Roads and Highways General Development Thread

[KCasiglio]

Generally these allocation bills require the states to have defined projects for the funds to support.

It takes time for the states to spin up the projects for the funds requests (the bills also include lots of rules about the nature/features of the projects). Feds cannot just send funds out into the ether.

The article says it is the Commonwealth that has been slow in distributing the funds, not the Feds.

I understand why it happens, and I understand this leg of it is on the state. Perhaps it would have been better worded as "the single greatest failure of Democrats over the past four years." - the process for getting the funds out is onerous and far too cautious. Fear of funding even one single non-optimal project has led to delays, confusion, and ironically made everything more expensive because of that time cost.

If we're going to unpack this it's better suited to another thread, but what it boils down to is everyone knows we have a massive infrastructure backlog in this country. We have no shortage of projects. Several years going by in between funding being appropriated and projects breaking ground is a policy failure and a political disaster, the lessons of which should have been learned after the Obamacare rollout.

 

[Equilibria]

I understand why it happens, and I understand this leg of it is on the state. Perhaps it would have been better worded as "the single greatest failure of Democrats over the past four years." - the process for getting the funds out is onerous and far too cautious. Fear of funding even one single non-optimal project has led to delays, confusion, and ironically made everything more expensive because of that time cost.

If we're going to unpack this it's better suited to another thread, but what it boils down to is everyone knows we have a massive infrastructure backlog in this country. We have no shortage of projects. Several years going by in between funding being appropriated and projects breaking ground is a policy failure and a political disaster, the lessons of which should have been learned after the Obamacare rollout.

That's only true in a world where each party's agenda is defined solely by brainlessly erasing the priorities of the other (of course it's 95% the GOP that does this, partially because they don't actually spend money on anything but tax cuts for the Democrats to undo).

Not saying the Democrats are perfect or don't make mistakes, but it's victim blaming to put the responsibility for Trump and the GOPs actions on them, particularly when the MO of any malign disruptor will be to exploit the deliberate decision-making of the establishment. Thoughtless destruction will always be faster than thoughtful construction.

 

[JeffDowntown]

I understand why it happens, and I understand this leg of it is on the state. Perhaps it would have been better worded as "the single greatest failure of Democrats over the past four years." - the process for getting the funds out is onerous and far too cautious. Fear of funding even one single non-optimal project has led to delays, confusion, and ironically made everything more expensive because of that time cost.

If we're going to unpack this it's better suited to another thread, but what it boils down to is everyone knows we have a massive infrastructure backlog in this country. We have no shortage of projects. Several years going by in between funding being appropriated and projects breaking ground is a policy failure and a political disaster, the lessons of which should have been learned after the Obamacare rollout.

We have a shortage of projects that actually qualify for the funding. To pass these funding measures, a lot of complex qualifiers were attached to the funding. Many project that logically should qualify don't without retooling. Go look at the legislation -- it is full of constraints that make it much harder to quickly fund project. These were the riders needed to get the bills passed. That is how legislation works.

 

[KCasiglio]

That's only true in a world where each party's agenda is defined solely by brainlessly erasing the priorities of the other (of course it's 95% the GOP that does this, partially because they don't actually spend money on anything but tax cuts for the Democrats to undo).

Not saying the Democrats are perfect or don't make mistakes, but it's victim blaming to put the responsibility for Trump and the GOPs actions on them, particularly when the MO of any malign disruptor will be to exploit the deliberate decision-making of the establishment. Thoughtless destruction will always be faster than thoughtful construction.

I don't disagree with any of that, and I don't want to come across as saying that the failure is now the GOP is going to sabotage the remaining elements as much as they are able. That is a separate and deeper problem that I believe we in Massachusetts with our skeleton of a GOP are unable to influence.

We have a shortage of projects that actually qualify for the funding. To pass these funding measures, a lot of complex qualifiers were attached to the funding. Many project that logically should qualify don't without retooling. Go look at the legislation -- it is full of constraints that make it much harder to quickly fund project. These were the riders needed to get the bills passed. That is how legislation works.

Yes, 100%. That's the problem I'm trying to articulate here.

 

[HenryAlan]

If we're going to unpack this it's better suited to another thread, but what it boils down to is everyone knows we have a massive infrastructure backlog in this country. We have no shortage of projects. Several years going by in between funding being appropriated and projects breaking ground is a policy failure and a political disaster, the lessons of which should have been learned after the Obamacare rollout.

