ACEC/MA’s Transportation Agencies Liaison Committee (TALC) works closely with public transportation agencies to streamline and improve project delivery.
TALC usually meets monthly on the 3rd or 4th Wednesday of the month at lunchtime in Boston. When in-person meetings are hold, the cost of lunch is hosted by one member firm each month, as assigned by TECET staff, so that each member firm with employees on the TALC list pays for the cost of the sandwich lunch about once every 3-4 years, even if the employees from that firm are not in attendance.
Due to the size of the committee, with over 600 individuals from ACEC/MA Member Firms, TALC in-person meeting attendance is limited to one person per ACEC/MA Member Firm, plus ACEC/MA Board members. Some TALC meetings are hybrid, but all are available on Zoom. All TALC member receive emails on transportation issues and are invited to participate in Zoom calls.
TALC Resources
8/26/2026: Caroline Bean, Director of Climate and Sustainability Planning, MBTA, presenting on the MBTA Resilience Roadmap. PDF of Presentation.
7/29/2026:
- Joshua Klingenstein, Director, Capital Program Planning, and Elena Franks, Deputy Chief, Contract Services, MBTA, presenting on the MBTA’s FY2027-2031 Capital Investment Plan (CIP).
- Stephanie Groll, Assistant Commissioner for Transportation Planning, City of Cambridge, discussing the City’s approach to micromobility policy development and implementation.
- Kris Carter, Co-leader of The Lab @ MassDOT, providing an update on the Special Commission on Micromobility’s recommendations and the proposed Ride Safe Act, including updated vehicle classifications, safety initiatives, and the policy considerations shaping the future of micromobility in Massachusetts
6/24/2026: Jim Danila, PE, MassDOT, State Traffic Engineer, joined to update on the 11th Edition of the MUTCD and the Massachusetts Amendments. PDF of Presentation.
5/27/2026: Matt Reiffer, ACEC National, Vice President and Advocacy Counsel, joined to update on federal transportation funding. PDF of Presentation.
4/28/2026: Alexandra Markiewicz, MBTA, Deputy Director of Facility Planning joined to present on the Employee Facility Modernization Program. PDF of Presentation.
3/25/2026:
- Luisa Paiewonsky, Executive Director, Megaprojects Delivery Office, MassDOT to present on the status of projects.
- Mary Ellen DeFrias, Administrator, Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) to present on 2026 FIFA World Cup transit planning. PDF of Presentation.
2/25/2026: Guest: Luciana Burdi, Chief Infrastructure Officer at Massachusetts Port Authority
1/21/2026: Guests:
- Derek Krevat, Manager of Municipal Planning and Support and Noah Harper, Regional Transportation Planner discussing MassDOT Municipal Technical Assistance Resources. PDF of Presentation.
- Evelyn Densmore and Dakota DelSignore – MassDOT Traffic and Safety – discussing MassDOT Municipal Systemic Safety Projects. Michelle Deng, Senior Traffic Safety Engineer discussing MassDOT Road Safety Audit Updates. PDF of Presentation.
12/18/2025: Guest: MassDOT Highway’s Mike O’Dowd, Frank Welch, Murthy Kolla, Olivia Richards to train ACEC/MA on the responsibilities of Preliminary Designer on Design-Build projects after the actual Design Build team has been selected.
MassDOT Presentation on Project Execution Preliminary Design Consultant Roles and Responsibilities. Presentation can be found here.
12/9/2025: MassDOT Releases RFR for Allston Multimodal Transportation Project. This Request for Responses invites qualified prospective consultants to submit proposals for professional services for performing an independent cost and engineering analysis of the Allston Multimodal Transportation Project. RFR can be found here.
6/25/2025: TALC Meeting at Kleinfelder. Thank you to Kleinfelder for hosting and providing lunch.
Guests: Justin Antos, Sr. Director of Bus Transformation, MBTA: PDF of Presentation
Seth Goodman, Manager of Bus Facility Modernization at MBTA: PDF of Presentation
3/19/2025: TALC Meeting @ AECOM. Thank to AECOM for hosting and TRC for providing lunch.
