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Governor Maura Healey announces $1.2 billion PLA for North Station Draw 1, pledges jobs for Massachusetts residents
Summary
Governor Maura Healey said the MBTA has reached an agreement with the Greater Boston Building Trades to use a project labor agreement on the $1.2 billion North Station Draw 1 replacement, a project she said will support more than 15,000 jobs and was enabled by federal and state funding.
Governor Maura Healey announced that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has reached an agreement with the Greater Boston Building Trades to use a project labor agreement (PLA) on the North Station Draw 1 railroad-bridge replacement, a project she said is funded at roughly $1.2 billion and will support more than 15,000 jobs.
"Here's the news. The T has reached an agreement with the Greater Boston Building Trades to have a project labor agreement on North Station Draw 1," Healey said, describing the drawbridge as the corridor connection that carries about 1,100 trains and 80,000 passengers a day.
Why it matters: Healey and labor leaders framed the PLA as a tool to ensure the project is delivered on time, under budget and with skilled workers on site. Healey said the administration has been able to secure substantial federal support and cited a combination of federal and state funds for the project. "It's $1,200,000,000 and it's over 15,000 great jobs," she said.
Healey said she has directed that all state construction projects over $35,000,000 be reviewed for a PLA. "I have mandated that all state construction projects over $35,000,000 get looked at for a PLA," she said, and credited registered apprenticeship programs and union training for producing the skilled workforce PLAs rely on.
Phil Ng, introduced by the governor as the MBTA general manager and interim secretary of transportation, described the replacement work as complex and essential for maintaining rail service during construction. He said federal grant dollars — which he described as about $472,000,000 of the overall funding package — plus state money make the work possible and that the plan includes adding capacity through the corridor.
Frank Callahan, president of the State Building Trades Unions, cited other PLA projects — including the Holyoke Veterans Home and UMass Boston work — as evidence that PLAs can meet scheduling, budget and local-hiring goals. "When this project is done, we wanna... celebrate a quality project for a world class city and a world class state deserves a world class product," Callahan said.
Shaton Green, business agent for the Boston Building Trades Unions, emphasized apprenticeship pathways, women in construction and local economic ripple effects from good wages and benefits. Green said PLAs create career ladders and community benefits beyond the construction site.
What was not decided here: officials announced the PLA agreement and public funding package and described next steps, but they did not lay out a final contract award timeline or a detailed procurement vote on the record at this event. Healey and MBTA officials said the agreement is in place and thanked partners; the administration invited legislative chairs to join the announcement and said questions would be taken after the remarks.
Next steps: Healey and MBTA leaders said work on planning and implementation will proceed with building-trades partners and that further procurement and scheduling details will be handled through MBTA and project managers in the months ahead. The administration encouraged use of apprenticeship programs and local-hire arrangements tied to the PLA.
