Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary s Report Meeting of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board Room, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, Massachusetts Wednesday, January 4, 2012 1. Opening Remarks Happy New Year to the board and staff. I am proud to report employees throughout MassDOT really got into the spirit of the holiday season. MassDOT employees participated in the annual challenge to Fill-A-Bus with toys and clothing for children in need this holiday season. The MBTA bus was crammed full of unwrapped toys and made stops to collect toys at facilities throughout the system. On Saturday, Dec. 10, I joined first ladies, Diane Patrick and Angela Menino for the annual Polar Express ride from South Station. Children from area youth charities climbed aboard to hear us read the classic holiday story, The Polar Express. The children were ecstatic to see Santa Claus and grateful for snacks provided by MBCR. During the holiday season I was able to get to the offices for Districts 3, 4, and 6, and the Everett Shops as well as the Chinatown and Attleboro RMV branches to personally thank our employees for all of their hard work and dedication this past year. I also hosted a holiday party at 10 Park Plaza for the same purpose. For 2012, I am making it a goal to get out to see more of our district offices, visit project job sites, and to see first-hand more of the hard work our employees are demonstrating each and every day. 2. MassDOT Employee Recognition Program In January we recognize a RMV group who went above and beyond the call of duty and a Highway employee whose work ethic should be emulated by others. The Court Witness Project Team is our group of employees from the RMV. As a result of a Massachusetts s Supreme Judicial Court decision in June 2011, RMV records could no longer be attested by the Registrar and be considered admissible in court proceedings in and of themselves. If prosecutors wanted to introduce RMV records into criminal court proceedings, then a witness from the RMV would have to appear in court and testify to have the records admitted. If the RMV fails to send a witness and defense counsel objects to the introduction of the records, the potential result is that individuals operating on a suspended license would possibly escape any criminal penalties for their actions. In response to the change in case law, the RMV formed the RMV Court Witness Project Team. The Project Team consisted of RMV employees from around the Commonwealth who would be able to attend court proceedings wherever they occurred. Despite challenges faced by the RMV and other business units within MassDOT to 1
maintain operations, these 19 individuals who make up the Project Team are being recognized for their willingness to take on this new initiative in order to enhance public safety. As a result of the efforts of these individuals, the Commonwealth has successfully negotiated plea agreements and the courts have imposed appropriate sentences on offenders who drive without a license and threaten the safety of the public traveling Massachusetts roadways in doing so. The 19 individuals, who went above and beyond their normal work duties to join the RMV Court Witness Project Team are: Eddie Jenkins Joanne Stanley Mary Bertin Bernard Hicks Olga Gomez Patricia Kelley Tarik Maddrey Jason Winnett Stephanie Champani Lillie Laro Donna Luiz Naomi Webb-Green Nelda Burke Jessica Cicero Betsy Jones Susan LaMountain Sharon Ridgeway Paula Skipper-Martin Kerry Walsh Kevin Cassidy is the Highway District 5 Construction Engineer. Kevin manages a program of over 100 of construction projects, the materials and survey divisions, and a staff of over 160 employees. Kevin is diligent, fair, well-reasoned, thoughtful, and extremely thorough. Through all the demands of his job, Kevin maintains an outward ease and sense of humor. Kevin always finds time to be personable and pays attention to all matters. He encourages his staff to take charge and strive for excellence. Under Kevin s leadership, the District 5 Construction Division has contributed over $1 billion toward MassDOT s Construction Spending Program during the past seven years alone. Kevin also oversaw the construction of the Veterans Memorial Bridge, which spans the Taunton River between Fall River and Somerset, which was opened to traffic this past fall. This bridge was constructed over the course of over 12 years and built in phases under four separate contracts that totaled over $300 million. The Veterans Memorial Bridge contracts were just four of hundreds of construction projects under Kevin s supervision as District 5 s Construction Engineer. Kevin is the kind of employee who serves as a role model for other Highway and MassDOT employees. 2
We begin 2012 by recognizing a great team effort by the RMV Court Witness Project Team that was instrumental in protecting public safety and by recognizing a Highway employee who has shown outstanding leadership in moving projects to completion. These employees set a high bar to be matched throughout the coming year. 3. Financial Report In anticipation of the release of the Governor's House 2 Budget Recommendation, MassDOT held three FY 2013 Budget Hearings during the month of December. The Hearings were held in Worcester, Boston, and Springfield. Despite the recovering economy and our strong record of fiscal management, the Commonwealth is facing significant budget challenges in FY 2013. For this reason, MassDOT has been asked to reduce its operating budget for FY 2013 or find additional revenues to help close the gap. To that end, we are reviewing all revenue or savings opportunities, in addition to reviewing core activities. 