Presentation from Timothy Dexter, Deputy Director, MassDOT Environmental
2/26/2025: TALC Meeting
Presentation from Luisa Paiewonsky, Executive Director, Megaprojects Delivery Office, MassDOT.
1/22/2025: TALC Meeting
Presentation from Guy F. Rezendes, PE, MassDOT Highway, State Utilities Engineer Ruben Diaz, Jr., District 6 Utility-Constructability Engineer on highlights of upcoming new SUE/AutoCAD directive for consultant community.
12/19/24: TALC meeting at WSP. Thank you to WSP for Hosting and Providing lunch.
Presentation from Carrie Lavallee, Deputy Administrator and Chief Engineer, MassDOT
Presentation from Michael Bolduc, Project Delivery Specialist, MassDOT
Presentation from Alex Bardow, Director of Bridges and Structures, MassDOT
11/22/24: Digital Delivery Paper from ACEC National: PDF
11/20/2024: November TALC at MG + M, The Law Firm. Thank you to MG + M for hosting and providing lunch.
Presentation from Meredith Slesinger, Rail & Transit Administrator, MassDOT
Presentation from Liam McQuat, Joseph Barr, Amtrak
10/30/2024: October TALC meeting at Gannett Fleming Transystems. Thank you to Gannett Fleming Transystems for hosting and providing lunch.
Presentation from Neil Boudreau, Assistant Administrator for Traffic & Safety, MassDOT
PDF of Presentation – on Project Development and Design Guide Update – Target Speed
MassDOT Cost Recovery SOP for reference only
9/25/24: September TALC meeting at AECOM. Thank you for hosting.
Modernization Program Management & MassDOT’s Scoping Procedure
7/17/24: July TALC meeting at Dewberry: Thank you for hosting and providing lunch.
7/1/2024: MBTA Scope and Compensation Matrix resources
MBTA Memo on Scope and Compensation Matrix
MBTA Project Controls Manual is here: https://www.mbta.com/capital-programs/project-controls-manual
– Scroll down to Appendices and then to Templates and expand
– Scroll down to Scope and Compensation Matrix (not linked here, but follow list below to reach current version of this Matrix)
– MBTA Training video on YouTube
Related links:
https://www.mbta.com/capital-programs
https://www.mbta.com/engineering/directives
Design Standards and Guidelines: https://www.mbta.com/engineering/design-standards-and-guidelines
6/25/2024: MassDOT Industry Day on Allston and Cape Cod Bridges
– MassDOT Industry Day Introduction pdf
– MassDOT Allston Multimodal Project Industry Day pdf
– MassDOT Cape Cod Bridges Industry Day pdf
6/20/2024: ACEC/MA TALC Guests from MBTA: Megan Chann, Shaunna Jammal, Cheryl Guiod
Resources:
ROW Access Considerations Overview
6/11/2024: FHWA and MassDOT Workshop on Progressive Design Build, held in cooperation with ACEC/MA and CIM
FHWA Presentation Deck: Alternative Contracting Methods – Progressive Design-Build – June 11, 2024
6/3/2024: The MBTA asked us to share the attached memo regarding non-traditional Hi-Viz apparel.
