Transportation

The average price for a gallon of gasoline in Massachusetts recently hit a nearly seven year low.

The latest draft of the Boston region's transportation improvement program includes funding for stormwater improvements along Route 20 in Marlborough and Sudbury, bridge preservation projects in Boston and Randolph, and pavement work on Route 2 in Lexington, Belmont, Arlington and Cambridge.

In a document made public Tuesday, the MBTA's overseers said they hope to hold flat the special budgetary appropriation lawmakers provided the transit agency heading into fiscal 2017, while predicting "difficult and unpopular" near-term decisions.

The highest-paid MBTA employee has been paid about $315,000 so far in 2015, working 4,455 hours, MBTA Chief Administrator Brian Shortsleeve told the T's Fiscal and Management Control Board on Monday.

As MBTA leaders consider fare increases of as much as 10 percent starting July 1 and the potential for fares based on ability to pay, a top official suggested new ways to modernize fare collection.

Looking ahead to 2016, our Economic Forecast issue sees a lot of trends coming for the next year.

Two of Worcester's major thoroughfares -- including one of its main commercial corridors of Shrewsbury Street -- will get major improvements in 2016, the city announced Monday.

Outlining goals and accomplishments at a gathering of government bond investors Wednesday, Gov. Charlie Baker said energy and transportation remain among his top priorities and key factors in the state's economic condition.

The MBTA expects to save $25 million in electricity costs over the next five years.

MARIE ANGELINI, LISA M. CARROLL, LINDA S. LARRIVEE, CAROLYN J. STEMPER and THOMAS J. SULLIVAN will serve...