Even state honchos aren't immune to late-night traffic jams that are trying the patience of off-hour commuters in Massachusetts.
"I'm aware of the motorists' lament,'' said Jeffrey B. Mullan, secretary and CEO of the newly created Department of Transportation.
Mullan said he frequently gets stuck in 8 p.m. traffic slowdowns on the Southeast Expressway as he heads home to Milton after work. Nighttime bridge repairs are ongoing.
The majority of nearly $1 billion being spent to fix Massachusetts roads and bridges in the coming year is being done at night, when there are fewer cars on the road.
Mullan acknowledged that DOT needs to do a better job of publicizing lane closures and road shutdowns and urged patience. The result will be better safety on roads and bridges that have been overlooked for years, he said.
"We're not just making investments in eastern Massachusetts.We're building and investing in every region of the commonwealth," he told the Herald.
Mullan credits Gov. Deval Patrick for the explosion in construction, repaving and bridge repair, which he says will level off at $1 billion a year. The state expects to spend $974 million this year due to state, federal and stimulus funds.
"Since (Patrick) has been elected, with the cooperation of the Legislature we've been authorized to spend about $10 billion in transportation through various bond bills. That's huge for us," he said.
