The Road to Reform

Happy Holidays from MassDOT

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation, MassDOT, nears the end of its second month in an historic year for transportation with a wish for a happy holiday season for all employees, colleagues, and interested residents reading the Road to Reform each week.

The progress in building the unified transportation organization envisioned by Governor Patrick and the legislature is real. In 2010, MassDOT employees will continue to collaborate and seek new efficiencies and innovation in the effort to shape the best transportation agency in the nation. To all, a very Happy New Year.

MassDOT Interactive Map Tracks Federal Stimulus Projects

MassDOT this week debuted a new, automatically-updated interactive web-based map that allows the public to view the latest information about all federal stimulus American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) transportation projects.

The ARRA recovery project map allows the public to see ARRA projects sorted by County, Planning Region, and Congressional District in addition to the project-by-project view available on previous maps. The interactive project map also includes the latest information updated automatically about project bid advertisements, when construction begins, and amount of money spent to date.

Other examples of innovative web-based customer tools launched by MassDOT include:

• RMV Division website includes 23 online transactions and features an interactive map showing branch locations and wait times. Eight new online services have been added in the last year.
• MassDOT Developers Page launched earlier this year is the one-stop location for useful transportation data across the states. Third party developers are using MassDOT and MBTA data to create useful applications and scheduling tools for transit riders to improve customer service at no cost to the state.
• For the first time ever, Highway Division cameras, including four new feeds from the Tobin Bridge, have been merged into a single online traffic camera web page where residents and visitors can view more than 90 live traffic cameras throughout the highway system.
• Using the blog, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube, MassDOT is delivering the latest transportation news and updates directly to residents and visitors.

To view the ARRA interactive project map, visit the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Recovery and Reinvestment website.

Federal Stimulus Funds Complete Quincy Concourse Project

Governor Deval Patrick joined state and local officials in Quincy to announce the key final component of the long-awaited Quincy Center Concourse Downtown redevelopment project is moving forward with $8.1 million in federal stimulus American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds.

The Quincy Center Concourse will make improvements on Revere Road, an east-west connector road that will tie together the Quincy downtown area, long separated by a north-south rail corridor, spurring further redevelopment of downtown Quincy by separating local traffic from thru traffic.

The $8.1 million ARRA project is Phase II of the larger three-phase Quincy Concourse project and includes 1,900 feet of roadway reconstruction and realignment, along with demolition of an existing building owned by the City. It will connect on the west side with the Phase I Paul Harold Bridge that provides motorist and pedestrian access over the rail corridor. On the east side of the corridor, this Phase II project will connect with the final Phase of the overall project now under construction by the city. The completed connection will improve access and is expected to attract business investment on both sides of the rail corridor. The project is expected to be advertised in January 2010 with construction beginning in the spring.

At the Governor's direction, MassDOT will obligate all ARRA highway funds by January 31, 2010, more than a month ahead of federal deadlines. Visit the MassDOT federal stimulus Massachusetts Recovery page to learn more and view the new interactive map of all ARRA projects.

Major Worcester Road Project: Completed On Time, On Budget

Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray and MassDOT Secretary & CEO Jeff Mullan joined state and local officials in Worcester this week to celebrate completion of the $346 million reconstruction of Route 146 from I-290 in Worcester to Route 122A in Worcester and Millbury.

The reconstruction of four miles of Route 146 covered 13 years of construction and 10 major construction contracts awarded by the former MassHighway totaling approximately $300 million, along with the $46.5 million former Massachusetts Turnpike Authority project to build the new I-90 interchange Exit 10A. Even given the magnitude of the project, it was completed on time and within the original budget.

The project relocated, widened and divided more than four miles of Route 146 from I-290 in Worcester to Route 122A in Millbury. The project included reconstruction of the Route 146 interchange with I-290 in Worcester, Brosnihan Square, and three new Route 146 interchanges at Route 122A, I-90/Route 20, and McKeon Road/Providence Street in Worcester.

The Route 146 project began in the 1980's with planning, environmental permitting and preliminary design. The first construction project began in early 1995. With the completion of the final part of the project, Brosnihan Square, in total the project was in construction for 13 years. Check MassDOT Highway Division project information here.

Winter Driving Tips

More than 4,000 MassDOT snow and ice crews successfully cleared state roadways following last weekend's first major winter storm. If you must travel during winter weather, please read MassDOT's winter driving tips are available here.

Prior to departure, residents and visitors are encourage to check out our online traffic cameras for live conditions on major roadways.

MassDOT will post messages regarding storm events on variable message boards along the highway and on MassDOT's twitter page.

MassDOT Board 2010 Public Meeting Schedule

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board of Directors holds its first public business meeting of 2010 on Wednesday, January 6, in the MBTA Board Room, Boston. During 2010, meetings will be held in Springfield, Lowell, and Brockton, along with Boston. All meetings are open to the public.

The meeting schedule is available on the MassDOT website.