5/22/2024: Intersection Control Evaluation – Overview and Updates, Presented by: Lisa Schletzbaum, Assistant State Traffic Engineer; Sasha Wood, PE, Traffic Design Supervisor
Intersection Control Evaluation: Overview and Updates
5/16/2024: MassDOT Highway Design Build Project Executive Training
4/25/2024: Massport Lean Program: :Lean and Emerging Technologies from Luciana Burdi of Massport
3/21/24:: Regional Rail Modernization Update from Alistair Sawers of MBTA
MBTA Rail Modernization Slides
2/13/24: MassDOT Safety: Road Safety Audits: Virtual Briefing from Bonnie Polin and Ana Fill
Roadway Safety Audits in Massachusetts, PDF of Feb. 13, 2024 presentation
Helpful Links from MassDOT Highway
12/20/23: Virtual TALC Meeting: Presentation from Carrie Lavallee, P.E. Deputy Administrator & Chief Engineer, John J. Bechard, P.E. Deputy Chief Engineer for Project Development
9/22/2023: Virtual Session on Introducing: The MassDOT Stormwater Design Guide, presented by Henry Barbaro, Maria Briones, MassDOT and Lauren Caputo, VHB
MassDOT Stormwater Unit – for more resources
Direct Link to download MassDOT Stormwater Design Guide
9/20/2023: TALC Meeting Resources
Integrating PIMA Into MassDOT Highway Division Projects by Chris Kivior and William Woolford
8/16/2023: TALC Meeting Resources
MBTA Asset Management Presentation by W. Peter Seweryn
6/28/2023: TALC Meeting Resources
MassDOT Highway Division Environmental Review Checklist PPT PDF from Tim Dexter, MassDOT
Environmental Review Checklist on MassDOT’s Website
5/2/2023 MBTA Memo: Capital Programs is requesting that any outstanding invoices be submitted by June 9, 2023 to allow sufficient time for review and processing prior to final payments being made on or before June 30, 2023. Memo
4/26/23: TALC Meeting Resources
MassTaxpayers Foundation presentation on MBTA from Andy Bagley, MTF VP
Digital signatures – Complying with the Regulations from Paul Tyrell PE, PLS, Chair, Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors
3/27/2023: MBTA Safety Flash: Minimum PPE requirements for anyone working on MBTA ROW. the Safety Flash, contains the PPE requirements. These requirements apply to ANYONE working on or near the MBTA ROW.
MBTA Safety Flash PPE Requirements
3/15/2023: MBTA Safety Presentation from Katie J. Choe, CCM, Chief of Quality, Compliance & Oversight, MBTA
2/17/23: MassDOT, ACEC/MA & CIM Design Build Workshop
2/15 + 2/16/23: New MBTA Safety Requirements for Contractors Accessing MBTA
Construction Sites: Katie Choe, MBTA Chief of Quality, Compliance, and Oversight Office briefed consultants and contractors on upcoming changes in contractor safety requirements in
response to Federal Transit Administration’s Safety Management Inspection.
2/15/23: MBTA Session on Prompt Payment (updated)
12/15/22: MBTA Session on Prompt Payment
12/14/22: Update on MassDOT’s OPEO Activities
Speakers: Andrea D’Amato, MassDOT Assistant Secretary, Kate Riley, MassDOT Office of Public Engagement and Outreach (OPEO), Carrie Lavallee, MassDOT Highway Deputy Administrator and Chief Engineer
9/21/22: EEO Documents for ODCR:
1 – Non-Discrimination Statement of Policy.doc
2 – Workforce Profile (EEO-4 Category).xls
8/17/22: BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURELAW (BIL): Overview of Highway Programs and Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grants with Ken Miller, Acting Division Administrator (MA), FHWA – PDF of PPT
6/15/22: MBTA Capital Programs Discussion with Jay Neider – PDF of PPT
4/27/22: MBTA Professional Services Selection Process – DEI Evaluation Criteria Training
PDF of PPT from MBTA and Armand Resource Group
3/30/22: MassDOT Virtual Public Meetings by MassDOT’s Andrea D’Amato, Amy Getchell and others
1/25/22: MassDOT IMPACT is designed to encourage public safety initiatives and awareness specific to crash information. Within IMPACT you can engage with crash related data through easy to understand pre-built reports or conduct your own self-driven analysis.
1/19/22: TALC Meeting Resources: PDF of ACEC National Presentation by Matt Reiffer, ACEC, on the IIJA
Additional resources from Matt Reiffer at ACEC National:
- ACEC IIJA resource page
- FHWA summary
- Rail funding: here is the FRA implementation page
- On the appropriations question, AASHTO has a good article on it
11/17/21: TALC Meeting resources: PDF of MassDOT Presentation on MassDOT Municipal Grant Programs
9/22/21: TALC Meeting resources:
– PDF of MassDOT Hybrid Meeting Draft Plan from Andrea D’Amato, MassDOT Assistant Secretary for Operational Excellence
– PDF of MALSCE Point Cloud Standards 2021 from Paul Feldman and Steve Wilkes for MALSCE
8/25/2021: PDF of Presentation from Marie Rose, MassDOT Director of Project Management
7/28/2021:
Liz Williams, Liz, Bob Frey, Kevin Lopes of MassDOT on MassDOT Data Resources
PDF of Presentation from MassDOT
Project Controls for Designers Presented by: Ken Johnson, Deputy Chief – Project Controls
7/21/2021: MassDOT List of Design-Build Project Identification-Next Generation Bridge (NGB)
5/7/2021: MassDOT-ACEC/MA-CIM-Briefing on Cape Cod Canal Bridges Project
PDF of Presentation from MassDOT
4/26/2021: MBTA Construction Contract Extended Overhead: Capital Programs Construction Contract Extended Overhead Policy
4/21/2021: Presentation by Cassandra Gascon Bligh, Community Grants Program Administrator MassDOT Highway Division
2/24/2021: Presentation by David Mohler, Executive Director of Planning, MassDOT
2/17/2021: Design Review Memorandum from Chief Engineer Patricia Leavenworth, dated February 12, 2021 on detailed guidance regarding the standard MassDOT project review times to be used for various types of design submissions at different stages of project development. This information should be used to help establish and maintain project design schedules in an effort to achieve on-time project delivery.
