All-Important MBTA Bridge Revamp Advances with PLA Signing
A $1.2 billion project to replace a Depression-era drawbridge in the heart of Boston’s commuter rail network will be completed under the terms of a newly signed project labor agreement.
Shapiro IDs ‘Too Many Flaws’ in Failed Service Plaza Procurement
MassDOT’s failed attempt to find a new operator for 18 highway service plazas across the state was filled with flaws that “undermined the integrity” of the process, the state inspector general said in a Feb. 27 letter to interim Transportation Secretary Phil Eng.
Eng Applauds MBTA’s Post-Storm Restoration: ‘We Are Not the Same T’
The MBTA restored full service two days after a February blizzard, with General Manager Phil Eng crediting hard lessons from January’s storm.
Legislative Leader Weighs in on Rent Control
House Speaker Ron Mariano warned Wednesday against a ballot question to create rent control around the state, while Senate President Karen Spilka declined to take a position until later in the year.
Massachusetts Growth, Jobs Numbers Trailing U.S. Rates
Bay State economists are expecting to learn in April that employment growth has been slower than originally estimated across Massachusetts as they flag weaknesses in the state labor market.
Green Steel Company in Woburn to Lay Off 71 Workers
A green steel company that Gov. Maura Healey lauded amid the state’s competitive push into the climate tech sector plans to lay off dozens of workers.
New Mass. and Cass Approach Aims for ‘a Magic Sauce’
South End leaders proposed Wednesday a tougher, tightly coordinated plan to confront open drug use and homelessness at Boston’s long-troubled Mass. and Cass intersection.
Healey, Driscoll Tout Awards for Five Residential Conversions
About 340 new housing units will be created in Boston, Fitchburg, New Bedford, Pittsfield and Worcester through the transformation of former commercial properties, the governor said.
MBTA Gains Riding on State Aid, and Volatile Revenues
The surge in state dollars that fueled the MBTA’s recovery leaves the it more reliant than ever on Beacon Hill to hold on to its service gains and make further improvements.
Penny’s Demise Triggers Rounding Legislation on Beacon Hill
There are an estimated 114 billion U.S. one-cent coins in circulation. But with no more to be minted, businesses and state government are starting to scramble for solutions to a potential penny shortage.
Feds Winding Down ARPA-H Research Hub in Cambridge
The Trump administration is planning to wind down a health care innovation hub in Cambridge that’s brought nearly $300 million in funding to Massachusetts.
Rent Control Foes Say Grassroots Claims About Ballot Question Were ‘Misleading’
Campaign finance reports show that the organizers behind a proposed rent control ballot question relied on paid staff affiliated with supporters to collect signatures.
IG Finding ‘Plenty of Lessons’ in Highway Plaza Contract Probe
Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro told lawmakers Tuesday afternoon that Massachusetts “is fortunate that the procurement was canceled.”
South Station Commuter Rail Fare Gates Out of Service
A little more than a month after they first went into use, the fare gates at South Station are now covered with tarps and shrink wrap.
Top Dem: Senate Ready to Make Run at ‘Bold’ Housing Policies
Senators are mulling over potential zoning and permitting reforms to incorporate into housing legislation this session.
New Convention Chief Rekindles Expansion Conversation
Seventy-two hours into the job, John Barros was already reopening doors that have been jammed shut for years.
MBTA’s New Red Line Cars Hit By Factory Furloughs
The manufacturer under contract to build the MBTA’s new Red Line fleet will furlough nearly half its workforce in Massachusetts this spring as subway car shells from China remain detained at U.S. ports.
Healey Reelection Launch Puts Housing, MBTA Front and Center
The governor’s pursuit of a second term, with Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll on board once again, comes “with a commitment to improve the lives of all Massachusetts families, lower costs, and stand up to the Trump Administration’s harms,” Healey’s campaign said.
Senate Snubs Boston Tax Shift Proposal
In the showdown over local property taxes, the Senate on Thursday advanced a relief bill and delivered a formal rebuke to Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s tax shift plan.
Campbell Warns 12 Towns Still Not Complying with MBTA-C Five Years On
Attorney General Andrea Campbell is preparing to “take action as appropriate” against any of the 12 towns that still have not complied with the multifamily zoning requirements of the MBTA Communities Act.
