Mass. House approves massive $1.2B roads and bridges bill. Here’s what’s in it for you
Ever cursed that bumpy road in your hometown that snarls your commute and slows you down? Or maybe it’s that intersection you white-knuckle your way through every day.
Thanks to a vote on Beacon Hill on Wednesday, help could soon be on the way.
That’s because the majority-Democrat state House gave its unanimous approval to a $1.2 billion bond bill that includes a $300 million infusion for the state’s local road and bridge program.
That one-time expansion of the state’s so-called “Chapter 90″ program is a 50% increase over prior spending. And it includes $100 million in aid specifically for rural communities.
The bill also sets aside $885 million in taxpayer funding for three programs that officials say will help the state reach its long-term transportation goals.
The money will "address congestion hotspots across the Commonwealth," state House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano, D-3rd Norfolk, said.
The Quincy lawmaker called Wednesday’s vote for road and bridge funding "one of the most important responsibilities that we have as members of the Legislature."
Even so, the potential loss of federal funding hung over Wednesday’s vote, Rep. James Arciero, D-2nd Middlesex, said, which prompted lawmakers to “[proceed] with caution while balancing the significant transportation needs of our cities and towns.”
The bill, which now heads to the majority-Democrat state Senate " leverages the Legislature’s increased appropriations to the Commonwealth Transportation Fund," Arciero, of Westford, the House chairperson of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation , said.
Here’s a closer look at what’s in the bill:
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$200 million to be distributed to all municipalities based on the state’s standard Chapter 90 Program distribution formula.
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$100 million will be distributed to all municipalities based solely on road mileage .That money is expected to benefit rural communities across the state.
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$500 million to rehab the roads and bridges that are in the worst shape statewide.
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$185 million for capital projects to reduce congestion hotspots. That money also will be available for intersection improvements, railroad crossings and sidewalks, according to an analysis provided by House Democrats.
The bill "strikes a balance between increasing funding for municipal roadways and transportation-related projects while maintaining outstanding fiscal responsibility," Rep. Michael Finn, D-6th Hampden, said.
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