Samantha Silverberg Named Undersecretary of Transportation Policy

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BOSTON — Interim Transportation Secretary Phillip Eng announced that Samantha E. Silverberg has been hired as Undersecretary of Transportation Policy at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). 
 
A former senior transportation advisor to President Joe Biden, Silverberg will oversee policy development and implementation at MassDOT and manage special projects and initiatives to deliver a safe, reliable and efficient transportation system across the state.  
 
"Interim Secretary Eng is building a strong team at MassDOT to deliver the type of transportation system that our residents and businesses deserve," said Governor Maura Healey. "We are excited to welcome Samantha Silverberg to the team, whose extensive transportation policy experience at both the state and federal levels will be a valuable contribution to the important work that MassDOT is doing every day." 
 
Silverberg was a senior transportation official throughout the Biden Administration, beginning as Special Assistant to the President for Transportation and Infrastructure and later rising to Deputy Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator and finally Deputy Assistant to the President for Infrastructure Implementation in the Office of the Chief of Staff. In this role, she was President Biden's primary policy advisor on matters related to transportation and infrastructure. She was responsible for designing, negotiating, and implementing his signature bipartisan infrastructure law, deploying over $600 billion across transportation, water, high-speed internet, clean energy, resilience, and other sectors.  
 
"It's an honor to return to working in transportation policy in Massachusetts," said Silverberg. "Because of Governor Healey's transportation investments, we have an incredible opportunity to make significant upgrades to roads, bridges and public transportation across the state, while also doing the work now to set this system up for long-term success. I'm grateful to Governor Healey and Interim Eng for placing their trust in me, and I look forward to getting to work with the entire team." 
 
Prior to joining the Biden Administration, she served as Senior Director of Capital Program Planning and then Deputy Chief Administrative Officer at the MBTA during Governor Baker's administration. She is currently a Visiting Fellow at the Taubman Center for State and Local Government at the Harvard Kennedy School.  
 
 
Silverberg joins MassDOT's executive leadership team alongside Undersecretary of Transportation and Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. 

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Pittsfield Council OKs Underground Fiber Network

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — More underground fiber internet cables will be installed in Pittsfield. 

On Tuesday, the City Council approved Gateway Fiber's request to install an underground fiber network infrastructure within the city's right-of-way.  

The company was given the go-ahead for an aerial network last year alongside Archtop Fiber, marking the beginning of construction with a ribbon-cutting at the Colonial Theatre. Gateway Fiber will offer subscription plans ranging from $65 to $150 per month, depending on speed. 

Wards 3 and 4 will see the most work in the first phase, according to an underground fiber deployment plan.  Fourteen streets in Ward 4 will see underground fiber deployment; 13 streets in Ward 3.  

Ward 4 Councilor James Conant voted in opposition for personal reasons, as he signed up for Gateway Fiber briefly last year and said he had poor service and poor communication from the company. 

Some councilors and community members appreciated bringing competition to Spectrum internet services. Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey pointed out that it costs about $90 per month for 500 megabytes per second with Spectrum, and that all three fiber services that have come to Pittsfield are cheaper. 

Operations Manager Jennifer Sharick explained that they were seeking approval for underground fiber deployment as part of the next phase in Pittsfield. The city was found to be a "very" viable community for underground fiber. 

Gateway Fiber, she said, originally served a community of 250 residents outside of St. Louis, Mo. 

"Following the pandemic, we saw the need, and what people need for fiber and reliable internet service to bring residents and businesses the opportunity for connectivity," Sharick said. 

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