The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has accepted $850 million through an interdepartmental service agreement in Commonwealth Transportation Funds (CTF) to improve the safety, reliability and modernization of Boston’s transit system.
The CTF is supported by revenue from the Fair Share tax. The tax was approved by voters in 2022 and enacted in 2023 to impose a 4% surtax on income over $1 million. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation approved the agreement.
Boston’s transportation system, commonly called the T, includes subways, buses, commuter rail, and ferries. The new funding will develop four main capital projects:
- Arborway Electric Bus Maintenance Facility – New permanent site to service 200 zero-emission buses.
- Green Line Infrastructure Upgrades – Modernizes 100-year-old systems and stations to support new trains.
- Widett Regional Rail Layover Facility (Phase 1) – Prepares a site for future electric rail service on the Fairmount Line.
- Locomotive Procurement – Purchases new commuter rail engines to replace the oldest in the fleet.
The plans for these multiyear projects have not yet entered the request for proposals phase, but state officials anticipate completion dates ranging from 2028 for the Widett Facility to 2029 or 2030 for other projects.
Photo by Julio Carballo from Pexels