Although it is often quite frustrating, the slow, deliberative disbursement process is by design. We are talking about massive amounts of money that belongs to the general public. Our representative government is designed to protect the public from giving away the treasury on a whim.

 

[as02143]

I understand why it happens, and I understand this leg of it is on the state. Perhaps it would have been better worded as "the single greatest failure of Democrats over the past four years." - the process for getting the funds out is onerous and far too cautious. Fear of funding even one single non-optimal project has led to delays, confusion, and ironically made everything more expensive because of that time cost.

If we're going to unpack this it's better suited to another thread, but what it boils down to is everyone knows we have a massive infrastructure backlog in this country. We have no shortage of projects. Several years going by in between funding being appropriated and projects breaking ground is a policy failure and a political disaster, the lessons of which should have been learned after the Obamacare rollout.

How would a town, city, or even sometimes this State advance designing projects to be "shovel-ready" if they can't count on Federal funding? The Feds turn the spigot on and off all the time - that means there's no smooth flow of projects in development and design. Alternatively, towns, cities, and the State would have to accept what looks like an "excessive" amount of ongoing design work which works against some of the penny-smart puritanical thinking here.

 

[sm89]

How would a town, city, or even sometimes this State advance designing projects to be "shovel-ready" if they can't count on Federal funding? The Feds turn the spigot on and off all the time - that means there's no smooth flow of projects in development and design. Alternatively, towns, cities, and the State would have to accept what looks like an "excessive" amount of ongoing design work which works against some of the penny-smart puritanical thinking here.

It IS very difficult for a municipality to be shovel ready. Cities and the people that work for them have many 'great ideas'. Let's say they want to use federal funds for something they think is worthwhile. To be shovel ready, you almost need to ignore the community process and then ram the project through after. There is no budget for prior outreach and there is no project if there is no money. How do you explain that to residents? Do they get involved in just a brainstorming exercise? Do they get their pitchforks ready about stopping 'change'?

 

[Equilibria]

It IS very difficult for a municipality to be shovel ready. Cities and the people that work for them have many 'great ideas'. Let's say they want to use federal funds for something they think is worthwhile. To be shovel ready, you almost need to ignore the community process and then ram the project through after. There is no budget for prior outreach and there is no project if there is no money. How do you explain that to residents? Do they get involved in just a brainstorming exercise? Do they get their pitchforks ready about stopping 'change'?

It's worth noting that the Federal Government does provide funding in several forms for planning and design, including formula programs like SPR and discretionary grant programs. You can get money to do design and outreach.

 

[JeffDowntown]

It's worth noting that the Federal Government does provide funding in several forms for planning and design, including formula programs like SPR and discretionary grant programs. You can get money to do design and outreach.

But the timing of such grants rarely aligns with the follow-on timing for real project funding. By the time the Feds start funding projects, the design and outreach is considered "out-of-date" and needs to be redone. Rinse and repeat.

Out-of-date planning work as a great excuse for NIMBYs to deflect development efforts.

 

[Equilibria]

But the timing of such grants rarely aligns with the follow-on timing for real project funding. By the time the Feds start funding projects, the design and outreach is considered "out-of-date" and needs to be redone. Rinse and repeat.

Out-of-date planning work as a great excuse for NIMBYs to deflect development efforts.

Not always. If the project is truly "shovel ready" at 100% design, I think it can sit in the hopper a while. Outreach will inevitably be necessary leading up to construction.

I'm not saying that projects don't linger while funding is figured out, but I also think that happens a lot more for big, complex projects (like Allston) or in cases where projects may not make a work program, which doesn't really have much to do with the nature of Federal funding (except that if you had more of it you would do more projects).

When you see a project get redesigned over and over (like McGrath, for instance) it usually has more to do with people wanting to reopen design decisions due to legitimately changing conditions (as with McGrath, where AADT came way down in the last 10 years relative to the original forecast) or just because they lost the argument last time and want to try again. When that happens the argument against is that the project will no longer be shovel ready if Federal funding suddenly opens up.

 

[themissinglink]

Gov. Healey says rural roads and bridges need more state funding. She proposes a new formula to make that happen

Gov. Maura Healey's proposal to increase state funding for local road and bridge projects also overhauls the way those dollars are distributed, and it includes major boosts for smaller and

www.berkshireeagle.com

 

[#bancars]

Does Trump’s federal funding freeze affect R.I.’s bridges? - The Boston Globe

Rhode Island’s congressional delegation is concerned about funding for more than 10 transportation projects, including $220m for the Washington Bridge.

www.bostonglobe.com

 

[dhawkins]

A couple of pics of Mystic Ave bridge near Sullivan Sq. getting its concrete pour yesterday.
A link to the rebar tying machine on rails they had on board for I think three days most? It was fairly quick once the rebar was laid.
Rebar tying machine

Phase 1 complete on Mystic Ave bridge replacement. I don't know if the Phase 1 turnover has happened on Maffa Way. 2 more years to complete.

