THE MBTA extended until the end of next year the contract of the manager overseeing the Green Line extension, giving him time to wrap up work on the project.
During a recent appearance on The Codcast, John Dalton said his original five-year contract was nearing its expiration date and he needed an extension to see the project through to the end. He also expressed interest in staying on at the T to work on another project after the Green Line extension is completed.
A T spokesperson on Friday confirmed that Dalton’s contract has been extended until the end of 2022 under the same terms – base pay of $299,000 along with eligibility for an “annual success bonus” of an extra 16 percent. Toward the end of next year, the spokesperson said, the T and Dalton will probably discuss whether he stays on beyond 2022 and what role he might play at the agency.
Dalton’s contract makes him the highest-paid employee at the MBTA.
Dalton was recruited from Chicago at a time when the MBTA was embarrassed by cost overruns that sent the estimated cost of the Green Line extension from $2 billion to $3 billion. After T officials withg the help of consultants pared back the cost to $2.3 billion, Dalton was brought in to build a team capable of carrying the project through to completion.
The Green Line extension appears to be coming in under its budget although it is slightly delayed – the branch of the Green Line running to Union Square in Somerville is expected to open next month and the Medford branch is scheduled to open in May.
