2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title II - Executive and Administrative Officers of the Commonwealth › Chapter 6c - Massachusetts Department of Transportation › Section 30 - Duties of the Office of Planning and Programming; Agencies Within the Office; Duties of the Secretary

Section 30. (a) The office of planning and programming shall serve as the principal agency of the executive department for the following purposes: (1) developing, coordinating, administering and managing transportation policies, planning and programs related to design, construction, maintenance, operations and financing; (2) supervising and managing the organization and conduct of the business affairs of the divisions, agencies, commissions, offices, boards, divisions, and other entities within the department to improve administrative efficiency and program effectiveness and to preserve fiscal resources; (3) developing and implementing effective policies and programs to assure the coordination and quality of roadway, transit, airport and port infrastructure and security provided by the secretary and all of the divisions, agencies, commissions, offices, boards, divisions, authorities and other entities within the department.
(b) The following state agencies shall be within the office of planning and programming: the highway division, including the government center commission established by section 1 of chapter 635 of the acts of 1960, the mass transit division, the aeronautics division, the registry of motor vehicles division and all other state agencies within the department, except the division of motorboats and the division of waterways. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and any regional transportation authorities established under chapter 161 or 161B shall also be within the jurisdiction of the department.
(c) Subject to the approval of the board the secretary may: (1) operate and administer the programs of roadway design, construction, repair, maintenance, capital improvement, development, and planning through the division of highways and other agencies within the department, as appropriate; (2) coordinate and supervise the administration of the department and its agencies to promote economy and efficiency and to leverage federal funding; (3) develop, in consultation with the commonwealth development coordinating council, and administer a long-term state-wide transportation plan for the commonwealth that includes planning for intermodal and integrated transportation; (4) develop, based on a public hearing process, procedures to be used for transportation project selection; (5) establish criteria for project selection to be used in the procedures developed pursuant to clause (4); (6) enter into agreements with commissions, offices, boards, divisions, authorities and other entities within the department to improve divisions, agencies, administrative efficiency and program effectiveness and to preserve fiscal resources; (7) pursuant to chapter 30A, make, amend and repeal rules and regulations for the management and administration of the department and agencies within the department; (8) execute all instruments necessary for carrying out the business of the department and its agencies; (9) acquire, own, hold, dispose of, lease and encumber property in the name of the department and its agencies; (10) enter into agreements and transactions with federal, state and municipal agencies and other public institutions and private individuals, partnerships, firms, corporations, associations and other entities on behalf of the department or its agencies; and (11) apply for and accept funds, including grants, on behalf of the commonwealth in accordance with applicable law. The secretary may delegate any of the foregoing powers to an officer having charge of a division, office, division or other administrative unit within the executive office.
(d) The secretary shall:
(1) develop and administer a long-term statewide transportation plan that shall include planning for intermodal and integrated transportation;
(2) create a future project prioritization list, separated by mode of transportation;
(3) include detailed information regarding all construction projects for which the department has expended funds during the preceding 5 fiscal years, which shall include:
(i) the location and street name, including a brief description of the work to be performed;
(ii) all project identifying numbers used within the department or with respect to any federal or state grant or funding program including, without limitation, any contract numbers, transportation incentive program numbers or Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act or other federal aid numbers;
(iii) all contractors, engineers, architects and other service professionals who have performed work on the project;
(iv) all amounts expended, including payee name and date of disbursement with respect to each disbursement;
(v) total projected and actual cost;
(vi) projected and actual start and completion dates;
(vii) projected and actual milestone dates and details;
(viii) identification and a brief description of any issues, factors or other causes that have affected or are anticipated to affect the projected cost and completion date of any project; and
(ix) the names and contact information of the project manager within the department or other department personnel with oversight authority;
(4) compare each project to the metrics established by the department's office of performance management and innovation; and
(5) make the long-term statewide transportation plan available on the department's website.
(e) The secretary shall collaborate with other state agencies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to achieve the greenhouse gas emission limits established in chapter 21N.