The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit responses from industry experts and interested parties on a proposed Metropolitan Highway System (MHS) Lighting Project to see if MassDOT should contract with an outside partner to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the lighting system.

MassDOT wishes to modernize the lighting of portions of the MHS, including replacement of the wireways, wireway lighting circuit conductors, tunnel lighting fixture assemblies (fixture housing, ballasts, lamps and lenses), sign lighting fixtures and lighting hanger support systems in the MHS tunnels and certain other MHS elements.

Responses are requested by 12:00 p.m., on Wednesday, March 1, 2017.

For more information about the project, visit our business opportunity section.

MassDOT Chief Strategy Officer Scott Bosworth, said:

"We are excited to take this first step toward gauging private sector interest in lighting management and lighting installation. We want to find out if it would be cost-effective and lead to a better experience for the traveling public to have a vendor step in and take over this responsibility.  We believe there can be energy savings, improved illumination of the roadway, and improved operating efficiencies for one of the most complex transportation systems in the nation.  We look forward to receiving valuable feedback from industry experts to help us facilitate a thorough, robust review of this issue."

Highway Administrator Thomas J. Tinlin added:

"We are always asking the question, 'Is there a way we can do something better?'  We are always open to new ideas, 'best practices' in the industry, and that's what this RFI is all about-seeing if there is an outside party interested in collaborating with us to improve lighting on the busiest road areas in the state and to see that the lighting is maintained in good working order."