BOSTON — Improvements to the rapid transit Green Line, a new commuter rail layover facility, and new locomotives are among the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority projects that will benefit from $850 million in state funding under an Interdepartmental Service Agreement approved by both the MBTA board and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation board of directors.
The MBTA board approved the agreement Thursday (Oct. 23, 2025).
The money will come from the Commonweatth Transportation Fund, which is backed by the state’s “Fair Share” tax program, and will support MBTA projects to address safety, reliability, accessibility, and sustainability and resilience.
MBTA General Manager and Interim MassDOT Secretary Phillip Eng said in a press release that the funding agreement “will provide the critical support and infrastructure needed towards delivering vital projects to better serve the public.”
The funding will go toward:
— Infrastructure work on the Green Line, including power and signal improvements, track reconfiguration, and upgrades to maintenance facilities, all needed to prepare for new Type 10 light rail vehicles on order [see “MBTA approves contract with CAF USA …,” Trains.com, Sept. 2, 2022].
— Phase 1 of the Widett Regional Rail Layover Facility, which will prepare the 24-acre site for a new layover yard, including demolition of existing structure, elevation of the site by 5 feet for flood resilience, and work in advance of the design and construction of a six-track electrified facility to support the Battery-Electric Multiple Unit trainsets ordered for use on the Fairmount line by 2028 [see “MBTA approves plan for battery-electric commuter service …,” Trains.com, July 25, 2024].
— Ongoing procurement of new commuter rail locomotives, ensuring replacement of the MBTA’s oldest locomotives.
— A new maintenance facility to store and maintain approximately 200 batter-electric buses.
“Today’s vote is a vital step in cementing the structural and operational improvements necessary to continue our efforts to transform the MBTA into a safer, more reliable transit system that our riders deserve and expect,” said MBTA Board Chair Thomas M. McGee.
