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I'm Jeff Mullan, Secretary and Chief Executive Officer
of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
MassDOT is the new transportation organization
that I have been entrusted by Governor Patrick to lead.
It represents a transformational change
in the way we deliver transportation services to you,
the people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
You can see examples of our work in every city and town
in the Commonwealth as we deliver more projects
at unprecedented speed every single day.
Using the ingenuity and creativity of our engineers,
MassDOT is using the most innovative design
and construction techniques available in order
to build a modern and dependable 21st century transportation
system for the Commonwealth,
while minimizing disruption to local communities.
Today, I am pleased to share
with you our next great endeavor:
The I-93 Fast 14 Project.
You may remember the incident last summer
when potholes appeared on the bridges that carry I-93
over local roads in Medford, shutting down traffic
on three lanes and causing hours
of massive traffic backups throughout the system.
MassDOT promised a permanent fix to this problem;
and this summer, we will deliver on that promise with one
of the most innovative
and ambitious infrastructure construction projects
in the nation.
This summer, we will replace all fourteen bridges as part
of Governor Patrick's historic Accelerated Bridge Program,
an 8-year, $3 billion investment
to repair bridges throughout the Commonwealth.
Under normal circumstances,
a project of this magnitude would take 4 to 5 years
of construction, lane closures, and traffic detours.
But thanks to a dedicated
and capable design/build team using the most innovative
construction techniques, we will replace all fourteen bridges
in just one summer.
Preparatory work is underway during the off-peak hours
throughout the week.
We will begin bridge replacements in June
and continue during weekends throughout the summer-
with the exception of July 4th weekend.
All of the major work will be done between the hours of 8 PM
on Friday and 5 AM on Monday, completed each week in time
for the Monday morning commute.
During construction times,
drivers will undoubtedly experience traffic due
to lane closures, but I ask for your patience
as you take a moment to consider
that these projects will deliver a safe and reliable interstate
for decades to come while avoiding the alternative
scenario of several years of construction.
On this project, as with any other,
we pledge to hold our contractors
and our staff accountable for delivering on our promises
and I have every confidence that we'll do just that.
Just look at our record: In just over two years,
the Governor's Accelerated Bridge Program has reduced the
number of structurally deficient bridges in the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts by more than 15%.
And that's what the new MassDOT is all about-
delivering quality transportation services quickly
and efficiently to citizens of the Commonwealth.
MassDOT is a unified, transportation organization -
one mission, one system.
We pledge a back to basics, business-like approach.
We pledge a focus on the customer with always keeping
in mind that our objective is to move people and goods
from point A to point B. And we pledge to do so with safety
as our culture- safety for our workers and safety
for the traveling public.
For more information on this exciting project, please check
out our website at: www.mass.gov/massdot/93fast14
and follow us at twitter.com/massdot.
You'll learn more about how MassDOT is Moving
Massachusetts Forward.
Thank you.