Gov. Baker evaluates MBTA infrastructure upgrades

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker recently visited a Keolis work site in Ashland, Mass., to review the progress on infrastructure upgrades the Massachusetts Bay Transporation Authority (MBTA) is making as part of a larger effort the MBTA, its Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) and leadership are making to improve service, access, accountability and reliability for riders and taxpayers.

In Ashland and along the Framingham-Worcester Commuter Rail Line, the MBTA is replacing more than 26,000 rail ties between March and early June, to allow more efficient travel and lift speed restrictions due to heat that have been in place since the MBTA obtained the line in 2012. To date, more than 10,000 of the 26,000 ties along the line have been installed and put the project three weeks ahead of schedule.

“Riders and taxpayers deserve and depend on a cost-effective and world-class transit system that can get them to work, school or wherever they need to be in a safe and timely way,” said Gov. Baker. “Since last winter, the MBTA and its new leadership have undertaken a renewed focus on the important work of reducing costs and investing in infrastructure improvements to the core system that will ultimately mean more reliable public transit for commuters.”

The MBTA has invested more than $600 million this fiscal year for state of good repair deferred maintenance, including an $83-million winter resiliency program, system-wide station improvements and track, signal and power system upgrades and the MBTA’s Fiscal Year 2016 capital investment plan calls for more than $1.05 billion in long-term infrastructure, vehicle and station upgrades. Additionally, a $104-million effort to refurbish 86 Green Line trolley cars is underway and the MBTA has hired a new chief procurement officer to ensure timely and cost-effective investments.

“Access to reliable transportation plays a crucial role in the lives of people throughout the commonwealth and, while we still have much work to do, the Baker-Polito administration, Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the MBTA remain dedicated to the goal of improving the transit system for riders,” said MassDOT Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Pollack.

As part of the winter resiliency work, nearly 70,000 linear feet of brand new third rail between JFK/UMass Station and Quincy on the Red Line and more than 36,000 linear feet of heater element infrastructure that includes conduit, wiring and junction boxes have been installed to support the Red Line’s third rail heating systems. Along the Orange Line, more than 200,000 linear feet of new wiring for third rail heating and 5,321 linear feet of snow fencing have been installed.

“We continue to invest capital dollars to improve services for our riders, including the refurbishing of Green Line trolley cars and winter resiliency work to reduce weather impacts on the Red and Orange lines,” said MBTA General Manager Frank DePaola. “This work is essential to preserving the integrity of our vehicles and service.”