The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Board of Directors has approved the receipt of 850 million USD in funding from the Commonwealth Transportation Fund (CTF) through an Interdepartmental Service Agreement (ISA) with MassDOT.
The funding, approved by the MassDOT Board last week, was proposed by Governor Maura Healey and supported by the state Legislature.
The allocation is intended to improve safety and reliability across the MBTA network, including bus, commuter rail, and light rail services.
A significant part of the funding will support the new Arborway Battery Electric Bus Maintenance Facility. The facility will replace a temporary bus depot with a permanent site capable of storing and maintaining around 200 battery electric buses (BEBs).
The project includes a 75,000-square-foot maintenance building, a 15,000-square-foot service and wash building, and an open-air yard for bus storage and charging. The facility supports Massachusetts’ 2022 Climate Law targets for zero-emission public transit.
Other major investments include:
- Green Line Infrastructure Upgrades: Modernisation of signals, track reconfiguration, and facility improvements to support new Type 10 vehicles and increase service frequency
- Widett Regional Rail Layover Facility – Phase 1: Site preparation for a six-track electrified layover facility to support Battery Electric Multiple Units (BEMUs) and the future Fairmount Line electrification
- Locomotive Procurement: Replacement of the oldest commuter rail locomotives to improve reliability and maintain service
Interim MassDOT Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said:This vote by the MBTA Board and recent vote by the MassDOT Board marks another critical step forward in delivering safe, reliable, and improved public transportation for the riders, communities, and businesses that we serve.
This $850 million agreement, made possible by the Healey-Driscoll Administration and Fair Share revenue, will provide the critical support and infrastructure needed towards delivering vital projects to better serve the public. We are committed to ensuring we deliver meaningful projects on time and on budget, ensuring safety, improving accessibility and reliability, and delivering a mass transit system for generations to come.
