to the MassDOT, they include:
- 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.
For more on MassDOT’s proposed CIP, please visit: www.mass.gov/CIP.
How will public input help?
A release from the MassDOT states that, “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.”
