Post date: Mar 30, 2017 1:39:56 PM
Williamstown: $298,449.09
HOUSE PASSES $200 MILLION LOCAL ROAD FIX BILL
A bill funding $200 million in local road projects cleared the House unanimously Wednesday. The annual Chapter 90 bill (H 2783) was approved 154-0, and now must go through the Senate and receive the governor's signature before the money will begin flowing to municipalities. The House bill maintained Gov. Charlie Baker's recommended funding level, which municipal officials have said is not sufficient to bring 30,000 miles of local roads into a state of good repair. Introducing the bill, Transportation Committee Chairman Rep. William Straus said the local officials who testified before the Transportation Committee and the House Bonding Committee "did a very good job identifying a much bigger need than we can meet today." "There is no question that the unmet transportation needs at both the municipal level and the state level are more than we presently have the financial resources to address based on current revenues," he said. Straus also pointed out that Massachusetts is one of the only states that provides this type of aid to cities and towns.
"Nationally, this is a unique program," he said. "There are few if any other states that provide this kind of unrestricted local transportation aid to their municipalities." The Legislature passes a Chapter 90 bill each year, and local public works officials are usually anxious to advance projects given the limited construction season in Massachusetts. The Senate is not expected to hold a formal session until next week. The House and the Senate last session added a new bridge program where the state is coming in to assist with municipal bridges. That $50 million program had awards earlier this month. This Legislature has also authorized $12.5 million in Complete Streets funding to municipalities.