1/28/2021 Luciana Burdi, Massport, Briefing Co-hosted by ACEC/MA, AIA MA, WTS Boston, CMAA and BSCES: pdf of presentation
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12/16/20 ACEC/MA TALC Meeting Materials Shared:
EDC6 Every Day Counts 6 Innovations proposed by FHWA that were discussed at the national virtual summit in December 2020
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MBTA briefing at 11/18/20 ACEC/MA TALC Meeting Materials Shared:
Capital Programs Support: Updated Design Errors & Omissions Evaluation Process
Preparing Invoices – Internal Training Guide: ACECMA TALC 11-18-20
Pre-Audit Findings: ACECMA TALC 11-18-20
MBTA Forging Ahead briefing at 10/21/20 ACEC/MA TALC Meeting: ACEC/MA TALC members heard from these MBTA officials: Samantha Silverberg, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Jay Neider, Chief of Capital Programs, Laurel Paget-Seekins, Assistant General Manager for Policy
MBTA Org Charts from July 2020
MBTA Capital Projects: DBE Program Monitoring and Reporting – 7-15-20
MassDOT Virtual Public Involvement Presentation – 4-15-2020
MBTA Capital Programs Subdelegation of Authority – 4-15-2020
2-26-20 MEPA/NEPA Webinar Slides
MassDOT Highway Engineering Directives
MBTA Design Standards and Guidelines Website and Directives
Transportation Agencies Liaison Committee Links from recent TALC meetings:
2/26/20 David Hatem Donovan Hatem Briefing to ACEC/MA TALC
2/13/20 MBTA OCE Briefing to ACEC/MA TALC
10/30/19 TALC Meeting with Shannon Greenwell of MassDOT
10/18/19: Webinar with MassDOT Highway Deputy Administrator/Chief Engineer Patty Leavenworth and Team
Key notes on Webinar Presentation
7/17/19:
MBTA discussion of Project Development Group (PDG Process)
2-27-19:
Massachusetts Business Coalition on Transportation – slides presented at recent meeting
8-22-18: T4MA Presentation on Transportation Climate Initiative (TCI) from Chris Dempsey
7-31-18: MassDOT Highway Issues Proprietary Products SOP (Standard Operating Procedure)
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MassDOT Highway shared their internal SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) on the Use of Proprietary Products: highlighted section is applicable to engineers. Also see:
6-20-18: MBTA System-Wide Accessibility and The Design Guide to Access Presentation
5-23-2018: ebuilder Presentation from MBTA
2/28/18- Exciting Things are Brewing at Boston Public Works with Katie Choe, Chief Engineer/Director of Construction Management
4-25-2018-TALC Meeting Presentation: Jackie DeWolfe, Michelle Danila, Andy Paul
Co-Chairs:
Kathleen Campbell, PE, LSP, LEED AP
President & CEO<
CDW Consultants, Inc.
508/875-2657
Bridget Myers, PE
Associate Principal | Senior Civil Engineer
Howard Stein Hudson
617.482.7080
Boston Office Executive
Michael Baker International, Inc.
890 Winter St #208
Waltham, MA 02451
Board Liaison:
New England Transportation Market Leader
VHB
99 High St, 13th Floor
Boston, MA 02110