BOSTON, Mass. — In an agreement voted by both MassDOT and MBTA boards, $600 million in state funding has been approved through Gov. Healey’s proposal in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget that leverages Fair Share funding to support infrastructure investments to improve tracks, and get new subway and commuter rail cars.
The vote has established multiple programs, including the Rail Reliability Program (RRP) and the Station Accessibility and Resiliency (STAR) Program. The programs plan to address critical assets and capital needs to maintain the MBTA’s commitment to safety, service, and sustainability.
Alongside those programs, the MBTA Track Improvement Program aims to make progress to remove slow zones across every line, alongside establishing new commuter rail cars and improvements in station construction.
The full agreement includes:
- $85 million for the Track Improvement Program (TIP), which is a major track and replacement initiative to eliminate speed restrictions and bring all tracks into a five-year state of good repair.
- $148 million for new Red and Orange Line cars, which have proven essential for ensuring reliable and accessible service and increased capacity.
- $193 million for the procurement of bi-level Commuter Rail coaches to enhance capacity on the network and replace all single-level coaches.
- $95 million to advance construction projects at stations that will improve accessibility, resilience, and other needed repairs.
- $80 million to improve power and system resiliency, including the infrastructure to generate power, move transit rail cars, support key network systems such as traction power and substations, and provide facilities with energy.
“MBTA riders have already been seeing the results of increased state investment – slow zones are getting lifted, new cars are being put on the tracks, and stations are receiving upgrades,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This unprecedented agreement will allow us to dedicate even more resources to improving service across all lines and delivering the world-class transportation system that Massachusetts deserves.”
“From day one, the Healey-Driscoll Administration has made transportation infrastructure a priority, and that is why we have been able to begin rebuilding to deliver safe, more reliable, and improved services for our riders and all the communities we serve. I thank Administration and Finance and Secretary Tibbits-Nutt for their continued support,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “We remain steadfast in our dedication to addressing and tackling longstanding infrastructure needs, as demonstrated by the vote of confidence from the MassDOT and MBTA Boards. This represents a strong commitment to the needs of the public today and to how we plan and build for future generations, delivering meaningful results that ensure a balanced multimodal transportation system, improving quality of life while supporting economic vitality.”
The improvements will take place starting in the fiscal year of 2025.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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