MassDOT unveils five-year capital investment plan, OKs MBTA rail contract

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will host six meetings across the state later this month and in early February to solicit public comments on the first draft of its five-year, $12.4 billion capital investment plan.

The plan calls for investments in MassDOT highway, municipal, regional airport, rail and transit projects, including those involving the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Association (MBTA) and Regional Transit Authorities for fiscal years 2014-18, MassDOT officials announced Friday on the agency's blog.

The plan would include $1.3 billion to complete the Green Line extension; $835 million to begin the $1.3 billion replacement program of 43-year-old Red Line vehicles and 31-year-old Orange Line vehicles, as well as improvements to track, signals and systems; $254 million for South Coast Rail; $34 million for the Housatonic Railroad, including rehabilitation of tunnels, track and signals in advance of eventual rail-line acquisition; and $31 million to restore permanent seasonal Cape Flyer service to Cape Cod.

"This five-year plan will invest in critical projects … and reflects the governor's priorities in mobility, equity, environmental stewardship and economic development," said MassDOT Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Richard Davey in the blog.

The public meetings will be held Jan. 29 and Feb. 3, 5 and 10.

Meanwhile, MassDOT's board has approved MBTA's new eight-year contract with Keolis Commuter Services, which will take over operations of the commuter railroad starting on July 1, according to an MBTA press release.

The contract will include four option years. Unlike the existing contract, it contains no incentive payments. If performance standards are not met, the contract calls for financial disincentives on Keolis, MBTA officials said.

The new contract also puts additional emphasis on vehicle and station cleanliness, and passenger comfort, they said.

Keolis' 12-year price of $4.26 billion is lower than current operator Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail Co.'s price of $4.51 billion, MBTA officials said. The total price variance is $254 million over the new contract's term, they added.