Massachusetts’ plan to upgrade service plazas hits a snag
In July, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced a plan to upgrade 18 service plazas.
That plan called for $750 million worth of updates to facilities on interstates and highways across the state.
Monica Tibbits-Nutt, Massachusetts transportation secretary and CEO, said when this project was announced that the highway service plazas were “long overdue for a complete reset.”
Local business leaders agreed.
“This is a long-overdue modernization of vital economic infrastructure,” James E. Rooney, president and CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, said in July. “Modern rest stops support regional mobility, quality of life and competitiveness – and they should reflect the best of what Massachusetts has to offer.”
Construction was expected to begin in early 2026 on the project, which was estimated to support 750 new jobs.
Those plans have changed.
On Wednesday, Oct. 15, the Massachusetts DOT announced that Applegreen, a national service plaza operator contracted to renovate the Massachusetts plazas, withdrew from the transition agreement it signed during the lease negotiation process.
“After careful consideration, we have determined that the best path forward to ensure the success of this project is to reprocure the contract,” said Massachusetts Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver, who will oversee the process. “This will allow us to make any necessary changes to the RFP to ensure we are attracting robust interest from highly qualified bidders and securing the best value possible.”
MassDOT said it will immediately begin negotiations with current leaseholders for extensions to ensure the continuity of service and labor at the travel plazas. The MassDOT Highway Division will take charge of day-to-day management.
State transportation officials will seek feedback from the industry to develop recommendations that will attract interest from high-quality bidders, a MassDOT news release said.
“These service plazas play a critical role for our residents, visitors, workers and economy. MassDOT’s focus has always been on delivering the highest-quality service plazas that offer the best value for taxpayers,” Gulliver said. LL