Overview
- The MBTA Board on Thursday certified $850 million in new Commonwealth Transportation Fund bond capacity after the MassDOT board approved the transfer.
- The borrowing is backed by Fair Share surtax revenue and functions as a credit limit rather than cash, enabling immediate procurements and project starts.
- Funds are designated for a Franklin Park battery‑electric bus maintenance facility for about 200 vehicles, Green Line Type 10 power, track and signal upgrades, new commuter‑rail locomotives, and phase‑one work at the Widett layover site in South Boston.
- Officials warn of an imminent locomotive shortfall, with about 50 units needing replacement over the next five to ten years to sustain current service.
- The agency still faces a roughly $24.5 billion state‑of‑good‑repair gap and potential cost pressures from tariffs and inflation, while shifting mid‑life bus overhauls in‑house is projected to save about $73 million.