Highway Budget and Capital Performance

Pedestrian and Roadway Bridge Above Water

The achievement of MassDOT’s greater goals and objectives is heavily dependent upon fulfillment of the MassDOT Capital Investment Plan (CIP). Measures within the section help the Highway Division gauge performance in the delivery of projects and contracts proposed by the CIP.

Construction Contracts

Percent of Projects Completed On/Over Time FY21 + Percent of Contracts Completed On/Over Budget FY21

During FY22, 79 percent of all construction contracts were completed under budget. Budget increases occur for a variety of reasons, including unforeseen conditions, errors or omissions in design, and scope added to projects when determined to be advantageous. The Highway Division holds post-project reviews with project managers, contractors and designers to identify systematic factors contributing to budget increase and to develop policy or guidance to avoid repetition.

During FY22, 70 percent of completed construction contracts were finished by their initial estimated delivery date. Projects are delayed for many reasons, but delays are largely caused by utility relocation and unanticipated field conditions. To reduce delays, the Highway Division is undertaking a multi-pronged effort with the goal of improving time performance. This effort includes identifying and accounting for construction risks early in the development of contract duration, exploring opportunities to relocate utilities ahead of construction projects, and working with design and contracting partners to improve the overall timeliness of the capital program.

The State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) lists projects planned for federal funding during each federal fiscal year. Tracking the percent of projects listed on the original STIP that were advertised for bidding is a measure of how well the Highway Division and Office of Transportation Planning are working with regional partners in Metropolitan Planning Organizations to plan, prioritize and deliver projects to construction. For Federal Fiscal Year 2022 (FFY22) 85 percent of projects committed to in the original FFY22 STIP were advertised. The consistent delivery of the federal program ensures that Highway Division is implementing the investments envisioned by the MassDOT Capital Plan.

During FY22, the Highway Division had 341 active construction contracts, 113 of which were completed to full beneficial use during the fiscal year. A total of 83 contracts are expected to become active during FY2023.