Massachusetts Senate endorses $10.84 billion transportation bond bill

The Massachusetts Senate has endorsed a $10.84 billion transportation bond bill. The plan calls for tapping federal aid and state surplus revenue.

Senators voted unanimously to advance an amended House-approved bill to make major investments for roads and bridges, and transit.

Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, said the bill has far-reaching benefits for the state’s infrastructure.

“While repairs to our transportation infrastructure will be beneficial to many communities across the commonwealth, this bill goes further than merely repairing but will instead actively transform our infrastructure to be more modern, environmentally sustainable, and regionally equitable,” Spilka said in a news release.

The plan calls for leveraging state surplus and federal pandemic relief funds to pursue federal funds via the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a five-year federal transportation funding bill that provides record federal funding to states.

The federal law also permits Massachusetts to apply for about $2.5 billion in grants for local road repairs, and other infrastructure improvements.

Sen. Brendan Crighton, D-Lynn, said the bill provides the state with the key to unlock “once-in-a-generation federal funding.

“With these combined state and federal investments, we will be able to complete vital work on our highways, roads, bridges, and public transportation systems, improving mobility for all residents of the Commonwealth.”

The breakdown of the bond authorizations includes the following:

• $3.5 billion for discretionary federal grant projects.
• $2.8 billion for federal highway systems projects.
• $1.27 billion for non-federally aided roads and bridges.
• $407.7 million for local and regional transportation projects.
• $85 million for state-numbered routes road pavement projects.
• $25 million for municipal road pavement improvements.
• $1 million for local and regional transportation projects.

The bill, H4916, now heads to a conference committee made up of select lawmakers from both chambers to work out a compromise. LL

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