The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Caddigan Yard hosted Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito and the state Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack as work commenced on the second phase of Red Line winter resiliency upgrades.
The officials were joined by MBTA's General Manager Brian Shortsleeve and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Gonneville, along with by Braintree Mayor Joseph Sullivan, who was appointed to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) new Board of Directors.
The MBTA’s Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) is continuing its efforts to make improvement reforms to service, accountability and reliability.
“The MBTA continues to improve its infrastructure and strengthen its ability to perform for riders during severe weather by investing in the core system,” stated Governor Baker. “This resiliency work and the Fiscal and Management Control Board’s efforts to deliver meaningful reforms, transparency and cost-effectiveness, will ultimately mean a more accountable and reliable transit system for the Commonwealth’s commuters and taxpayers.”
Upgrades will take place along 9.9 miles of the Red Line’s Braintree and Ashmont Lines, and will include the replacement of all third rail and heating systems, track and tie renewals, signals, track structure and conduit installations. The FMCB awarded the $18.5 million resiliency contract to Barletta Heavy Division, Inc.
“The MBTA’s goals continue to be the safety of our passengers and the ability to provide reliable service to those customers, especially during severe weather,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Pollack. “The next phase of winter resiliency work reflects the type of investments we are making, and that need to be made, in order to improve the system in the short and long term.”
The $83 million MBTA Winter Resiliency Plan is focused on infrastructure, equipment and operations improvements on the Red and Orange Lines to mitigate system disruptions to public transit during severe weather. The first phase was implemented last year and included third rail and rail heater improvements along 13.6 miles of the Red Line from the Andrew Station portal to Quincy Adams. The second phase, which began this summer and will continue through December, completes the improvements along the entire length of the Red Line.
“This work is key to keeping the system operating no matter what challenges Mother Nature throws at us. In addition, investments have already been made to secure specialized snow removal equipment to increase our snow removal capacity and ensure passenger vehicles operate on schedule,” Shortsleeve said.
The FMCB was appointed in 2015 to oversee the system’s operations and finances. The State increased assistance payments to the MBTA's operating and capital budgets to $187 million, a 50 percent increase over Fiscal Year 2015.