 

[themissinglink]

Boston to remove some of its new humps on Allandale Street in Jamaica Plain

City Councilor Ben Weber (Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury) reports that possibly as early as tomorrow, BTD crews will be out along the Boston stretch of Allandale Road to remove some of the 13 speed humps they installed earlier this month between the Faulkner Hospital ER entrance and the Allandale...

www.universalhub.com

 

[stick n move]

Brookline Select Board Endorses Major Washington Street Redesign​

The project would improve sidewalks and build curb-protected bike lanes between Beacon Street and the Brookline Village Green Line station.

“Brookline’s Select Board on Tuesday evening voted to advance plans for a major reconstruction of Washington Street on Tuesday night, signing off on a consultant’s latest design and sending it to the state for consideration.

While the start of construction is several years away, the project would completely reimagine Washington Street from Beacon Street to Brookline Village, adding safer, separated bike lanes in both directions and making a number of other safety improvements. The town is aiming to secure around $29 million in state funding for the reconstruction…….”
https://mass.streetsblog.org/2025/0...ard-endorses-major-washington-street-redesign

 

[Stlin]

I don't think this has really been publicly discussed yet, but I've recently taken to checking YouTube meeting recordings for interesting pieces of information, where I found updated concepts of Rutherford Ave from Dec 2024. This is probably something like 5-10% concept design, but notable for full center running bus lanes and an all-surface layout with all underpasses eliminated. 25% design scheduled for October 25, and tentatively funded for construction in 2029 including 25M in Wynn money.

 

[Charlie_mta]

I don't think this has really been publicly discussed yet, but I've recently taken to checking YouTube meeting recordings for interesting pieces of information, where I found updated concepts of Rutherford Ave from Dec 2024. This is probably something like 5-10% concept design, but notable for full center running bus lanes and an all-surface layout with all underpasses eliminated. 25% design scheduled for October 25, and tentatively funded for construction in 2029 including 25M in Wynn money.View attachment 62095
View attachment 62096

Wow, I hope this underpass elimination design sticks. The preliminary designs have bounced back and forth the last several years like a ping pong ball; first without underpasses, then underpasses added back in because MassDOT was fretting about casino traffic, now the underpasses, thankfully, are gone again. The bus lanes are outstanding as well. Maybe the traffic engineers' car-centric modelling will finally be discarded this time.

 

[hipster_garbage]

MassDOT had another meeting about the Mystic/Main St/MVP Intersection improvements on Wednesday and posted the documents here. Looks like they took a lot of the feedback from the first meeting, including a suggestion from myself and others to do raised cycletracks next to the sidewalks instead of multiuse paths. They also reduced the number of lanes from 5 back to the present day 4, as well as narrowing them from 11 to 10.5 feet, which is also welcome. Visuals of the new designs start at page 21 of the document. Looks like design will be finished this summer and then it will be put out to bid at the beginning of next year.

The South St. merge with the off ramp will still be a mess but I do appreciate how they added a sidewalk and formalized the contraflow bike lane so you can safely get to it from Main St.

 

[The EGE]

I don't think this has really been publicly discussed yet, but I've recently taken to checking YouTube meeting recordings for interesting pieces of information, where I found updated concepts of Rutherford Ave from Dec 2024. This is probably something like 5-10% concept design, but notable for full center running bus lanes and an all-surface layout with all underpasses eliminated. 25% design scheduled for October 25, and tentatively funded for construction in 2029 including 25M in Wynn money.

Thanks so much for posting these. I am extremely unhappy with the seemingly recent trend where slides are shown on video at public meetings, but the PDF is not posted anywhere. PDFs are easy to save and provide a permanent record; videos disappear whenever the hosting service dies.

 

[KCasiglio]

Thanks so much for posting these. I am extremely unhappy with the seemingly recent trend where slides are shown on video at public meetings, but the PDF is not posted anywhere. PDFs are easy to save and provide a permanent record; videos disappear whenever the hosting service dies.

I'd encourage you to reach out about this to publicinformation@ctps.org