Baker Signs $290 Million Bill to Fund Transportation

Friday, May 05, 2017

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Representative Steven Howitt, Senator John Keenan, Representative Elizabeth Poirier, Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack, Governor Charlie Baker, Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, Senator Thomas McGee and Representative Donald Wong

Governor Charlie Baker signed An Act Financing Improvements to Municipal Roads and Bridges, authorizing $200 million in Chapter 90 transportation funds for municipalities across the state during this construction season.

Also included in the bill is $60 million to fund the Registry of Motor Vehicles’ software platform, and $30 million to reauthorize the Mobility Assistance Program.

“Local transportation funding for cities and towns across Massachusetts has been a priority for our administration since the first day we took office. State support to repair local roads and improve safety is critical for the people, businesses, and first responders of Massachusetts. We are also pleased this legislation includes funding to continue the state’s mobility assistance program for the disabled and elderly, as well as overhaul the Registry’s software system to improve operations and customer service,” said Baker.

Since taking office in 2015, Baker’s administration has released $700 million in Chapter 90 infrastructure funds.

Chapter 90

Chapter 90 reimburses cities and towns for costs incurred for eligible transportation projects.

Cities and towns have to submit receipts to the MassDOT Highway Division district in which they are located which verifies that the expenditures qualify for reimbursement under Chapter 90.

The Highway Districts then submit these receipts to the Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Department which facilitates the reimbursements to cities and towns.

Chapter 90 funds must be allocated to roadway projects, such as resurfacing and related work like preliminary engineering including State Aid/Consultant Design Agreements, right-of-way acquisition, shoulders, side road approaches, landscaping and tree planting, roadside drainage, structures (including bridges), sidewalks, traffic control and service facilities, street lighting (excluding operating costs), and for such other purposes as the MassDOT may specifically authorize.