MBTA's Eng appointed MassDOT interim transportation secretary

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey yesterday appointed Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) General Manager Phillip Eng interim secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). 

Effective yesterday, Monica Tibbits-Nutt stepped down as secretary and CEO of MassDOT to return to private industry. She has agreed to continue to serve the department as an advisor through Dec. 31, MassDOT officials said in a press release.

Eng will serve as both interim MassDOT secretary and MBTA's general manager. MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver has also been promoted to undersecretary of transportation. He will remain in his role as highway administrator while taking on additional responsibilities.

Under Tibbits-Nutt, MassDOT made significant progress on infrastructure investments, such as the Cape Cod Bridges, West-East Rail and the Sumner Tunnel restoration, department officials said.

Eng brings decades of transportation leadership experience to the MassDOT role. He previously served as chief operating officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, president of MTA Long Island Rail Road and interim president of MTA New York City Transit.

Eng was appointed MBTA's general manager in March 2023. Since then, the authority has eliminated all subway speed restrictions for the first time in over 20 years, opened South Coast Rail and brought on new modern rail cars on the Orange and Red Lines, among other achievements.

"I look forward to taking on this interim role ... and working even more closely with Undersecretary Gulliver and their great team to deliver the world-class transportation system that the people of Massachusetts and our visitors deserve," said Eng.