Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey (D) has appointed Phillip Eng (above at left) – general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority – as interim secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
[Above photo via the MBTA]
Concurrently, Jonathan Gulliver (above right) – MassDOT’s highway administrator for the last eight years – has been promoted to MassDOT undersecretary, while retaining his current highway administrator duties.
Eng replaces Monica Tibbits-Nutt, who has stepped down as MassDOT secretary and CEO, though she will continue to serve as an advisor to MassDOT through December 31. She eventually plans to return to private industry.
The governor said Eng will continue to serve as general manager of MBTA – which is a division of MassDOT – while simultaneously serving as interim secretary of MassDOT.
“As general manager of the MBTA, Phil Eng has overseen a transformative period for public transportation in our state and delivered the results that the people of Massachusetts have needed for a long time when it comes to safety and reliability,” Gov. Healey noted in a statement. “He is a trusted leader with decades of transportation experience, and I know that he is the right person to lead MassDOT during this period.”
She added that, “Jonathan Gulliver is the longest serving highway administrator in MassDOT’s history for a reason – he knows how to deliver major, complex projects while also supporting our cities and towns’ needs when it comes to their roads and bridges. He is well deserving of this promotion.”
“A well-balanced multimodal transportation network is essential,” noted Eng. “MassDOT and the MBTA work hand-in-hand to make sure our transportation system is safe, reliable and modernized. I look forward to taking on this interim role with MassDOT and working even more closely with Undersecretary Gulliver and their great team to deliver the world-class transportation system that the people of Massachusetts and our visitors deserve.”
The governor originally appointed Eng as MBTA general manager in March 2023. Since then, he has overseen a transformative period at the nation’s fourth largest public transit system, enhancing safety, reliability, accessibility and service.
Eng started his transportation career in 1983 at the New York State Department of Transportation as a junior engineer. Over the course of three decades, he held many roles at NYSDOT, including planning, in-house design, bridge inspection, plus maintenance and operations duties.
He ultimately became executive deputy commissioner and chief engineer for NYSDOT from 2013 to 2017 before joining the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City as chief operating officer. Eng then served as interim president of NYC Transit and then, from 2018 to 2022, served as president of the MTA Long Island Rail Road before joining the LiRo Group as executive vice president, where he advised public and private sector clients on engineering, transportation, and infrastructure projects.
Gulliver has served as MassDOT’s highway administrator since 2017 and oversees the daily operations of the state highway system and leads a team of nearly 2,800 staff responsible for the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of the state’s roadway infrastructure.
He has accumulated nearly three decades of public service, beginning as a construction inspector in the heavy construction and infrastructure sectors. He holds a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
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