Join WTS-Boston's Professional Development Committee as we welcome the MassDOT Right of Way Bureau, which coordinates acquisition of real property for state transportation projects. Massachusetts’ transportation system is dependent on an extensive network of highways, bridges, and streets which require continual updates and improvements. The acquisition of right-of-way is vital to the development of infrastructure projects and is often the critical path to getting a project advertised on time. The Professional Development Committee is excited to host the MassDOT ROW Bureau leaders as they walk us through how to successfully navigate their current process, followed by a Q&A session. This event will be held virtually via Zoom.
MassDOT presenters:
John DeLeire, Director of Right of Way
Mr. DeLeire has been with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation for more than 8 years as Right of Way Bureau Director. Prior to joining MassDOT, Mr. DeLeire managed the northeast region legal department for the largest real estate settlement institution in the country. Mr. DeLeire has been licensed to practice law for 26 years in Massachusetts and spent many years in private practice concentrating on real estate law, zoning, construction law, title examination review, survey analysis, commercial leasing, purchase and use agreements, title insurance, trusts, and civil litigation.
Walter Lynch, Deputy Director of Right of Way
Mr. Lynch is a 1985 graduate of Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Architecture. He practiced architecture with a focus on retail site development and construction contract administration in the private sector for 24 years prior to joining MassDOT’s ROW Bureau.
Mr. Lynch joined MassDOT in 2009 coordinating Right of Way activities on the Accelerated Bridge Program projects and was promoted to Deputy Director in 2013.
Mike Chouinard, State Highway Layouts Engineer
Mr. Chouinard is a Massachusetts Professional Engineer and Professional Land Surveyor. He graduated in 1986 from the University of Lowell (now UMass-Lowell) with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He worked for Bouley Brothers Land Surveyors in Worcester, MA from 1985 to 1991. Mr. Chouinard has worked for the MassDOT Highway Division since 1991 as a Design Engineer in the District 3 Projects Office (1991- 1996), as the Permit Engineer in the District 3 Maintenance Office (1996-1998), as the Assistant Survey Engineer in the Boston HQ Survey Section (1998-2002), and currently as the State Layout Engineer in the Boston HQ Layout Section where he is responsible for the supervision and coordination of the Layout Section statewide operations (2002-present).
Pamela Marquis, Right of Way Compliance/LPA Administrator
As the Community Compliance Administrator for approximately 20 years, Ms. Marquis directs, supervises, and reviews all activities required for the acquisition of right-of-way for Federal Aid-funded municipal transportation projects, including, but not limited to, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, bridges and culverts, as well as roadways and traffic signals. Her responsibilities include: coordinating with Community Compliance staff, municipal and MassDOT design consultants, municipal officials and their legal counsel, Federal Highway Administration staff, other agencies of the Commonwealth, and all MassDOT review sections involved in Federal Aid-funded municipal transportation projects; assisting with complex real property issues, including conservation and agricultural preservation restrictions, as well as Article 97 protection; oversight of Local Public Agency ROW plan reviews; and enhancing operational quality and efficiency within the Community Compliance Section.
Jessica Leone, State Highway Civil Engineering Right of Way Section
A 2012 graduate from Wentworth Institute of Technology, Ms. Leone worked for VHB as a CO-OP in the Spring of 2011 and the City of Boston in the Fall of 2011. She has worked for the MassDOT Highway Division Right of Way Bureau since 2013. She worked in the Layout Section for 5 years and the Engineering Section for 4 years. She is currently the ROW Engineering Administrator.
Responsibilities include directing, supervising, and reviewing the activities of the ROW Engineering Section for all State Highway roadway and bridge projects, including major and complex projects with unique requirements; overseeing operations of the Engineering Section and performing administrative duties to maintain a smooth workflow within the ROW Bureau; coordinating with fellow engineers to define purpose and scope of proposed projects while working closely with agency staff to meet project requirements and create strategies to optimize project operations and project delivery.
Ymeri Shpetim, State Highway Civil Engineering Right of Way Section
Mr. Ymeri is a 2018 graduate of Wentworth Institute of Technology – Master of Engineering in Civil engineering and a 2013 graduate from Epoka University – Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.
Mr. Ymeri worked for MGA as a Field Engineer from 2015 to 2018. Mr. Ymeri has worked for MassDOT Highway Division ROW Engineering Bureau since 2018 and currently is the ROW Engineering Supervisor.
As Supervisor of the ROW engineering section – responsibilities include overseeing the review of the ROW plans and documents associated with the ROW from early design phase to accepted ROW Plans and the supervision and coordination of the engineering operations.