The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) board unanimously approved the agency’s Fiscal Years 2026–2030 Capital Investment Plan (CIP) — a bold, five-year roadmap that allocates $9.8 billion toward more than 660 individual capital projects aimed at modernizing infrastructure; expanding capacity; and improving safety, accessibility, and reliability across the MBTA system.
The latest CIP reflects the state’s commitment to transformative transportation investments and outlines the MBTA’s strategic vision for a modern transit network that can support the needs of current riders while preparing for future growth.
“The Healey-Driscoll administration is making transformative investments in the state’s transportation system,” said Massachusetts Transportation Secretary/CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt in a press release. “The MBTA’s five-year Capital Investment Plan puts us on a path toward stronger service, greater reliability, and long-term competitiveness. This plan includes historic funding levels to modernize our fleet, improve infrastructure, and advance climate and equity goals.”
Strategic Priorities and Key Investments
The FY26–30 CIP focuses on three core objectives:
Timely Maintenance: Reinforcing progress on infrastructure upgrades, safety enhancements, and service continuity.
Building for the Future: Investing in projects that lay the groundwork for long-term system resilience and capacity expansion.
Improving Rider Experience: Enhancing service reliability, accessibility, and environmental sustainability.
“The CIP is the foundation for stabilizing and improving service today, while building a system for future generations,” said Phillip Eng, MBTA GM/CEO, in a release. “We’re grateful for the public input that helped shape this plan, and we’re committed to staying nimble as we work to deliver meaningful results.”
Highlights from the investment portfolio include:
Commuter Rail modernization, including replacing aging locomotives and adding bi-level coaches to improve reliability and service frequency.
Upgrades to subway power systems, supporting critical reliability on the Red, Orange, Blue, and Green Lines.
Fleet modernization, featuring the continued rollout of new vehicles and signal systems on the Red and Orange Lines.
Station and rider facility improvements across the network to enhance accessibility and the customer experience.
The CIP also transparently outlines unfunded projects that were proposed but deferred due to financial constraints, highlighting the agency’s ongoing challenge of prioritizing vital improvements within a limited funding envelope.