4. Natural Disaster Update Tropical Storm Irene As scheduled, on Dec. 15, I was happy to attend the reopening of the six-mile stretch of Route 2 that had been closed following Tropical Storm Irene in late August. The portion of Route 2 connecting North Adams, Florida, Savoy, and Charlemont in northern Berkshire and Franklin counties was closed following the significant damage caused by Irene in late August. All told, the damage amounted to approximately $23 million. I am especially appreciative of our District One staff and our contractors who were able to design, engineer, survey, and begin construction in record time. Using an expedited bidding process and in an unprecedented turnaround time, MassDOT was able to advertise contracts and begin the work in just over one month after the storm hit. A job of this scope would have ordinarily taken at a minimum at least one or two construction seasons complete. But recognizing this is an important connection for area residents, students, and tourism, we developed an innovative bidding process and were able to move aggressively on design and construction. Governor Patrick made this project a priority and I m happy to say we came through on our commitment. In early September, the Obama Administration issued a major disaster declaration 3
making Massachusetts eligible for federal disaster aid to assist with the cost of work on Route 2. Upcoming completion work along Route 2 will rebuild retaining walls, with no traffic impacts. Later on in December, we were able to announce some more good news for other areas of the Commonwealth that were also impacted by Tropical Storm Irene. On Dec. 22, I announced that several communities in Berkshire, Bristol, and Franklin Counties will benefit from a Federal Highway Administration grant awarded to MassDOT to cover emergency highway repairs in the wake of damage in August caused by Tropical Storm Irene. The $4.65 million FHWA grant award funds emergency repairs made to restore the flow of traffic as well as efforts to minimize damage and the repairs necessary to restore the roadway to its pre-disaster condition. The State of Emergency Declaration issued by Governor Deval Patrick and the efforts of the Massachusetts congressional delegation made the state eligible for funding. Primarily the funding went to Bristol, Berkshire, and Franklin counties. In early June 2011, we also experienced a tornado, for which we were recently able to disperse funds to help with costs associated with cleanup and repairs. The Patrick- Murray Administration announced the release of $14 million toward the costs for cities and towns associated with tornado damage on June 1 in Central and Western Massachusetts, including $3.9 million in MassDOT Highway Division funds to reimburse eight communities for the cost of emergency roadway repairs. MassDOT funds will pay for work completed to remove debris, rebuild roadways, and repair sidewalks and other transportation-related infrastructure. The additional $10.1 million will help pay for debris monitoring and removal operations, leasing of temporary educational facilities for students displaced as a result of the storm, emergency response activities, and facilities maintenance and repairs in the wake of the storm. The communities receiving emergency funds through the Massachusetts Department of Revenue - Division of Local Services include Agawam, Brimfield, East Longmeadow, Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District, Holland, Monson, Southbridge, Springfield, Sturbridge, West Springfield, Westfield, and Wilbraham. 5. Grants and Awards 4
FY2011 TIGER Grant for the Merrimack River Bridge Project This past month the MBTA received a federal grant totaling $10 million for the Merrimack Bridge Project. This grant will help fund the repair and reconstruction of three bridges that are critical connections from the Boston area to Haverhill and other points north. The bridges carry two railroad tracks over the Merrimack River in Haverhill and serve as an important corridor for passenger service for both the Commuter Rail and Amtrak s Downeaster train, and Pan Am freight service. This project will allow for full-weight rail cars to traverse the bridge, as well as for both freight and passenger trains to increase their speed. The general impact will be an overall improvement in travel time between Portland, Haverhill, and Boston by increasing speed and reducing operational conflicts. Additionally, the Downeaster train will be able to increase the number of roundtrips per day from five to seven. 6. Special Events Attleboro Brownfields Announcement On Dec. 16, I joined the Lieutenant Governor to announce $5.4 million in funding to support Attleboro s Downtown Redevelopment and Revitalization Project. This announcement was part of the Patrick-Murray Administration s major push to support brownfields revitalization, neighborhood stabilization, and regional transit development plans for the city s downtown area. The project will redevelop Attleboro s downtown industrial and commercial parcels into areas of mixed use that will include commercial, recreational, and residential uses. Through the work of the Brownfields Support Team, state and federal agencies have worked with the Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) and local planning officials to help facilitate brownfields cleanup in the downtown district that support the city s future redevelopment and revitalization plans, including substantial improvements to the GATRA local bus service and MBTA commuter rail parking facilities. Winter Street Bridge-Waltham On Dec. 27, I joined with Highway Administrator DePaola, Waltham Mayor Jeanette McCarthy to announce the completion of the $23 million Winter Street Bridge reconstruction project over Route 128 in Waltham. Along with the addition of three travel lanes, the project, which began in 2005, also doubled the size of the intersection at Wyman Street and increased the ease of navigating the on and off-ramps to Route 128. 5
In 2006, financial issues with the original contractor stalled the project. We persevered and MassDOT is proud of the finished job. I want to thank the board, the employees and our customers for a terrific 2011. I look forward to the year ahead and to addressing the challenges we face as well as pursuing new opportunities for improving our transportation system. 6