Legislature Passes Bill Authorizing $200M in Chapter 90 Funding
BOSTON — The Legislature on Thursday passed a bill that includes $375 million in bond authorizations for transportation needs across the state, including $200 million for the state's Chapter 90 program, which provides municipalities with a reliable funding source for transportation-related improvements, including road and bridge repairs.
The bill also includes new criteria on how to apportion the funding that takes into account more rural communities.
H.4013, An Act Financing Improvements to Municipal Roads and Bridges, also also authorizes $175 million in programs that will support various transportation-related projects.
This includes $25 million for each of the following:
- the municipal small bridge program;
- the complete streets program;
- a bus transit infrastructure program;
- grants to increase access to mass transit and commuter rail stations;
- grants for municipalities and regional transit authorities to purchase electric vehicles and the infrastructure needed to support them;
- funding for pavement and surface improvements on state and municipal roadways; and
- new funding dedicated to additional transportation support based on road mileage, which is particularly helpful for rural communities.
"This year's Chapter 90 funding bill reflects an increased commitment by the House and Senate to support communities in every part of our Commonwealth," said state Sen. Paul W. Mark of Becket, a member of the conference committee. "The inclusion of $25 million in rural road funding is an important supplement to a wide-ranging package that will benefit our smallest municipalities where each dollar is crucial and so hard to come by.
"I am grateful to the members of our conference committee for their hard work and collaborative engagement to ensure the best result for the people of Massachusetts."
State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli of Lenox said the Chapter 90 formula changes to this bill will serve as a crucial step for districts in the Berkshires.
"Chapter 90 is a critical funding source for our communities, particularly in the western part of the state," said Pignatelli. "I'm pleased that this legislation requires MassDOT to re-evaluate the formula, which has exacerbated regional inequality for years. I have been a longtime proponent of formula reform, and this is a big step in the right direction. I'm thankful to my colleagues in the Legislature for committing to continuing this conversation."
The state Department of Transportation has used three criteria set by the Legislature: road mileage (58.33 percent) and employment and population at 20.83 percent each to determine funding allocations.
The new act looks at road mileage and population but also takes into account whether a community is rural by having a population that is less than 10,000 and has a density of fewer than 500 people per square mile.
MassDOT will have 45 days to develop this new funding distribution formula and return its proposal to the Joint Committee on Transportation for approval.
"Not only will the state provide greater funds for roads and bridges, but the new formula will grant rural areas our fair share of the resources," said Pignatelli. "Prior to this addition in Chapter 90, the formula was based on population, which had overlooked the fact many rural areas have small populations while having to maintain more roads and bridges than urban counterparts."
The bill has been submitted to Gov. Maura Healey for signing.
Tags: Chapter 90,
