Governor Signs Chapter 90 Bill
BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey today signed into law a new Chapter 90 bill, delivering $300 million in critical transportation and infrastructure funding to every city and town across Massachusetts.
The bill will strengthen local roads, reduce congestion, and ensure safe, reliable travel across the state.
In addition to an increase of Chapter 90 funding to an all-time high of $300 million, the bill includes authorization for additional capital infrastructure investments through MassDOT that will improve the quality of the state's roads, bridges and culverts and help address congestion hotspots and driving safety.
"Through this Chapter 90 funding, we will upgrade roads and bridges across the state to improve transportation, reduce congestion and enhance safety," said Governor Maura Healey. "Whether it's helping a city repave a key commuter route or giving a small town the resources to replace a flood-prone bridge, this bill is delivering the resources our communities need to deliver for their residents. I'm grateful to the Legislature for passing this essential bill."
Key elements of the bill include:
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$300 million in Chapter 90 funding—a 50 percent increase over recent years—to offset rising construction costs and expand support for small and rural communities.
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$500 million for pavement and bridge upgrades statewide through MassDOT's lifecycle asset management program.
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$200 million to replace culverts and small bridges, building more climate-resilient infrastructure and addressing long-deferred maintenance.
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$185 million to ease congestion and improve safety, targeting rail crossings, intersections, school zones, commercial districts, and other high-need areas.
The Chapter 90 program provides direct funding to municipalities for the repair and improvement of local roads, bridges, sidewalks and culverts. This year's investments will help cities and towns repave busy corridors, fix aging infrastructure and enhance pedestrian safety near schools.
The bill also includes a change to the Chapter 90 funding formula that will allow for $100 million of the total investment to be allocated based exclusively on road miles, ensuring that while every community benefits from the additional investment our rural communities will see an added benefit.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will also continue to provide technical assistance to help municipalities maximize the impact of these funds. This legislation will also ease congestion and address safety issues across the state, improving conditions for drivers, pedestrians, transit riders and bicyclists in critical areas such as rail crossings, intersections near schools, commercial districts and residential areas.
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