Public comment is being accepted until June 10 on the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s draft five-year Capital Investment Plan for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, which proposes investing $20.5 billion into transportation projects that would support a series of bridges and roads in Franklin and Hampshire counties.
Each year, MassDOT updates its Capital Investment Plan to map out transportation projects and spending over the course of five fiscal years. According to the draft plan, this includes spending on roadways, bridges, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, rail, transit, airports, Registry of Motor Vehicle capital needs and more.
This five-year Capital Investment Plan draft is accepting comments from residents until Wednesday, June 10. Those interested in participating can email massCIP@state.ma.us, or mail their comments to the MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning, Attn: Manager of Capital Planning, 10 Park Plaza, Room 4150, Boston, MA 02116.
The draft plan features 1,500 individual projects and investment line items from various funding sources, such as Complete Streets and the Unpaved Roads Grant Program. The largest portion is $8.19 billion from federal funds, followed by capital bonding and state funds at $5.21 billion.
This investment plan includes a transfer of $4 billion that comes from revenue from the Fair Share Amendment, a 4% tax on those who earn an annual income over $1 million, to the Commonwealth Transportation Fund, supporting expanded bond capacity. This “historic support for transportation,” the draft states, is reflected in $800 million for bridge replacements and investments, $1.2 billion for Chapter 90 and other municipal programs, and $400 million in pavement and roadway improvements — three spending areas that stand to support the Pioneer Valley in the years to come.
MassDOT hosted a public hearing about the investment plan for Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden and Berkshire counties on Tuesday. Representatives gave an overview of what the plan is for, how it’s developed with local planning support and what western Massachusetts projects are included in the Capital Investment Plan.
Included in this hearing were the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG), the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, each of whom coordinate with MassDOT to develop its Capital Investment Plan.
Speaking to its own five-year Transportation Improvement Program that was approved at the end of May was FRCOG’s Transportation Program Manager Beth Giannini, who shared that FRCOG is “happy to support” MassDOT’s Capital Investment Plan for the Chapter 90 spending, “which is very important to our towns in our region.” Giannini also noted FRCOG’s support for $96 million in funding for the new Community Culvert Grant Program, and the attention to passenger rail improvements.
During the presentation, some of the larger-scale projects in the five-year Capital Improvement Plan for Franklin County include $41 million for the Route 10 bridge over Fall River and replacement of a bridge deck over Interstate 91 in Bernardston; $10 million for the reconstruction of East Main Street in Orange; and $23 million for Buckland reconstruction and cyclist accommodations on Route 112.
In Hampshire County, some of the highlights include $7 million for replacing 40-foot-long electric and hybrid buses operated by the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) and $2 million for route safety improvements to Mountain View School in Easthampton.
Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, D-Northampton, and state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, both expressed appreciation for the investments in Hampshire and Franklin counties.
“It’s been really rewarding to be able to tell communities that there is hope that some bridges will reopen, and that work that they’ve been waiting for will be completed, and the state is really trying to prioritize that,” Sabadosa said.
One question Sabadosa asked related to rail improvements for both Northampton and Greenfield, and if there is additional information on what those upgrades will look like. Andrew Koziol, the west-east rail director at MassDOT, explained that the intention is to start looking at lengthening platforms at the Greenfield and Northampton stations, but the current plans are just for continued maintenance of the tracks.
Comerford shared her appreciation for MassDOT’s work, mentioning the partnership on the ongoing Schell Bridge reconstruction project in Northfield, while bringing attention to the local interest for Northern Tier Passenger Rail. Comerford also voiced support for inclusion of the maintenance and preservation of bridges in Winchendon and Royalston over the Millers River that is included in MassDOT’s Capital Investment Plan.
The draft Capital Investment Plan can be viewed at tinyurl.com/5bbuk4d5.
