Reform & Renew
Governor Patrick's Transportation and Economic Security Plan
On February 20, 2009, the Patrick Administration unveiled a new vision for a comprehensive plan to radically reform and simplify the Commonwealth's transportation system, while also addressing serious fiscal challenges stemming from decades of inadequate funding and deferred maintenance.
The Governor's Transportation and Economic Security Plan proposed reforms including:
- Eliminating the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority.
- Reforming the MBTA pension system.
- Increasing institutional transparency and accountability.
- Making our transportation system more environmentally-friendly.
- Placing our transportation network on responsible, long-term footing by paying down the Big Dig debt and funding regional transportation needs.
Governor Patrick joined the House and Senate in working on groundbreaking legislation to achieve these reforms. The Governor signed the resulting transportation reform bill on June 26, 2009.
Massachusetts Transportation Reform Law
The transportation reform law signed by the Governor creates a unified transportation organization, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The law abolishes the Turnpike Authority and radically simplifies the transportation bureaucracy, delivering real cost savings by curbing out-of-scale health and pension benefits. The legislation includes the following:
Long Term Cost Savings
- Abolishes the Turnpike Authority, Outdoor Advertising Board and Massachusetts Aeronautics Commission. The State Police Colonel assumes responsibility for management of Turnpike Troop E.
- Ends "23 and out" for all new MBTA employees. Retirement eligibility will be modified to require retirement age of 55.
- MBTA, Turnpike and Tobin Bridge employees and retirees shifted to state health insurance program resulting in tens of millions in savings over the long term.
- Turnpike and Tobin Bridge employees converted to state retirement system.
- All assets at MHD, Turnpike, and MBTA covered under state's tort liability provision (capped at $500,000), with the exemption for MBTA for serious bodily injury or death.
MassDOT - Radically Simplifying Bureaucracy
- Effective November 1, 2009, creates a unified transportation organization, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to oversee four divisions:
- Highway, including Turnpike assets, Tobin Bridge, DCR bridges and most parkways- the Tobin Bridge joins MassDOT on January 1, 2010.
- Mass Transit with oversight over MBTA and RTAs.
- Aeronautics.
- Registry of Motor Vehicles.
- MassDOT includes five-person board with transportation, finance, and engineering expertise, appointed by the Governor; a Secretary appointed by the Governor acting as Chief Executive Officer; and an Office of Planning & Programming that answers to the Secretary/CEO to oversee planning and activities for all transportation divisions and modes.
- Creates the Transportation Trust Fund, to ensure that transportation revenues are spent on transportation.
- Requires forward funding for RTAs to help strengthen, expand region transit access.
- Establishes reporting requirements on integration, management and performance to ensure accountability and transparency.
- Retains discount for Fast Lane transponders.