MassDOT slates meetings on capital investment plan

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has scheduled a series of meetings to solicit public input on a proposed five-year, multibillion-dollar capital investment plan for long-term projects including for rail and transit.

The meetings will begin April 25 in Fitchburg, Mass., and run throughout May in various locations across the state.

The 2017-2021 capital plan includes funding for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) Green Line Extension project and completing positive train control installation on the MBTA's commuter-rail system, MassDOT officials said in a press release.

Additionally, the plan sets aside $148 million for the South Coast Rail project, with a focus on early-action construction and necessary design and permitting work. That project calls for restoring 52 miles of commuter-rail service between Boston and the Massachusetts South Coast.

The plan also includes $15 million for the continuation of the Industrial Rail Access Program, which makes investments in private-sector rail lines to increase freight-rail usage.