Press Release  MassDOT Congratulates 2024 WTS-Boston Award Winners

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) congratulates Carrie Lavallee, Deputy Administrator and Chief Engineer at the Highway Division, and the Rail and Transit Division, which is led by Administrator Meredith Slesinger, for the awards they received at this year’s WTS-Boston Annual Awards and Scholarship Banquet, which was held on Tuesday, June 25, and organized by the Boston chapter of Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS-Boston).   

“It is such an honor to have Carrie and Meredith doing such great work and providing expert leadership,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “I want to congratulate them and their teams for their respective, well-deserved recognitions by WTS-Boston, and I thank them for their ongoing service to deliver reliable connectivity to the people of Massachusetts.”  

Ms. Lavallee was honored as “Woman of the Year” for 2024. In her current role as Deputy Administrator and Chief Engineer at the Highway Division, Ms. Lavallee has been responsible for MassDOT’s expanded $2.1 billion a year capital program from last year, which included new federal infrastructure funding and one of the largest investments in bridges in the Commonwealth’s history. Over the course of two decades, Ms. Lavallee has served in multiple roles at MassDOT, starting as a Project Designer and working her way up through Project Management. She has served as the District 6 Project Development Engineer, helping to develop solutions to some of the most complex transportation problems facing the Greater Boston area, before becoming the Chief Engineer. Additionally, Ms. Lavallee has been a longtime member of MassDOT’s Underwater Bridge Inspection Team performing inspections throughout Massachusetts. Ms. Lavallee is a licensed professional engineer; a certified bridge inspector; an active member of WTS International, AASHTO committees, and TRB committees; and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She currently serves on the WTS-Boston Advisory Board, which is the culmination of years of commitment to the advancement of WTS’ mission.  

“I am truly thankful for this honor, especially when I look at all the amazing people in this field that work together to make transportation better for all,” said Ms. Lavallee. “I also want to thank the many women who came before me at MassDOT who helped pave the way for our success in engineering and transportation, and I share this award with all the talented colleagues I work with every day.”  

“Our team simply wouldn’t be what it is without the precision, innovation and dedication that Carrie brings to the job,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “During her long tenure, Carrie has helped many of our teammates succeed at what they do, which is an invaluable contribution to an organization that millions of people depend on for their transportation needs.”  

MassDOT’s Rail and Transit Division, which has coordinated the MassDOT Compass Rail Program/Inland Route: Right of Way Modeling Partnership with Amtrak and CSX, was honored with the “Innovative Transportation Solutions Award” for 2024. In September 2023, MassDOT was awarded a $108 million Federal Railroad Administration CRISI grant to fund trackwork that would enable two daily round trips on the Inland Route between Boston, Springfield, and New Haven, Connecticut. MassDOT’s first step towards advancing this important passenger rail initiative was establishing a partnership with Amtrak and CSX to develop a simulation model of the Boston & Albany rail corridor. This effort benefitted from the expertise and cooperation of each partner, and the model was completed in March 2024. The model will be utilized to identify the necessary capital projects to be funded through the CRISI grant. Once operational, the Inland Route will enhance mobility between the western and eastern parts of Massachusetts, and it will support the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s goals to promote sustainability, economic development, and address equity issues, especially in Western Massachusetts. Rail and Transit Administrator Meredith Slesinger will accept the award on behalf of the Division.  

“Intercity and freight rail is essential for connecting people and ensuring our regional economies are vibrant and competitive.  I want to thank our dedicated team members at Rail and Transit along with our partners at Amtrak and CSX, who came together to advance the Commonwealth’s Compass Rail vision,” said Administrator Slesinger. “This award is a testament to the public benefits that can be achieved through strong partnerships among rail sponsors and operators.”    

The Women’s Transportation Seminar, more commonly known as WTS International, is devoted to uplifting women’s achievements in transportation and underlining the necessity of women’s contributions in the sector. In their own words, they are committed to “advancing women” and “advancing transportation,” a simultaneous effort. WTS-Boston, the Boston chapter for WTS, was founded in 1980 by a small group of women with the goal of growing the network more globally.

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