Healey unveils $8 billion, 10-year transportation plan to stabilize MBTA and state system

Governor Maura Healey announced an $8 billion, 10-year transportation investment plan intended to stabilize the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and strengthen roads and bridges across the Commonwealth during an event at the Boston Engine Terminal in Somerville.

The proposal, which Healey said would not require new taxes, is intended to raise capital for MBTA modernization and statewide transportation needs while increasing operating support for transit agencies. "We're not gonna raise any taxes to do it," Healey said, adding the plan uses existing funding and leveraged capital to deliver the program.

The package builds on items in the House 1 budget and on prior investments. Secretary of Transportation Monica Tibbetts-Nutt said House 1 proposes roughly $3.2 billion in transportation funding and that the administration is dedicating specific sums to MBTA priorities and statewide mobility programs. "This budget dedicates $1,400,000,000 towards critical investments," Tibbetts-Nutt said, adding the proposal also includes funds for red- and orange-line car replacements, station accessibility and resilience upgrades, and track and power system improvements.

Details discussed at the event include:

- A stated $8,000,000,000 total investment over 10 years for transportation statewide, to be used for MBTA stabilization, commuter-rail and regional transit authorities, roads and bridges.

- House 1 figures mentioned by the secretary: $3,200,000,000 in transportation funding in the House 1 budget; $1,400,000,000 earmarked for critical capital investments; $67,000,000 for the MBTA income-eligible reduced fare program; $13,000,000 for Sumner Tunnel mitigation; $10,000,000 for micro-transit and last-mile innovation grants.

- Chapter 90 reforms: $1,500,000,000 over five years for road and bridge asset management and related rural and culvert repairs, and more than $600,000,000 for MassDOT operations to maintain roads, bridges and transit systems.

MBTA General Manager Philip Ng described operational results the administration cites as justification for the request, including expanded service and improved ridership. He said the MBTA operating budget will be significantly higher in fiscal 2026 — cited as $687,000,000 — and noted continued purchases of rolling stock. "This investment from the Healy Driscoll administration will help us to keep modernizing," Ng said. He added that all 83 coaches from an original order of bilevel commuter-rail cars have been delivered and that new red- and orange-line cars are in production.

Ng and Tibbetts-Nutt highlighted access and affordability elements of the program. The MBTA's first systemwide, low-income fare discount was presented as an expansion across modes, with the administration reporting about 21,000 applicants approved and enrolled so far. The MBTA Go trip-planning app has been downloaded more than 67,000 times, MBTA officials said. The MBTA also plans more than 30 station accessibility upgrades and said three commuter-rail stations will receive mini-high platforms in the current month.

Officials acknowledged on-the-ground incidents and safety work. Ng described a recent minor train incident in which two trains contacted and one train rolled about three feet; he said the matter is being investigated and that, under Federal Transit Administration rules, the event is technically classified as a collision. "We're doing, as we do with any incident, a hot wash because we wanna learn from these incidents," Ng said.

Healey and other speakers credited workforce investments and hiring with improvements in on-time performance and service frequency. Officials said the administration has hired more than 1,900 employees for transit roles since taking office and noted slow zones have been reduced or eliminated on parts of the system.

Speakers framed the proposal as dependent on leveraging expected federal grants and the state's ability to borrow against committed funding streams. When asked about federal partnership and the risk of grants not arriving, Healey said the administration expects federal funds to be available and would continue to monitor obligations. "We're gonna continue to hope that the monies that have been already obligated are delivered to the state," she said.

What happened next: officials said they will travel the state to highlight the investments and work with municipalities on local projects. No formal vote or binding adoption of the $8 billion plan occurred at the event; the package was presented as the administration's proposal that will be reflected in budget deliberations and capital planning.

The announcement combined statewide and MBTA-specific commitments but did not include final appropriation language or statutory changes at the event. Several line-item figures and program descriptions were cited on the record by the governor, the secretary of transportation and MBTA general manager.