Chapter 90 Bond Bill Could Bring $5.3M to Berkshire Communities
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Berkshires could receive more than $5.3 million in additional state Chapter 90 road funds in a new bond bill.
Gov. Maura Healey filed the bill last Friday, authorizing the borrowing of $1.5 billion over the next five years for local transportation networks. The bill includes another $100 million in Chapter 90, a 50 percent increase.
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll on Saturday noted the total amount will be $300 million, the highest amount of Chapter 90 that's been proposed.
"That $100 million topper is going to have a slightly different formula that's really more focused on road miles," she said to applause at the Massachusetts Municipal Association's Connect 351 conference in Boston. "Right now, the formula looks at a whole lot of things, including population, and some of our smaller communities that have lots of roads, but maybe not as many people are kind of penalized in that formula.
"Don't worry, everybody's getting a lot of money within the formula. But there's a slight tweak on that top $100 million."
The governor's budget will use Fair Share surtax revenues to expand capital capacity, enabling $300 million in annual Chapter 90 funds, a 50 percent increase over the traditional $200 million.
The current formula for state aid considers local road mileage at 58.33 percent, population and employment at 20.83 percent each to calculate funding awards.
Adams, for example, has 55.84 miles of road with a population of 8,166 and employment is 1,712. Based on the total amount of funding approved for fiscal 2025, the town received $284,946. The bill filed by the governor would give the town another $185,513 for a total of $471,000, a 65 percent increase.
North Adams would see a 57 percent increase in funds for total of $649,273; Pittsfield, which regularly commands the most funding in the Berkshires because of its size, would get $652,000 for a total of nearly $2 million at the lowest percentage increase of 49.
The "tweaked" calculation would greatly benefit smaller towns, almost doubling their funding. Tiny Alford with its 17 miles and population of 486 would see its funding jump from $71,000 to $128,000 and New Ashford, with less than 11 miles, would go from $42,533 to $77,468.
The towns of Mount Washington, Sandisfield, Savoy and Windsor would see the highest percentage increase, at 84 percent. All told, they have 210 miles of road for a population of 2,625. Together, they average 12.5 residents per mile compared to Pittsfield's 224 residents per mile.
Even with these extra funds, towns are often strapped when it comes to road maintenance and repair — reconstructing a mile of road is upwards of $1 million nowadays.
But the administration is also seeking additional money for culverts, said Driscoll, "things that we know impact roadways and are hard to fund. Those Chapter 90 tend to go to the road, but not the culvert underneath."
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